ValkinThreads Handmade Gifts

Halloween paper machete candy bowls.

2011-10-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

I decided to try a fun new project for my sons to give totheir teachers and principle this year for Halloween. It was simple and thepaper machete bowls I made came out adorable.

Theproducts I used to make them are as follows.

A bowl in the size desired

Plastic wrap

Pam nonstick cooking spray

Strips of newspaper and strips of printer copy paper for theoutside layer.

Paint brush (any will do)

Modepodge glue or any glue desired

Paints and a clear sealing varnish

Strips of material for the outside layer of the mummy.

The first thing I did was pick out the bowl spray theoutside of it with pam, and cover it in plastic wrap. I then sprayed theoutside of the plastic wrap with pam. Next, I used my paintbrush to coverstrips of newspaper with glue. I placed each strip in layers over the plasticwrap until every inch of the outside of the bowl was covered. Repeat this stepuntil you have about five layers of newspaper on the bowl. For the last layer Iused the printer copy paper to give it a stronger hold. When that was finished,I put it outside in the sun to dry for about 2 to 3 days.

Once the paper machete was dry I pealed it away from itsbase bowl. (It slid off easily because of the pam that was sprayed on it aheadof time.) I took of the plastic wrap and discarded it. Next, I used the paintsto decorate, as I desired. This is the finished bowl.

Jack Skelington

Mummy

Vampire

I took these to the school and gave them to the teachers and they loved them. They were a hit. So on a day when you have nothing to do give it a try and see how they come out.

Whimsical Etsy Shop.

2010-10-31T13:00:00.000-07:00

I found this adorable mystical shop while in the fourm on etsy and I just love it.JordanRou.etsy.com is a very unique shop her whimsical dolls are fantastic. They are perfect to go along with the fairy tales you read to your kids of to collect as a set. They would make great Christmas gifts for any age.

I asked JordanRou.etsy.com for a short bio and this is what she said "I make hand-sewn, ooak fantasy art dolls, and do some collage/mixed media work.

I live in NC, and am currently a college student. I have had a love for art and making things since I was very young, and was able to foster this love and really grow as an artist throughout highschool (I was home schooled - yay for free time and independent learning!). I feel like i have really grown as an artist within the past few years. I am a little new to etsy."

So if your looking for something unique and fresh while shoping around this holiday season please stop on over and visit this colorful fun shop. JordanRou.etsy.com

Creative Etsy Shop !

2010-10-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

I ran in to this shop in the etsy forums and it is just fantastic. DinosDiedOfBoredom.etsy.com has beautiful water color paintings with a unique variety of art for all taste. One of these beauties will look stunning in any home decor.

I had a chance to get a short bio from DinosDiedOfBoredom.etsy.com and this is what she said

"My etsy shop is called Dinosaurs Died of Boredom. There is a theory, called Paleoweltschmerz, which expresses a possible explanation for the extinction of dinosaurs. It claims that dinosaurs became so disillusioned with their ancient world that they died of boredom.

Creating the art in my shop are some of the things which keep that from happening to me!

I do watercolour / ink drawings of the famous and fictional.

With each painting I sell, I donate to the Kingston Animal Rescue: a volunteer-run, “no-kill” animal rescue group. "

So on top of this being a wonderful shop with awesome art to look at and buy she also donates to charity to make a difference in the world around us. So if you have a chance stop on by DinosDiedOfBoredom.etsy.com and take a look around

Special Etsy Shop Feature!

2010-10-07T07:10:00.000-07:00

Hi I just wanted to take a moment to spot light this fantastic etsy shop CourageForKristi.etsy.com who are doing their best to make a difference in the lives of a family that has battle with great loss.

I asked CourageForKristi.etsy.com for a short bio about what they do in their shop and what they stand for and here is what she said. "Support Breast Cancer Awareness (October 2010)

Kristi Lowery Lim lost her battle with breast cancer last summer mere months after being diagnosed. Kristi was a dear college friend of my husband and a fellow physical therapist. To honor Kristi, and support her family, my husband has set up college saving funds for her three young daughters. Nothing will replace the loss of their mother, but we hope to help them carry on with positive memories and a successful future.

100% of all sales go to 529 State College Investment funds for Kristi's three young daughters. Items listed in this shop are donated by other generous Etsy sellers.

This is our second year honoring Kristi. Last year we blew our $300 goal out of the water by raising $1,400. Thank you so much for all of your wonderful support and love!

If you are an Etsy Artisan and interested in donating, please send me a convo!"

So please I know we all have our own daily hardships in life but if you could all take a moment and take a look into this shop CourageForKristi.etsy.com I know there will be three children that will be very greatful for even taking the time out of your day for them. :0)

the smallest splash can cause a tidle wave.

Sweet little etsy shop!

2010-10-01T07:09:00.000-07:00

This cute little shop I found on my twitter etsy thread the other day. She has a cute shop. I think here sachets are simply perfect for wedding gifts, baby shower gifts spa day packs for friends the gift giving option for these little beauties are endless. So take a moment and check out cleorosesachets.etsy.com for that unique little something you’ve been looking for.

I have asked cleorosesachets.etsy.com to send me a small bio about her and this is what she had to say. ”Years ago I wanted to open a little Bed and bath Boutique with beautiful things...My mother was lending a big helping hand in that direction, when she became ill and passed just 2 months later..I felt at the time I had to find a name for my shop and do this. Not being able to sleep, one early morning it hit me. Cleo Rose. My mother’s name was Rose and It was Cleo. She never liked the name "Cleo" so she did not use it. I was grown with children of my own before I knew this was her name. My aunt slipped, my mother got upset and I laughed and teased her for a long time. In addition, I think it was my mother who one early morning had helped me with this name. I could imagine her saying, “if it is good enough to tease me, then it is good enough to be your shop name". LOl The rest of the Cleo Rose Name for the shop I won't reveal. I was making designer pillows, but it cost a lot. All talent came from my mother and I give her total credit. The sachets came about from a sachet I gave to my mother many yrs ago. I sketched some ideas out. Some are still living just on the sketches for the moment. I tried hard to copy her silk flowers she made but I just did not quite have her talent. I finally, débuted them on Valentine’s Day 2003 and they were an absolute hit. I was busy for the 3 days prior to Valentine’s Day, It was crazy but exciting!!

**********************************************

I am still working on getting my shop filled and working on new designs as well!!”

Wonderful Etsy Shop

2010-09-22T00:20:00.000-07:00

Todays great etsian featured shop is rativs.etsy.com.

She has the most adorable little crochet hats. If your looking for something to keep your little ones head warm this fall than check out her pumpkin hats. They are just the cutest. But that's not all you can get from her shop. She also sells beautiful scarves and crochet blankets as well. So when the temperature drops outside and your looking for ways to stay warm swing on by rativs.etsy.com and stock up for the winter.

I have asked rativs.etsy.com to send me a small bio about her and this is what she had to say. "I am a stay at home mom of two young boys. Have been crocheting most of my life. Love to make hats, scarves and blankets. Currently making lots of pumpkin hats for Halloween."

An Adorable Etsy Shop!

2010-09-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

This great etsy artist has such an adorable shop. I love her cute hair accessories and to know that she was inspired by having a daughter makes it even sweeter. Her hair pins match with everything and add a flair to whatever you ware. Thank you so much Pootendatum.etsy.com for sharing your experience with us.

