Friday Feature: Squeeze Card Co.

1. Tell us about you and your shop.
My name is Elana. I am a full-time graduate student, in the last year of my Master’s in Spanish program. In between school and various part-time jobs, I like to craft. Although I don’t get much time to create, when I do it provides much needed stress relief. I live in Wilmington, NC with my husband and two cats, where my studio is lucky to share our 2nd bedroom with the home office.

My shop is called Squeeze Card Co. with the slogan “…because a handmade greeting is like a mailable hug.” Even though I am terrible at keeping in touch with this or that pulling at me, I think beautiful, handmade cards are a simple way to share the love I feel but don’t always express. I started on Etsy in January of this year, as a way to share my creations with others, and so far I have been pretty successful. It is my hope that through my shop I can bring a little bit of happiness and love to others.

2. How did you get started in your craft?
I have always loved art in any form…give me a new box of crayons or colored pencils and I was a happy kid! In high school I dabbled in an elemental form of scrapbooking, which I soon abandoned, but I continued to collect beautiful notebooks and stationery, and relish any visit to an office supply store, and in the end, my love of paper won over.

My crafting in its current form began sometime in early last year as I was planning my wedding on a tight budget. Needing something particular and not being able to spend a lot, I designed and made my own wedding invitation and paper goods (a whole array including inserts, reply cards, maps, programs, menus, table numbers…) using a rubber stamp with a star motif. I was hooked on stamps. I began to dabble with techniques and supplies, and the rest is history.

3. What tool can you not live without?
The most basic of basic tools are really two- my paper trimmers. I have two, one with a cutting blade and one with a scoring blade, and I use them both on nearly every single project.

4. What inspires you?
I take a lot of inspiration from colors, since that is usually my starting point for a project. I just love color! I love to try new color combos, pulling them from photographs or color challenges. I am also inspired by patterns and textures: in catalogs, looking through pictures I’ve taken, in nature...inspiration is everywhere if you look hard enough.

5. Name one favorite item from your store



Hmm…right now my shop is pretty bare because I have been working like a mad woman on my first wholesale order, but I think I have to go with this notebook. Maybe it stems from my love of list making, or of notebooks (I once collected them) or of this handmade crown detail, don't know but I just love it.

Holiday Wishes Giveaway by ImCrafty

This giveaway includes a holiday card and a set of four coordinating holiday gift tags. The design is handstamped in red and green ink with glitter and ribbon accents.

From The Artist: I started making cards last fall when I decided to make our Christmas cards. That experience turned into a wonderful hobby and then my little shop was born. I love to make things with my hands and am constantly inspired by fun colors and patterns I see in the world around me!

How To Enter: Please go to ImCrafty's shop and look through her beautiful cards. Come back and leave a comment here on the blog on what you would like to see more of in her shop and whether you would prefer interiors of cards kept blank or stamped with a greeting/message.

One winner will be chosen on Saturday morning, October 31st. Please make sure to leave a way that you can be contacted should you be the winner.

Check back often to see great articles, tutorials, sales and giveaways on the Etsy Greetings Blog!

Tuesday Treasury

"Whoo Whoo Needs a Card"

Created By: CarasScrapNStampArt


Fall Blessings and Owl greeting card - Thanksgiving By Lavendergreetings



Just Because... Owl Greeting Card By Pnkgeeni



Thanks A Hoot Card By Terrbear37


Mr. Owl Says Hoo-Blank/All Occasion Greeting Card By Matidi123



OSCAR the OWL Paper Quilled Greeting Card By Enchantedquilling



Wise Old Owl By Lindentreephotograph

Texture Technique

by: HappyElephantDesigns

I wanted to share with you a technique I like to use sometimes that is quick and easy, and that anyone can do. It's a great way to add texture to your cards or any project. Here is what I used:



A punch (any kind, I used 1 3/4 circle punch)
Files (I used a 3M file for the bigger circles and a small file for the half circles)

You also need textured cardstock with a white core. The white core is important because when you sand the punch, the white core comes through. This is what gives the card it's dimension.



I then punched some circles out of the textured cardstock. I cut some of the circles in half to use on the edge of the card. Then I sanded the circles and half circles with my files.






