Cobweb Corner - Designer Blog

Customer Spotlight #16 - Lori Augenstein from Marion, Ohio

2011-08-18T11:47:00.002-05:00

This is #16 in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Please contact me if you would like to be a featured stitcher

Tell us something unusual about your self:I graduated from Ohio State at age 39 and began my career as a pediatric occupational therapist at age 40. I work mostly with special needs preschoolers. My job is literally play.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? I started stitching about 27 years ago. I wanted a creative hobby and the pictures on the cross stitch kits were so colorful and inviting.

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? I have so many pieces! These were handy. The picture of the baby in the wash bowl was from a pattern that appeared in a magazine more than 20 years ago. The "Autumn Queen" is from Mirabilia Designs and "Cupid's Garden" is from Heaven and Earth Designs.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? I love Mirabilia. I prefer to work on pieces that have alot of shading and shadowing. I tend to gravitate towards women in flowing gowns. It is sometimes difficult to work with similar colors over large areas but I think the end product is worth it.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? I wish retailers had a larger variety of the more difficult charts.

How often do you stitch and where do you do it? I stitch on the couch most every night for a couple of hours while I watch T.V. Stitching, for me, is very relaxing and calming. People ask me how in the world I don't become cross-eyed. It is like second nature to me.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? Besides my 2 daughters and husband, no one has any idea how many projects I have completed or how many I have planned. My biggest problem is that I have only framed a small percentage of what I have done.

Do you have a favorite quote? There are too many quotes out there to pick just one.

Thank you Lori! Please post comments/questions for Lori below.

Jewelry Makeover - Episode 4 - Silver Tubes & Black Onyx

2011-08-16T14:16:00.004-05:00

This is the fourth in my series of taking old jewelry 'mistakes' and remaking them. These items include jewelry I made when I was first starting to bead, 9 years ago, or things that have simply been in many, many shows, or items that scream "What were you thinking?" (scroll to the bottom of this page for links to more makeover posts)

This makeover is for a 2-strand necklace I made using sterling silver tube beads and black onyx round beads. The design was very simple, and at the time I made it, in style. However this piece never sold, even on the 'major sale' table. Now, the silver in the necklace has increased in price, making the components quite a bit more expensive. So - time to cut it apart and try again..
Here is the before photo:

Simple - and silver/black combos are always a great choice - but it wasn't going anywhere. So after cutting it apart and going through my stash of pendants I REALLY need to use up - I came up with these THREE necklaces - and I still have enough silver tube beads left to make 3-4 more! Talk about extending the value of my components.

In addition to using pendants, I used some colored wire that I have had on hand for years. It is great wire, but I stopped stringing some time ago and have been wondering what I was going to do with it.

Each of these necklaces has exposed wire at the top, followed by a single strand of colored beads and sterling silver tubes - with a coordinating pendant. Fun, colorful, stylish and inexpensive.

This one is probably my favorite. It is made with a handpainted copper pendant. I had bought a number of these many years ago and just 'refound' this one. I would love to wear this with a white shirt and black pair of jeans.

As of August 16th, 2011 these necklaces are listed for sale in my Etsy store. Also a great place to see more photos of them:

Black and Silver Necklace Blue hand-blown Glass pendant Pink Acrylic Pendant

I hope you enjoyed this article. Please feel free to leave a comment - even if you don't like the new pieces.

Jewelry Makeover Episode 1
Jewelry Makeover Episode 2
Jewelry Makeover Episode 3

Jewelry Makeover - Episode 3 - Malchite and Silver

2011-08-10T17:30:00.002-05:00

This is the third in my series of taking old jewelry 'mistakes' and remaking them. These items include jewelry I made when I was first starting to bead, 9 years ago, or things that have simply been in many, many shows, or items that scream "What were you thinking?"To see the first in the series click here.

The article is for a necklace I made using beautiful components - Malachite gemstones and a large Hill Tribe Silver pendant. While the individual pieces were stunning - the end result just didn't do them justice.

Here is the before photo:

The beautiful dark green Malachite was set off with lighter green aventurine. There was a small bit of silver breaking it up. The necklace is shorter - meant to be worn above a shirt neckline - but it left it a bit bulky and heavy looking.

I cut the necklace apart and made the following necklace. I accidentally grabbed a square/diamond Hill Tribe silver pendant that was lying on the table instead of using the original round one - but the look is basically the same.

The top part of the necklace is a double strand of 2-toned Myuki seed beads (glass) in a green/tan combo. It lightens up the green of the Malachite and makes the entire necklace lighter around the face, keeping the focus lower on the gemstones and beads. It also makes it lighter 'feeling' to wear.

Here's another view of the necklace.

Reading Lists - Part 1

2011-07-08T14:03:00.011-05:00

A couple of summers ago I was in a gift shop and picked up a Reading Journal. It's a book where you can track what you have read, rate the book and enter your thoughts about the book.
What I really liked about the journal is that in the back are a number of book lists. For example: Pulitzer Prize winners, Oprah's Picks by year, National Book Award for Fiction, Time Magazine Top 100 Novels, and many more.
I read a LOT and consider myself an avid reader. While I tend to stray to the mass paperbacks, especially if vampires, wizards or other as sundry 'other world' characters are involved, I also felt I had done my share of reading the classics. So, I was quite surprised when I had my daughter start reading titles to me from the various lists and over and over I said "Nope, haven't read that one." What? I took at least TWO lit classes in college and I read nearly every day - how could I NOT have read more than two of the Pulitzer Prize winning books since 1948?
Time for a mission... I will read EVERY book on EVERY list. Right....

First I went through the lists and marked the books I thought I had read. Some were hard - as I knew I had seen the movie, but wasn't quite sure I had read the book. Some books I own - but honestly don't remember reading. Should I count those? (College lit WAS over 25 years ago after all).
Some lists were so long and had so few books I had read that it was just plain depressing - but I finally found a list I connected to - so that's where I'll start. Below is the BBC Top 100 Reads List.
The books in bold are the ones I've read. The rest are, well, on my list...

1.) The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien (duh - only about 15 times)
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman (I've read The Golden Compass)
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne (I'm pretty sure on this one)
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell (Finished August 17, 2011)
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë (Finished August 23, 2011)
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë (very strange indeed)
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens (maybe???)
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell (read at least 3 times - LOVE IT)
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (hmmmm - just not sure)
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson (is this the one with the pirates??)
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen (Finished Sept 1, 2011)
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell (think so - will start it again and see if it rings a bell)
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher (Finished Sept. 9, 2011)
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer (started Aug. 24, finished Aug. 26, 2011)
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky August 2011
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens (read July18, - July 23, 2011)
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett (finished Sept 17, 2011)
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding (very strange)
71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding (finished October 14, 2011)
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins (finished October 24, 2011)
78. Ulysses, James Joyce (I think, maybe in college - hoping so - don't really want to read this)
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar (reading now)
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer (Finished October 2011)
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot (Finished October 7, 2011)
100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie

So - That's it. Not too bad overall. I only have a FEW more to read. As I read more I'll mark them with a date, or at least a year. How about you? How many have you read?

Customer Spotlight #15 - Tamara McCall from Georgia

2011-05-29T16:26:00.024-05:00

This is #15 in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Please contact me if you would like to be a featured stitcher

Tell us something unusual about your self: I used to show American Curl and Scottish Fold cats years ago. I enjoy investigating suspected paranormal activity when the opportunity arises. I am an avid reader, especially cozy mysteries. I also enjoy quilting.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? I have been stitching for probably a good 40 years or so. I learned how to stitch as a young child from an aunt who did all sorts of crafts. I think she got me into it because I was always right there in her way as she was doing her stitching. So, she sat me down and gave me a project to work on. And so, it began..... :)

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? I chose some of my favorites from the past few years. The first is one I literally worked on throughout one year. It is called "Garden Bench" by Stoney Creek. The second one I sent was called "My LadyBug". This was one of my own designs I am doing as a tribute to my pets throughout my life. The third is called "Season's Greetings" by Linda Gillum (chart published by Leisure Arts). Number 4 is "Walk in the Rain" by Stoney Creek

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? I seem to change what type of projects I want to stitch. I go through phases, whether it be dogs/cats, or maybe garden scenes, or even holiday designs. The dog/cat ones and garden scenes are ones I keep coming back to over the years. I seem to do a lot of designs by the Stoney Creek company, and I am currently working on my first Glendon Place design. I also enjoy designing my own charts, however, I haven't done very many. I am designing a series for me to stitch which will be a tribute to the different animals I have had over the years. The doxie shown here is the first of that series.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? Well, as I don't have access to a local needlecraft store where I live, I have to depend on mail order sources. I would like to see mail order sources not overcharge for shipping and getting the order together. I think that is why I love to shop through Cobweb Corner and go back over and over again to shop there! They do not charge more than the cost of shipping and actually seem to appreciate their customers.

How often do you stitch and where do you do it? I usually stitch either in my den or in my bedroom. I always try to stitch on something daily, however, sadly sometimes it can be just a few times a week lately.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? I usually don't tell anyone how much stash I have! :)

Do you have a favorite quote? No - not really.

Thank you Tamara! Please post comments/questions for Tamara below.

Inspiration Indeed

2011-04-08T08:26:00.002-05:00

Just found out the winner didn't claim their prize - so up for a second chance. Yeah!!

I recently found this blog offering these GREAT beads as a contest. These would be so incredibly fun to design with. What tallent went into these! I espcially like the word pieces and the small hearts. If I'm lucky enough to win I'll share some pictures of my designs with you.

Click here to see the contest

Jewelry Makeover - Episode 2 - The Hawkeye Necklace

2010-11-07T21:11:00.002-06:00

This is the second in my series of taking old jewelry 'mistakes' and remaking them. These items include jewelry I made when I was first starting to bead, 9 years ago, or things that have simply been in many, many shows, or items that scream "What were you thinking?"

To see the first in the series click here.

The article is for my 'Hawkeye Necklace'. I live in Iowa where we love our gold and black Iowa Hawkeye sports teams. I was looking for something that Hawkeye fans would like. Since this has been in show after show, and marked down multiple times, I obviously missed the mark.

Here is the before photo:

This was a mix of gold and black beads with a 'gold turquoise' donut pendant on black leather.

I cut the necklace apart and made the following necklace and earring set. I have the black beads and two of the orange rectangle beads left over.

The chain is natural brass and is nice and long - about 24.5". Perfect with a light sweater or turtleneck. The earrings are also natural brass and use the matching crackle glass beads.

Here's another view of the necklace.

Hopefully you'll agree with me that the new design is better - but I would appreciate your comments either way.
If you enjoy these before and after articles please consider sharing my blog on twitter, facebook etc. I look forward to your comments.

Update as of November 16, 2011: This item sold at the first show it was displayed at -so the makeover was a success!

Jewelry Makeover - Episode 1 - The Bauble Choker

2010-11-06T16:57:00.000-05:00

Every designer has it, a pile of jewelry that has been around forever and just doesn't sell, no matter how much you mark it down. After a while (years) you start to think - what was I thinking when I made this and what am I going to do with it now?

For some reason it's hard to take any piece, no matter how uninspired, and cut it apart. This series will show how I've taken some of my past 'mistakes' and try to remake them into something a little more desirable.

The first in this series is this choker necklace that I made a long, long time ago (in a galaxy far away). The idea was OK - I wanted a choker that might appeal to a younger audience. The main problem is that the necklace would barely fit Barbie, let alone a customer. And yet out on the table it went, over and over. Finally it got moved to the "forget this" bucket.

So, out the cutters came and I made them into two pair of funky silver earrings. I'm hoping these have slightly more appeal...

As of today they are available in my Etsy store. Click here to see the listing.

Tips for Organizinging a Successful Small Vendor Show - Part 1

2010-10-26T12:15:00.002-05:00

I don't do a lot of shows but each year, especially this time of year, I participate in what we call 'Vendor Shows'.

I'm sure you've heard this term. As opposed to a 'craft' show, a vendor show usually consists of a mix of direct sales (Pampered Chef, Tastefully Simple, etc), independent business people, and independent artists or craftspeople (like myself).

I recently was responsible for recruiting the vendors for an annual show we have at our church each year. Here are some tips for organizing a successful show.

1.) Start recruiting vendors early. Our show was in mid-October and I started contacting vendors in early August.

2.) If you had the show previously always last years vendors first shot at a table. This allows you to build a relationship with vendors you enjoy working with. Also - your customers will come to know who will be there and over time attendance will grow.

3.) VARIETY, VARIETY, VARIETY. This is so important. Not only to the customers, but to the vendors. I recently attended a vendor show for the first time. There were 21 tables and 6 of us sold jewelry. That's 28% of the vendors selling jewelry. Not a good show for me.

This was my approach: First I opened it up to vendors from the previous year. Luckily, of those responding I didn't have any more than 2 vendors that sold similar products. That was my limit. No more than two.

Even then - try to keep them as different as possible. Most people who organize shows understand that you don't want two tables selling the exact same item (say two Creative Memories tables) - but you need as much variety as possible. So of the tables I did have here was my mix:

Two jewelry (1 handmade, 1 direct sales)
Two food (Homemade Gourment, Tastefully simple - one more entrees, one more snacks, spices etc)
Two books (Usborne - books for kids, 1 Independent author selling her own books)
One Photographer
One Scrap booking
One handmade bows for little girls
Two purse/bag companies (they were similar and at the same time very different)
Scentsy (I also tried to get a handmade candle person - but was unsuccessful)
Avon
Two House/Kitchen wares (Pampered Chef and Tupperware)
One handmade knitting items

I held firm to not allowing any more of each type of vendor.

4.) Make sure your table fees are reasonable. We charged $25 per table with a limit of two tables per vendor. $5 for electricity. Unless you can guarantee at least 200 people will attend your show, I don't think you can charge more than this.
5.) Decide where and how you're going to advertise. We put ads in some local newspapers, created fliers and did as much word of mouth as we could. Also - we required each vendor to personally invite at least 25 people. Tell your vendors where you advertised. If attendance if poor they may blame you if you can't prove that you worked to get the word out.

6.) Communicate with your vendors. Let them know exactly what you will provide and what they need to provide. For example, we provided tables, but not table coverings. Coverings were required so the vendors needed to know they should bring their own.

7.) Give the vendors plenty of time to set up. We had setup times the night before and early the morning of the show.

8.) Don't overdo the hours of the show. All day for a smaller show is often way too long and your vendors will get bored and want to pack up early. Our show was a Saturday from 8:00 am to 2:00. In retrospect 9:00am to 2:30 may have been better.

9.) Provide at least coffee free of charge for your vendors.

10.) Make sure someone is there the entire time to answer questions and make decisions if necessary.

11.) Put some thought into you table organization and traffic flow. Never put two similar vendors next to each other. This makes the vendors uncomfortable and the customers too!

12.) Have fun and talk with your vendors. Follow up with a survey and ask them what was good and what could be improved. Ask them if they want to be contacted for the show next year.

There is a lot more I could ad - but I'll save that for later. I hope this helps. Vendor shows of 10 tables or more are difficult to do without help and coordination - but with some planning and a little bit of work - they can be a GREAT event for the vendors AND the customers.

Good luck!

Annual National Parks Pass

2010-07-12T13:35:00.002-05:00

This last week my husband and I went to Virginia for 8 days to vacation. We planned on seeing as much of the history as we could, but quickly realized we could have spent 8 WEEKS and still not visited everything we wanted to.

This article is one tip for anyone who likes to travel and visit parks, historical monuments, battlefields etc - in ANY state.

Nearly every attraction you visit will have some sort of entry fee. If you're a nature or history buff, many of the attractions you might want to see may be managed by the National Park Service. In fact, you may surprised at just how much our National Park service does for us.

To save money at these locations consider purchasing the National Parks Annual Pass.

Here are the basics:

Cost is $80 and pass is good for 1 year from date of purchase
Two people can sign the pass, and you don't have to be related. Either person may then use the pass when they travel.
The pass will cover the cost of one car fee (for example entering a park)
The pass will cover the cost of the holder plus THREE other people for attractions requiring individual entry fees. If you are a family of 4 this will cover your entire family.
Only works for sites management by NATIONAL parks system. State and private attractions are not included.

For complete details visit the official site here:

http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html

We purchased the Annual Pass for our vacation. We paid $80 and were able to use it at the following:

1.) Shenandoah Natioanal Park (Skyline Drive) Entry Fee $15
2.) Prince William National Park. Entry Fee $5
3.) George Washington Birth Place National Monument $4 per person for total of $8
4.) Fredericksburg National Battlefield Memorial $2 per person to watch movie for total of $4
5.) Historic Jamestown $10 per person for total of $20
6.) Appomattox Courthouse National Park $4 per person for total of $8

There may have been a couple more - but this is what I can remember right off. The total fees for those was $60 and we still have over 11 months to use our pass when we travel again. Had we been a family of 4 the cost for the above sites would have been at or over $80 depending on the age of the kids.