I have asked Pootendatum.etsy.com to send me a small bio about her and this is what she had to say. "I'm a 27 year old stay at home mom to my 7 month old daughter. I started making accessories for her when I couldn't seem to find exactly what I was looking for in stores. And I started my etsy store to share my designs with others who may be in the same boat.

My etsy store consists of accessories for any age. My hair clip designs can be worn by both toddlers and adults alike! I love to combine vibrant colors with some sparkle for that extra *pop*."

Please make sure to visit her shop for more great items being sold in her shop. :0)

An Amazing Etsy Artist

2010-09-17T07:12:00.000-07:00

This fellow etsian does something that I have always dreamed of doing but I personally have never been able to achieve this kind of talent. In the last few days I have had the opportunity to chat with her some on the daily thread that I manage I she is a very sweet person. I wish her lots of luck in her adventure on the internet high-speed highway. I know her shop abstractive.etsy.com will do well.

I have asked abstractive.etsy.com to send me a small bio about her and this is what she had to say. “My name is Adi and painting plays an important part in my life. It has been that way for many years. I paint abstract acrylic paintings on canvas, and I also sell their prints.”

You can also find abstractive.etsy.com on face book just follow this link. http://www.facebook.com/Abstractive

I hope that you have enjoyed this etsy shop as much as I have.

Please feel free to leave comments and feedback to let abstractive.etsy.com know how well she is doing.

A must see Etsy Shop thecrochetloft

2010-09-16T07:15:00.000-07:00

I found this cute etsy shop while running my forum thread on etsy.

She sales one of my favorite items in her shop. (Wristlets) I just love arm warmers and her fantastic shop is stocked full of them.

If your like me and hate being cold stop on over at thecrochetloft and stock up for the winter.

I have asked thecrochetloft to send me a small bio about her and this is what she had to say. "I came up with the name thecrochetloft when my hubby and I were talking of the title he said how about crochet corner. That did not fit, but with much thought I came up with The Crochet Loft would be broader.

I have been crocheting since I was about 8 years old and loved it ever since. Nowadays there are so many types of yarn I like to experiment.

If you have any more questions contact me http://www.thecrochetloft.etsy.com/"

I have posted some photos of these awesome items please take a look

I hope everyone has enjoyed this feature. As a fellow crochet’er I am happy to have had the chance to get to meet thecrochetloft and find out a little about what goes on behind the scenes in her shop.

I just started this new etsy thread!

2010-09-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

I've started a new thread in the etsy community under promotions.

Here is what it's about.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ SALES SO FAR ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Here are the rules of this thread. Every morning I will start a new thread. It is simple to be added to the list. All you have to do is ask to be added and type the name of your store example.etsy.com with a description of what is in it.

Then I will spend my day promoting one item on twitter from each shop on this list. I will continue to promote until midnight etsy time each night.

Here is my twitter account in case anyone would like to follow me and retweet to help promote the list.

http://twitter.com/lanakinbuddys

Let’s see how many people get sales.

SPECIAL!!!

Anyone who purchases an item from the shops on the list will be added to the top of the list with a heart and date next to their shop name. Then for the next two weeks, I will promote on twitter daily five items and any promotions that you have in your shop. For shops that have made more than on purchase I will add an additional heart next to your name so I can keep track of when your (two week/ or more)twitter promo time is up.

Once your (two week/ or more) twitter promo time is up you will again have to stop by the thread daily and ask to be added back to the list

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PLEASE help keep the sales count accurate. If you buy something from someone on this thread PLEASE post the transaction. ANY and ALL sales that are a result of this thread should be posted!!! Here is an example:

*********SOLD**********

from example.etsy.com

Transaction link. (Found in your purchases.)

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Please keep in mind that it is just me at the moment running this thread and I sometimes have other things to do (like hopefully not forget to pick up the kids from school lol.) So I ask that you please have patients with me and if I miss your post please post again until I can get you added onto the list.

I made my first treasury.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c8e9f7fe9916d91c6734922/time-flys-when-your-drinking-rum?index=0

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Daily List

♥ lanakinbuddys.etsy.com (list manager) – crochet and sewn items for yourself and your home.

So if anyone would like to join this thread and get some help promoting their etsy shop. Just follow this link and sign up let me know. I would love to help out as many fellow etsians ans I can

How to roll with the punches!!!

2010-09-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

Well hello again.

It's been forever since I have had the chance to sit down and write out my thoughts and new ideas on my blog.

My life has been super crazy for the last six months. In March my husbands grandfather passed away. Thats when my path in life took on a sharp 90 degree turn. We had to pack up and move into his grandmothers house to take care of her. All other things in my life came to a stop.

So now six months, a lot of late nights and some massive headaches later here I am. I'm trying very hard to get back on track and stock up my etsy store with lots of goodies for the up coming holidays.

Here is a look at what I have made recently. I hope you all like.

These are upcycled crochet rugs made from cut up strips of material

this is my oval sunshine rug

this is my kick ass skull and crossbones rug

This is my round sunshine rug.

I hope I can continue to bring about new items and stay on a straight path for a while.

I leave you all with a link to ma favorite free crochet pattern web site. I hope you all enjoy!

THE WINNER IS!

2010-02-11T11:55:00.000-08:00

I have randomly chosen the winner for my warm winter scarf giveaway.

And the winner is.....drum roll please.....and the winner is....

Bawissa AKA Melissa

I would like to thank all of my followers who entered into my giveaway. Keep tuned for the next one.

Once again congratulations Bawissa AKA Melissa and I hope that you enjoy this nice warm scarf. :0)

Valentine's Day give away. Spreading some love

2010-01-15T01:47:00.000-08:00

This give away is for the scarf shown below. You will win 1 scarf made with super soft lion heart yarn. This is my favorite yarn to use on scarves. It is so soft and keeps you toasty warm. Colors are cream and pink perfect for the month of love (February). It is crocheted in a double crochet stitch using a fat hook. If you have been looking for that perfect winter scarf here is your chance to win it for free. I have posted photos of the scarf below so you can see what it looks like. And please read the rules listed below on how to enter the give away. Thanks for playing. Good luck to all.

Okay so here are the rules for my Valentine's Day give away.

Giveaway starts 1/15/2010 and ends at midnight 2/10/2010

There are Three ways to enter. I will need you to leave your email address or some way for me to contact you should you be randomly chosen as the winner.

1. Become a follower of this blog and leave me a comment to let me know. You will then get 1 entry to win.
(If you are already a follower of my blog, leave me a comment and let me know so you can be entered.)

2. Visit my Etsy shop and heart me as your favorite then come back here and leave me a comment. You will then get 1 entry to win.

(if you have already hearted me then leave me a comment here so you can be entered.)

3. If you visit my Etsy shop or Artfire studio and make a purchase you will be entered into the giveaway.

please come back here to my blog and leave a comment with the transaction receipt for your purchase to count.

(note that any one who makes a purchase from my shop and posts the transaction here will earn 2 entries for this giveaway.)

So there are up to 4 entries for every person. This giveaway will end on 2/10/2010.
I will then randomly choose the winner.

Once the winner has been chosen you will then have up to 48 hrs to respond, in which if you do not respond I will choose another winner.

Thank you for entering my giveaway. This item will be shipped the following business day using usps shipping.

You have got to hear this Indie Musician

2009-12-30T14:13:00.000-08:00

I have had one hell of a night trying to figure some stuff out about loading an MP3 player to my blog. Sadly I cannot figure it out. I now know how to put the mp3 player on as a widget but I can't get it to play the music I want. URRRRRRRRRRRRRRR so frustrating. I hate HTML codes.