After all the circles are sanded, I rearrange them on the card until I get a pattern that feels right to me. The card consists of a white card with sage green cardstock cut slightly smaller, and then the purple textured cardstock cut slightly smaller than that. When I have a pattern that feels right with the circles, I place the cirlces in my Xyron machine. A Xyron machine can make anything you place into it a sticker. You can use any form of adhesive you feel comfortable with though.

Take the circles off the Xyron sheet and adhere to the card. I chose to put a polka-dot ribbon with a metal buckle at the bottom of the card.

Here's the finished product! This is a great technique to use for the up coming Holidays. All you need to do is use a Holiday punch and you can make your own pattern paper.

I hope you enjoyed learning this technique as much as I enjoy doing it.

Shannen

Friday Feature: CardsbyDeb

1. Tell us about you and your shop.
I am Debbie, a wife and SAHM of four kids ranging in age from almost 15 years old to almost 7 years old. This year my baby entered the wonderful world of first grade and all day school, which has left me lots of time to create! I have an obsession with scrapbook patterned paper and luckily my dear family was willing to let me have one of the bedrooms in our home to set up my studio/office and have space for all of my crafting supplies.

CardsByDeb opened shop at Etsy three years ago after hearing of the success of another local SAHM with her Etsy shop selling pillows and such. My success hasn’t even been a fraction of what she has seen, but I’m not giving up hope and continue to list and get excited with each sale.

2. How did you get started in your craft?
When my oldest child was born almost 15 years ago I received Creative Memories scrapbook supplies from a family member. From that moment on, I was hooked! I love to scrapbook memories for my family! In 2005 I began making cards to give to friends and family. A new love was discovered! I got to the point where I was making more cards than I had occasions to give away so I turned to the internet. At the time I was involved in an online forum that sold anything from used clothing to Pampered Chef to handmade purses. I posted a couple of Mother’s Day cards to see if there was any interest. I’ll say there was! I sold almost 300 cards in my first four months.

3. What tool can you not live without?
As simple as this may sound, I’d be lost without my paper trimmer! Each card requires paper cutting and my trimmer makes it so easy! Give me a new cutting blade and I’m in heaven!

4. What inspires you?
My customers inspire me – and sometimes challenge me! I love to create my own ideas, but I love the challenge of a request that I had never thought of before! I once had a customer request a birthday card that would be given from a pet. My creative juices flowed and I was able to create a card that my customer loved!

5. Name one favorite item from your store



My favorite item changes constantly. I’ll have a favorite, then I’ll create something new and it becomes my favorite. This is my current favorite. I am a huge fan of the colors robin’s egg blue and chocolate brown together, then add the big flowers, rhinestone brad, and chalked edges and you have a beautiful card!

Tuesday Treasury

Fall Into Autumn

Created By Wimzieprints

Wimzie Bird Thank You Flat Card By Wimzie Prints



6 Autumn Rainbow Leafs Cards By Craft Pantry



Whoo Whoo I Love You 5x7 Card By Den-10 Studio


Falling Leaves Autumn Greeting Card Set By Fresh Lemon Blossoms



Tree Hugger - Autumn Edition By Lockette Paper + Fabric



Pumpkin Patch - Set of 6 Note Cards By Eyelet Sage Studio



Set of 6 Note Cards - Autumn Maple Leaves By Bee Dazzles Gifts



Kite and Tree Gocco Art Card By Two Guitars

Giveaway from OffSwitchDesigns

OffSwitchDesigns is offering these two wonderful cards as our giveaway this week.




The "geometric lines" and "so sweet" cards are two most recent designs. Simple yet attractive, these cards would make just about anyone smile! Both are blank inside for your special message.



About Off Switch: I have been designing and creating my own greeting cards for over a year now. I feel as though each card I make is a representation of myself and my personal style. Paper goods are my passion, and "Off Switch" allows me to share that passion with all of you! I hope you enjoy...

To enter, please visit Off Switch and choose your favorite item, and then leave a comment below with the link.

A winner will be chosen from the comments left on the morning of Wednesday, October 21st. Please make sure to leave a way you can be contacted should you be the winner.