In addition - if there is a long line - you can often bypass the line and go right to the entrance - although you often have to get a sticker to show you paid. You also have the satisfaction of know you are supporting our wonderful parks system. Were it not for the NPS - many of the places we visited would not have been there for us to see.

Birthday Card with Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (1)

2010-03-11T10:27:00.017-06:00

Today I made a birthday card for my Bunco friend. We have bunco at her house tonight AND it's her birthday.

I wanted something bright and cheery. I was originally going with a flower theme - but I'm new at this and found myself spending WAY too much time looking for ideas.

I settled for a very simple layout instead so I could actually finish it before tonight!

For this card I used the Citronella Designer mat pad by K&Company. The pad is only 4.75 x 6.75 inches. I'm finding I prefer this size for cards as the patterns are usually smaller. The paper is heavier cards stock and is 2-sided and coordinates perfectly together.

I chose the green paper for the background then used the Happy Birthday embossing folder with my Cuttlebug (by Provocraft).

I also used some ribbon that I picked up on clearance at Michaels.

Added the border paper and some ribbon -the printed the sentiment and attached it. Very easy and quick ONCE I decided what to do.

Questions/Problems (I'm very new at this)

1. What's the best way to adhere ribbon?

2. How do I keep the ribbon from fraying?

3. When I embossed the card it seemed to press too hard - and broke through the color of the paper. Not sure if you can see it in the enlarged picture - but there is some white showing through on some of the letters. How do I prevent this?

4. Suggestions on what I could have easily done to the sentiment I attached - it seems a little overly plain to me now.

Comments, help and suggestions are MUCH appreciated. Please click the TWEET button at the top of this page to share this article.

Amazon links to products I used:

My 1st Card with Cricut

2010-03-01T09:53:00.007-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I purchased the Cricut Express machine. I have been neglecting my scrap booking/card making hobby since I started running Cobweb Corner full time from home. I hoped that this addition to my scrapping arsenal would jump start me into spending sometime on my paper craft hobbies again. So far I've been right!

<- Click image to view book on Amazon.com
To learn how to use my Cricut and get used the different settings I purchased the book Card Making with Cricut by Tanya Fox and published by Annie's Attic. This is a 47-page paperback book with cards mad using the Cricut machines and cartridges. It uses a wide range of cartridges and since I only own a few (so far) I am limited on the cards I can make directly from the book.

I started with the 4 You star card found on page 33. This card uses the Plantin Schoolbook and Opposites Attract cartridges. You can see my results for yourself.

What I learned:

1.) I used the Shadow feature for the stars. I knew what this was for but liked seeing it used.
2.) I got a good idea of sizes to print. The book tells you exactly what settings to use for each cut - which I LOVE - no trial and error. Until I make a number of cards, sizing will be more of a guessing game for me.
3.) While I was aware of this from my practice cutting sessions, I was reminded that my pressure setting on my Cricut needs to be adjusted when I go from card stock to thinner standard scrapbook paper. I forgot this and ended up with a bent corner on my star.
4.) Following a pattern is a great way to learn. You will never have the exact items they use in the example - so you get to experiment with the items you have on hand. I didn't have any star brads, so I used star stickers, some buttons, and a round brad.

Thank you for letting me share my beginning introduction to my Cricut Express. If you enjoyed the article please 'Tweet' it by using the Tweet button at the top of this page. Comments are welcome!

Customer Spotlight #14 - Pat from The U.P. of Michigan!!

2010-02-23T10:51:00.009-06:00

This is #14 in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Please contact me if you would like to be a featured stitcher!'

Tell us something unusual about your self: Gosh Nothing special about me! I am a retired Police Sgt.'s wife, mom,grandma,daughter and retired master florist with 2 brand new knees...I love to travel and as I type I am spending the cold winter months in a small town north of San Antonio TX. Later we will move on to South Padre Island to see friends then on to the desert of Arizona .When we get word the snow has melted---sometime the first part of May,we will head back home to enjoy our place on Lake Michigan!!! Once we are there we will have non-stop company---family and friends and we love that!

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? I learned how to stitch from my Mom's step mom. She was a wonderful tatter but that was beyond me at age 10 so she started me on easy embroidery stitching. After life took over---teens marriage babies, I stopped and picked it up later in my 30's, at that time I did a cross stitch quilt for my mom. That took 5 yrs!!! I stopped for a while and then started once again in 1997 to do some pieces for my girlfriends folk art show in New York. When i quit smoking I took up stitching full time!!!

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? The large Santa is a lavender and lace piece. I have made him twice!This one was a present for my daughter and her husband for their first Christmas as a married couple. The rest of the pictures are pretty much a yrs work before I ship to New York for 3 shows and also a shop in upstate. My Favorite piece was titled A Smoky Mountain Christmas-a Patchwork coated Santa Holding a puppy with a sleigh pulled by black bears. It was a huge piece and my husband made the Barnwood frame for it . He makes most of my frames!!! .

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? I love most everything. Most of the time since I am doing for a Thanksgiving show I stick to Fall, Thanksgiving and Christmas and Winter themes. I put other things in like Lighthouses and seas shore items as well. I do a lot of folk art pieces. I also pick certain charts because they look fun to do and I want to see them finished.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry?
I have to do my shopping through mail order. I am about 60 miles from the closest Joanne's and 100 from Michael's. I used to be able to get my stuff at Walmart but that came to a halt . I only use aida 14 since my eyes are getting old and linen is expensive. the floss I stock up on when there is a sale and any other specialty thread I can from a couple of my favorite sites. I just wish I had a shop closer but then that might be a BIG problem!! I know I would buy way more than I could ever finish!

How often do you stitch and where do you do it?
I stitch daily!!! I stitch when I first get up with coffee and the news and off and on during the day. Since I have to have so many finished pieces I really can't stop much... except for company and the grandkids!

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? YES!!!! I have a room stacked with frames of all sizes--- some my husband makes, some I find on my travels-love flea markets and others just acquired from all over. I have stacks of fabric, yardage for finishing, pinecones, berries ,leaves I collect and press and acorns, sticks twigs and buttons ,ribbons cords, embellishments etc.etc .. its embarrassing!!

Do you have a favorite quote? Not really a quote but I am always saying ''' things happen for a reason''' and they do!!!!

Thank you Pat! Please post comments/questions for Pat below.

Harnessing the Power of Feedback

2010-02-09T16:02:00.010-06:00

As a seller we all enjoy looking at our feedback on our Ebay, Etsy, Artfire, etc. stores. I love to see my feedback number go up and I'm quick to click to see what my customer has said. And woe be the day when a neutral or - heaven forbid - negative - feedback is left. Sure way to ruin a great day.

But other than that little cozy feeling - what good is feedback to you as a seller?

Use Feedback as a Selling Tool

The most powerful way to use good feedback is to make sure your future customers see it. The best way to do this is in any of your social networking environments like Facebook, MySpace, twitter, newsletters etc.

When I get good feedback on a product I can re-list I almost immediately post to Facebook. I call these "What my Customers are Saying" posts. I copy the feedback exactly. For example a Facebook post may look like this:

What my customers are saying: Beautiful earrings, exactly as pictured. Fast shipping -- overall great deal!

Then I post a link directly to the re-listed item so the person reading the post can see what item the feedback was left for, and hopefully will click on it.

If you get enough of these, your Facebook fans will start to see a pattern of happy customers.

In addition, I include generic What my Customers are Saying quotes in my email newsletters. I may, or may not include links to the product in this case. But I try to have a small section of my correspondence show my existing and hopefully future customers that I do have current happy customers.

What if I'm not getting feedback?

Many buyers may not even be aware that they can or should leave feedback. So, with each purchase encourage your customers to let others know they are happy with their purchase.

But - make sure to tell them to contact YOU first if they are unhappy. This gives you the opportunity to resolve any potential problems before a customer has left feedback. This way, even if a customer wasn't initially completely satisfied, they may still end up leaving positive feedback because you exhibited exceptional customer service.

To help encourage my customers to take the time to leave feedback, I purchased special business cards just for this purpose. I used VistaPrint to get very inexpensive cards and include them with my standard business cards. I do not use these as handouts at shows, but only for online purchases.

Here is an example of the card I use (click to see larger image). I have two main online stores, which is why there are two store addresses. Tailor your card to your business. The important parts of this card are: 1.) Tell the customer to contact YOU if there's a problem. 2.) Encourage the customer to leave feedback if there's not.

Then - take that feedback and turn it into a selling point.

Customer Spotlight #13: Linda Adams aka CrossStitchNerd from State of Washington

2010-02-02T16:27:00.016-06:00

This is the 13th in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Click each picture to see larger detail.

Tell us something unusual about your self: Well... I used to be an executive. I put myself through college with four kids at home. Graduated, passed the CPA exam the first time around and went to work for a large accounting firm. After a nasty divorce and having kids grow up some, I moved to small town America to be with the man I fell in love with (after thinking I would never want to "be with" anyone again. I went to work for a smaller firm here, still in the accounting field, until I had to leave the workforce due to nasty doctors telling me horrible news. Just kidding, the doctors weren't nasty, just the news was. I had to leave the workforce so that I could undergo chemo and other treatments that pretty much knocked me on my butt. I had always loved drawing, painting, creating, etc. I always kept myself busy. Not working left me with too much time on my hands, too much to think about, low physical energy and in the need of something to occupy my time. So I decided to cross stitch like a maniac. After filling my house with finished tapestries, pictures and such, I filled my family's homes. When the disability ran out, I started to sell some of my work and expanding into making finished cross stitch cards, bookmarks and patterns. That is where I am now

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? I choose these pieces to share because I love the Fantasy side of art. I love things that are down to earth and natural. The first piece "The Earth Goddess" was designed by Claire Crompton. She is nurturing and loving - I felt compelled to stitch her. The second is the "Waterlily Fairy" designed by Joanne Sanderson. Fairies seem so full of life and when added to flowers, seem both beautiful and encouraging. The third is something I stitched up for the holidays. I found the chart in an old magazine and it is called "Tree Cheers." I am unsure who designed the pattern, but the cute little cub pulling his Christmas tree is so adorable I couldn't resist him. The last one is from a pattern that I designed and created for Bob's Dad's Birthday. We are both Leos and he is going through his own battle with cancer so I made this for him - some added courage and strength.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer?
I guess I keep coming back to the designs that have a bit of magic or fantasy around them. Things that are cheery and can take us away from our problems or worries for a little while. I also love to stitch Native American art. My house is filled with them. Some of those I've designed myself and some were from kits. I really don't have a favorite designer - what I stitch really depends on my mood when I start.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? ... ummm.... what I would change.... I would love for it to be easier to obtain the type of material that you want - especially in retail stores. To try and find the right stitch count and type of fabric I want can be somewhat difficult at times.

How often do you stitch and where do you do it?
I'm almost always stitching. I always have a project going. Mostly I stitch in my living room. When my life partner is home, he plays his video games (x-Box) and I sit there stitching. Of course he has laughed at me when I have taken smaller works to do while we are fishing. I have to keep busy. Cross stitching saved my life.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? Embarrassed, no.. not really. My family knows how much I enjoy cross stitching and what it means to me. Bob actually encourages me to try bigger and better things and has purchased much of the material that enables me to do so. Of course, no one has seen the stash I have tucked away of materials.... lol

Do you have a favorite quote? My favorite quote is from a Jackson Browne song, The Pretender... "When the morning light comes streaming in, we get up and do it again." We do it no matter what has been thrown at us! I did it through almost three years of treatment and now I do it knowing that I AM... I am a mother, grandmother, spouse (sort-of), cross stitcher and cancer survivor.

Anything else you would like to add? Once cleared medically, the economy was such that I could not find a job in my career path. So I changed paths. Now I enjoy my art and am thankful for the time given to me to share it with others.

Thank you Linda! Please post comments/questions for Linda below.

How not to turn around a country - I mean Company

2010-01-27T12:48:00.003-06:00

There's a large company that is in serious danger of falling apart. They aren't where they want to be and the economy has more than taken it's toll. They have one chance to turn things around or they may have to close the doors - affecting tens of thousands of people.

So - the CEO creates a team of 7 of his best division leaders. Highly respected by their peers within the company and without. They are tasked with creating a proposal for a bid, which, if won, will save the company, the jobs, the people...

They have one week to develop this plan and present it to the CEO for his approval and then to the customers to obtain the bid. Everything depends on this team and the CEO is confident that they can do it.

In order for the proposal to pass the first stage - at least FOUR of the seven committee members must approve it.

But.....

Andy is hoping for Division Leader of the year award and he won't vote on anything that doesn't highlight the skills and strengths of his division.

Bob secretly is hoping to be the next CEO. He's not sure if he wants to this proposal to succeed or not. If it does, then the current CEO will look good and Bob's chances are diminished.

Tina hates her job and could care less about the proposal.

John had a run-in with Andy last year and refuses go along with anything Andy likes.

Susan doesn't really understand what all the fuss is about and needs more time to get the 'real issues'.

Joe will vote with Bob - but only if Bob allows three of his best managers to relocate to Joe's division. Sorry but it's a deal-breaker.

Tom dated Susan last year and it ended badly. As a result he won't talk to her during the meetings and refuses to listen to any point she makes.

Seven Days Later...

The committee gets back to the CEO and informs him that they're sorry but they were unable to create the proposal he asked for in the time-frame he needed. Would the CEO be able to relax some of the requirements? Or perhaps he could give them each a raise to give them a little more incentive to work together.

The CEO does his best but now it's time to make a company-wide address to his people...

Just sayin.......

Customer Spotlight #12: Joann Laskoski

2010-01-01T16:18:00.019-06:00

This is the 12th in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Click each picture to see larger detail.

Tell us something unusual about your self: There is really nothing unusual about me. I am 63 and live in Wilkes- Barre, Pa. with my husband. We have 2 sons and 2 grandaughters. My husband and I watch our grandaughters 5 days a week and love doing it.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? I have been stitching for about 30 years. I started out with needlepoint. Took a class at our local mall many years ago. I did some embroidery back then too, not much. Then I found counted cross stitch and fell in love with it. I have been doing it ever since.

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? I selected the pieces because they are some of my favorite. I did THE LAST SUPPER it is a leaflet from LEISURE ARTS, as a wedding gift to my son and daughter-in-law, THE BARN OWL, is a kit by Janlynn, and the birds don't remember the name of it, is a kit by Marjolein Bastin.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer?
As a favorite designer I think it would have to be Marjolein Bastin. Her projects are so easy to do and I like evenweave fabric. I still use Adia but evenweave is my all time favorite. I prefer to do birds and floral mostly, but if I see a chart that I really like I will buy it and make it. I make most of my projects as gifts. I like more difficult charts. I like the challenge.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? I wish designers would sell more charts than kits. I have every color of the DMC floss so if I buy a kit sometimes I use my own colors. Also I wish there were more shops that you could get the materials that you need. Sometimes it's better to see what you are buying.

How often do you stitch and where do you do it?
usually try to stitch every night watching TV. I converted one of our bedrooms into my craft room when the boys got married. So now all my stash is in one room not all over the house.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? Yes, I am embarressed to even tell anyone how much stash I have. They don't believe me. I am hoping to teach my oldest grandaughter to cross stitch when she gets a little older ( she's only 4). Then I won't have to worry about all my stuff it will be passed down to her and her sister

Do you have a favorite quote? "Do it right the first time". I've done a lot of frogging over the years.

Anything else you would like to add? I don't have a question but I am so glad you started this blog. It's nice to see other people's work.

Thank you Joann! Please post comments/questions for Joann below.

The Making of a Rocket

2009-11-28T18:19:00.054-06:00

My husband, Paul and daughter, Alicia have been building rockets together since she was in 5th or 6th grade. They started with level one simple rockets and have progressed to the rocket assembly below which is a level four rocket.

Due to its size and weight this rocket will require them to locate a larger field/area and may even require them to coordinate with or notify the FAA prior to launching this rocket.

Alicia's goal is to build a large scale Saturn V rocket before she graduates from High School in 2012.

Following are a series of photos from the level four rocket. The worked on it on and off over several months.

1.) Inner engine tube assembly with supports

2.) Engine mount with fin supports installed

3.) Alicia glues the engine hook.

4.) Various parts of the rocket. Sanded, smoothed and gaps filled. Alicia used autobody bondo to make sure the body was perfectly smooth.

5.) Lower tube assembly with engine mounts installed.

6.) Alicia wears a mask while sanding and shaping the fins.