So here is the deal I know an Indie musician and I wanted to feature his music here on my blog. I purchased and downloaded one of his songs to my computer but it seem like the only way to load it to an MP3 widget is to upload it back onto the internet and create a URL for it. I can't do that because of copyrights and I don't want to put his music out there for just anyone to grab up and use for "Whatever" they might want to do with it.

So what I am doing for now is leaving you all with a picture of the album cover and a few links within this post to Rmusic where his songs are listed for purchase. you can just click on any of the words that I have highlighted in this post to take you to Rmusic where you can listen to and download his amazing music.

I have also created a button on the left side of my blog that if clicked on it will take you straight to his music on the web. I will be back in the future to blog about Feldman and Wood's music when I get this darn MP3 thing figured out. In the mean time have a look at what the sound like by clicking here!!!

buy now

If there is anyone out there who knows how to fix my problem please let me know. I'm pulling my hair out here. =0)

Amigurumi Fun

2009-12-28T17:18:00.000-08:00

I was planning on blogging today about some of the great Etsy shops that I have found while doing my x-mass shopping, but I started on a new project and got completely lost in it.

I thought I would try my hand at amigurumi's and found that they are a lot of fun to make and they came out so cute. I found a cool blog that has all these free patterns to use. So I went to town on making a few of them.

So here is some photos of my finished products. Hope you all like. I think maybe in the future I might open up another web store just for all of my crocheting. Until then I'm just going to have some fun getting crafty.

Brid rattle Hippo

Please check out this other great Etsy store that sells adorable amigurumi's. wigglysee.etsy.com

Lost but Found

2009-12-27T15:33:00.000-08:00

Sorry everyone but I have had a hell of a month and things around my house got a little crazy. So I strayed from my blogging, Etsy and Twitter for a bit. I dropped off the Etsy forums and disappeared for a month, but now I am found. I am going to try and take some time every day to blog a little and work on my internet business in between the teaching and packing that I must do daily.

My Christmas was great. I had my family over for presents and dinner. I was excited to give my mom her family cook book that I made. She cried which shows that she loved it and all the hours of work were well spent.

I've spent the rest of my weekend sleeping, reading, playing with the kids and watching movies. It was a nice way to recover after being sick for over a week. The fun is over now and it's back to work and promoting my work as well. I hope to have a new giveaway to post up on here for Valentine’s Day. If anyone has any suggestions of what they would like me to have for my giveaway please post it here.

Tomorrow I will be on to blog about one of the great Etsy shops I bought some of my Christmas presents from this year.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday and resting well.

Do you love purses?

2009-11-23T12:57:00.000-08:00

So lately I have been busy making all sorts of different purses. They come in different styles, colors and shapes and I just wanted to take a moment and show them off. If you see something you like you can stop on over at my etsy shop and pick it up. There are many more styles listed up in my Etsy shop for sale and I can make custom orders to fit your own style.

AND THE WINNER IS!

2009-11-13T21:28:00.000-08:00

I have randomly chosen the winner for my Twilight saga New Moon giveaway.

And the winner is.....drum roll please.....and the winner is....

ISABELLESATTIC.

I would like to thank all of my followers who entered into my giveaway. Keep tuned for the next one.

Once again congratulations Isabellesattic. I hope that all you Twilight fans enjoy the New Moon movie coming out. I know I will.

Digicute's amazing promotion's shop list of the day.

2009-11-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

I found this fun Shop while searching the promotions forums on Etsy. This great etsian spends her time helping to promote fellow etsy shops. She manages a thread that consists of a daily list of fantastic Etsy shops. To be added to this list you just have to click here to go to this thread and simply ask for your shop to be added to tomorrow’s list. Then digicute takes care of the rest for you. The only thing digicute asks is for you to help promote the thread during the day to keep the list at the top of the forum pages. It's as simple as that.

digicute starts a new list every day. So if you want to be on it daily than make sure you post on the new list every day. This is today’s list. At the end of the day digicute will close the thread and start a new one. If you go to the last post on the thread you will find a link to the new thread.

I want to spot light digicute's shop today. Her shop is full of fun digital clip art and digital scrapbook paper. So please take the time to check out her amazing shop.

Here is her list of shop's for today 11/11/2009

.•:*¨¨*:•.A list of Wonderful Shops.•:*¨¨*:•.

digicute.etsy.com - digital collage sheets, clip arts, gift tags

katker.etsy.com - OOAK Bloomin' Button Jewelry & OOAK Swarovski Jewelry; she also has a section where everything is 50% off! Check it out: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5166836§ion_id=6073383. Be her 150th sale and get 15% refunded back to you! Also, mention this thread for an additional 20% off anything.

wigglysee.etsy.com - crocheted stuffed toys

justscrapsnthings.etsy.com - tags, cards, die cuts and sports emebellishments out of scrap papers. She has some items on sale for only $1!! Check them out: http://www.etsy.com/shop/JustScrapsNThings?section_id=6535613! Also, check out her new blog on crafting tips and ideas: http://justscrapsnthings.blogspot.com/

AnnaBelleArts.etsy.com - Needle felted art dolls, felted one of a kind bags, pincushions, eclectic jewelry and holiday creations; she has some art dolls that would like a new home :) http://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnaBelleArts?section_id=6211150! Also check out here unique pin cushions: http://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnaBelleArts?section_id=6209198

SewnInspirations.etsy.com - Decorative, children, teen & tooth fairy pillows. Pet stockings and more. Sale! 20% off decorative pillows, sale items and holiday items.

ebruksupplies.etsy.com - unique jewelery specially handmade for you by a dentist and her mom! You can also find supplies mainly gemstones to create your own. FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING All items in her Shop!!! Also check out her blog: http://myblogkiwansdesign.blogspot.com/

Ebruk.etsy.com - this is the mother's shop :)!!! Trendy knitting and crochet! And this is her lovely treasury: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=74869. If you got 3 items in the same day of her shop Free Worldwide Shipping !!!Refunds will be back through Paypal.

gilliauna.etsy.com - Beaded and Gemstone Jewelry and Accessories; free shipping in US and Canada; Discounted WorldWide Shipping

MiasMunchies.etsy.com - handmade dog treats

Chep.etsy.com - cute art paintings

lanakinbuddys.etsy.com - quilt blankets, scarves, purses, and more! She needs 4 more sales to reach her goal by the end of this month. Let's help her out :)! Also, check out her giveaway on her blog: http://pudgypalz.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-moon-twilight-giveaway.html

KittysKorner.etsy.com - lovely knit goods

beadware.etsy.com - Handcrafted gifts and fine beaded jewerly; she just opened her shop about a month ago so let's give her some support!

FabricGreetings.etsy.com - mailable textile art

lisawitmercollection.etsy.com - Vintage and handmade jewelry. $1.00 shipping!

sweetharvey.etsy.com - letterpress greeting cards

TheArtOfJoy.etsy.com - Original paper goodies; if you like her cards, you can vote for her here: http://www.etsy.com/voter_list.php?ref=voter&room_id=78

ajcouturegemstones.etsy.com --LUXE gemstones beads and findings

juliafinucane.etsy.com - art, prints, dolls, paper goods, and free shipping on most items!

amyssoapsnthings.etsy.com - bath and body products and more! Get 20% off on purchases $15 dollars or more during the month of November.

TheAshGrove.etsy.com - earrings; she just started her shop so more items will be coming very soon! Let's give her some support!

obsoleteboutique.etsy.com - Unique and vintage items; she just opened this shop recently so let's give her some support :)!! The next one is her other shop!

