Charm Swap

These are the charms from the charm swap with Cindy from Life on the ScrapBeach. If you aren't a member, click on the link in my right side panel and join. It's FREE, and there are tons of great ladies on there that are so helpful! Plus, giveaways, videos, and swaps are available each month!

I love these charms. They are so pretty! I can't decide which is my favorite! More importantly, these charms inspired me in directions I wouldn't have thought of going otherwise!! Check out the video of the charms. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Oh, can you give me your opinion of the sound quality for the videos? I know I mumble at times, but in general is it loud enough?

Thanks, Leslie

Keychain

Isn't this darling? The ribbon is some that was on some socks I got for Valentine's Day. (Before you cringe, fluffy soft socks are priceless to me because of my MS pain, so you don't have to feel sorry for me.)

I made this keychain as a last minute gift for Valentine's Day, but ended up giving the recipient something else. I get to keep it! Yea!

The idea came from a necklace I saw a lady had made, so you could easily turn this into a necklace instead. It would also be a beautiful tag for a nice gift!

It was simple to put together.

1. Use Tombow Multi glue to glue the Designer Label Holder to the Designer Series Paper. I used the Sending Love DSP. Note: There is a punch for the Designer Label that you could use (and it would be easy to interchange papers), but I chose to glue it to the paper to make it more sturdy. Also, glue a Designer Label holder to a piece of plain cardstock. I used Very Vanilla.
2. I stamped my image on the Very Vanilla cardstock using Chocolate Chip ink after it was glued to the label holder so I could see which stamp would fit. I used Schoolbook Serif Alphabet. There are many other alphabet stamps that would work in this situation too. You could also try Calendar Alphabet and Numbers to see if you could write a whole name!
3. I added a small stamp of the flower from Tote-ally Tess to give a bit of color on this side using Pretty in Pink ink.
4. Add Very Vanilla brads to the bottoms of both Designer Label Holders. Be careful to bend the legs of the brads upwards in a V shape to keep them from sticking off the sides.
5. Use your scissors or craft blade to trim the excess paper around the Designer Label Holder. I angled the blade to the back of the holder just slightly to get the cut further in.
6. Glue the two Designer Label Holders back to back with the brads at the bottom.
7. Add a jump ring to the top going through both label holders.
8. This is when you can add a clip as I did or a keychain link to make a keychain, or you can add a ribbon or chain to make a necklace!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Page	Number	Item	Price
155	101650	Very Vanilla Cardstock 8.5 x 11"	$7.50
13 OM	117153	Sending Love Designer Specialty Paper	$11.95
192	110755	Tombow Multi Purpose Glue	$3.95
151	113510	Schoolbook Serif Alphabet	$43.95
178	112454	Hodgepodge Hardware- Styled Vanilla	$29.95
41 OM	118595	Tote-ally Tess	$16.95

Earrings using Stampin' Up! Products!

Yes, that is right. You can use Stampin' Up! products for jewelry making too! What a great gift these make!
This is day 4 of my Better Business Practices for Stampin' Up!, so check out the other posts too.

Today's ideas are thanks to Debbie N. However, I can't find the particular post where here earrings were found. If you drop by her site, please tell her I sent you.

The first set of earrings were made using the Filigree Brads and Rhinestone brads. I used the large and small flowers from the filigree brads, but changed the brad to the rhinestone brad. I added a jump ring to connect the two flowers, and an earring wire. I trimmed the legs of the brads so they were not very noticeable. Super Easy!!

The second set (the brown ones) were made using the Corduroy Buttons and Brads, which come in Real red and Pretty in Pink for a limited time, as well summer sun, Pumpkin Pie, whisper white, and Chocolate Chip. I used a head pin to create the dangle with the beads. I rolled the legs of the brad so there was a place for a connection. I used a jump ring to attach the earring wire and then a second jump ring to attach the bead dangle. Easy Peasy!!

Finally, I used the Build-a-Brad Kit to make the last earrings. I punched a small flower from the 12x12 Old Olive Designer Paper using the 1/2" hole punch. I placed this on the base of the Build-a-Brad using a small dot of Tombow- Multi Glue. I then added the adhesive backed clear dome top to the brad. I trimmed the legs of the brad to 1/4", rolled the bottom leg up, and tucked it down in the back of the brad. The top leg, I rolled up and attached the loop on a head pin to it. I then added some beads and a earring wire.

Imagine all this using Stampin' Up! materials!
To learn more about how to make today's project or to book a workshop, please call or email me today! Thanks for stopping by today.

Stampin' Up! Best Business Practices

Here is something to try if you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and want more bookings and sales.
I have read that carrying a card or two or taking along some things to color, stamp, etc. in your purse for when you are waiting at the doctor, dentist, etc. Well, stamping was too bulky for me to take along and cards just didn't get the reception that I would have liked. Last week, I decided to try something different. If you are not a demonstrator, and you are a crafter selling your wares, these ideas could work for you too! Through out the week I will be showing photos and instructions for each item, so please visit daily. Leave a comment or two also!
Hot Tip: Carry small 3D projects that you have made with your Stampin' Up! products that can entice crafters of all types! Here is what I carry:

• A fancy favor bag that has been stamped with a tag and ribbon. This showcases your stamps and coordinating cardstock and ribbon, plus the dimensionals. This one is optional. Sometimes it too difficult to keep it from being smashed in my purse, so I won't carry it. #2 covers the same products.
  