7.) Alicia brushes sanding sealer on the wooden fins.

8.) Alicia cutting out a template to help align the fins.

9.) Finished fin alignment template.

10.) Completed fins shaped and sanded. Note the larger fins were made of multiple pieces that needed to be glued and shaped prior to assembly.

11.) Upper and lower body tubes attached.

12.) Front view of the rocket with all fins attached.

13.) Another view of rocket with all fins attached.

14.) Rear view of rocket.

15.) Completed rocket ready for paint - in box to protect from overspray.

16.) Completed rocket with paint and decals.

Think Handmade - Buying for the Reader/Writer

2009-11-26T16:43:00.037-06:00

Do you have a book lover on your list this year? Or maybe someone who loves to write? You could buy a gift card at a book store - again! Or you could think handmade! Take a look at just a few of the great ideas that are unique instead of ordinary.

Click here to sell all of my Think Handmade gift guides. Most feature Unique Women in Business (UWIB) artists and craftswomen. Click the link to the right to learn more about this great group.

Book Lover Soldered Pendant "Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier." (Kathleen Norris) by Cobweb Corner

BLUE JAPANESE STAB BOUND JOURNAL
The dyed, decorated non woven material that is used to cover the front and back covers as well as the insides, is so beautiful and truly unique. A one of a kind. Use it as a scrapbook album, a visitors book, a (travel) journal, a sketchbook. by SewDanish

Modern Blue Green and Gray Architectural Lines Stationary This boxed set is perfect for the contemporary loved one in your life. Each flat note card is adorned with hand-drawn chartreuse, baby blue, and light gray lines. "Hello" is written in a light gray architectural font. by DawnCorrespondence

Are You Blessed Bookmark Giving a gift to someone who loves to read? Add a handmade bookmark to complete the package. This one is black denim with a black and white vine print on the back. by DestinationHandmade

Mighty Oak Bookmark This bookmark is geared for the man in your life. It is a more substantial metal bookmark with ornate engraving. Black glass beads and a metal acorn bead ending with a metal leaf charm complete your gift.
by MommaGoddess

LEARN Glass pendant
Does it get any cuter? by CandyGlass

Think Handmade - Buying for the older Teen (Punkish)

2009-11-25T17:14:00.037-06:00

One customer challenged me to come up with ideas for teens aged 14-19 - with a little touch of punk. What a fun challenge. See what I came up with below. Click here to view all of my Think Handmade gift guides.

Pretty Pink Punk Glass Tile Pendant
About 1" square with a touch of pink and a touch of black. by Beegrl88

Autumn tones high-end crochet poncho
with FREE fingerless gloves. High-end crochet work...
Unique , stylish , noble... And COOL!! by Ayca

Personalized Ipod or Phone Cozy with Sugar Skull Applique
Ipod or Phone Cozy Personalized! Specify name and skull color.
Quad layer construction with light padding/interfacing. Velcro closure, hand cut and embroidered skull. Lined in coordinating cotton. by DestinationHandmade

Deadsy Skull Earrings Made with black resin roses, white brass filigree stampings, and little Czech glass skull beads. This assemblage dangles from shiny white brass kidneywire. by PolishedTwo

Guitar Pick Wallet
Keep your stuff in this funky and fun wallet. Different types of guitar picks are scattered around on this black Michael Miller "Hot Picks" fabric. There is also black vinyl covered paper on the inside. by Japip

The Twisted Colors Midgie Scarf get ready, girls! its time to take high fashion to a whole new level, time to recreate the definition of fierce. forget following trends, today is your day to start one. by MissIndie

You're a Rockstar Note Cards This boxed set is perfect for the teenage girl in your life who thinks she is a Rockstar! Each flat note card is adorned with a black scroll and yellow stars. Set includes 12 flat cards with 12 yellow envelopes. by DawnCorrespondence

Bramble - Oxidized Fused Sterling Silver Ring
Made to Order. Unisex. Tangled. Organic. Free-spirited. This ring was free-formed and fused from sterling silver wire, then darkly oxidized, lightly sanded to bring up some highlights and tumble polished to deep shine. by WabiBrookStudio

Steampunk Swirl Domino Necklace
This domino is painted golden yellow, sunset orange and a touch of red. Black artwork consisting of swirls is then applied and finished off with watch parts, crystals and beads. by MommaGoddess

White Chocolate Mocha - Delicious Soap Looks so yummy and good enough to eat, but no please :) just pamper yourself with the luscious lather of this delicious soap bar and the irresistible aroma of rich chocolate paired with freshly brewed espresso, with notes of Turkish Mocha Coffee, creamy top notes of milk, cardamom, cocoa and a touch of nutmeg. by SoapyPleasure

Old West Buffalo Skull Design ACEO Trading Card
Buffalo Skull in sketch style paired with Colorado Columbine wildflowers...a bit of Georgia O'Keefe influence. by KirstenSteinFineArt

SIMPLY FUN Bangle Trio
9 color choices. Mix and Match for a great gift. by DesignKnitFun

Fragrance for Guys
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON and KEEP CALM AND SPRAY ON Cologne TWO Mens Fragrances by ThemeFragrance

Black Elegance Lace Crocheted Cuff/Bracelet
Black cotton thread and real jem stone bead (Black nephrite) as a clasp. by FashionTouch

Girlie Skull Ring Skull measures 1" tall and comes on an adjustable silver metal ring blanc so fits small to medium ring sizes. Skull was handmade using polymer clay and has been finished off with a protective coating for long wear and durability. by PinkFink

Think Handmade - Buying for Kids 6 and Under

2009-11-23T19:02:00.020-06:00

This guide will show you some handmade options for kids age 6 and under. Have fun - and Think Handmade this Christmas. Click here to view a listing of all of my Think Handmade gift guides.

Starfish Bathtime Scrubbies
Splish splash I was taking a bath! Have some fun with these cute starfish bathtime scrubbies! Made of 100% cotton. Make bathtime more enjoyable for everyone by adding some creativity to cleansing! by BeeGrl88

Rainy Day Activity Book

There are a variety of activities included within the 16-page book – plenty of things to keep children busy on rainy days, in the car, when they are sick, or just want to have some quiet time. by HarvestMoonbyHand

Bead Soup for the starting Stringer
(not intended for very small children)
This listing is for a scoop of "Blueberry Gazpacho" soup, with lots of turquoise blue variations in the bead mix. Each serving of bead soup is 11 ounces and is scooped right from the bowl shown. by craftattic

Fleece Puppy Dog This super sweet fleece puppy dog is a must for that special child in your life! by RitasCreationsonEtsy

Fish Aquarium Kid Kit Help your child create a beautiful underwater scene complete with fish, sand, shells, and seaweed! This craft is neat because it incorporates lots of child-crafting techniques: painting, gluing, cutting, and arranging. The end result is bright and colorful and so darn cute! by SmartBottomKids

Sidekick Robin Wallet
Pages have been recycled from Robin comic books to make this fun wallet. Keep your stuff in this funky and fun wallet. Different scenes from the comic book are scattered about, then covered in vinyl and sewn together. It has a velcro closure. by Japip

Educational Game Beginning Sounds
Learning is easy when it's hands on fun! Promotes letter recognition and beginning literacy. Each is printed, laminated and cut to fit my flipboards. Great gift for children, or for teachers and child care providers. by TootsieBear

Merry Christmas Baby Photo Prop Hat
Right in time for some Christmas Card Pictures. This hat is so soft and will make you newborn smile for every picture you’ll take. Planning to do a Family Photo Shoot? Then get some for the whole family! I can make them in any size you will need. Have some fun and make this year pictures unforgettable! by FashionTouch

As you can see there are many handmade options for the smaller children on your list. This is just a fraction of what you can find. Please comment below and please share this gift guide. To see all of the handmade gift guides I've created so far - click here.

Customer Spotlight #11: Dot Johnson, Ocala, Florida

2009-11-22T13:24:00.016-06:00

Think Handmade - Buying for Men

2009-11-20T19:57:00.024-06:00

Part two in my When you think Christmas Think Handmade series. Click here to view a listing of all of my Think Handmade gift guides.

Tracy writes that she has a hard time buying for her 80+ year old Grandfather. I say men in general can be hard to buy for. Ties, shirts, underwear - there has to be something better.

Here are some ideas that may help. This year - Think Handmade for the men on your list:

Faux Tooled Leather Singlet Card Case
Holds about 20 business cards, or other credit card sized items. Slip it into your pocket, backpack, wherever you need it. Makes a great gift card presenter. Super sturdy with quad layers and double stitching at the stress points. By DesitinationHandmade

Spencer Glacier Calendar (Alaska), 8x10 Single Page Calendar

This single page calendar is both beautiful and functional. Image is on one half of the sheet along with a 12-month, 2010 calendar on the other half. by PaulsPics

Primitive - Upcycled Vintage Copper Wire Cuff Unisex Bracelet This simple copper cuff is hand-forged from heavy vintage wire using simple tools - a hammer and fire - much as it would have been long ago in another age. by WabiBrookStudio

Superstar Cuff - Unisex
Whether you're more of a rock star or prefer to go country western, this cuff is fit for celebrity style. It is a western-inspired black leather cuff adorned with a large star-shaped turquoise magnesite stone that is wired onto the wristband. by PolishedTwo

Dark Stout Soap
These soaps are make with 100% Guinness in the water phase and a wonderfully conditioning blend of oils, as well as essential oils of Patchouli, Sweet Orange, and Cedarwood. by AquarianBath

Set of 4 Blue Plaids and Stripes Coasters

Don't you DARE put that drink on the table without using a coaster, were you born in a barn?!? You best employ the help of these fun coasters to class things up a bit!

Fine Art Notebook
The small notebook has two pockets, a business card pocket and paper. 8 1/2 x 6"

Each Fine Art Notebook is handmade and made to order with a 2 -3 week delivery time. Larger quantities or larger sizes available. by RobinMariaPedrero

Custom Engraved Buck Canoe Folding Pocket Knife
This folder is a perfect one-of-a-kind gift for the holidays. Unique to its owner, it will be a favorite memento of you for a lifetime. by DJReigel

Hello Sunshine Framed Modern Abstract Landscape Ceramic Tile by

kristensteinfineart

This is just a tiny sampling of what you can find for men on Etsy.com . Just search FOR MEN and you'll see what I mean.

Who is your 'toughest to buy for' person? Leave a comment and challenge me to find a handmade gift suitable for them.

Click here to read part 1 of my series

Think Handmade -Listing of all Gift Guides

2009-11-20T18:59:00.003-06:00

#1.) When You Think Christmas - Think Handmade

#2.) Think Handmade - Buying for Men

#3.) Think Handmade - Buying for Kids age 6 and Under

#4.) Think Handmade - Buying for the older teen (punkish)

#5.) Think Handmade - Buying for the Reader/Writer (book lovers, stationary etc.)

When you think Christmas - Think Handmade (part 1)

2009-11-20T14:18:00.012-06:00

This year when you start your shopping list - try something new - Think Handmade!

Click here to view a listing of all Think Handmade Gift Guides.

You're hoping to find something unique, something special. We don't mind shopping when we know the person we're buying for is going to love what we got them. But sometimes it's just hard. So I'm writing a series of articles to help you think outside the box. This year there is no reason to have the 'same-old-same-old' when you can have the unique, the out of the ordinary, and, maybe even save some money at the same time.

THE MALL: Oh yea! Another trip to the mall. What will I find there?

1.) Crowds 2.) Loud music 3.) Pretty much NO customer service 4.) Long lines 5.) Out of stock items 6.) Large department stores selling the same things they had last year. 7.) Closed at night when the kids are finally in bed!

ETSY - What will I find there?

1.) Unique, handcrafted, often one-of-a-kind products
2.) Fabulous customer service by the artist themselves.
3.) Possibility of personalization or customization to fit my exact needs (depending on item)
4.) Satisfaction that you are supporting an artist who is passionate about their craft, doing what they love and truly excited to have you as a customer.
5.) Something for EVERYONE - will be amazed when you take the time to browse at what you will find. Things you've never seen before and will never see anywhere else. Items for every age group and every interest.

Over the next few weeks I am hoping to post a series of articles featuring Etsy artists and craftswomen who are A.) Members of an online group I belong to called Unique Women in Business (UWIB) or B.) Sellers whom I have personallly purchased from in the past.

My goal is to provide at least some ideas for every person, every age-group on your list.

Have a really tough person to buy for? Leave a comment with age, gender, interests etc. and I'll do my best to include something for them in one of my upcoming posts. I hope you'll follow me and find out what is out there other than department store shopping!

Just to give you a taste - here is a tiny sampling of some items you might think about:

Hmm - I really DO like being able to see!

2009-11-19T12:35:00.006-06:00

Most of us are fortunate to be able to take our eyesight for granted. This summer I got a wake-up call and learned once again how precious some things are. I'll make a very long story as short as possible.

Last June (2009) I started seeing 'spots', not floaters, but areas in my eye that didn't move that were 'spots'. I let it go, finally mentioned it to my husband who said "And you haven't seen a Dr. because...??"

So off I went. Sure enough there were spots - blind spots. Areas in my right eye where no light was coming thru and where I couldn't see. Close my left eye and presto - certain things in my vision just go away.

Forward ahead to major tests - the big one - an MRI. Turns out blind spots/eye troubles are a common early indicator of MS. Wow - wasn't expecting that one! That test came back fine - thank God!

Two more blind spots develop. Really having some trouble seeing with my right eye now. More tests and no diagnosis and I'm seriously beginning to feel that I may go 'blind' . This is - shall we say - Scary! No eyesight, even in just one eye - is major. What if is spreads to the other eye? What if, What if, What if? I'm REALLY good about worrying obsessively about things I have no control over.

Off to the specialists. Again MS is ruled out. But still not sure what's going on. Back home waiting for next appointment and welcome the 'Flashing strobe lights' symptom. Something new and annoying.

Finally a diagnosis - a relatively rare disease called MEWDS (go ahead, look it up!). Good news is - the prognosis is good. Normally affects women, normally goes away in a few weeks to a few months. 5 months from the onset I return to the doctor who confirms that yes - you do/did have MEWDS, but that is on it's last phase and some of your spots are gone or smaller.

But... There is still one spot. No idea what it is, no diagnosis, no prognosis (as of Nov. 2009). Still waiting - but becoming accustomed to having some permanent sight loss. Overall my sight is still very good! I see wavy lines when I look at anything with a straight edge and I don't cut so good any more. I have some trouble doing my beading, cross stitching etc - but I just do what I call "Go old lady slow" - who cares if things aren't as straight as they could be. I'm back to "Sure hope this doesn't get worse" and trying to not think about it. After all - life goes on and 'life' happens.

So what did I learn?

Life can be scary sometimes.
A loving, supportive husband is a wonderful thing to have.
Having world-class eye doctors 20 minutes from home is a blessing beyond belief.
Friends are pretty much as good as loving husbands.
The phrase "It could be worse" gets old after a while.
I really don't like having an MRI, even if it doesn't hurt.
Not knowing what to expect sucks (sorry - but it does)
Worrying does me no good at all (so says Jesus) - but I do it anyway.
I get very grouchy when I can't fix things and don't get answers (back to the supportive husband thing here!).
Eyesight is a blessing for which I am so grateful. I pray every day that I get to keep mine and I look out the window at my acrobatic squirrel, deer in my yard and blue sky and say "Thank you God!"

Customer Spotlight #10: Susan Hollowell from Goldsboro, NC

2009-11-03T09:02:00.011-06:00

This is the 10th in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Click each picture to see larger detail.

Tell us something unusual about your self: I'm a Critical Care Transport/Flight Nurse who grew up on a dairy farm. I almost always take my stitching with me on vacations so I have something to do in the rooms at night.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? I started stitching in 1980 when I was 10 years old. My Mom was going to learn and I wanted to also. My Great Aunt taught us both. I still have that first project.

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us?
I don’t have too many to share because most of what I do is for gifts and are soon gone. One is from Bibs with Attitudes, the Lighthouses (possibly by C Stitch), the Lab was from a Dog Breeds book, and the Snowmen towel is from Charles Craft.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? I don’t have any favorites, I just find designs that I like and want to use. I have done things from so many different designers. I do a lot of baby bibs and a lot of Christmas towels and ornaments. I love to give these at Christmas and for births. Although I have had a few friends not use the bibs and sippie cups that I make because they don’t want to mess them up.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? With the internet, at least patterns, materials and floss are accessible more than ever. I live in a town where we just got a Michael’s a few years ago but I can’t always find what I need.