EarthenTreasures.etsy.com - handmade jewelry and more; this is her other shop :)!

orlydesign.etsy.com - Handmade ceramic; she just opened her shop a month ago so let's give her some support!

mylittleburritos.etsy.com - dolls, totes, hand puppets, and more! Get 20% off your total purchase (not including shipping). Refund through paypal.

JWsCountryCrafts.etsy.com - cat toys, holiday decor, jewelry, Creative Wall Decor, and more

avendano.etsy.com - eco clothing shop; get 20% off and free shipping from Nov. 10-11

JewelryOfNote.etsy.com - handmade jewelry; check out her first treasury! http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=92797

Pleasurearts’ Great Shops List BNS: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6330870&page=1
Pleasurearts’ Great Shops List is a fairly new BNS thread; many of the regulars of this Shop of the Day thread (including myself :D) is in this BNS. We welcome everyone who is interested :)!! No minimum purchase!
Here is the Pleasurearts’ BNR treasury: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=75085

This is a great way to kick start your holiday shoping. There is such a variety on the list that you will be able to find something for everyone. Enjoy your shopping.

Pleasurearts’ Great Shops List BNS

2009-11-03T00:26:00.000-08:00

What is a BNS you might ask?

A BNS is a thread on the Etsy promotions forum. If you are a seller on Etsy you can go to this thread, pick a great shop from the list, buy an item and post your transaction on the thread. Then one of us list managers will add your shop name to the thread where you will remain on the list as long as you check in regularly (once every other day) and help promote the thread. There is no minimum amount that you have to spend to buy on.

Becoming an active member on a forum thread on Etsy is a great way to meet other shop owners and generate business for your shop. I personally have chosen Pleasurearts’ Great Shops List BNS to join and have found that the other shop owners here are wonderful. They do their best to help bring in sales for everyone by promoting one another and making terrific treasuries. This has been a great experience for me and I recommend other shop owners on Etsy to take some time and prowl the forums and try to get to know other sellers. It is worth the time spent.

If you are not a shop owner on Etsy but you are shoping around to find that perfect gift for someone please feel free to take a look at the list of fantastic Etsy shops that I have provided below.
If you would like to join this great BNS I have provided a list of shops below that participate. Once you make a purchase from any of these shops below you can then go to this thread and post your transaction to be added on to the list.

♥Pleasurearts’ Great Shops List BNS♥

♥Come and join us!♥

-Buy from any shops on this current list.
-Post your transaction here and your name will be added on to the list.
-Come and post on the thread (check in) to stay on the list.
-Promote your shop, new items, deals, sales, etc.
-Chat, have fun, promote each other!

1. pleasurearts.etsy.com Great price jewelry to support charities!
2. BeadingByBawissa.etsy.com Beaded items: ornaments, pens and jewelry
3. belladonnabeads.etsy.com Fun, bright, unique jewellery!
4. yarndeb.etsy.com Needlecraft
5. wigglysee.etsy.com Crocheted stuffed toys
6. ToBoldlyFold.etsy.com Soft cover leather sketchbooks and journals
7. funnyfuser.etsy.com Fused glass, specializing in barrettes
8. NoStoneTurned.etsy.com Fine art photographs
9. katker.etsy.com OOAK Bloomin' Button Jewelry; OOAK Swarovski Jewelry
10. BabyNest.etsy.com Scarves,Baskets,Coasters,Pin Cushions,Hair Jewelry
11. FirstLightGlass.etsy.com Fused glass jewelry, art and home decor
12. rttinytreasures.etsy.com Paintings in a variety of mediums and prints
13. thefaerieglen.etsy.com A variety of items!
14. themosyscrapper03.etsy.com Jewelry, scrapbook tags, buttons, cards, etc.
15. cowgirlcrysi.etsy.com One of a kind crochet pieces and custom work
16. maddy7.etsy.com Stained Glass Studio featuring nightlights, suncatchers, panels
17. lanakinbuddys.etsy.com Stuffed animals, blankets, purses and scarves
18. StrawberryTopsSpa.etsy.com Beauty and spa products
19. LaughingFridge.etsy.com OOAK fun, funky, whimsical Art Magnets
20. theyellowhobbit.etsy.com Handspun yarn,handpainted yarn and roving
21. YourTime.etsy.com Wire wrapped jewelry, vintage and supplies.
22. Kritterluver.etsy.com Candles and jewelry

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

List Managers
pleasurearts.etsy.com
babynest.etsy.com
belladonnabeads.etsy.com

lanakinbuddys.etsy.com

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Treasury
Pleasurearts Buy and Replace
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=91499

Please take a moment to vist each shop and see what great buys they have to offer.

These are just a few of the great items you will find in these shops.

Pleasurearts.etsy.com babynest.etsy.com

belladonnabeads.etsy.com lanakinbuddys.etsy.com

Why Everyone Should Know Brynnalex.

2009-10-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

Who is Brynnalex you ask and why is it so important to me?

I opened my shop on Etsy about 2 months ago and have since been stalking the forums to find a great place to hang out. I have mentioned before in a previous blog about a great thread with awesome people in it, but one Etsy shop in particular caught my eye. (Brynnalex)

Brynnalex (Elaine) is a woman I admire on so many levels; her strength, heart, kindness and perseverance are just a few of her qualities.

Elaine's Etsy shop Brynnalex was not started as a way to make money off of the crafts she has made. It was started in remembrance of her only daughter. Brynn was a bright creative child who was taken too soon.

Brynnalex's Etsy shop is a donation store where other artist and fellow Etsians' have gathered our talents together in memory of Brynn Proctor Suddes and donated items to be sold to raise money for the annual bursary which is given to a student involved and excelling in either Fashion Design, Journalism or the Arts.

Brynn said "Follow your Dreams" and now that she is an angel we can all do are part to help her help others Follow their Dreams.

Please everyone who reads this take the time to visit the Etsy shop and tribute site listed below.

http://www.brynnalex.etsy.com/

http://www.beheartstrings.com/

Sometimes in life we can get lost and feel so small and insignificant in this world and then someone comes along and we are touched and changed forever.

Today you are being given the opportunity to reach out and change someone else’s life forever.

I know that times our tuff but even the smallest ripple can become a huge wave.

Help keep Brynn's wishes going.

Let's change our children’s world for the better.

Great Etsy Shop terrasecrets

2009-10-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

I found a great thread on Etsy. With lots of wonderful insightful people all coming together to help each other out. I was very happy to join this online community started by Enyaeire. Who is an upbeat wonderful crafter on Etsy. She opens a new thread in the forum each morning and works with a great team to update and add new shops to the list throughout the day. Even smileymoo who I have bloged about in a previous Great Etsy Shop feature is a list manager. So if you are a shop on Etsy or you just like to shop on Etsy than please take the time and come see what this great thread is all about.

While I was visiting the shops on her list I came across terrasecrets who specialize in spa and beauty items. I poked around in terrasecrets shop for a while and was happy to find a few treats I could purchase.

I decided to buy her peppermint foot soak and a strawberry smoothie lip balm. I am so happy that I did.

When the package arrived it was wrapped in tissue, tied with a thank you note and contained not only my purchase but a sample pack as well. I love the lip balm and foot soak by the way. The scents contained with in the package smelled so great and filled the room.

I am happy to report that if you are looking for spa and beauty gifts then look no further and click on terrasecrets highlighted name anywhere in this post to and pick up one of these fantastic items from her shop. You won’t be disappointed.