Friday Feature: BeanSprout Studios

1. Tell us about you and your shop.
My name is Amy Jazwinski, and I've been a seller on Etsy almost since it's inception! I started my first etsy shop (a jewelry shop) at http://ajazwinski.etsy.com in November of 2005. I've seen Etsy go through many changes and grow into the large community it is today. It's been an exciting journey to watch Etsy grow, and my business as well. In September of 2008, I opened my second etsy shop- Bean Sprout Studio. My second etsy shop was created for my digital greeting cards, including everything from birth announcements, to calling cards, to wedding invitations and save the dates.

My background is all business- I have a Bachelors Degree in business marketing, and I work full time in the exciting world of corporate insurance broking. I'd love to be one the Etsy "Quit Your Day Job" features some day!

2. How did you get started in your craft?
I wish I could say that I was the crafty type from birth, but my creative side was apparently suppressed for many years. It wasn't until I graduated from college, and actually had time for a hobby that I started exploring this side of myself. In 2002 I started designing jewelry, and immediately fell in love with all things crafty. I love different colors and textures, and combining them in unique ways.

In March of 2008, I gave birth to my first child- a little girl! After she was born, I started playing around with digital scrapbooking, and decided to design a birth announcement for her on my own. It turned out great, and shortly thereafter my friends started asking me to design birth announcements for their kids, and then party invitations, and before you knew it- I was in business! With support the support of my friends, and a little self-taught design skill, I opened Bean Sprout Studio.

Many times people wonder where I got the name "Bean Sprout"- it's actually named after my daughter. When she was a newborn, so loved to sleep all curled up on her stomach like a little bean pod. We started calling her "Bean" as a nickname, and it stuck. Since my design "career" started with her birth announcement, I wanted the name to reflect her. Since this was my second etsy shop, I kind of felt like it was a "sprout" off the first one- hence "Bean Sprout Studio".

3. What tool can you not live without?
Since my designs are all done digitally, my can't-live-without tool is Photoshop CS4. At this point in my design career, I should probably expand into using Adobe Illustrator or InDesign, but photoshop is like a pair of old comfortable jeans for me now. I'm comfortable with it, so I just continue on.

I also can't live without my new MacBook Pro laptop. With the proceeds from my shop, I was able to upgrade back in June to a Mac from a PC. I absolutely love it, and it's SO much faster than my old PC. I'm now a converted "Mac person", and will never go back to PC.

4. What inspires you?
Colors and textures are my inspiration. I will see a shirt or pattern in a store, and instantly the wheels in my head will start turning. I frequently sketch out designs that will just randomly pop into my head. Since I do a lot of designing for babies and kids, I also search places like Pottery Barn Kids and other stores for inspiration. My Seuss-ish Announcement was inspired by Pottery Barn's adorable Dr. Seuss line they recently carried for nurseries.

And of course, my customers are my inspiration. I love doing custom orders for people, because their vision inspires my creativity. Some of my favorite designs in my shop were created for a custom order.

5. Name one favorite item from your store

It's always hard for me to pick my favorite, because it's usually the most recent thing I've designed! But if I'm forced to choose, I'd say right now it's my Harlow Holiday Card. I'm probably biased on the design because I just love that photo of my daughter, but I also like a different color combination for the holidays besides red and green.

Etsy Greetings Featured Sale: Jemily

Each week EtsyGreetings highlights a sale from one of our member shops. This week, we are excited to offer you special pricing from Jemily

The Sale: Free shipping with any purchase. No code required. A revised invoice will be sent. Sale begins 8 a.m. Eastern Wed. Oct. 14thand will end 12 midnight Fri. Oct. 16th.

Tuesday Treasury

Fair Winds and Following Seas", a traditional nautical blessing.

Fair wind = 'may the wind fill your sails favorably for the duration of your voyage.'
Following sea = refers to a sea swell that doesn't overtake your boat.

Created By: Killam Creative


Uncharted Waters By: Juniperberry



Sailboat Card By: Christinawilliams



Tell Someone Special Why He's Wonderful Sailboat Card By: Mollylee



Rustic Sailboat By:ImCrafty



Peaceful Sailing Notecard Set By:Fubabee



Sail Away Retirement Card. By:AJKArtistry



Nautical Theme Invitations By: mrsdstahl



Sailboat Sunset Card By:Orangecatart

Monogrammed Note Cards offered by Tricia16

Tricia16 is offering this week's Etsy Greeting's giveaway.