How often do you stitch and where do you do it? I have a love seat in our living room and I sit there and cross-stitch almost every day while watching TV. My husband tells me I miss stuff in movies all the time because I am stitching. It’s my form of therapy and relaxation.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? I probably should be, but my crafty friends would completely understand. I always have stuff so that I never have to start from scratch when I want to do something.
Do you have a favorite quote? “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” -Aristotle

Thank you Susan! Please post comments/questions for Susan below.

Customer Spotlight #9: Joan Hershberger from El Dorado, AR

2009-10-21T08:50:00.012-05:00

This is the ninth in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Tell us something unusual about your self: I attended four grade schools, four high schools and four colleges by the time I settled in Arkansas where I work as a reporter.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? I have been stitching since the mid-1990s. I saw a clock with a cross stitch design that I liked and asked for it for Christmas.

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? Grandpa’s Workshop by Barbara Baatz. It was the first larger piece I did. It really was above my skill level. I took a couple years to complete it because I had to put it aside for Hands of Faith by Terrie Lee Steinmeyer.

I really enjoyed doing this piece – after the third time I started it. I kept getting lost in the stitches so I stitched the outline to ground me and then filled it in from there and found it great fun to color between the lines.

The family bookshelf by myself. I designed this 1. to balance another cross stitch picture I found at a yard sale, 2. because I always intended to have a piece with a quote on books 3. because I love books. After I stitched in enough books to fill the shelf, I added family names as the titles of the books.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? I find that I keep coming back to 14 or 16 count Aida cloth and the Jannette Crews One-Nighters. The detail in these tiny pieces amazes me and pleases me every time I finish one.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? I wish all the shades and hues of the same color were sequential.

How often do you stitch and where do you do it? I do a great deal of stitching while traveling with my husband. He likes to drive. I look forward to the time to stitch for miles on end while listening to an audio book. I also go through spells when I stitch at night while sitting in the lounge chair with a bright light on the fabric.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? Well after my sister helped me sort out my stash – no. I donated kits, floss and Aida cloth to a charity she knows which uses excess craft items to inspire other women of restricted means. She took home a large duffle bag crammed with thread, fabric and kits of various sizes. I received a very nice letter thanking me for my donation and explaining how it would be used.I just like looking at the patterns, kits, threads and ideas. I also collect unwanted cross stitch pieces that others have completed.just to look at and maybe someday use in quilts.

Do you have a favorite quote? You can't do it unless you try.

Anything else you would like to add? If I were to add one bit of encouragement: cross stitching is a hobby. Do it because you enjoy it, not just to have a perfectly finished product. My mentally disabled granddaughter begs to cross stitch something when she visits. She has not finished many items, but she enjoys the colors and the activity and that is the important thing. Enjoy what you are doing and share it with others --- even if it isn't the epitome of perfection.

Thank you Joan! Please post comments/questions for Joan below.

Crock Pot Chocolate Cake Recipe

2009-10-17T13:08:00.001-05:00

My friend gave me this. I haven't tried it yet but she says it's great. I'd never heard of a crock pot cake before so thought I'd post. Have you tried one? Feel free to coment.

1 Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Sm Choc Instant Pudding
1 cup Water
4 Eggs
¾ cup Oil
2 cups Sour Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
1 – 12 oz pkg Chocolate Chips

Mix together above ingredients (thru Vanilla). Stir in Chocolate Chips.

Cook in a greased crock pot on low for 6 hrs or on high for 3 hrs. (You may have to experiment a bit on the time – mine was right on 3 hrs on high – it is better if not overdone.)

Serve with different toppings: Cherry Pie Filling, Frosting, Cool Whip, Ice Cream etc.

Customer Spotlight #8: David Cesak

2009-10-03T08:30:00.018-05:00

This is the eighth in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Tell us something unusual about your self: I am 56 years old and live in Dallas, Texas. I have a great wife and great family. I am taking my first born son to college soon and I know I am going to miss him. I also just got through stitching him the Texas Tech logo and I am waiting to pick it up from the framers so he can take it with him. His friends want me to do them one too.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? I have been stitching since 1976. I started out in crewel and then went to counted cross stitch. I worked in the oilfield as a Drilling Fluids Engineer and lived on the rigs 7 on and 7 off. Had lots of spare time so I decided to take up knitting.

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? The Monopoly Board in my opinion is my best work. It took the longest. It is by C&L Crafts & Co. The Wizard I do not know (readers, if you know the designer let me know and I'll add it in here), and the Spice of Life and The Crawfish Boil are by Leslie Wristers.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? INot really. If it catches my eye then I will do it.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? Not really. I think that the industry on the whole is pretty good. I sometimes wish there were more patterns that men would be interested in doing.

How often do you stitch and where do you do it? I stitch about 2 hours a night in the living room while I listen to TV. Sometimes on the weekends I have been known to stay up to 2 or 3 o’clock, getting so tied up in my work I forget what time it is.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? Not at all. My friends always look at my wife and say how good the pieces are and she tells them not her and points to me. They do not believe it. Most of the frames I have and the all the left over threads and patterns that I have done and would like to do are hidden from view in a bar in the living room that is not used for anything but my stash and equipment.

Do you have a favorite quote? Tomorrow is Tomorrow

Anything else you would like to add? I would love for someone to make a pattern for a V-22 Helicopter in say the Coast Guard colors. The V-22 is the tilt-rotor helicopter from Bell/Textron Helicopter. If you know of anyone please let me know.

Thank you David! Please post comments/questions for David below.

Don't 'Over Expose' Your Business

2009-09-30T07:38:00.004-05:00

True story - have fun with it...

So - I was doing a craft show in my home town last December. I had just bought a fabulous new blouse from Coldwater Creek with the coolest tiny metalic buttons. Loved the blouse so wore that to the show.

Things were slow and I was sitting down and a couple of people walked by. For some reason I looked down and EVERY SINGLE BUTTON was undone and my shirt was WIDE open.

Let's just say I had 'over exposed' myself!

My face turned every shade of red there was. I honestly don't know if anyone saw me or not. If they did - they didn't say anything. I had my hand on that blouse for the rest of the day and took it back the next week.

So - dress for success - but maybe stick with a pull-over! Carla!

The Economics of Selling Floss

2009-09-29T20:19:00.003-05:00

I've been surveying my customers to see if they thought I should start selling embroidery/cross stitch floss in addition to the cross stitch designs I sell. The consensus was an overwhelming YES - especially if it could be sold at a discount like I do with my charts.

So - I spent most of two days looking into wholesale sources for floss. Well here's what I found:

1.) DMC floss is sold in boxes of 12 skeins per box.
2.) The WHOLESALE price (what I pay) of a box around $3.96 - which comes to .33 cents per skein.
3.) The SUGGESTED retail price for a skein of floss is .66 cents.

Wow - I never knew this. Most people tell me they get it at stores like Hobby Lobby or Michaels for anywhere from .35 - .50 cents - but it can be on sale for 4 for a dollar or even 5 for a dollar.

So - what does this mean?

Well - you're local LNS is probably making little or no money when they sell floss. .05 - .10 cents at most. So how can Michaels or Wal-Mart afford to have 5 for $1 sales? They buy 100's of thousands of boxes of floss as opposed to a couple of thousand a year (if that) by a small independent LNS store. So - they most likely get a GREAT deal, at far below wholesale. OR - they can afford to offer a great sale on a low-cost item like floss, because they know you'll most likely come in and purchase something else in addition to floss. This is called a 'loss-leader' and means they're willing to take a small loss on one item to gain a larger overall sale.

So - next time you have the luxury of visiting a local LNS - you'll have a better understanding and appreciation of why their prices on floss are what they are. I certainly appreciate it more!

Now - will I be selling floss? It's a tough call. Let's say I buy all the colors at .33 cents a skein and I offer it for .43 cents a skein. A customer shops at my store (yeah!!!) and purchases 3 skeins of floss for $1.29. I would make .30 cents - that's good!

But then the customer pays with a credit card or PayPal (which I encourage). The minimum fee for a transaction this size would be approximately .45 cents - so I would actually LOSE .15 cents.

This is why you're seeing the minimum shipping costs of $5.00 and minimum purchase amounts of $10 or more on many sites.

I am going to keep pursuing the issue - but I need suggestions. How can I offer this GREAT service to my customers, and not lose money doing it?

Regardless - I thought the whole story might enlighten you as it did me. I always figured floss cost the store maybe .10 or .15 cents and they were really marking it up - but not so.

You're ideas, comments, input etc. are GREATLY appreciated.

And so ends your lesson in economics for today! Thanks for reading! Carla

Customer Spotlight - Beverly

2009-09-22T07:58:00.015-05:00

This is the seventh in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Tell us something unusual about your self: My husband and I have been full-time RVers for 29 years. We winter in Southern Arizona and have spent the last several summers working at Bryce Canyon, Utah and prior to that we worked at several other national parks in the southwest.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? When we first went on the road in 1980, I was doing lots of plastic canvas. But while in Silver City, New Mexico one summer in 1990, friends talked me in to trying cross stitch. So I made a 50th anniversary project for my parents in cross stitch. Wasn't sure I liked doing it because it took so much longer to complete than a project in plastic canvas. But eventually I became hooked and have been a cross stitch addict ever since.

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? These are just three of my favorite projects. The first one is called Native American Fashion and was a kit from Design Works. The second one is called A Friend Is and is from one of the issues of the Cross Stitcher magazine. The third one is called Wake Up Prayer and is a Stoney Creek design.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? I love Stoney Creek designs. I like to do both large and small projects and I love florals, especially pansies.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? I would like to see some of the kit designs be made available in just a leaflet. Many of us buy kits because that is the only way we can get some of the patterns and then we end up not using the floss or fabric that comes with the kits.

How often do you stitch and where do you do it? Since we live in our RV, I do almost all my stitching in the chair in the living room part of the trailer. Sometimes I take it outside on the patio when it is a nice day. I spend a minimum of 3 hours a day stitching.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? No, I am proud of all the great patterns I have collected over the years.

Do you have a favorite quote? No

Thank you Beverly! Please post comments/questions for Beverly below.

Customer Spotlight - Susan from Tempe, AZ

2009-09-11T18:27:00.018-05:00

This is the sixth in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Tell us something unusual about your self: I am a single parent with an 18 year old daughter and a devout Anglophile!

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? I started stitching when I was pregnant with my daughter; she decided to come early at 33 weeks and I was in the hospital trying to keep her as long as I could. I wanted to stitch a birth announcement for her anyway. That was 18 years ago and I haven't stopped!

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? The pieces I chose are some of my favorites. One I call the Psychedelic Pirate Ship by Amanda Loverseed; another is a Railway Station by Charles Wysocki; there is a Pirate (the pirate ship and pirate are for my daughter; she loves pirates!) with a parrot on his shoulder and the last one is called, I believe, Snow Quilts by Linda Myers.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? My favorite designers are Charles Wysocki, Paula Vaughn, Judith Kirby and Linda Myers. I love designs that represent Americana or Victorian, the simpler times. Most of the projects I stitch are fairly difficult and are mostly cross stitch.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? Not really but I do wish sometimes that there were more cross stitch stores near me. The only one near me is Michael's and most of the time they don't have what I want!

How often do you stitch and where do you do it? I try to find time every day to stitch; it's my sane time! I have a nice little niche in my bedroom where I can get comfortable and make pretty things. Sometimes I work on three or four projects at once!

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? I'm kind of embarrassed to admit to myself I have such a huge stash. Not really--everything I have I love and can't wait to stitch it. I collect stitchery like other people collect stamps or coins.

Do you have a favorite quote? Yes; "grow old with me, the best is yet to be."

Anything else you would like to add? I really love to stitch. It's calming and what you produce is so rewarding.

Thank you Susan! Please post comments/questions for Susan below.

My Thoughts on 9/11

2009-09-11T14:04:00.001-05:00

I can barely bring myself to even think about today. It was/is so overpoweringly sad and terrifying. Part of me shattered that day and will never be put back together.

If I dwell on it I am lost in sadness and lack of understanding. If I put it out of mind I feel guilty. I wonder how long it took for Americans to 'get past' Pearl Harbor?

Images, other than the planes, that I can't get out of my mind are the people in the Middle East dancing in celebration of our loss. I still work hard to forgive and forget that image.

The other is of President Bush sitting with school children and receiving the news. I remember thinking about the burden of the country that had just been placed on his shoulders.

I had never been more proud, or more scared to be an American.

Another image I will never forget is going out in my yard mid-afternoon. It was a beautiful, sunny day and there was not a single plane in the sky. I sat in the grass looking at the empty sky and cried while I waited for my daughter to get home from school so I could talk to her about what happened. We live just a few miles from the airport and can always see mulitiple trails of jets zig-zagging across the sky. I pray I will never see a sky empty of jets again.

I still don't know why people across the globe hate me and my child without ever having met us. It took me years before I was comfortable flying again, and I still get nervous.

But - I welcome the messages of peace and friendship that President Obama has sent out in his speeches when he goes abroad. It needed to happen and I'm proud of him for trying to send a new message to the world. I know in my heart that 9/11 was the act of insane extremists. I feel we'll change the minds of those who hate us through acts of love, acceptance and understanding and not acts of war (although I'm all for defending ourselves and catching the creeps who continue this).

I support President Bush's descisions to fight this war that was started by others and I am SO proud of the soldiers who protect me every day. I do hope they all can come home some day soon.

I hope we continue to build hospitals and schools etc. I also hope our military hospital ships continue to go around the world where they are needed. Somehow the world needs to see just how good Americans really are.

I wish we could stop this bickering and hatred going on amongst ourselves. We so need to show a different side to the world.

Customer Spotlight - Cheryl Berger from Northern California

2009-08-24T17:43:00.033-05:00

This is the fifth in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Tell us something unusual about your self: I took French for 14 years and minored in it in college. The Dean had to invent the minor for me, since no one had majored in Computer Science and minored in French before.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? Since I was 9, so about 37/38 years. Our family hosted a neighborhood garage sale, which included a stamped cross stitch "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep". It didn't sell, and the neighbor who owned it insisted I keep it; she wouldn't take my 5 ¢. I have made up for that bargain many times over by now.

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? "My Stitching Treasures" by Jeannette Douglas because it's probably my favorite of all the pieces I've stitched. The range of stitches is amazing, the fibers are beautiful, and the colors are my colors. And it only took a few weeks to stitch!

"Strawberry Thief, Bird and Woodpecker" textiles from the "Art of William Morris in Cross Stitch" by Barbara Hammet. My father-in-law's life passion was his William Morris collection. For his 80th birthday, I stitched the piece, cut the mats and stretched the work, and my husband made the frame. It was a true Arts & Crafts gift, and my father-in-law was speechless. When he passed, the piece came back to us, and we treasure it.

George Seurat's "Sunday in the Park" by Color Charts because it was so labor intensive and detailed.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? Although I do all types of embroidery, I do a lot of cross stitch over one thread on very small count linen. It takes up less wall space :) and the piece has impact from much closer up.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? I would love to see the Festivals (Spirit of Cross Stitch, CATS, Hearts of Cross Stitch) return locally. I know they're still around, but to travel so far when I know I'm going to spend SO much at the Merchandise Mall is hard to justify to my very patient spouse.

How often do you stitch and where do you do it? I try to stitch most evenings; it's my escape. I have my corner of our reclining couch with a table and light set up for my supplies.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? No, most of them insist they have stashes at least as large as mine (but I have my doubts.)

Do you have a favorite quote? "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." - William Morris

Anything else you would like to add? I belong to the local chapter of EGA, and it has been a wonderful experience. I recommend to everyone to find a guild or club of some kind near you. Stitchers are some of the nicest people I know, and it's a wonderful way to share information, tips and with our group, recipes, since food plays a happy part of our gatherings.

Thank you Cheryl! Please post comments/questions for Cheryl below.

Customer Spotlight - Susan Alexion from NYC

2009-08-17T11:27:00.011-05:00

This is the fourth in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Tell us something unusual about your self: I have been a ‘road warrior’ for the last 12 years. That means I travel every week and am away three or four nights.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? It has been about nine years. A concierge lady at a Marriott hotel got me started. It was fall and I started on Christmas stockings. I did four that season. I started out along the normal path, 14 count Aida, followed by 16 and 18 count, but took the leap to linen about six years ago.

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? These were pieces that I recently finished. Plaisirs de dentelliere (lace) by Marie Suarez was a gift for my sister who is into making bobbin lace. The other, Sonata by Mari McDonald, Whispered by the Wind was for me whose favorite color is purple.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? I tend to do anything that is part of a series. I started with all of the Kats by Kelly (Calico Crossroads) that I have framed and hung in two collections. I have done all of the word trees by M, and the Sekas hearts. I am partial to Whispered by the Wind for the geometry and few colors, not that I haven’t done complex projects such as Tulip Medley by KustomKrafts. I have a Heaven and Earth design (French Filigree) in progress.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? I am sorry to see local needle shops close. Growing up (45 years ago) I was a knitter and had a local shop that I could walk to. I live in New York City, but the last of the old time shops are gone. I have been forced to become an internet shopper. But you don’t get the opportunity to ‘feel’ fibers or threads.