New Moon (Twilight) Giveaway

2009-10-12T19:58:00.000-07:00

I am very excited about the New Moon movie coming out November 20, 2009. So I wanted to do something to celebrate. So this is the first time I am having a giveaway on my blog. If the results are what I am hoping for I will have lots more with a large variety of items to giveaway.

This give away is for the pillow shown below. You will win 1 New Moon pillow made with black suede a center strip of black and white stars and swirls and a photo of Bella, Edward and Jacob on the front. It has a design stitch in red leaves around the photo. The pillow is boarderd with a blood red frill.

This pillow will look great on your couch or bed. (This is most likely the closest any of us will come to sleeping with Rob Pattinson.) So take up this opportunity and get in on my New Moon giveaway.

Okay so here are the rules for my New Moon Giveaway.

Giveaway starts 10/12/2009 and ends 11/13/2009

(I would like to have the pillow sent before the movie comes out)

There are Three ways to enter. I will need you to leave your email address or some way for me to contact you should you be randomly chosen as the winner.

1. Become a follower of this blog and leave me a comment to let me know. You will then get 1 entry to win.

(If you are already a follower of my blog, leave me a comment and let me know so you can be entered.)

2. Visit my Etsy shop and heart me as you favorite then come back here and leave me a comment. You will then get 1 entry to win.

(if you have already hearted me then leave me a comment here so you can be entered.)

3. If you visit my Etsy shop or Artfire studio and make a purchase you will be entered into the giveaway.

please come back here to my blog and leave a comment with the transaction receipt for your purchase to count.

(note that any one who makes a purchase from my shop and post the transaction here will earn 2 entries for this giveaway.)

So there are up to 4 entries for every person. This giveaway will end on 11/13/2009.

I will then randomly choose the winner.

Once the winner has been chosen you will then have up to 48 hrs to respond, in which if you do not respond I will choose another winner.

Thank you for entering my giveaway. This item will be shipped the following business day using usps first class shipping.

Great Etsy Shop MaritimeArts

2009-10-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a fantastic find. This shop is most definitely on my top 10 list. I personally love historical clothing. Being able to become a different character and get lost in a whole other era in time can be such a joy. If you do anything today make sure you add taking a look at MaritimeArts shop to the top of your list. It will be well worth it.

Here is a bio sent to me from MaritimeArts: "MaritimeArts is a shop that sells costuming and clothing for the historical reenactor. I am a reenactor myself and in attending events I noticed a real lack of ingenuity in the clothing people were wearing. And the clothing that did spark an interest in me was so expensive I certainly couldn't afford it.

This is a hobby for most people and people do it because they enjoy it. Believe it or not, dressing up in these beautiful outfits is a lot of fun. So, I decided to take up sewing historical clothing. I have sold at local Rennaissance Faires and SCA events over the years. I then got interested in the Victorian/cowboy era and loved taking on a new era to learn about. I actually do research the outfits and draft my patterns using these historical guidelines I research about. It's important when you are reenacting to promote an accurate image of the time period. But equally as important is affordability. You can use modern sewing techniques and modern fabrics and trims and make them look historically accurate. Yes, the fabric may have a bit of polyester in the blend, that will keep it affordable. But the fabric will "look" like it was something they might have worn and the pattern lines are historically accurate. I love the challenge of looking at a Godey's Fashion Book for the 1800's and trying to find a modern fabric that looks similar to the descriptions.

I decided to open an Etsy store about 1 year ago and try and sell my items online. I was working a 9 to 5 job in a place I absolutely hated. My children were growing up in daycare and I was not spending any time with them. So, that is basically why I decided to open an Etsy shop.

I mostly do custom orders. My pictures are of garments I have made for myself or for other people. I have listed them and in the description I lay out what the sale will provide. This outfit in these colors and this fabric. I find that people can be creative that way and can come up with their "dream outfit"."

The fallowing photos are MaritimeArts favorite picks that are listed in her Etsy shop.

These are just astonishing. I am taken away by the detail in MaritimeArts work

How people can find MaritimeArts:

Etsy: http://maritimearts.etsy.com/

twitter: http://twitter.com/foxtrotcharlie1

blog: http://maritimearts.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/MaritimeArts/127920703282

Or you can click on the highlighted name of MaritimeArts anywhere in this post and be taken straight to her Etsy shop.

Great Etsy Shop Experience

2009-10-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

This featured Etsy shop of the day designs darling jewelry. Experience's pieces are flashy and eye catching. Her jewelry is versatile and can be worn by all ages. My favorite is the star pendant necklace and I love how her tear drop earrings sparkle. Every thing in her shop just pops. Go see Experience's unique design quality for your self.

Experience has sent me a bio of her self to feature here on my blog. Take a look into this talented artisan’s life. "My name is Whitney and I live in Athens, Georgia with my boyfriend, two roommates, and two awesome cats, Milo and Luna. I'm currently a college student on hiatus... I'm just not sure what I want to pursue. I know that I would like to be able to make a living with my art. It's a hard road, but perhaps I can make it through. Currently I pay my rent by working at a daycare. Between work and rest I try to get as much art done as possible, and my Etsy shop is probably where you can best see the results of my hard work. I've been making jewelry for about 3-4 years on and off now; I started working with resin about a year ago and it was so enjoyable that I continued with it and it became my most-used medium for jewelry. However, in the very near future, I will be releasing several brand new designs, so keep your eyes peeled"

Hmm her cat’s names remind me of one of my husband’s favorite video games Lunar. I love the choice in names :).

These are some of Experience's favorite picks up for sale in her shop.

Starry Night Necklace

Pink n' Black Earrings

Lime Sparkle Studs

You can find Experience on the web at

http://www.experience.etsy.com/ - Etsy Shop

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Experience-Designs/18731892409?ref=ts - Facebook Fan Page

http://www.experiencedesigns.blogspot.com/ - Blog

Or you can click on Experience's highlighted name throughout this post to be taken straight to her Etsy shop.

Great Etsy Shop ParamiPanda

2009-10-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

Today’s Etsy shop is ParamiPanda. I absolutely love (did I say love) I mean love her little crochet animals. I'm not sure if she works off patterns or if she comes up with her own, but her little animals are adorable. Once you take a look at her shop your going to want one of every item she has.

I have asked ParamiPanda to send me a small bio about her and this is what she had to say. “My name is Alix and I am in the process of surrounding myself with bunnies and pandas and sheep of varying shapes and sizes. My dream is to own a miniature schnauzer, a standard schnauzer and a giant schnauzer all at the same time, and my life goal is to breed dogs that look like baby pandas (I have a plan!). I have been crafty all my life, making little creatures out of old clothes and buttons starting when I was about seven. When I discovered crochet about a year and half ago, my need to bring kawaii plushies into the world resurfaced, and Parami Panda was born. I am currently in the process of creating a line of 100% organic/eco-friendly/naturally dyed critters, and I am also dabbling a little bit in doll making. You can read about what's going on with Parami Panda and my crazy life at http://paramipanda.blogspot.com/"

Featured below are ParamiPanda's favorite items that she has listed for sell right now in her Etsy shop.

Halloween Vampire Bunny

Green Crochet Octopus

Rocky the Baby Crochet Bunny

Blue Heart Panda Bear

Baby Winter Bunny

These little guys would make perfect stocking stuffers for the holidays. So get ahead start on your check list for people to buy for and drop in to this great Etsy shop.

If you click on the highlighted ParamiPanda anywhere in this post you will be taken directly to her Etsy shop.

