To: Etsy Shop Owners

I feel like I've been asking for assistance alot from the blogging world....but you all do such a  FABULOUS job of giving me answers...that I have to ask another question.

If you own an etsy shop- do you ever have problems of customers emailing your personal account? I know they get my personal email address from paypal, but is there a way to hide that?

Its difficult for me to track questions, if they are emailing me multiple places. Plus if they email through etsy, etsy tells me what we have previously talked about, and what their order was.

Basically- its one of my BIGGEST PEEVES. That, and asking me when something shipped....which mark and send email notifications about.

So I ask you- is there a way to hide my papal email address so I don't get personal emails?

(if you are one of the people that has emailed me there after an order...I don't hate you....but this is a warning....I may hate you next time)

Vintage Book Ornaments

This month marks one year since I opened my etsy store! As of right now, I'm at 722 sales. Do you know what my first sale was? It was these book ornaments.

To celebrate, I thought I would put up a short tutorial on how to make your own book ornaments!

What you need:

Old book page

Glue

Scissors

Glass (or plastic) ornaments

You need 5 strips, they must be skinny enough to fit inside the ornament you are using.

The shortest should be the diameter of your ornament.

The next two strips should be just a few centimeters longer than the shortest

And the next two just a bit longer than that.

Put a line of glue at the bottom of the shortest strip, on he front and backside.

Sandwhich the two middle length pieces on either side (with the ends all lined up on the glue side)

Put aline of glue at the bottom of the two outside strips, then sandwhich the two longest strips on either side. You should have a little stack of strips. One side should all be lined up.

Now place the strips in the ornament.

You're going to want to do the exact same thing again! Just push the trips inside the ornament when you are lining up the ends. You dont want the "bubble" part to be on the outside of the ornament. Its going to make the ornament shape within the ornament.

Make sure its all glued tight, then cap it off!

Now hang it on your lovely tree- or gift it to the book lover in your life!

Check out your Blog Pins!

Ever wonder what people have pinned from your blog? I check mine on a daily basis (okay...more like 10 times a day) Its amazing how strangers comments can make your day. Just seeing all the wonderful things people have said about my crafts, can put me in a  great mood! I'm actually shocked by the number of posts that have relatively few comments on the blog, but have been pinned literally a hundred times.

Ever tried it to look? Its simple! For my blog I type http://pinterest.com/source/threeyearsofdeath.blogspot.com/

So my guess is you can use the same for yours!

Example: http://pinterest.com/source/blogname.blogspot.com/

And that should take you to things people have pinned from your blog! Its also a great indicator for me, on what readers like to see posted!

Oh this also means it works the other way- alot of people that have blogs, can see what you say about their pins. Every now and then I get a pin that has said something not-so-nice (just about 2 or 3 times) or says something like "great project...but there is no way this will work" and I have to refrain from reprimanding them. Just remember to be nice when pinning :)

Calling all Photographers

I'd like to pose a question to all you photographers out there....well basically anyone who feels like their SLR is permanently attached to their hand. I'm having the problem that most SLR owners end up having....

what do I carry my camera in?!

Its not the camera itself that has become a problem, but the 3-4 lenses I cant seem to leave at home. I want all of them with me...at all times. I have a purse, which I created a camera bag insert for about a year ago. (one of my earlier blog posts- which might I add, I deleted because I ended up deconstructing and filling with scrap fabric for better padding...the padding I suggessted just didnt cut it after a few weeks. Its the only post I've ever deleted actually)

It has sufficed thus far, but I want something a little more serious. Something where I feel better about carrying around my precious goodies.

Cute camera bags are pricy, as most of us have realized.

And the others...well are just ugly. I dont mind ugly, except for when I want it walking around somewhere, and I dont want to feel like a tourist. If I'm doing a photoshoot- I have no problem with it. But its when I'm on vacation, or simply people watching that I want to have something more discrete

I'd be willing to pay for a pricy bag, but only if I felt like I could really keep it for a long time. I haven't found an insert online for a purse, that I've felt very comfortable with yet.

So I pose this question- what does everyone else do to carry around thier camera goodies?

Cyber Monday

Happy Cyber Monday! Use the code JUSTBCUZ in the store today for 20% off!

As a previous giveaway store has decided to take $20 off their glasses today! Check out 39dollarglasses.com and use the code CM20 to get $20 off!! (that means some glasses are JUST $19!) 

Anthropolgie Scrap Fabric Hanger

I saw these cute hangers at Anthropologie last month!

Anthropologie is one of my favorite places to scope out new craft ideas! Not necessarily that they sell any, but the decorating there is so great. 

Simple and cute! I love the vintage look of it. 

Theirs were Jersey Knit- which would look better- but the whole concept is to use scraps you already have!

It is just as easy as it looks. 

Take a strip a little longer than the hanger, fold it in half, and cut strips halfway to the middle. I estimated how long, and was able to tear it if I needed the strip a little longer. 

Then tie knots at the top. 