How often do you stitch and where do you do it? I stitch every day. Mondays and Thursdays are travel days so I get a good three hours of work done on the plane. Then there are the nights in a hotel room which affords another hour or two. At home I have my favorite rocker with an Ott light to the left.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? Not really. I have organized all of this in spread sheets and stored in stackable drawers. I have every DMC color, most Caron Watercolours and a wide variety of specialty threads. I have more than 300 pieces in my fabric stash.

Do you have a favorite quote? I do consulting, so my favorite line is “A test of one is not a test, unless I am doing it.”

Thank you Susan! Please post comments/questions for Susan below.

Customer Spotlight - Rachie from Olmsted Township, OH

2009-08-11T17:48:00.040-05:00

This is the third in our series Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight. Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Tell us something unique about yourself: Three years ago I discovered my left eye wasn't seeing clearly. I immediately went to the eye doctor who sent me to a specialist. A macular hole was discovered. I had surgery for that some months later and had to lie on my stomach with my head down for an entire week. I thought my days of stitching were over! After the surgery, my eye has slowly healed. I can see to stitch now with reading glasses. Modern Medicine is Amazing!!!

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? I've stitched for about 15 years. I saw a *pattern* in a stitchery book and began. Of course, I didn't do it properly, but I learn very fast!

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? I selected the Wool Gatherer (Shepherd's Bush - photo at top). I won the 2nd place ribbon at our local Needlework Guild's Show, I was very excited as this was my first year placing an item. Wool Gatherer took an entire year to complete. I loved the silver charms and the actual New Zealand wool, which gave the piece such dimension. It came alive for me!

I am also happy to share two of my Christmas Stockings, both by Shepherd's Bush. The charms added such old-fashioned character. They're finished in green velvet.

Dresser Drawer Heart by Shepherd's Bush......many tiny decorative stitches, this really keep me on my *toes*. I love the shabby chic frame which finishes off the piece nicely.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? I prefer stitching fanciful and fun things. Shepherd's Bush is my absolute favorite. I adore anything *fun* with an old-fashioned flair. I usually stitch on linen over two and I enjoy decorative stitching as well.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? What's really important is to have someone available at shops to assist newbies with stitching questions. I've come across too many people who became quickly discouraged.

How often do you stitch and where in the house do you do it? I used to stitch everyday, but now just a few hours a week, sitting in my bedroom chair when the light is good. I can see best then.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? Only to my Husband. I usually say...Why I've Had This Kit for Years, and YES I do need all of those patterns!

Do you have a favorite Quote? Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained.

Anything else you want to add? Yes - my own question: How often do you visit your favorite shop? Quite often.....I'm even thinking of *volunteering* there this winter. I can spend hours looking at new patterns, discussing new designers & chatting with fellow stitchers.

Thank you Rachie! Please post questions/comments for Rachie below.

Customer Spotlight - Ann Hewitt from Vinton, VA

2009-07-29T18:54:00.026-05:00

Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Tell us something unusual about yourself. I am 69 going on 70 too fast. I have had a very good life, happy childhood and great husband and family. I have been able to make my dream come true, being a Walt Disney cast member. I work part time at the Disney Store near my home and every year I visit Walt Disney World with my daughter and this is truly a dream come true.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start. I have been stitching 41 years, starting with needlepoint and then self taught cross stitch.

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? The Pentagon (Inez M. Long) was the last military assignment my husband had in the Army. I stitched this especially for him. The lighthouses collage (Howard Koslow) is the largest piece that I have made and it took me several years working on and off to complete. I am now just about to complete "Cat and Mouse" (ANNE MORTIMER). I just have a small area to finish in the lower left corner. At my age the colors have been challenging. We have 4 cats and this reminds me of "Mickey" as seen in chair with my cross stitching.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? Lesley Anne Ivory's cat designs are my favorite. Her pictures of cats are very detailed and contain a lot of varies designs with the cat. I prefer 14 ct Aida because of my eyes. I love florals especially Hydrangeas.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? At this moment I cannot think of anything that I would recommend to the industry. I would like to see more local needlework shops because they have classes and activities for stitchers in their area. My area does not have this luxury.

How often do you stitch and where in the house do you do it? I try to stitch a hour or more each day. My recliner/rocking chair is the living room is my favorite place unless a cat has taken up residence and then I move to the other side of the room where I keep duplicate stitching supplies and a good light.

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? My family does not realize how much I have, and yes, they would be surprised to see my stash in plastic bins and an old trunk. I have been thinning out some of my stash as I know I will not live long enough to finish all I would like to do. My problem is that I am always seeing something new that I want to do.

Do you have a favorite quote? "If you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything".

Do you have anything else to share? Yes, my own question - What do you do with your finished projects...do you frame them, give them as gifts or store them for framing another time?
ANSWER: I frame my finished project if I have a place for it and it has a special meaning. I have given some small pieces to family.

Thank you Ann!! Please post comments/questions for Ann!

Customer Spotlight - Sue Pollock

2009-07-24T11:38:00.022-05:00

Welcome to the first in an on-going series where I will be featuring my customers. Cobweb Corner Customer Spotlight will highlight a different customer on each post. My cross stitch customers are very passionate about their craft and I'm so excited to give them the opportunity to share their work with you.

Enjoy the interview and the fabulous photos chosen especially to share with you. Please comment after reading the interview - the featured stitcher will be thrilled to know you took the time to admire and comment on their craft.

Customer Spotlight with Sue Pollock, Kernersville, NC

Tell us something unusual about yourself. There’s really nothing out of the ordinary about me; just a normal, run of the mill homemaker, wife, mother, and grandmother.

How long have you been stitching and how did you start? I started stitching at the age of 15 so I’ve been stitching approximately 41 years. I found a set of two 8x10 embroidery/appliqué projects at the Sears and Roebuck store and thought they would make a nice present for my parents. I continued dabbling with all types of needlework until my sister-in-law taught me the art of counted cross-stitch a year later. I’ve been addicted ever since! By the way, those first embroidered pieces are now hanging in my master bath!

Why did you select the pieces you did to share with us? I wouldn’t consider Suko (John Clayton Elegance Series) the most difficult piece I’ve ever stitched, but she is my first “human” with such lifelike features. I stitched the Fishing Trawlers (Fiona Jude) for my husband. He was born and reared on the east coast of North Carolina so they remind him of home. The Antique Floral (published by Leisure Arts) was a Christmas present for my daughter and my first attempt at a floral piece. I thoroughly enjoyed the intricacies of the color shading as the flowers seemed to blossom on the fabric.

Do you have a favorite designer or style that you prefer? I have many favorite designers, but lately, I find myself drawn to John Clayton, Margaret Sherry, Valerie Pfeiffer, and Crossed Wing Collections. I never shy away from the huge projects and I love a challenge of the more detailed projects. The “squished” or fractional stitches these designers use really bring their designs to life on an Evenweave fabric.

Is there anything you wish would change in the cross stitch industry? I would love to see more of the UK designs/designers available here in the US at a more reasonable cost. I also love Cobweb Corner’s “rare and collectible” section; you can usually find such great selections of many OOP publications! Just because a design has some age to it, it hasn’t necessarily lost its character!

How often do you stitch and where in the house do you do it? I stitch every day, if only for 30 minutes. It is my only mode of true relaxation. I have to be busy at all times and with my stitching, I’m not only busy but productive as most of my projects are given as gifts or stitched for charity. I have a small corner in our den specifically set up for my stitching supplies. My husband purchased both my chair and my light with my stitching habit in mind. However, since that time, he has attempted to invade the area several times because he sees how comfortable I am, but he’s yet to succeed!

Are you embarrassed to admit to friends and family how much stash you have on hand? When my family and friends see my two stash closets, I give the excuse that I use it for RAKs (Random Act of Kindness) and other gifts. They seem to buy my reasoning; therefore, it eases my embarrassment!

Do you have a favorite Quote? Not really but my catch phrase is “I’ll do it tomorrow!” I’ve said this since I was a child and evidently so much so my Mom once threatened to have it engraved on my headstone when I died. She did purchase a paper weight and had that engraved for me with the phrase. I can’t say that I really procrastinate completing the important stuff; it’s just that I might have better things to do at the present, and if I do, well....now you know what I’ll say.

Anything else you would like to share? I only have a suggestion to all stitchers; share your tips and techniques freely with others, especially new stitchers. Since becoming associated with Yahoo groups, I’ve heard more fantastic tips on how to make my stitching more professional in appearance such as railroading my stitches, or making it easier to begin a thread, such as using the loop method. I knew never to use a knot so that wasn’t an issue, but the loop method is GREAT! Cross-stitch is an art to be shared with others. So many of these little nuggets of wisdom would have helped me tremendously if I had only heard about them sooner in my stitching life!

Thank you Sue!! Please post comments/questions for Sue!

Finding ways to Craft through Pain

2009-07-05T09:50:00.019-05:00

In previous posts I introduced my friend Pam, an avid and extremely talented crafter who suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis (see my intro post on Pam here).

This post focuses on one of the ways Pam has been able to continue her intricate bead work and cross stitch. Since her hands, especially her thumbs, are an area that cause some of the most intense pain for her, you can imagine that hours of detailed, fine work is difficult and sometimes impossible.

Pam has told me that the only option at this point in time to alleviate much of the pain in her thumbs is to have surgery that would, in essence fuse the thumb into one position. Obviously this is a last resort as the surgery would not be reversible.

Pam performs daily hand exericises to maintain strength and flexibility. In addition, to support and protect her painful thumb joints Pam wears hand splints pretty much 24 hours a day.

What's fascinating is that she has worked very closely with her hand therapist to create a set of splints that allow her to perform different tasks with more ease. She has one set she wears to bed, others for everyday tasks and a special custom set for her intricate crafting. This special set has made all the difference in allowing her to continue with the hobbies she loves so much - lucky for us because her work is beautiful.

I don't have all of the facts, but I'm sure Pam will chime in and set me straight. Here are the pictures of her braces:

The blue splint keeps her left thumb in a set position that is perfect for allowing her to hold her frame and basically form the 'OK' sign with her thumb and first finger. This allows her to grasp items between those two fingers, while at the same time reducing the amount of pain in the thumb joint by eliminating the movement of the thumb. This splint helps support the thumb in the proper position.

The splints on the right hand had to be smaller because the larger splint did not allow her to grasp the needle without poking into the fabric. Pam needed more flexibility for the right hand in order to stitch. These smaller splints give her the flexibility she needs while still providing much-needed support.

The right-hand splint on the far left picture was designed by Pam with the help of her therapist. It allows more support than the smaller splint (oval eight). The smaller oval eight splint is readily available and are inexpensive. The larger splint was custom made making it more expensive but gave Pam the ability to customize it to her specific needs.

If you have questions for Pam, or if you would like to comment on your own experiences of crafting with arthritis, please use the comments and tell us your story.

21st-Century Women's Conference

2009-06-22T16:23:00.006-05:00

Friday June 26th, 2009 I will be attending the 21st-Century Women's Conference as a vendor.

The conference is held in West Burlington, Iowa and is located at the Southeastern Community College. I believe this is the first year they have conducted this conference and I am looking forward to displaying my jewelry to the women attending.

The keynote speaker is Mary Schulte LoVerde and she will be speaking twice. The title of her talks are "I Used to Have a Handle on Life But It Broke: Innovative Strategies for Thriving in Uncertain Times" and “What If the Hokey Pokey Really IS What It’s All About: Innovative Strategies for Dancing Through Uncertain Times”. They both sound informative and entertaining.

The session is for one day only from 9:00 - 4:00 on June 26th. Registration is at 8:00. There are multiple break-out sessions in addition to the main speaker.

There is still time to register and as an added bonus you can stop by my table and say 'Hi'. I'll have all of my latest jewelry there and guarantee some GREAT sales with some jewelry as much as 40% off.

For additional information check out the full brochure at this link: 21st-Century Women's Conference Brochure

The Promotional Clothespin

2009-06-15T08:16:00.010-05:00

I'm constantly looking for unique and inexpensive ways to promote my business. A couple of months ago I had a number of jewelry shows coming up and wanted some type of give-away with my business name on it.

Through my membership at Unique Women in Business (UWIB) I ran across these great promotional clothespins by TootsieBear.

You can customize them with any web address, business name or other information that will fit. You can also choose from a wide variety of paper backgrounds. On one side is your information and on the other is a magnet so your customer can put the clothespin on the fridge and hopefully see it every day.

As a bonus I use it to close the bags before I hand a purchase to my customer. This actually saves me a lot of time. Previously I was scrounging around trying to find the twisty ties for the bags I use - then taking more time to attach them.

Now I just fold the top of the bag over and clamp on a clothespin.

I have received SO MANY comments about the clothespins from customers that I know they are great investment.

So - It's a unique and functional AND inexpensive way to give your customers something to remember you by.

You can find these great clothespins by visiting TootsieBear on Etsy.

UWIB is an online group of businesswomen promoting each other. Click here if you would like information on becoming a member of this supportive group.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2009-06-12T16:06:00.006-05:00

Here is my forever favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream:
2 sticks of butter or margarine (softened)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 brown sugar

The creamier you can get this the better

Add 2 eggs - beating in one at a time
Mix in well:
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon warm water
1 teaspoon salt (I don't put quite this much in)

After the above is mixed really well...

Add 2 cups of flour about 1/2 cup at a time mixing well.

Set electric mixer aside.

Fold in 1 cup to 1 1/2 cup oatmeal.
Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips.

Grease your cookie sheets. Spoon dough onto cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for about 9 minutes. Don't over bake them unless you like them crunchy.

If you prefer to make bars instead of cookies pour all of the dough into a 9 x 13 pan and spread evenly (don't grease). Start checking after 35 minutes, may take up to 45 minutes. Remove and cool before cutting.

If your cookies are too flat - add a little more flour. Don't want or have the oatmeal - use 2 1/2 cups floor instead of just 2 cups.

Enjoy!

Special K Bars - Favorite Snacks

2009-06-11T15:23:00.005-05:00

OK - we just won't discuss calories in this one.

Here is one of my all time favorite snacks - Special K bars with chocolate/butterscotch topping.

To make:

Put 1 cup Karo syrup and 1 cup white sugar in large sauce pan. Heat on medium heat until sugar dissolves and starts to boil. Do NOT overheat as it will burn - let it get to small bubbles throughout - stirring frequently. No need for large rolling boil.

Turn off or remove from heat and immediately add 1 cup creamy peanut butter. Stir until peanut butter is completely melted into syrup mix.

Immediately add 6 cups Special K (I like Special K a LOT better than Rice Krispies). Fold gently until cereal is completely coated.

Put mixture into ungreased 9 x 13 pan and spread evenly. Set aside (or in fridge) to cool.

In microwavable bowl add 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup butterscotch chips. (You can use a double boiler if you want, but I prefer microwave). In short increments (30-45 seconds) heat the chips on high. Remove and stir. Repeat until you get chips completely mixed and nice and creamy. Be careful - it is very easy to burn chocolate chips. Do not turn on and leave for more than 45 seconds at a time.

Pour chocolate mixture over previously prepared mixture and let set until topping has cooled. You can refrigerate to cool - but bars will be very hard to cut if you leave them in the fridge.

Cut, eat, and enjoy!!!

Making the Most of Business Cards

2009-06-09T17:04:00.006-05:00

Business cards are an essential part of any business. It is an easy and inexpensive way to give someone a reminder of what you do, along with the ways a potential customer can contact you or find your store.

I use business cards to hand out when people ask what I do. I include them with orders so people will remember where they bought that favorite piece of jewelry, and I have them sitting on my tables at shows, so future buyers can check out my store or contact me at a later date.

For years I had a standard business card that I was pretty happy with. The supplier was reliable, the quality good and they were inexpensive. However I was limited to 6 lines of information. When I opened my Etsy store and started my blog - I wanted to include additional information on my card. In addition, I wanted my business card to be more of a marketing tool.

Happily I stumbled upon Moo.com. Moo.com allows you to very easily download up to 50 of your own images to use as the front of your business card. In addition, the format I selected had room for nine different lines of text, so I was able to put everything I wanted on my cards. In the picture above the top part of the image is the front of one of my cards and the bottom of the image is the back.

For a jewelry designer this business card solution is perfect because I can showcase dozens of my designs. People often stop at my jewelry table and go through my stack of cards to look at the different designs I have. And, when I tell someone I design jewelry, I can pull out 8-10 cards and go through them to show the person the types of designs I create.