Great Etsy Shop MarketingandMore

2009-10-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

Have you prepared yourself and your business for the frantic Holiday season? Well get on it and travel over to MarketingandMore. This Etsy shop is full of fantastic finds for your busy holiday season. MarketingandMore has the cutest designs for labels, thank you cards and much more. It is an incredible find and I am pleased to present this diamond in the rough to you.

This is a bio sent to me from MarketingandMore so you could learn a little about her shop and what she does.

"Tiffany Designs & Prints started with the ideas of having anything printable made available, but with the added touch of custom design work. It became so hugely popular that we spun off a specialty division, Neoteric Expressions. Neoteric Expressions is a new element to the graphic design industry with a twist on classy and elegant designs. We love to help people create that perfect piece of art that they would be proud to show off. We realize the industry right now is inundated with graphic designers who want to make a quick buck - we're here to design for those who want something that looks so awesome, they will want to share with their friends and family. We're here to stay.

Neoteric Expressions and Tiffany Designs & Prints have a lot to offer, and just by taking a look at our designs, you'll get a feel for where we're going."

Below are some of MarketingandMore's favorite items listed in her Etsy shop.

(MarketingandMore)"This season, we're starting off with some awesome thank you cards so you can show appreciation to your customers and clients in the spirit of Fall. These come in a variety of colors, as shown, but of course you can request any color you like! We're always happy to oblige to ensure they're perfect for you. "

(MarketingandMore) "Next, we have our inspirational fall themed birth announcements. These are personally crafted in the art of making sure your newborn is welcomed into the world by the friends and family who love him/her."

(MarketingandMore) "We are also ramping up our Christmas line up early! Right now, we offer address labels in various styles and quantities, with extremely cute designs so everyone can take advantage and still be personable and unique."

Green, Red, Black:

Blue, Aqua, Cream:

(MarketingandMore) "We're pretty flexible. We also run specials and sales often on our most popular items, which will always be posted on our welcome page as well as on our fan page and blog. As you can see, we are gearing up to take off with classic yet modern themed element to suit a variety of needs. No request goes ignored. We invite your fans to share in our excitement of being the #1 place to go for personally crafted items."
Please stop by MarketingandMore's new etsy shop for a sneek peak at their new wedding design line. http://neotericexpressions.etsy.com/
You can MarketingandMore at:

on Etsy: http://marketingandmore.etsy.com/ and http://neotericexpressions.etsy.com/

on Blog: http://tiffanydesignsandprints.blogspot.com/ and http://neotericexpressions.blogspot.com/

on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Neoteric-Expressions/138717392054

on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NeotericArt

on the WWW:http://www.tiffanydesignsandprints.com/
If you click on any of these links above you will be connected to one of MarketingandMore's various web sites. I have also highlighted MarketingandMore's name through out this post and if you click on the highlighted name you will be taken directly to the Etsy shop.

Great Etsy Shop SmileyMoo

2009-09-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

This fellow Etsian is known on the internet by many different names like Piparis or Piparue but at Etsy she is known as SmileyMoo. I can see why she chose that name. When you read her bio and visit her shop you can see that she has a big heart and cares deeply about her loved ones. ( That is cause to make anyone smile.) SmileyMoo is crafty and being a mother she has found a way to take thrifty to an upscale level. ( I have my eye on her Natural Peppermint Lipbalm. ) :0) I love Peppermint!

This is a bio from SmileyMoo that was forwarded to me so I could post it on my blog so everyone can get to know a little bit of what drives her creativity.

"I am the wife and mother to a wonderful husband and 4 beautiful children. I live a very frugal lifestyle. With 4 children and being a stay at home mother...I HAVE TO! Creating and making things or my family is my one and true inspiration. It all started with me learning to sew so that I could make cloth diapers for my little one. Then I learned to make soap, shampoo, body wash and laundry detergent so that I could save my family money. From there I've branched off into a variety of crafts and crafting so that our family is pretty self sufficient! That is the reason my Etsy shop is a Variety Shop! :)

For the month of October I am running a fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen Race for the cure. 50% of the proceeds from items in the "For the Cure" section pf my shop will go towards the Susan G. Komen Race for the cure. My goal is to raise $60 for my family to participate in the walk with a dear friend recovering from breast cancer. Additional funds will go towards a donation.

Below are some photos of SmileyMoo's favorits listed for sale in her Etsy shop.

(SmileyMoo) "I have been a longtime JRR Tolkien fan and these remind me of something you'd see in Lord of the Rings."

(SmileyMoo) "I also really love these placemats :) I use these in my own home. They're very heavy duty and reversible. They hold up very well with daily use and washing :)"

SmileyMoo's jewelry reminds me to belive that magic is held in the most simplest things. Take the time to shop through her store. There are great finds on every page.

To get to SmileyMoo's etsy shop just click on the highlighted SmileyMoo anywhere in this post and there is a link that will take you straight there.

Great Etsy Shop thefrogbag

2009-09-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

This Etsy shop owner has one hell of an interesting bio. Thefrogbag is one busy woman. I had a peek around her shop today and she has some very exquisite pieces of jewelry, and the patients she must have for working with those tiny seed beads. On top of this she is also a writer who makes graphic novels. (Um can I say I think I found my new hero.) Talk about talent. Thefrogbag had her first graphic novel published this year. What a great accomplishment.

Here is thefrogbag's bio straight from her own words. "I'm a zoo keeper by day, crafter and writer by night. I share my home with four cats, a dog, two birds, a rabbit and a brilliant illustrator. I have a passion for conservation, tapirs, frogs, and beads. Heathentown, my first graphic novel, was published in early 2009. My creations are available at www.thefrogbag.etsy.com , where I donate 20% of each sale to tapir conservation. This weekend I'll be at the Long Beach Comic Con with Gabriel Hardman, who illustrated Heathentown. We'll be at booth 74A."

I recommend that if you live in the area you should take some time and go meet her. It is not everyday you get a chance to meet a fellow artist from etsy in person. I can almost guarantee that the conversation will be interesting. I could only imagine the creativity wheels turning in her mind. ( I am going to have to put the word out to my family that I want her graphic novel for Christmas.)

Below are thefrogbag's pictures of favorites listed in her Etsy shop.

This is the graphic novel Heathentown.

Frog Bracelet

beaded bottle

kitty toy

If you are unfortunate and can not make it out to Comic Con this weekend you can still vist thefrogbag on the web. If you click on her highlighted name (thefrogbag) anywhere in this post you will be taken to her etsy shop. You can also find thefrogbag on twitter or her facebook page.

Great Etsy Shop ginaphoto

2009-09-28T10:01:00.000-07:00

This Etsy shop is filled with gorgeous photos. I am in aw over how amazing these shots are. This is art in a true form. To be able to find beauty in the most common things that surrounds us. That says a lot for this day and age, where most people walk through life with blinders on. Ginaphoto brings us back to simple and leaves us with a since of serenity.

Ginaphoto has given us a view in to her life. Here is a small bio about ginaphoto and what she does.

"I am a photographer in the Chicago area and have been shooting photos for the past 12 years. I enjoy looking at things with a different perspective and capturing them in a photo. I love taking pictures of Chicago itself.” These photos shown below are just a few of the great finds that ginaphoto has in her Etsy shop. Below each photo is a comment from ginaphoto with how she feels about each one.

"In this age of computers, you can pretty much do anything using Photoshop. But I still like to do things by hand, like coloring. This is a photo that has been hand colored."

