EtsyGreetings Handmade Cards: May 2009

Friday, May 29, 2009

Friday Feature

This week's featured shop is Molly Lee.

1. Tell us about you and your shop.

I'm the working mom of two identical twin boys, 8, trapped in a cube farm in corporate America. Designing and selling my cards has given me the freedom to explore my own personal sense of style and gives me an amazing creative outlet.

My etsy shop features interactive greeting cards and invitations. I specialize in cards with some type of movement, whether it be a pop-up that comes up when the card is opened or motion created from a pulled tab or turned wheel.

2. How did you get started in your craft?

When my boys turned two, I made ladybug invitations (an idea from a magazine) with wings that pivoted to reveal details of the party. People loved those simple invitations and I was hooked. After that, I would start planning their parties up to six months in advance so that I would have plenty of time to design the cards. After getting rave reviews about my invitations for years, I finally opened my etsy shop last year and posted my Interactive Fishy Spinning Invitations (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12823109) and my Circus/Carnival Invitations (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12034216), both of which were originally designed for my boys.

The positive response to my work has been thrilling and a reward in itself -- I love getting feedback from my customers. It is so exciting that enough people are interested in my cards to have propelled my shop to a modest level of success.

3. What is your favorite material or tool?

My favorite material is plain, white cardstock. I work digitally (with Illustrator and Photoshop) so cardstock is the blank canvas that I use for all my work. Using it, I can print any design that I can imagine.

My favorite tool is my Craft Robo. It's a digital cutter that interfaces with Adobe Illustrator to allow me to make perfectly aligned, intricate cuts. Without the robo, I could not possibly produce cards with enough precision to allow the types of movements that most interest me.

4. Where do you get your design inspiration from?

I troll bookstores, the library and the internet constantly, looking for new, clever paper engineering mechanisms. Taking a mechanism that, say, was shown on MarthaStewart.com to animate a dog's head and re-engineering it to instead create an expressive arm gesture is a very satisfying process for me and one that sparks endless design challenges.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

May Team Challenge - Voting

Well this month's challenge has come to an end and now it is time for the voting to commence.

I would like to thank everyone who participated in this challenge and I wish you all the best of luck.

Please be sure to tweet, blog and promote yourself, or the card you like the best.

I encourage members and readers to vote and please leave a comment to be eligible to win the card with the most votes! This card will be sent out to you FREE OF CHARGE, so please be sure to vote and leave a comment.

Please vote for your favorite card on the right.

The voting will close on June 6th.

Tuesday Treasury

Graduation Day created by Bbesigns

mini graduation cards - custom designed for you by articulations

Way to Go Graduate Gift Card Holder by CarasScrapNStampArt

Royal Blue, White and Black Handmade Graduation Card by lbullock

Graduation Card by collectiveelements

Happy Graduation Card by dluxedesigns

Graduation Cap Congratulations Card - Customizable by CreativeHandsLLC

Graduation Poem by Dr. Seuss Card by bbesigns

Monday, May 25, 2009

EtsyGreetings Ten Day Challenge - Follow Us!

Ten members of EtsyGreetings are joining together for a 10-day challenge beginning Monday, May 25. Participating members are committed to listing at least one item per day in their Etsy shop. Members will be cross-promoting one another through the event using blogs, twitter, myspace and other social networking sites.

To view the participating members shops and to see some highlights from the event, visit the blog of Little B Bunny. Stop by to see lots of new inventory from these great sellers!

Featured Sale: fubabee

EtsyGreetings Featured Sale

Each week EtsyGreetings highlights a sale from one of our member shops. This week, we are excited to offer you exclusive special pricing on the gorgeous collection of fubabee.

The Sale:
From 8 a.m. (EST) May 25 to 8 a.m. (EST) May 26, Lisa is offering buy 1 single card get 1 single card half off + free shipping! Be sure to include the code EGMAY09 in the notes at checkout. Lisa will issue paypal refunds after payment is received. Act quickly! This is a really quick promo and you don't want to miss it!

Friday, May 22, 2009

Friday Feature

This week's featured seller is steliedesigns.

1.Tell us about you and your shop.

My name is Stephanie and I live in Minneapolis, MN with my husband and kids. Paxton and Avery are 4 years old and I am expecting another set of boy/girl twins in July. I am the designer and owner of Stelie Designs. Two years ago, I left my retail design career to stay home full-time with my kids and to work part time on my business from my home office. Now that I work from home, finding balance is key, just when I was getting it down, I got pregnant plus another 2 babies will arrive and I’ll need to find a new balance. Stelie Designs is about modern, fresh and fun designs for wedding invitations, baby announcements, personalized stationery, and greeting cards. I want to bring simple delights to everyone who receives one of my cards or invitations. The entire process from creation to completion is done in house by me. I’m passionate about designing and creating a great product and building relationships with my clients.