The only drawback is that they are very expensive compared to what I was purchasing before. But the quality is exceptional and I now feel like I have a real marketing tool.

Cosmic Ring Earrings - Magazine Feature

2009-06-01T14:38:00.009-05:00

I just received my copy of my second magazine feature. Check out page 74 of June 2009 Bead Trends magazine and you'll see my Cosmic Ring Earrings featured in the the Quick and Easy section.
The cosmic ring Swarovski Crystals are beautiful and SO fun to work with.

The picture shows the earrings in Burmuda Blue. Other colors are available include Clear Crystal, Cyrstal Copper, Sahara, Jet Black, and Vitrail Light. I'm waiting on pictures for some colors but you can view/purchase the following at my Etsy Store.

Sahara Cosmic Ring Earrings

Crystal Copper Cosmic Ring Earrings

Bead Trends can be found in magazine sections at Barnes & Noble and similar stores. It is FULL of wonderful designs and each designer must provide step-by-step instructions along with a materials list.

The top picture shows my feature page and below is a picture of the June 2009 cover.

First Magazine Feature

2009-05-18T13:05:00.007-05:00

I'm so excited to share my first magazine feature! Check out page 117 of May 2009 Bead Trends magazine and you'll see my Simple Elegance necklace in green.

I submitted this necklace for the Vintage Section and was thrilled when it was accepted.

You can view/purchase my Simple Elegance Necklaces on my Etsy Store:

Green Simple Elegance
Blue Simple Elegance
Jonquil Simple Elegance
Topaz Simple Elegance
Red Simple Elegance

My Classic Drop Brass earrings (located in my Etsy earring section) are a perfect match for this necklace.

Bead Trends can be found in magazine sections at Barnes & Noble and similar stores. It is FULL of wonderful designs and each designer must provide step-by-step instructions along with a materials list.

The top picture shows my feature page and below is a picture of the May 2009 cover.

The Birds and the Bees and God - Preschool Age

2009-04-06T11:24:00.016-05:00

My daughter is 14 now, but I remember when I knew I needed to start talking with her about (drum roll here)... sex. I think she was 5 at the time.

Oh, I knew I wasn't ready for the WHOLE talk, but I wasn't one of those moms that encouraged her to use the word vagina and penis in everyday conversation. We had our own names for those private parts. I had nightmares that she would walk up to Grandpa and say "I have a vagina and you have a penis."

But, the time was right and I wanted an easy way to introduce the topic in a age-appropriate format.

Fortunately I stumbled on a series of six books designed to help parents talk about sex with their children while incorporating Christian values at the same time.

This post is about the first book in that series - "Why Boys & Girls are Different" by Carol Greene. Click here for full details on Amazon.com

This book is for ages 3-5 and is meant to be read to your child. It starts with basic differences - that God made EVERYONE different. We have different hair, eyes etc, we like different flavors of ice cream and like to play different games.

Then it goes into the basic body differences between boys and girls. The book shows a drawn frontal view of a girl and boy standing and uses the words vagina and penis to illustrate the basic differences in the body.

The the story goes on to show that there are women and men in all areas of our lives and they all do different things - because God made each of us different we are all special.

After that the book emphasizes family. It talks about how sometimes grownups fall in love and get married (with God's blessing). Later, God answers their prayer for a baby. The book explains that the baby grows inside the mother, but at this age does not state HOW that happened. This a very gentle way to introduce the concept of babies coming AFTER marriage.

Then the baby is born (via the vagina of the mother).

The book continues to show all types of different families (including a single mom). This is mainly done in pictures. It continues on to show that not only do we have our physical family, but we also have a church family. It shows that there are different types of churches and illustrates some of the things people do together in church.

The book ends with an affirmation that God loves you (the child) and that each person is special.

Summary - This book spends one page showing differences in body parts, and uses the word vagina and penis to describe them. There is no discussion about the act of sex itself. (that is for a later age). The book spends the majority of the time showing that God made everyone different and everyone special. Families are a special part of God's plan, both our physical family and our church family.

For me, this was the perfect way to take that very first step into the topic of sex with my daughter.

Comments are welcomed and encouraged. I will be covering the other books in time.

Disney World - My Lists

2009-04-03T18:31:00.034-05:00

On our recent 4 night trip to Disney World: (all pics taken by my husband - didn't he do a great job? Click to enlarge)

My Favorite Park: Hollywood Studies

My Least Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom (really dated, unless you have small kids almost not worth the crowds.

Favorite Ride by Park:

Hollywood Studios: Aerosmith Roller coaster. It ROCKS - Literally! It's not one of those 'start slow then go fast' rides - they have a countdown 5-4-3-2-1 - and you GO!!!! Over too soon and almost too much for this mom.

Close Second was the Toy Story Ride - Loved it!

Epcot: Soarin' - Best simulated ride I've ever been on. Went back an extra day just to ride it again.

Magic Kingdom: Space Mountain (but really didn't care for any of them)

Animal Kingdom: Expedition Everest - Backwards Roller coaster - What more can I say?

Worst Ride Ever:

Stich's Great Escape (Magic Kingdom) - Just DON'T go on this ride - worst waste of time ever! Boring, LONG, and really dumb. Even if the lines are only 3 minutes- DON'T DO IT! You'll regret it.

Most Daring Thing I Did:

Remember - I'm an old mom! I SWORE to my daughter and husband that I would NOT ride Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios)!

I said "I don't want to hear it - don't even ask!" But we got there and I said "Carla - just RIDE the *&#@ rides."

So I did.

I had tears in my eyes and could hardly talk when it was over -but I did it!

My daughter and husband were SO proud of me!

Best Show by Park: (there were a LOT we didn't see)

Magic Kingdom: Other than the fireworks and parade - the best show was Mickey's PhilharMagic - 3-D. Actually I enjoyed the 3-D shows in all of the parks.

Epcot: Illuminations - Laser/Fireworks at park closing - Fabulous!

Animal Kingdom: Flights of Wonder - Live Bird show. Very cool. (it's tough to be a bug 3-D was also good.

Hollywood Studios: Fantasmic - at park close - does not show every night. Waited 2 hours to save seats. Another thing not to miss is the Block Party Parade - really well done.

Most Unusual Thing We Saw:

By far - DiVine in Animal Kingdom - You must be lucky to see her - she's only along one area and only out a few hours a day. This photo was taken by my husband.

Thanks for reading - hope you liked!

Please comment - and tell your least/favorite attraction!

Disney World - Beating the Crowds

2009-04-01T13:51:00.002-05:00

We recently went to Disney World for 4 nights with our 14 yr. old daughter. We went during spring break, which we knew would be very crowded, but our options were limited so we took the plunge and went anyway.

Here are some of my tips on beating the crowds at Disney:

1.) Obviously, if possible go on 'off-peak' season, if there is such a thing for Disney. We've gone two other times in October and the crowds were much more manageable. Not an option? Read on.

2.) Use your Fast Pass. Every travel book and web site on Disney talks about this but some people still just don't get it. Anyone with a ticket to the park can use this feature.

What it is:
Fast pass allows you to go to select (not all) rides/attractions and get a time frame when you can return and bypass the lines. Instead of an 80 minute wait, you may wait 5-15 minutes (we never waited over 15.)

What you do is go to the Fast Pass distribution station near the entrance to the ride. Have ALL of your parties park tickets. Insert each ticket into the fast pass machine. It will return your ticket, plus another ticket with a 'return' time. Come back during that time and you will be allowed into the fast pass line - bypassing the hundreds of people waiting in the standby line.

We LOVED fast pass.

Things to know:
Once you have a fast pass, you cannot get another one until the time frame for your current one has arrived. So, let's say it's 10:00 am and you get a fast pass for Space Mountain. Due to the crowds your return time isn't until 4:30 that afternoon. You cannot get another fast pass until 4:30.

Sometimes your return time is only 60-90 minutes, so it's not too bad. But if you don't manage your passes carefully, you won't make full use of the system.

Have one person (aka DAD) be the fast pass manager. My husband kept all of our tickets. When our return time was up, instead of going immediately to the ride, he would go get fast passes for the NEXT ride. Then we would all go on our original ride together. (the whole time walking by rows and rows of people in line and saying to ourselves "I LOVE FAST PASS").

You have one hour to use your fast pass. That is, your return time is a one hour window. Your ticket may say - return between 1:10 and 2:10. You can come any time during that window.

3.) Stay on property and use the extended hours.

If you stay on Disney property (we stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge), then you have access to extended park hours. Each day one park will either open 1 hour early, or stay open 3 hours late. I think one day we had one of each.

USE THESE HOURS

Don't be fooled - the parks will still be crowded - but not nearly as crowded as when they open to the public.

This means you get up at 6:30, get ready, have breakfast and get to your bus to the park by 7:15 so you are in line BEFORE 8:00 if the park opens early.

Then - determine the rides you want to do the most. Send 'DAD' off to get a fast pass for that and the rest of you RUN (at least jog) to the second most favored ride.

We did this at Epcot. We got into the park at 8:00. My husband immediately took off for Soarin' and my daughter and I sprinted to Test Track. We had a 5 minute wait and my husband came back and had fast pass tickets for us for 9:30 at Soarin.

Note - Not all rides/attractions are open during extended hours.

Note 2: If a park opens early it will be even MORE crowded then usual that day - so keep that in mind.

4.) Don't be afraid to leave a park if it is too crowded. We did this more than once. We went to early opening of Magic Kingdom, and by noon it was so crowded we could hardly get around. We did what we really wanted to do with fast passes, and then went back to the lodge for a while. We had hopper passes - so that evening we went to Hollywood Studios for a while.

5.) Set your expectations, and especially those of your children before you go. My daughter is 14 and she was just glad to be at Disney World. We warned her ahead of time that it was going to be VERY crowded. We told her she may not get to ride every ride she wanted to, and that we may leave the parks early some days if it was too crowded.

My daughter is great to travel with and she was fine with the limitations for the most part.

There were only a couple of great rides that we were allowed to ride twice - even if we were at the park ALL day.

Hope this helps some of you planning a trip to Disney. While I wish the crowds were less, we kind of knew what to expect and were very glad we went. While I think we would have more fun during an off-peak time, Disney World is still Disney World and is just plain a FUN place to be.

Comments/questions are welcome!

Jewelry Shows - There's Something about a Sale

2009-03-28T19:41:00.009-05:00

I've been making jewelry for over 6 years. I don't do a ton of shows, but I've done enough to consider myself a veteran.

In the past I've had 'sales' - for example: Spend $50 and get 10% off your order. Or buy two pendants and save $1 on each. Things like that.

But I've never had a sale table - where everything on the table was marked down.

Well last week I had three solid days of shows. In the last few months I've purchased a whole new line of beads and am designing different things. I had hundreds of items made some of which had been displayed at my shows for years - literally.

There were things in my 'box' that I looked at and said "What was I THINKING when I made this? It's never going to sell".

Well I decided to get a second table. I took MANY of my older, 'less popular' items and marked them with a colored dot. Depending on the color the customer got 20%, 30%, or 40% off the item. Now keep in mind- most of my items were marked to sell on consignment, so I had some leeway to work with.

Well the sale table blew away my expectations. The things that hadn't been looked at for show after show after show were selling in droves.

Honestly - there is something about a true sale that just seems to make people go a little crazy. I admit, I've fallen prey to the Sale Fever in the past too.

So what did this do for me:

1.) I cleared out at least 40-50 pieces of very old inventory that I thought I would have to cut apart.
2.) My customers got a great deal and I did not lose money on anything.
3.) I increased my cash flow, making more cash available to invest in the newer designs I'm making.
4.) I had a record breaking year at a show I had attended for 6 years. My sales increased by well over 15% and I sold many more individual items then I had in the past.

On the down side - the customers at this show were interested more in my sale table than in the newer designs I was premiering. I did sell a number of my higher end pieces but didn't get the "WOW" impact I was hoping for.

To be honest - I did so well at the shows that I don't really mind. I've got plenty of time and opportunity to showcase my new (and I feel better) designs.

I don't always have the opportunity to get a second table. But after all of these years I learned the value of taking advantage of the opportunity if I have it.

Ahhh - Tax Time and Inventory!

2009-03-25T11:52:00.006-05:00

Disclaimer: I do NOT know tax law or give tax advice. The article below is a summary of what I have done for the last 6 years and works with my tax accountant. You need to make sure you are doing what is necessary for your own tax purposes.

Entrepreneurs are passionate about what we do. We want to create, run our business and hopefully make some money. But one thing we don't want to do is taxes!

This time of year small business owners everywhere are saying "I just want to run my business! Someone please just figure this tax stuff out for me!"

This article is about just one of the things we have to track every year - Inventory.

I make jewelry and sell cross stitch books. I have a HUGE inventory for someone who works out of their home. Especially my beads - I literally have tens, if not hundreds of thousands of beads. What's a girl to do?

Why do I need to track my Inventory anyway?

I'm not a tax expert, and I'm not going to even begin to assume to give tax advice. Everything is different for everyone depending on your state, what type of business you are etc. But here are some basics that usually apply to all.

My inventory amounts are required for my Schedule C form which I fill out for my taxes. In addition, the inventories are used in the Cost of Goods Sold Calculation.

Here are some basic definitions:

Beginning Inventory: The total amount of inventory you had on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year.
Purchases: The amount of inventory you purchased (added to) your inventory during the entire fiscal year.
Ending Inventory: The total amount of inventory you had on hand at the end of the fiscal year.
Cost of Goods Sold: The amount of inventory you 'used up' in selling your items.

Here is the basic calculation:

Beginning Inventory + Purchases - Ending Inventory = Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of Goods Sold is an expense. At tax time this is a GOOD thing - because that expense is deducted from the your gross sales. You don't want to pay taxes on your gross sales - you want to pay taxes on your gross sales less all of your expenses (net sales).

For example. I design a necklace that I sell for $50. But I didn't' actually MAKE $50 did I? If the materials in the necklace cost $15 (cost of goods sold), then I 'made' $35.

Of course there are many other expenses and considerations - this article is just concerned with inventory/COGS.

So - to simplify to the extreme - you need to know your total Cost of Goods Sold at the end of the year.

Inventory Approach #1 - Count.

At the beginning of the year count your inventory. If you make jewelry - count every bead, know what the bead cost, and add it all up. This is your beginning inventory.

During the year keep track of all purchases you make for inventory. If you make jewelry track all beads, findings, wire, etc. Everything that goes into making your designs. Do NOT count shipping, office supplies etc. Those are different types of expenses.

At the end of the year count everything again to see what you have on hand now.

Remember - if you have jewelry already made up - but not sold - that counts as inventory too! You must know the value of your loose beads in addition to the value of the beads in your "Finished Goods".

The apply the formula from above:

Beg. Inv. + Purchases - End. Inv. = Cost of Goods sold.

The good news - the next year you already know your beginning inventory - it's the ending inventory from last year!

Approach #2 - Track COGS

Here is what I do. Instead of counting my inventory at the end of every year I track my COGS throughout the year.

A couple of years ago I counted my entire inventory and determined my beginning inventory total.

I track every purchase I make.

When I store my inventory (in my case beads, books etc). I mark each item with what I paid for it. For example my beads are stored in separate containers by like type/price.

When I design a piece I calculate what it cost to make that item. I include everything, wire, crimp beads, jump rings, head pins, and of course the main components.

Then I tag that item with an inventory number and enter it into a database where I input the total cost of the design (COGS).

When the piece is sold, then I know how much I spent to make that item. At the end of every month I add up my total COGS and enter that into my books. Then at the end of the year I know how much I spent on materials without having to recount my inventory.

I use this calculation:

Beg Inv. + Purchases - COGS = Ending Inventory.

This takes a lot of organization up front - but will save you SO MUCH time and frustration at tax time.

Is it 100% accurate? No - of course not. But how accurate is it when you count 150,000 individual beads and aren't really sure if you paid .06 cents or .08 cents for any given bead? I believe the system I use, in my situation, is more accurate then trying to count.

In addition, I am much more aware of what it took to design a given piece and therefore am better at knowing what to charge for it.

Hope this article makes sense and is helpful. Please feel free to post comments/questions.

Please do NOT copy this article. If you want to refer to it - please post a link to my blog. Thank you!

So you want to do a Jewelry Show - Part 2

2009-03-10T07:47:00.007-05:00

The Check List

So you signed up for a show now what do you bring? First - make a check list. Sounds silly - but do it and keep it. And before every show go through the list. Here are some things to consider - some are very obvious - but believe me, there are times when I've forgotten various items and really missed them once at the show.

Not all of these will apply to you, or to every show. But by having a list you can go through it before you leave and decide for yourself what you do/don't need.