"I like to fill the frame with textures, like this one"

"This is a unique perspective on the famous Marina Towers in Chicago."

If you are a lover of art I highly recommend grabbing up one of these extraordinary shots to keep in your home or office. If you are interested in going to ginaphoto's Etsy shop just click on her highlighted name anywhere in this post and it will take you straight there.

Great Etsy Shop CraftyCrocheting

2009-09-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

I just LOVE crochet blankets. The time and patience it takes to make a crochet blanket depending on your experience can take weeks to months and even years. This is truly made from the heart. You can not buy this kind of beauty in the store.

I love how CraftyCrocheting was taught how to crochet by her mom. She says "When I quit work my mom and I decided to crochet for relaxation and when we got enough items we would do craft fairs which led to Etsy." There is nothing like a friendship between a child and mother. Just the hours spent building their business together is more precious than anything. Craftycrocheting says "I am in my forties with 4 children, two out of the house, two still here. It still feels like I am a empty nester." I can't even imagine how it will feel when my two children are grown up and out of the house.

This awesome crocheting mama makes sweet crochet quillows. (I haven't even figured out how to make these yet.) She has taught her self how to read the patterns and also make graph Afghans, mostly special orders right now. Below are some of her favorites that she has up in her shop right now. (My favorite in her shop is Heavenly Angel Yellow Pillowghan. It is such a pretty stitch.)So please click on her name anywhere in this post to be taken straight to her shop CraftyCrocheting

Great Etsy Shop lindab142

2009-09-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

lindab142 is a fantastic shop on etsy. I found her while searching the forums on etsy and her handmade jewelry is absolutely gorgeous. So I would like you guys to take a look around her shop and let me know which items are your favorites. Below is a bio from lindab142 and some photos of her favorite items in her shop.

lindab142 bio: "Hi, my name is Linda and I'm passionate about using colors and gemstone characteristics in my unique beaded jewelry designs. The majority of my items are one-of-a-kind. I've been beading for about 4-5 years now. I work full-time and find beading to be relaxing and fun. My bead collection is expanding and it's so fun to bring them out and choose what I'm going to make next. "

(Pictures above are listed left to right.) lindab142 favorites.

1. Swarovski Christmas Tree earrings

2.Twilight Inspired Earrings

3.Fall earthy necklace

lindab142 is offering a special offer for any of my followers for this weekend Saturday and Sunday only. If any of you would like to subscribe to her blog at http://linorstorecom.blogspot.com/ she will give you 10% off any purchase over $5.00. This is for purchases only and applies to everything in her shop. Please put "Blog" in Notes to seller and she will refund the difference via PayPal.

I agree with her. lindab142 has a unique quality to her jewelry items. I my self favor her Christmas tree earrings they are defiantly on of a kind. Just follow any of the highlighted links in this post to be taken directly to her shop don't forget to stop by her blog and sign up to follow to get your special offer.

Great Etsy Shop torik2009

2009-09-25T00:13:00.000-07:00

torik2009 Is a great Etsy shop. This etsy seller is a mother of two boys. She has found her nitch and is paving her way on the web through her beautiful designs.

Not only does she make and sell great jewelry (my favorites our the pirate earrings by the way.) She also makes banners for your shop or website. This is a great feature. I spent weeks trying to make a banner for my etsy shop. I still think I'm going to have to break down eventually and have torik2009 make me a banner.(frankly my banner is looking rather sad.) She has custom banners. I love these super cute Halloween ones. Her pricing is unbelievable. Torik2009 makes it simple and stress free to get you shop face up and running. I highly recommend stopping at her shop and looking around. I know I will be back often. (I'm hoping I can pick up a pair of those earrings for a Christmas present to myself.)

Just click on torik2009 highlighted name anywhere in this post to be taken to her shop. I would like to thank torik2009 for providing the following pictures for my blog.

Home made crayons

2009-09-22T21:29:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you guys are like me but my kids have a big tin can full of broken crayons. They hate coloring with the little pieces. So what do you do with them? Well you can just throw them away or you can get crafty. I get crafty.

First I bought a metal tin that is used for making mini brownies. Then I gathered lose broken crayons from around the house. After that we got to work. We broke up all the crayons into small 1/4" pieces. Make sure to spray the metal cooking tin before you put the crayola pieces in. Next you pre heat your oven to 350 degrees. Place different color crayon pieces in to each slot of the pan or mix them all up together to make fun new colors. Put the pan into the oven for 10 minuets or until melted completely. Finally take them out of the oven and set them on the stove to cool and harden. Once cooled they should just pop right out of the pan. (unless you forgot to spray the pan.)

This is a super easy project that your little ones can help with. They will also love using their new creations to draw pictures with. These crayons are chunky and the perfect size for little hands.

This can be a great money saver for those of you that are on a tight budget. I know that every year I buy my kids a new box of crayons for school. Now we have a fun family project and can save money while we're at it.

Robotics Poster Board Project

2009-09-14T23:08:00.000-07:00

I spent all of my Sunday helping my nephew build a poster board for his Robotics team to enter into a school contest. Let me tell you I was proud of him when we were finished. I love to see creativity flow out of children and at his age I'm glad that he is so involved in his school activities.

His team's name is RAWC check out the link it will take you to their web site for robotics where you can learn about the robots they build.

My nephew spent all day with me yesterday working on this project. We finally finished at 10:30 last night. We started by taking the team colors and making a background. Then he used the paint program on the computer to make a logo. Next he printed out photos. Then used word to create headings and summaries for each picture. We cut out construction paper to make backgrounds for the photos. He listed all of the team officers and sponsors for the team. Finally we got to work arranging where everything would be placed on the board and then glued it down. For the corner photos we cut out poster board squares to add support then used Velcro to attach them to the main tri fold poster board.

At the end of the night we took pictures. We used last years board to compare the differences. All I can say is WOW he did a great job in design and layout.

My nephew started on his robotics team last year as a freshman and has already taken the position as driver for the competitions. He was also elected Vice President of the team. I think that it is wonderful that his high school offers robotics to their students.

His goal is to become a mechanical engineer and I will do anything I can to help him succeed. He hopes that he can win scholar ships for collage. He is a bright child and I believe he will accomplish that goal.

Remember that our children are our future. Please try to find time to get involved with the things that interest them. It will make a large impact in their life.

Fun family craft project.

2009-09-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

I've got a great craft project that is fun for the whole family. Every one can get involved with this one.

I love to make my Pudgy Pals stuffed animals but I hate to waste the left over scraps of material that are to small. So I've been putting all my scraps into a bag hoping that some day I can find something to make out of them. Well now is the time.

On Thursday my mother in law two children and I sat down at the table and got to work. I told my boys that I would like to use the scraps to make little monsters. They were each given a piece of paper a pencil and and some crayons. I asked them to use their imaginations.

Once they were finished I got to work. I used the scrap material to make stuffed animals that resembled the pictures that they had drawn. I cut and hand sewed all the small details. Once I was finished with my step I then handed it over to my mother in law and she got to work. She took the cut out to the sewing machine and made magic. Once she had finished we all sat down in the sewing room and started stuffing our little creature. We used polyfill batting pieces.(the batting was left over from the blankets we make.)

It had taken us about two hours to make our first 2 monsters. Let me tell you it was worth the time. My boys were so proud of their monsters that they would not put them down for the rest of the night. They even took them to bed. My little one said that he was no longer afraid of monsters in his room because his own monster would protect him. How awesome is that?