Blogger Bonanza Recap

Thank you to EVERYONE who participated in the 2 month blogger bonanza!!

 I wanted to individual highlight each blogger and say thank you!! And I hope everyone enjoyed the party!

 Susan from Love Endures All Things made the Big Book Tote (so funny!)

Lindi over at Bettencourt Chase: things we make, bake and photograph made these DELICIOUS cookies!

Clothes Stenciling tutorial from the Artist at The Smartest and the Artist!

Carrie from Project Posessed made this Fauxto Collage!

Kim From Life as We Know It Made Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars- yummy!

Ginger from Ginger Snap Crafts posted this cute monogram pumpkin!

Dani from Me and My New Life did a painted frame tutorial

Jessica from Stress Baker made these great Oreo Pops

 Keck's Cakes had a delicious Caramel Apple Cheesecake! Yum!

 Quilty Habit made the most precious fabric magnets!

In The Life of Emily showed us how to make button monograms!

We had a thanksgiving themed turkey silhouette from Project Possessed

A fun how-to for making homemade stockings with Amber from The Pless Press

And finally  A Mother Seeking taught us how to make chevron displays!

Thank you to everyone who participated! I'm thrilled you were all up for showcasing your talent! Feel free to look back through the recap, to get more crafting ideas!



My last Hurrah

The past 2 days, marks my last hurrah before "dead" week. What that means, is finals begin in one week. The next 2.5 weeks will be chaos. But it will be over soon (not soon enough). And I can finally say I'm half way done with law school. So for the past two days, I lived it up.

First- I received an AMAZING gift, from an amazing person. Kevin sent me a new camera lens!!! Eeeek I couldn't wait to try it out. I was shocked when I opened a packaged, to see the lens. I honestly thought someone had simply packed something else in a lens box. That was until I noticed the best buy label.

So on thanksgiving day, I tried it out.

I was excited, it was probably the warmest thanksgiving I can remember

The girls in the family....what can I say....we are photogenic :)

Thanksgiving this year was fabulous as always. All of the family came into town of course, so lots of food and good company was in store.

Then at 9:00pm...you must know where I was....WALMART!

My sister, cousin, and I all went black Friday shopping!!! Just like we do every year! We loved every minute of the chaos.

Of course we had to wear crowns, so we could find each other easily :)

One of my many purchases, included finally upgrading from my baby coffee pot...to momma coffee pot...fit for a law student

Then at 11am on Friday- we went to the traditional Thanksgiving Husker game!!! Although we were sad it wasn't Colorado this year, we played a great game against Iowa!

Couldn't help but include this lovely drawing Kevin made :)

A wonderful couple of days....to kick off the start of finals insanity.

Calendar Giveaway Winners!!!

As I'm sure most of you are experiencing- Its been a rather busy last few days! So allow me to announce the winners of the calendar giveaway (delayed...sorry!) and then later on I'll be able to share all the goodies of black friday shopping, thanksgiving, and the Nebraska game!!!

So here are the winners!!!!

Jessica Hartman 1

1. I honestly love the calendar...I've been contemplating buying it for a while now :)
2. I think I hearted it, not really sure though haha!
3. Done!
Yay!!!

Jessica 14

my favorite item in his shop is the 2012 calendar!
 

Thanks to everyone for entering- and thanks to kevin for the great giveaway! I'll be emailing you both soon!

Nail Polish Plates

Have you ever heard of nail polish plates?! Well I hadn't until last week...and let me tell you...they are SO much fun. I'll give you an example

  

Amazing right?! I bought mine on amazon here (with the stamper and scraper here- together under $15, over 150 designs!) What they are is these metal plates, that have patterns on them. You paint polish over them, scrape the extra off then imprint it on your nails!

It sounds confusing- so here is a short clip of my cousin doing it!

 

 

Easy right?! It looks time consuming...but it isn't really. I did all my nails in a matter of minutes!
This was the 2nd time I had done it.

  

Here was the first night I got the kit

I wanted to try alot of the designs obviously....but then I decided to do all one design

 

This was also Nay's first time and she did these great flowers!

It comes in a kit like this: (except a bunch more plates)

They have everything from animal prints, geometric shapes, small animals, leaves, flowers, hounds tooth, chevron...basically EVERYTHING

 

  A few tips/hints

• If you have longer nails, they may not cover the whole thing. You can use the french tips or the designs not covering the entire nail. Mine are just about perfect for the length. If they were much longer, they would be too long for the plate design
• My thumb is too wide as well (I don't have wide nails in my opinion) But if you're good, you can line up the pattern and do it a second time. I've had great luck
• There are other brands out there, I picked the cheapest, and have no problems with it!
• Get everything set up, notice in the video I have nail polish remover, paper towels (the cotton balls got little strings all over) and you NEED to set it on something. you'll often times scrape it onto the table
• Get in a method of wiping down the scraper and stamper between each stamp. Its easy to forget, and you don't want to clean it after you've painted a new coat

And that's it! I'd highly suggest it to someone that wanted to try it!