So - in no particular order:

Cash/Change: Go to the bank and get change. You'll a little of every bill (more ones) and at least one roll of each coin. (do you have a cash box/bag?)
Calculator
Clipboard. If space is tight you can write the order up and hand the clipboard for the customer to sign if needed, or to write their check out.
Supplies to take credit card orders (if applicable)
Pair of small scissors
Stapler
Order pads (I get 2-part at Staples - I've gone through 2 books at a show before so bring extras)
Pens for you and your customers. Put some in pen holder on table with not next to it to show who to make check out to.
Copy of your tax ID. Many shows will require proof that you are allowed to charge sales tax. I always have mine in my cash box at every show.
Bags to put sales in.
Small baggies (I put each necklace/earrings in a small bag prior to putting in large bag. This keeps them from getting tangled) You may box each item or package differently.
Extra marking materials. Prices fall off etc. Bring tags, ear ring cards etc.
Tools - always bring at least your basic tools, even if you aren't planning on making jewelry at the show. You'd be surprised how many times something needs a 'tweak'.
I always take a supply of clip earrings backs and the small plastic earring 'protectors' that you can put on French wires so they don't fall off. I don't normally sell clips, but every show I've had I've converted at least one pair and sold them. The protectors I give out if asked.
Do you have lights? Bring extra light bulbs.
TV Tray - I use at least one to sit at to write up orders. This lets me use the entire table for my jewelry and provides me with a little desk to sit at.
A chair. Chairs are normally provided but they can be horribly uncomfortable. I often bring a padded chair from my card table set. Can make a big difference if you're at your table for 6-10 hours. Yes you will stand up a lot - but I've gotten some 'free' chairs that are almost unsafe.
Small Wastebasket. This is sometimes provided - if not - very nice to have. I put a plastic bag in it to line it. Then at the end of the show I just pull the bag out and toss it.
Table coverings. Normally these are provided, but not always so check first. I still bring a sheet to cover my table when the show is closed overnight, or if I set up the day before.
Business cards. Bring lots. Have them on the table and put one in with every order.
A SMALL cooler with a couple of drinks and a snack. If you're by yourself you don't always have a chance to go get lunch. Plus this can save a few dollars.
Small 'first aid' supplies. I have band aids, aspirin, and a small pack of Kleenex in my cart, along with toiletries like a small hairbrush, lipstick etc.
Mirrors - I have a hand mirror on each end of the table.
Supplies to make jewelry at your table. I almost always bring something to make while I sit. Sometimes I bring a LOT. I have some shows where the women are in workshops for an hour at a time, so the vendors have a lot of down time. I almost always make jewelry during this time. This does require more things to bring and more organization. Can't believe how many times I've brought everything to make earrings, then forgot the head pins or ONE item essential to completing my piece. You may want an extra list just for this.

Organization/Transportation

So how to you get all of this there and keep it organized? Easy! I buy the rolling drawer storage units at Staples. I get one with 5 smaller drawers and one larger drawer at bottom and another with 6 small drawers.

I can fit all of my selling supplies in one and use the other to bring jewelry making supplies.

The key - they have WHEELS! Load them up then just roll them in. Another benefit - they almost always will fit under your table. You can store them under the table with the drawers pointing toward you so you just open a drawer and get what you need. If you have room to sit behind the table (or next to it), you can use the top of the units as a table for making your jewelry.

I can unload and push two of these at once, making it supper easy to get ready for my shows.

The big items I put in the square rolling boxes that are collapsable and have handles. I usually have one or two large rubermaid boxes with display items that I can set on top of these to help roll everything in. I rarely have more than 4 trips to my car - usually 3.

I'm sure I've forgotten something and will add to the list as I remember. Hope this helps you prepare for your shows. Please feel free to comment.

So You Want to do a Show - Part 1

2009-02-27T20:44:00.005-06:00

Part one in what you need to know to participate in a vendor show. While these tips are from my experience with my jewelry, many will apply to any product you might want to sell.

I've been making jewelry for over six years now. When I first started I conducted home parties and the first year attended my first show. I don't do home parties anymore, even though they were very profitable. But I still select a few shows to attend each year.

This post is Part 1 of my thoughts on some of the things I've learned over the years.

Decide what types of shows you want to participate in. Once you start looking you'll realize there are MANY opportunities for venues. There are vendor shows, craft shows, community events, conferences etc.

I stay away from craft shows completely. This may sound odd since making jewelry is a 'craft' - but I've learned that the standard craft shows don't fit with the type of image I want to convey. Many craft shows are 'country' crafts - which is great, but if you're trying to build a reputation as a jewelry artist and have items that demand a premium price, then the country craft shows may not be the right venue. I've found that customers at these shows are usually looking for a bargain and may not be willing to look at my more expensive items.

I also stay away from outdoor shows. I've passed up a lot of opportunities that probably would have been profitable but I just won't risk signing up for an outdoor event. Mainly it's the weather. If it rains - no one comes, your booth turns into a mess and and your jewelry can get ruined - especially if it's windy. If it doesn't rain - it may be very hot and humid. Again - bad for sterling silver. In addition, you may have to provide your own booth setup - which means a big investment if you want a booth with something overhead. Remember - your entry fee is rarely refunded if the weather turns bad.

So - what do I do?

I look for events that are geared toward women. For the last six years I've attended a women's conference at our local community college. It's a 2-day event and only women are invited. It is relatively expensive - a table is $300 - but I know the audience is exactly the demographic that I sell to. Attendance is normally between 500-600 women over 2 days and I've always been very successful.

I've also had a table a local annual nurses conference. This one is free - all I have to provide is a door prize. Since the vast majority of the nurses are women this is just too good to pass up. It's just one day, very inexpensive and I've always had great sales.

I've also done a community event just before Christmas. I don't get as many sales, but again, the entry is free (for a door prize) - so there is really nothing but my time, and I've always made a profit.

I also do an annual vendor sale at our church. This is a one-day event for $30. The other vendors are all home-based businesses like Mary Kay, Tupperware, Creative memories etc. Not my best show as far as sales, but it's inexpensive and supports my church.

Another option I've done in the past is a home vendor show. I get 3 or 4 other women with their own businesses and we have an open house at my home. We all are required to invite at least 25 people. The event lasts only about 4 hours - usually on a Saturday morning. I have had great luck with this in the past and should do this more often.

So - That's part 1. Check back soon for Part 2 where I will discuss things to do to prepare for your show.

Please post you comments/suggestions/questions.

What to Serve at Bunco #1

2009-02-22T10:04:00.013-06:00

When it's my turn to host Bunco I'm always looking for something good to serve. Usually it's an appetizer out of a box - as I don't do well with multiple-ingredient recipes.

But this last week I tried something new from the Better Homes and Gardens magazine "Appetizers". Great issue and I hope to try many more recipes - especially the drinks!

For Bunco I made Crab and Horseradish Havarti Dip - Yummm!

Prep: 15 minutes Bake: 25 minutes Oven: 350F

Ingredients:
1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cup shredded horseradish and chive Havarti cheese. (I couldn't find this so I used Havarti cheese and added 2 teaspoons horseradish and cut up some fresh chives)
1/3 cup dairy sour cream
1/4 cup mayo or salad dressing
6 ounces cooked crab meat
1 cup shredded fresh baby spinach

1.) Preheat oven to 350F. In bowl combine cream cheese, Havarti cheese, sour cream and mayo. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. Fold in crab meat and spinach.
2.) Transfer mixture to a 1-quart souffle dish or shallow backing dish. Bake about 25 minutes or until heated through. Serve with assorted breads. Makes 3 cups.

I served with a crispy french bread loaf cut very thin. Then I made shaped bread in a Pampered Chef Bread tube and cut that thin for a softer bread. Then I made Pillsbury Bread Sticks which were perfect for dipping.

This magazine is FULL of great appetizer recipes.

You can buy your own copy on Amazon:

Whispered Romance Contest

2009-02-08T10:08:00.009-06:00

I've been trying to enter the monthly contest at Vintaj.com for jewelry designers. February's theme is Whispered Romance.

The design is supposed to match the theme and incorporate Vintaj Natural Brass components.

You can vote for your favorite design and check out who's in the lead here: Click Here to Vote

Images shown are the entry I made this month (#9) Hope you like it. Please vote for your favorite at the link above!

Click here if you are interested in purchasing this design

The Dresden Files - Book Series Review

2009-01-30T14:20:00.031-06:00

I hate when a good story ends, I just want to keep reading and reading. But, alas, all good books must end. So, for the past while I've been reading a lot of series books to allow me to 'feed my need' to continue a great story line.

This review is for one of my current favorites - The Dresden Files series by author Jim Butcher. I'm a fantasy nut, so started right in on this series when it was recommended to me. I just finished book 10 so thought I would share my thoughts. Below is a link to the first book, Storm Front, as listed on Amazon.com.

The Synopsis:
The series is based on the main character, Harry Dresden. Harry is a modern-day wizard with the only ad in the Chicago yellow pages under the listing of Wizard. His specialty is locating lost items. Clients are understandably skeptical, so Harry subsidizes his income by consulting with the local police on unusual cases.

SI = Special Investigations - set up for those cases that are a little too, hmmm, strange for the standard investigative team. Of course the police don't believe in 'other-world' events, vampires, or werewolves, but they start to bring Harry in for his special insight when a normal explanation just isn't available.

During each of the books Harry gets involved with some combination of the NeverNever, non-mortals, Black Wizards and everyday people. Usually there is someone in trouble and in need of saving - most likely someone close to Harry, and he's is not afraid to use everything in his power to resolve the problem

Do you need to read the books in order?
While each book is a story in itself and each comes to a conclusion (which I like), the books definitely build on each other. Read them in order to receive the full benefit of the author's build-up of characters, relationships and subplots.

So who is Harry?
A Wizard: Harry is a younger wizard, as wizards go. Wizards are mortal, but can live for centuries. Their strength and abilities increase over time.

An Outcast: Harry is most assuredly a loner. Thought by many of his fellow Wizards to be a practitioner of the 'darker' arts (a crime punishable by execution by your peers), Harry has few wizards who claim his as friend, or respect him.

His loner status extends to his personal life. He has few friends, but those he has can expect his loyalty - to the extreme. He is hesitant to build intimate relationships, so Harry's love-life can be non-existent for months (or longer) at a time. (Poor Harry!)

Throughout the series his personal relationships expand and develop in great detail. Harry begins to earn grudging respect in all realms, be they mortal, NeverNever, magical, and religious.

At Odds with Right/Wrong: Harry is a pretty powerful wizard. He truly wants to help those who need it (he has a weakness for saving women). However, Harry has no problem using whatever means are at his disposal to get the job done. Since his main power lies with fire, Harry tends to burn things, up, make things explode and cause considerable collateral damage whenever he is involved. Restraint is not one of his stronger suits.

In addition, Harry deals with the constant temptation to seek power from unsavory sources. He feels he can use this power to do good, without becoming corrupt himself. Deep down he knows this isn't true and there is a continual internal battle for Harry to stay on the right side of his power.

A Funny Guy: Some of the best parts of the books are Harry's comments in the face of sure death. Harry uses constant sarcasm and biting one-liners to throw his enemies off guard, stall, gain information etc. Many of his conversations are laugh-out-loud funny.

The Main Supporting Characters:
These characters appear in most, but not always all of the books. There are many other recurring characters not mentioned that play smaller parts.

Murphy: Petite yet dedicated and fiercely capable officer for the Chicago Police. Murphy eventually comes to understand what is really 'out there' over the course of the books and she becomes increasingly involved with helping Harry (and vice-versa). Murphy is 'good people' and is devoted to her job of protecting the citizens of Chicago.

Michael: Michael works for God - literally! He is a White Knight and bearer of one of three swords, each made with a nail of the crucifixion cross embedded it. Michael's faith is unwavering and his duty comes before all else, including his large family. Michael's attempts at getting Harry to attend church don't go over very well, but he gently prods regardless. Michael helps Harry when he really needs it, but Michaels main job is to track down the Fallen (see below). Michael's wife Charity and oldest daughter Molly also are important characters in some of the later books.

The Fallen: The Fallen Angels come into play in later books. Really bad guys - they are angels who have fallen from God's grace and have taken 'residence', each in one of the 30 pieces of silver used to betray Jesus. Very powerful and just plain nasty. I will say here that while religion is mentioned at times, it is NOT an main theme of the books. The author simply takes into consideration that there many 'powers' out there and one of them is God.

Thomas: A White Vampire who becomes close and important to Harry over time. White vampires don't drink blood to survive, rather they live on people's emotions. Thomas provides a lot of humorous bantering with Harry, and is often there to watch Harry's back.

Queens of the NeverNever: Winter and Summer Queens rule the NeverNever. You really don't want to owe them a favor. Not to be trusted in general, they do follow through on any debts owed, but not always in the way one might wish. Basically terrifying forces of power, always at war with each other, and often finding ways involve Harry.

The Rest: Each book has its own set of main characters. Some appear in multiple books, some die, and some are involved in only one or two stories. They may be fairies, angels, werewolves, vampires, pixies, trolls etc. etc.

The Humor:
If, like me, you like sarcasm, innuendo, and some dark humor then the books can be just plain funny. Harry is funny, but humor comes into play in other ways as well. For example, the book often reminds us that fairytales are based on truth.

In one book the Summer Queen sends gruffs to take care of Harry. As in - Billy Goats Gruff. If you remember your fairytale well, you'll remember that each of the three Billy Goats Gruff has a big brother, and HE has a big brother. These storylines allow the sometimes very dark story to be lightened up a little, well actually a lot, and offer some great comedy relief.

Maturity Level:
There is some swearing, but not a lot. Every so often the 'F' word is thrown in, and really isn't needed. Harry tends to say "Hells Bells" a lot, so much so that it tends to be annoying. The sexual content is innuendo only. The violence however is significant. People and non-people die in violent and bloody detail.

Conclusion:

If you enjoy fantasy set in the present you will love this series. The author has the ability to keep each book as interesting as the previous and builds a complex and detailed world and life for the main characters. Each book is excellent by themselves, and the underlying ongoing plots keep me wishing the next book was already released. I loved all of the books and strongly recommend them.

Have you read the books or do you have questions? Please leave comments.

View All Dresden Files Books on Amazon.com

The Marble Jar - An Allowance Alternative

2008-12-02T21:37:00.008-06:00

This article is here for your information and enjoyment, but it may NOT be copied without the author's permission. Please do not post this on another blog, website, or published media. It is copyright protected by the author - Carla Ekman. You may post a LINK that points directly to this post if you wish. Thank you!

Many years ago my friend introduced me to an alternative to the standard weekly allowance. At the time my daughter was about five and we were giving her a weekly allowance of a few dollars if she did her 'chores'.

Basically it went like this on Saturdays. Question "Did you do all of your chores this week?" Reply "Yes". Question: "Are you sure?" Reply: "Yes". Response: "OK, here's your allowance."

Of course it was a little more than that, we would ask what she did to deserve her allowance etc. But still, I didn't like the format and wanted to try something different.

Thus - the MARBLE JAR.

The concept is simple. You have two jars. You put marbles in one jar. Whenever your child performs a chore or does something 'marble worthy', they get to move one or more marbles from the 'full' jar to the 'empty' jar. When all of the marbles have been moved they get their allowance, or 'reward'.

One major catch: If your child does something wrong, they have to move one or more marbles BACK to the beginning jar.

I can honestly say - I LOVE this system, and we're actually still using it at age 14! It made a huge difference in how we handled allowance and punishments.

Here's how we really made it work:

1.) We use 100 marbles. So our daughter has to do 100 marble earning events to get her allowance. Sounds like a lot - but read on!

2.) Many things can be marble worthy. Chores are obvious. But we also use it for attitude, behaviour etc. For example:

If our daughter is asked to set the table and does it without complaining, she gets a marble. If there is huffing and puffing involved, she still sets the table but doesn't get the marble. If there is rude comments, or inappropriate behavior - she STILL sets the table, but has to move a marble back.

If our daughter is at a friends house and exhibits exceptional manners, is very nice about sharing (younger days), plays with younger kids, that type of thing, then when we get home I might say "You know, you were really nice to your friend today, go give yourself two marbles."

Another thing my husband does a lot is to reward creative thinking. For example, we ask our daughter to do a task and she thinks up an creative way to make the task easier, or - on miracle days - does more than asked. We might say - "You get two marbles for cleaning the cat's dishes, and two more for figuring out how to not get water all over the place while doing it."

3.) Marble events can be worth more than one marble depending on how long they take, responsibility,etc. For example, my daughter gets one marble for setting the table. She gets five marbles for doing a load of laundry from start to finish. If she does ALL of the laundry in one day, I give her bonus marbles after I've woken up from my faint.