Anything that gets my boys away from video games and makes them apart of a family project gets two thumbs up from me.

So if you would like to put your little ones imagination into high gear than try out this project. If your not good at sewing your self than you can check us out at ETSY. We take custom orders. You can send us a picture of your little ones monster and we will let you know if we can make it for you. Prices will very depending on size and difficulty.

The pictures shown above are just a few or the monsters that we have already made.

If you don't have an etsy account don't worry it's free and easy to sign up. Please let them know that lanakinbuddys referred you.

Final Fantasy Baby Gift Basket

2009-09-01T00:27:00.000-07:00

I've been busy crafting again. All week I have been working on a gift basket for my husbands friend. It is his first child so we wanted to make them something special that would be more geared toward the things they like. His friend loves RPG games and one of his favorites is the Final Fantasy series. So I came up with this really cute gift basket for the baby. In side I put the blanket I made for him. (pictures are featured in a previous blog called final fantasy blanket.) Then I added a crochet Moogle hat and onesies with the characters of the video game on them. I also made a matching bib and burp cloth set and my own handmade stuffed animal. The stuffed animal is one of my pudgy pals creations. It is inspired to look like a Moogle. I put it all together in a basket with a couple of lullaby cds that have final fantasy instrumental music from the actual 1 and 2 video games.

It was the perfect gift tailored just for them and they loved it. His friend said that he couldn't wait to get his daughter all geeked out and take her to comicon.

I also have another pudgy pals Moogle listed for sell on my etsy if you would like to check it out. Please note that if you sign up for a new account on etsy please tell them we referred you. Our user name is lanakinbuddys. Thanks.

If you like the things I make and would like one of your own you

can log on to my etsy website and request a custom order. We can make things catered towards your favorite characters or themes. Just click on the request custom item button and convo me and we can discuss the things your looking for.

These are some cool links that I found. They are free crochet patterns for the final fantasy Moogle and the final fantasy Chocobo. just click on the character name to take you to the pattern.

Final Fantasy blanket

2009-08-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

Last night my mother in-law and I made a Final Fantasy baby blanket. It came out great. I've been a little hesitant about quilting. I shouldn't doubt my self when it comes to crafting. It really wasn't hard at all.

Last week we bought this nifty little machine made by Simplicity. It's a rotary cutting machine. It saves so much time when making a quilt. I love it. next I am going to buy the bias tape machine.

Anyway This blanket featured in the picture above was made in one night. I got all my supplies at Joann Craft Store. I even bought this neat fabric paper that you can run through your printer. It will print anything you want onto a piece of fabric. Then you just cut it out and iron it to a fusible backing and sew it like a patch.

We Spent last night cutting the squares and bias. then just sewed, ironed, pinned and sewed some more. Then voila. It was done. I think my husbands friend is going to love it. They have had a thing about playing Final Fantasy video games since they were children. Now We can give them a custom baby gift that you can't buy in the store.

I definitely plain on making more custom photo quilts in all different sizes and styles. So if you like what you see in the picture than you can check out my etsy store to see if there is anything you like or to place a special order. Or become a follower on my blog and leave me a comment and a way to contact you. I will be happy to help anyone who has any questions about what I have written about.

etsy

2009-08-25T23:20:00.000-07:00

We do it all crochet, quilting, stuffed animals, and even jewelry. Now yo can check out all of our handmade gifts at our own web store. We've bearly just begun to start listing for sale the many crafts that we have made. We would love for you to come check us out and tell us what you think. Just click on the link above and it will take you straight to our shop.

Etsy is a great web site were you can buy or sell handmade or vintage items only. etsy is kind of like ebay but only for handmade items. So you don't have to compete with store bought items. Plus every thing you list for sale stays listed for 4 months at one low rate. You can post up to 5 pictures of your item and the cost to list will not change.

I found the etsy web site while surfing the Internet. I can honestly say that I am happy with how easy it was to get started with setting up my account and selling my items on line. They even offer you the ability to use paypal.

If you don't have a paypal account I would suggest you get one. Paypal is an easy safe way to buy and sell items on the Internet.

I hope you check out our new shop at etsy. If you sign up to buy or sell on etsy please let them know that we referred you our user name is lanakinbuddys. Thank you.

Above is a picture of one of the Pudgy pals we have listed.

Get organized

2009-08-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

For the last 2 days my mother in-law and I have been cleaning out our craft room. Man what a job.With there being two women in our household that make crafts, we've managed to accumulate a lot of different crafting items.

When we first started to clean out our spare bedroom we couldn't even walk in it. There were totes filled to the top with mixed crafts and materials. we spent hours sorting and labeling what things are.

We managed to completely organize our craft room. I am proud to say that we can now use our
sewing table to make stuff. We can actually find materials for the craft that we are working on.(instead of having to run to the craft store to buy a new one because the other is lost in the black hole.)

We have totes labeled for specific things like Halloween material, half finished crafts(that's a big one.), cross stitch, purse making, Holiday crafts, gift baskets, jewelry, yarn, and blanket material. These things are just some of the crafts that we like to work on. I have a huge bag of paper crafts for scrap booking. Sadly I don't even know how to scrapbook. I just bought all the stuff and shoved it in the black hole of a craft room.

So just a helpful little tip. Organize before you take your next trip to the craft store. You never know you might already have what your looking for at home. As a side benefit we now enjoy using are craft room to make crafts.

free holloween crochet pattern

2009-08-16T01:39:00.000-07:00

I was searching the web tonight and found a really great Halloween pattern. This pattern is located on a blog called the crochet dude. I find it intriguing to know that there are men out there that are just as into crocheting.

On his blog he has a lot of great patterns and ideas. He has a whole section with free crochet patterns that are easy and fun to make. If you love to crochet or know some one who does, than I strongly suggest checking his blog out. In my opinion, it is definitely worth it.

I plan to pick one of his patterns and start on it tomorrow. When I am done making it I will let you know how it came out. If you click on one of the links above and go to his blog, please come back here and let me know what you think.

What to do with crochet blankets

2009-08-13T01:28:00.000-07:00

I have a passion for crafts. One of my favorite past time activities is to crochet. Last year alone I made 23 crochet blankets. They came in various sizes and colors. I've spent countless late night hours on the couch watching t.v. Yes. I'll admit it, I'm a big couch potato. Yet while I sat there letting my mind wounder, my fingers stayed busy working on my latest crochet project. I believe that I have mastered the v-stitch and half Shell stitch. I can now make a full size blanket in 3 days. (Not bad for a late night couch potato). I even pick up my hook and start to work while I teach my kids their daily home school lessons.

One of the reasons I craft is because it gives me a sense of accomplishment. I take pride in the things that I have made with my own two hands.

I'm not sure if any of you are like me but once I finish my project I can't wait to show it off to any one who will give me 2 seconds of their time. Now I have the problem of what to do with them once I've finished my blankets. My poor house is bursting at the seems from all my various craft projects. My soulution.....humm....give them as gifts. Unfortunately my friends and family now have all the blankets they can stand. So this started the wheels in my head turning.

My goal of this blog is to connect with people who share the same interest and enthusiasm for crafts as I do. In my future blogs I will be posting about how to make crafts, places to link to so you can find free and fun crafts for the whole family and ways to sell your crafts. I am a stay at home mom who is looking for a way to make a few dollars for the things that I have made. But more important than making money I really want to share my ideas with people and find out what they think of them. So if you have heard of any new fun projects that I can make or get my family involved in making let me know. You can subscribe to my blog, join as a follower and comment your ideas.