This beautiful set of 6 note cards features soft geometric design in Baja Breeze (blue) on top 2/3 portion of card and a subtle abstract floral pattern on bottom 1/3. The letter shown in the picture will be replaced with the letter of your choice.

From the artist: My shop has individually designed and hand crafted monogrammed note cards and greeting cards for special occasions. . .and a few other things I just like to make.

How to enter: Just go to Tricia16's shop and comment here on the blog on your favorite item in her shop. A winner will be picked from the comments on the evening of October 14th.

Please make sure you leave a way that you can be contacted should you be the winner.

Stop by The Etsy Greeting's Blog often to see new articles, contests, giveaways and specials!

Friday Feature: L7 Designs

1. Tell us about you and your shop

My name is Carrie and I am the hands behind L7Designs. The L7Designs name has a fun background story involving various aspects of my personality and character. The "L7" part comes from a line from my favorite movie, the Sandlot ("The kid's a Square! L-7 weenie!"). Put the index and thumb fingers of your hands out, turn your right hand over and you'll find the L 7! It seemed fitting for a card maker!

There is more behind the name combined from my love of all things squared (I'm a closet obsessive-compulsive!) and my family nickname of "Squares".

I have been crafting and scrapbooking since I was in high school (over 10 years!) and I absolutely love it. I love sending little notes and cards to my friends and family to say a special Hello or I'm Thinking Of You. Handcrafted notecards and cards seem much more special than picking out a mass-produced card at Hallmark with an overused, cheesy poem on the inside! I desire to create one-of-a-kind projects that are beautiful and convey the love and joy I feel for the person I created them for.

2. How did you get started in your craft?
I started papercrafting 11+ years ago with my first scrapbook album in high school. In college, I started handmaking cards for my friends out of cardstock, construction paper and various magazines I cut up. It was always an exciting day to get something hand-written in the mail at school and a huge blessing for me to get to do that for my friends.

When I got married, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law introduced me to the wide world of hobby scrapbooking and card making with Archivers, Close To My Heart and all kinds of products, paper and tools I could dream of! It fed my creative nature and blossomed into my passion of making handcrafted paper products.

3. What tool can you not live without?
My X-Acto knife, ruler and self-healing cutting mat. I use them with every single project I do!

4. What inspires you?
People inspire me. When I make a card with someone in mind, I think of their personality, characteristics, favorites and try to translate at least some of those qualities into their card. The cards in my shop are often a reflection of someone I was thinking about that day. Other places I get inspiration from are various blogs, magazines and from the paper itself.

5. Name one favorite item from your store.

Set of 3 Thanksgiving Cards I absolutely LOVE the paper for these cards - it was only in the store for a couple weeks before it sold out and I was able to snag a few pieces and saved them for this season. I can't find it anywhere else but it is gorgeous - perfect autumn colors with a sort of metallic finish and beautiful subtle patterns.

Two Cards In One Great Giveaway by Cardwear

The giveaway is for two Puzzle Piece Pin Halloween cards like the two pictured. The Puzzle Piece pins are hand painted by me and provide your recipients with bonus "treats" this Halloween!




My first handmade cards were Halloween cards that included a picture of my oldest son in his lion costume. I used fabric and rick rack to make them and have been playing with fabric and trims every since! I think I have the largest fabric collection of a person that does not sew.

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment here on the EtsyGreeting's Blog with:

a. A comment about Cardwear's shop (what they like, something my shop needs, constructive criticism, etc.)
b. What is your favorite Halloween costume from when you were growing up?

If you blog or tweet about the giveaway you will also get extra entries. Please leave a link to your blog post or tweet here in the comments.

A winner will be picked from all the comments made on the evening of October 9th. Please leave a way for you to be notified should you be the winner of these two wonderful cards!

Tuesday Treasury

"All love is sweet, given or returned" - Shelley

Created by:CuriousGravy


Take Flight by 3goodthings



Rainbow swirled heart. love is for everyone. card by LiSo Cards




Love Card by christinawilliams



Crazy Love Card II by upup




Little Birds in Love - Recycled Linocut Card Set by melissakate



I Heart Your Guts Hand-printed Card by desTroy



I Love You...Though You Piss Me Off Sometimes, ECO FRIENDLY Card by papersquid