4.) The most important thing is that the marble 'action' is immediate. Don't wait until bedtime to decide how many marbles are given or taken away. This defeats the whole concept of immediate results for desired or undesired behaviour. If your child completes a task or does something marble worthy - have them go and move a marble right away - AND - if they do something inappropriate - immediately have them go and move a marble backwards. Usually the words "OK - That's one marble - do you want to lose another" are enough. Occasionally it escalates, but not often.

5.) Don't worry about allowance (or whatever reward a full marble jar gets), being weekly. Our daughter gets her allowance when the marble jar is 'emptied', not before. Sometimes she can go two months without an allowance. But boy - when there are only 15-20 marbles left- she is begging for chores to do!

6.) Every year on our daughter's birthday her allowance increases. This of course is up to you and what works best for you. We use the same 100 marbles, but they are worth more each year. Of course her responsibilities increase also.

7.) Use the marble jar to create good habits, then stop rewarding what should be 'standard practice'. For example: When your child is young, they may earn a marble every time they brush their teeth, but once this is a good habit, they shouldn't be rewarded for doing what is expected every day.

8.) Friends of ours modified the marble jar concept to have only 10 marbles and every night they would decide if their child got a marble or not. You need to do what works for your family, but I don't agree with this approach. No child is ALL good or ALL bad in a day. More than likely the marble would be given unless the child was VERY bad. It removes the concept of immediate consequences for their actions. While this is an option, I don't think you get the full benefit of the system with this approach.

9.) One time a friend asked me "How do you know your daughter isn't moving marbles when you aren't looking?". I can honestly say I hadn't considered it before and this is something my daughter never did (really I believe that). However, if your child isn't "marble trustworthy", then you will have to control the jar yourself (when they are young just putting it out of reach works), or consider another system.

I hope you've found this article helpful, and I hope it makes sense. Please feel free to post comments and questions. Thanks for reading! Carla Ekman

Gift of Love - Night Butterfly Fairie

2008-11-21T08:08:00.010-06:00

Just wanted to share the gift my daughter received for her confirmation from her Godmother and our guest blogger - Pam.

My daughter is a Fairy nut, so this beautiful piece was perfect. Lucky me - I get to have it hanging in my living room until my daughter leaves home and decides she needs to take it with her (if I let her).

Shown here with Pam. Isn't it wonderful? Please feel free to leave comments!

Click picture to see slightly larger image. I'll try to get DH to take bigger picture of just the design and post that later.

Pam stitched this design from the Lanarte book called Butterfly Fairies. It is book 3698 published by Leisure Arts. The designer is Maria van Scharrenburg.

Cross Stitch Gridding - Tips by Pam

2008-11-02T12:11:00.015-06:00

Guest Blogger Pam Narveson shares another great cross stitch tip - how to create a grid on your fabric to match a grid on your pattern. The advantages are:

1.) Less counting in the long run
2.) Don't have to start stitching in center of pattern
3.) Can move around pattern to stitch the color you're using, which means you change floss colors less often.
4.) Fewer errors (i.e. less "frogging") because it's easier to keep and verify your place.

Here is a picture of a blank piece of fabric on which Pam has created a grid for a larger project she is starting.

The basic idea is to create a grid on your fabric that coincides with corresponding areas on your pattern. While this is especially helpful for larger designs, the advantages apply to smaller projects also.

Sections on the fabric are made by using thread to baste large stitches, forming equally sized squares to form your grid.

To make the grid on your fabric:
1.) Locate the center of the fabric.
2.) Using neutral colored thread make a large centered cross the entire length and width of your fabric, matching the center lines of your pattern. In this project Pam made her stitches 10 squares long, then skips 10 squares, then repeats until she has reached the four edges of the fabric to complete the cross.
3.) Using the grid on your pattern as a guide, continue making horizontal and vertical lines to form squares, leaving about 2" of thread on top of your fabric when you reach the edges or need to start new thread. For this project Pam chose to divide the fabric into 50 X 50 squares. Let the size of the project and personal preference determine the grid size for your projects.

Next mark your pattern to match the grid on your fabric:
1.) On the picture you can see where Pam has marked additional arrows other than the center line arrow. To match the fabric she drew these arrows every 50 squares.
2.) Now the grid on your pattern matches the grid on your fabric. This allows you to quickly locate any point on your pattern and match it to your fabric. For example, if you're looking at a point 2/3's of the way down your pattern there is no reason to count individual tiny squares, just count the large grid squares, then locate your point within that area.
3.)Pam uses highlighter tape on the pattern to highlight the square she's currently stitching. This makes it easier to keep your place when looking back and forth from pattern to fabric. You can also use a traditional highlighter on your pattern.

In addition to stitching faster and more accurately, you also no longer need to start stitching in the center of your fabric. Pam often uses a rolling frame and prefers to start at the upper left edge of her fabric. This means her hands rarely touch the portion of the design she has already stitched, and she rolls the stitched fabric under as she completes it. This helps to keep her finished design cleaner, and prevents wear on completed portions.

Once you've started stitching simply clip the threads used to make the grid squares and pull them out. Do this after you've stitched over a few of the basted threads. If you stitch over too many you may have trouble pulling the thread out.

Final tips: Pam suggests using a neutral colored thread that is similar to your fabric color. This way if the thread bleeds onto the fabric at all, it won't show through when stitched with lighter colors. Also Pam suggests using Nymo beading thread. She feels it is smoother and pulls out easier.

If you have questions on this technique please leave a comment to this post. Pam or I will answer questions in the comment section so all readers can take advantage of each question.

Thanks to Pam for another great tip. Click here to learn more about Pam.

Where has the time gone??!

2008-10-14T11:34:00.003-05:00

Can't believe it's been so long since my last post already.

I've been so busy! I've been spending a lot of time working with my new favorite line of bead supplies - Natural Brass from Vintaj. I LOVE the jewelry I'm creating with these beads and accessories.

One of my designs is entered in the Vintaj Monthly Challenge for October. Check it out and vote for your favorite! I'm #13 - but you don't have to vote for me. Click here to see all of the jewelry designs.

Most of my new items are being made to be taken to Cete Boutique at Riverside Casino and Golf Resort in Riverside Iowa. I am the Artist of the Month there for November. I will be taking my jewelry down next week so they will have it by Nov. 1st.

I've also been trying to Market, Market, Market. I've been spending a lot of time on forums on Etsy and elsewhere, and I opened a twitter account. Let me know your twitter account and I'll follow you! Here's mine: http://twitter.com/cobwebcorner

Amazing how addicting this sort of thing is.

I've got a lot to do before the end of October. I'm going to be closed the last weekend for vacation and family events.

Hopefully I'll get another post in before then!

Craft Tip: Thread Heaven

2008-10-01T08:03:00.011-05:00

This tip has been contributed by my friend Pam Narveson. Pam is an avid craftswoman, who also happens to suffer from severe rheumatoid arthritis. Click here to read more about Pam.

Pam writes:
A craft supply I cannot do without is Thread Heaven thread conditioner and protectant. I love it because it actually does what it says it does - it protects your thread, keeping it from fraying and helps prevent those nasty tangles.

It doesn’t melt or stain and it is easy to use. I think it helps me pull the thread through the fabric more easily (much to the relief of my arthritic hands that keep asking why I persist in crafting with them).

Also, it is relatively inexpensive and lasts a long time (as long as you don’t mind scraping off a few cat hairs from time to time).

Here are my tips for using this product:

To keep Thread Heaven handy, I glue a small magnet to the bottom of the container. Then I can stick it to my metal pattern holder for easy access.

I use my 40% off JoAnn or Michaels coupons to purchase Thread Heaven so I feel like I’m getting a bargain. Look for it in the notions section of your favorite craft store.

Caution: Using Thread Heaven does not mean you can cut an extra, extra long piece of floss and still expect your stitches at the end of your thread to look as “fresh” and unworn as the stitches at the start of your thread.

It works great for sewing and beading threads (including Fireline) too. (for example when weaving beaded bracelets etc.)

Using it on those pesky, difficult-to-work-with blending filament and rayon threads helps reduce my cross stitch curse word count!

To learn more about Thread Heaven and how it works Click Here

Please comment on Pam's tips, and add your own Thread Heaven tip if you have one. Also read about Pam and feel free to forward questions to her via a comment or my profile.

Guest Contributor - My Friend Pam - Crafting Through Pain

2008-10-01T07:33:00.007-05:00

I want to introduce my VERY BFF from college, Pam Narveson. Pam and I met at college a LONG time ago and have been best of friends ever since. Pam is one of those friends I don't see often, but rely on none-the-less. Thank goodness for cell phones as our calls can be QUITE lengthy!

Pam swears I was a bad influence on her 'way back when', but I'm not admitting to anything.

Anyway! Pam is a AVID artist/craftswoman. She has cross stitched since before I knew her, knits, and does stunning beadwork. She actually finishes many, many projects a year.

The catch is that Pam suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis. During our college days she was able to handle her pain with various meds, but over the years certain treatments stopped working. The disease and pain have continued to worsen, causing her to have to change her lifestyle in many ways, and give up many of the things she loves. The damage is especially bad in her hands, and even more-so in her thumbs.

However, during it all she continues to work on her crafts almost daily, although there have been times when this has been difficult or impossible. Pam has been a true inspiration.

Pam has agreed to share some of the tips she has come across over her many years of crafting. Some will be tips you may already know, some may be new to you, and some will be specifically for those of you who may also suffer from arthritis, or otherwise have situations that make it difficult for you to work your favorite craft.

I hope you will enjoy the occasional posts from Pam, and will leave comments and questions for her here at my blog. She will be glad to answer and help if/when able.

If you would like to learn more about rheumatoid arthritis - Click here.

My Own Little Corner

2008-09-28T13:19:00.019-05:00

I thought I would share a couple of photos of my work space at home.
Below is a picture of me sitting at my beading table.

I use this table exclusively to bead. Behind me are two storage units I purchased when I first started. I thought I would NEVER fill them! Hah!

A couple of years ago I bought the white storage units on the left. They were originally designed for scrapbook materials, but you can purchase them with large and small trays to hold beads.

They are fabulous! Now I have much more visibility of what I own, and much more storage space. Below is a picture of a couple of the drawers pulled out to show how the inserts work. These drawers are shallow, some of my others are deeper for larger beads/pendants. The biggest advantage is that have a much better idea of what I have - I'm not losing things in big boxes or bags.

This next picture is of the area I use to do my altered art work. I cut, glue, solder and sand here.

The last picture is of my desk with my computer. This is where I spend most of my time. My scanner is here and I can scan cross stitch covers, update my inventory, process orders etc. I also have a digital scale attached directly to my computer to compute my postage for me.

This desks wraps around and there is another identical unit with my husband's computer and work area. We have a laser printer and color photo printer set between us to share.

You'll notice my bead table also has a laptop on it. We have the laptop on wireless network/internet so it can be used anywhere in the house. I use it daily at my bead table.

All of the photos are located in one room - our office in our basement.

Hope you enjoyed seeing where I work. Please fee free to comment or ask questions.

I have a whole other part of the house used for storage for cross stitch inventory, shipping materials etc. However it was WAY too messy for photos. Some day...

It's a Winner!

2008-09-23T11:24:00.009-05:00

Thanks to everyone who visited the contest page at Vintaj and voted for their favorite design.

I am thrilled to announce that I was the winner for the September designer challenge!

The theme was Amber Skies. My entry was the Amber Butterfly Earrings shown in the picture.

Click here to view the writeup about the contest winner.

Click here to see all of the great designs that were entered.

So - What's it like to work at home?

2008-09-18T21:12:00.004-05:00

OK - That's pretty easy! It's GREAT! But it's different than I thought it might be.

I worked in the corporate world for 19 years and I wondered if I would have the necessary discipline to work at home, or would I be watching TV, running to the mall, reaching for my cross stitch or a book?

Well - quite the opposite! I've found over the last six years that I have no real problem sticking to my work, rather, I have a problem getting away from it.

Sure there are days (or weeks), where my creative juices just aren't flowing like they should be, or when I start to get a little 'bored', as we all do with our jobs at some time or other.

But , for the most part, my job dominates my time at home.

Here's a typical day:

Get up at 6:30, run down to the office and do a quick check of emails, orders etc.
Get DD up at 7:00 and off to school at 7:30 (yes she gets ready quick!)
Back down to the computer by 7:35 with coffee and print out orders that accumlated since the last day.
Process orders until 9:30 or 10:00 - go get more coffee.

Then - decide what needs the most attention. Do I add new cross stitch inventory, work on jewelry, do last months bookkeeping, try to work on advertising strategies, order supplies, look through catalogs for more ideas, order more bead inventory (can never have too much, although my DH disagrees), contact potential consignment stores. You get the idea.

From 10:00 - noon I work, checking email often. Lunch around noon, maybe read for 30 minutes, then back at it.

DD comes home at 4:00, start thinking about supper, work for another hour. Fix supper, work from 6:30 - 8:00 - watch some TV, work from 9:00 - 10:00, go to bed, read until midnight and start all over again.

Weekends are slightly more relaxed - but not much.

I have a big problem leaving work. I still read a lot, but I haven't really cross stitched for years. I also have piles of pictures waiting to be made into scrapbooks. When I have a spare minute I'm thinking about what I should be working on, because like any job, there's always something that needs to be done.

Would I trade what I'm doing? Not for anything! But I do wish I could put some discipline into my schedule to say I won't work. I've tried different things in the past, such as - no work after supper, or no work on weekends. For me - it just hasn't been effective.

I regret that I've abandoned some of my favorite pasttimes, and I keep thinking I'll get back to them eventually. But I'm going to have to change some die-hard habits for that to happen.

Lucky for me that I really, really, really, like what I'm doing!

How about you - have you worked at home? If so - share your experiences with a comment. Also - feel free to post any questions you have.

Top Favorite Things about working at home:

1.) When I have a migraine I can lay down for as long as I want!
2.) I can take as much vacation as a I want. (and I do take time off)
3.) I'm the boss - Yeah!
4.) Direct relationship between the amount of time I work and my paycheck.
5.) Being home for my family.

Least Favorite

1.) No one to talk to, miss my colleagues
2.) I'm ready to go out when DH is ready for a quiet weekend at home
3.) I really dislike filing thousands of cross stitch books.
4.) Taxes - Yuck!!!!
5.) Cleaning my bead table after months of making jewelry.

Welcome to my Blog

2008-09-12T21:35:00.003-05:00

Thank you for visiting!

I've been considering a blog for quite a few months and decided to finally give it a go today. It was suprisingly easy. If you've been thinking about it - give it a try!

First - one of the things I plan on talking about is working at home - if you have a question you would like to see answered about this - click on my profile link and email me - or post a comment. I'll see if I can work an answer into my blog at some point.

My hopes for this blog are to provide a forum to introduce myself, my business, my designs, and hopefully some information you'll find useful. I have lots of ideas - so please consider subscribing to my blog so you can follow along.

I have been the owner and designer of Cobweb Corner since 2002. My main website is located at http://www.cobwebcorner.com/. I recently opened a second website specifically for my jewelry on Etsy - it's at http://www.cobwebcorner.etsy.com/. I hope you'll visit them often!

I have two main product categories, counted cross stitch patterns, and hand crafted jewelry.

In my previous life I was a database programmer for 19 years, specializing in MS Access database design. I worked for nine years for a large corporation, supporting hundreds of database users and writing databases in use in many states and multiple countries.

In 2002, through the support of my DH I left my professional career and started my own company - Cobweb Corner. Working at home I started accumulating and reselling cross stitch designs, and then started teaching myself jewelry design.

Six years later I'm still at it, and going strong. My business has grown and I'm trying and experiencing exciting new things. Working at home has been wonderful - though also challenging.

I hope to add to this blog regularly and let you know what I've been up to and some of the things I go through as a business owner and designer.

Please feel free to post comments and suggestions. This will be a very informal medium for you to get to know more about me and my business. Want to see a specific topic discussed? Just let me know! Also check back - I will occassionally post promotions to my site exclusive to those who visit my blog.

In fact here's my first promo!
Visit either my online store or esty store and use Coupon Code NEWBLOG.

You will receive 10% off your entire order - including jewelry - and 20% off Hallmark.

My online store is http://www.cobwebcorner.com/ - use the code in the Apply Coupon field while viewing your cart.

If you shop on my etsy store - enter the code NEWBLOG when you check out. Then go ahead and pay and I'll refund the discount, or wait and I'll send you a correct invoice.

You MUST enter the code to get the discount- otherwise there is no way for me to know you visited my blog. Email me with questions. Sale ends Friday Sept. 19th.

Thanks again!
Carla Ekman
Owner/Designer - Cobweb Corner