• A post it note holder of some kind. This can showcase stamping, dimensionals, and coordinated ribbon too. Also remember that these are perfect teacher or secret pal gifts, as many people are looking for those items.
  
• A pair of earrings or two. Not just any earrings, but earrings that showcase accessories and elements from Stampin' Up! I will post photos and instructions on several types of earrings that you can make with some earring wires, jump rings, and Stampin' Up! products over the course of the week. You will attract jewelry enthusiasts and open up ideas for other crafters.
• A small 4x4 tile. This can be a stamped tile or one with home decor elements on it. I chose decor elements to show another type of product Stampin' Up! has. I can always mention that you can stamp on them too.
  
• I include a couple of barrettes. I have daughters, so this is not so strange. You could always claim these are for a niece. Again, these are the metal clip style barrettes that I punch a hole with the Crop-a-dile and put on items from the Pretties Kit or other accents and elements that Stampin' Up! offers.
• I have plans to add a mini-album in a tin, but each one that I make gets sold or used by someone else!! I'll have to try again!
• Finally, soon I will make a Big Shot purse. When I make it, I will use it and explain that it was made with the Big Shot and Stampin' Up! accents!
  

How do you implement these "props"? Well, I have used them once. I was waiting in the hair dresser's shop for my girls and I to get our hair cut. There were just a couple of other ladies in the shop, but I thought I would try out my idea. I pulled out the earrings, barrettes, and tile and began scrounging around in my purse, as if I was looking for something. This immediately draws attention to the items. As soon as the oohs and aahhs start, so did I. All I did was just describe how I made the items. I didn't have a "sales pitch". I let the products speak for themselves. The only thing I did was mention that they could each do the same thing, and if they booked a workshop I could show them how.

The results? I used this technique in one single instance. One appointment one day. (Well, I did do the same thing the next day at the dentist, but my audience was only an elderly lady and her husband. I don't think she was quite aware of what was going on.) Out of a total of 6 people I had contact with, only one didn't seem very interested. I booked two workshops, and possibly another. Since, I have had 3 calls. Yes, three calls to me!! Two of them were to ask more about being a demonstrator. These are HOT prospects. The third was to book a workshop for her sister (this was the lady who was un-interested)! Plus, I had two ladies purchase the 09-10 IB&Catty on the spot. Then two of the ladies (actually the hair dressers themselves) made a combined total order of $550!

If you want to order a catalog too, it is $10 and I can deliver or mail one tomorrow!

I hope this inspires you in your own business or crafting. Leave me a comment!
Thanks for stopping by today.

Bracelets! & Masculine Cards Hot Tip!

Today is a very quick post. It is my birthday, and I have to go to the grocery store. Whoo hoo!! Fun. Fun. LOL
I showed photos of some bracelets that I made for my uncle to take on a mission trip to Venezuela to give to the girls in the orphanage on a previous post. Here is a photo of a few of the girls and their bracelets.

Today's hot tip is for a masculine card! Cut the top and bottom off of a soda can. Run the sheet of aluminum you are left with through the Big Shot using the Texturz Templates #1 with the diamond shapes. You will be left with a very masculine accent for a card or framed piece! The soda can metal can also be punched with your punches, which will also sharpen the punches!! Double good!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Christmas Gifts!

Happy Birthday Valerie!!

Today I thought I would share with you some gifts I made for Christmas. I wish I had the time to share these with you as I was making them instead of all together, but with all the orders that Creative Pzazz, LLC had there just wasn't time. I will save the ones that were stamped or used Stampin' Up! supplies and do them in separate posts, so I can show several photos of each. I have always done many different types of crafts, and these are some of the ones ordered this year. I am hoping I can convince my cousin to teach me how to sew, so I can make a purse or two also!

First, you will see the 75 bracelets I made for an order my uncle placed with me. He takes 3 or 4 mission trips a year to travel to Venezuela to help build an orphanage. This trip, he went to give the people who take care of the children in the orphanage a vacation- their first in decades. My uncle promised me a photo of one of the girls with their bracelet on. I will post it upon their return. You can see the whole pile of bracelets in the first photo, then in the second photo you will see the bracelet pulled open. There are a series of macrame knots that create a tube of sorts that the strings of the bracelets can pull through. Pull the strands all the way open to put the bracelet on, then in the third photo, you will see the bracelet in a tightened position. The bracelets were created this way so they would fit all sizes of children from age 4 or 5 up to adult. The 4th photo is of the finished bracelet.
















The two Wall Art are made on 2' x 2' ceiling tiles. These work great for bulletin boards, but most people just use them for decoration.

The final photo is of some Polymer Clay bracelet and earring sets I made. Polymer Clay, if you didn't know, is basically a modeling clay that you can bake to make it hard. These are tiny. The necklace pieces are around 1" with seed beads on the strand, and the earrings are around 1/2" each. These were a big hit with the ladies that my mom works with at the library.

Thanks for stopping by today.