2.How did you get started in your craft?

I have been passionate about art and design my entire life. As a kid I made pictures and cards for my family. Then in my early 20’s I created shower invites, party invites and moving announcements for my dearest friends. Who said I should do this as a real job! For a long while I did Stelie Designs very very part time for family and friends until Fall of 2007, when I expanded it into an Internet business and have had clients from all over the world.

3.What is your favorite material or tool?

Paper is my favorite material, recycled paper actually. I love being able to create something special and have it be good for the environment as well. Oh and I can’t live without my computer, it turns my sketches into endless digital possibilities.

4.Where do you get your design inspiration from?

Everywhere! Trends, nature, my kids, fabric, interior design, magazines, etc. I never know when something will catch my eye and spark an idea, which I then sketch and draw on the computer, sometimes they turn out and sometimes they don’t.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

EtsyGreetings Featured Sale: candyragz

EtsyGreetings Featured Sale

Each week EtsyGreetings highlights a sale from one of our member shops. This week, we are excited to offer you special pricing on the cheerful and colorful collection of cards from candyragz.

The Sale:
Free shipping with the purchase of 3 or more cards from 9 p.m. (PST) May 20 through 12 midnight (PST) May 21! There's no coupon code and no need to put notes to the seller at checkout. Just purchase your cards and await a revised invoice!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Frog Note Card Set

This week's giveaway is from Jumping Jack Designs

Personalized Frog Note Cards {set of eight}

Requirement:
Please leave a comment with a kid friendly joke. Be sure it's a good one... the comment that makes my five year old son laugh the hardest will be the winner. Here's a sample: Why did the booger cross the road? 'Cuz everyone was pickin' on him!

About our work:
We are a small, family run stationery design studio in Reno, Nevada. We create uniquely simple and artistic paper goods through the creative use of color, original artwork and beautiful papers.

A winner will be randomly selected on the morning of May 21st

Friday, May 15, 2009

Friday Feature

This week's featured shop is Bear River Photo Greetings.

1. Tell us about you and your shop.

Bear River Photo Greetings is the name of my shop, and I am Angie, the owner and designer. I am a Christian wife and the SAHM to 2 boys…a teen and a toddler. We just adopted the toddler recently through our foster care system. Both of our boys are “special needs”, with the teen being more of a severe case, while the toddler is a mild case. I am blessed to be able to stay at home, even though we live in a “2 income world”. We are very blessed to have Bear River Photo Greetings, as it is a way for me to earn extra income to help supplement my husband’s income.
In my “spare” time, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, scrapbooking, sewing, baking, and going fishing. I am addicted to chocolate, and I really enjoy going to the beach too.

2. How did you get started in your craft?

I have enjoyed making paper cards for the past several years, to sell, and to give as greeting cards from our family. When I realized that I could create digital scrapbook pages, and other digital files like Etsy banners, and business card designs, I figured it was just natural that I move into creating digital photo greeting cards. I’m glad I did, because I LOVE it!

3. What is your favorite material or tool?

My favorite materials are my customers’ photos. I can create a nice photo greeting card, but when I get to put the personal photo of a customer into the card, it just makes me feel so good that my creation was good enough for them to want to put their photos in! Does that make sense?

4. Where do you get your design inspiration from?

I have to say that I can only give God the credit for my “inspiration”. He has given me this creative mind that just seems to keep thinking and picturing things. Sometimes, it’s hard to fall asleep at night because I have design ideas going through my head. I feel truly blessed that He has chosen to gift me this way. Plus, I have a large family—both hubby’s side and mine. I love to send greeting cards, and photo greetings are even more fun. I also love receiving photo greeting cards. It seems a little more personal. So, my inspiration comes through what I would enjoy giving to my friends and family.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Cupcakes & Cherries - Giveaway

This week's EtsyGreetings giveaway is from TinyBirdArts

Don't you just love cupcakes? With sprinkles? And a cherry on top? I think they're even better when they hide a nice little message on the inside of a card. Lower in calories too :)

This giveaway includes:

1. A matching set of 4 folded notecards and white envelopes with my Cupcakes & Cherries coordinating designs, and

2. A digital download of my Cupcakes & Cherries art for you to print and use in your crafts, pendants & cardmaking and

3. You also get a "Happy Birthday" stamp with my cupcake design and the cutest little heart with "XXOO" on it, courtesy of stamp-maker Stacey at http://AsspocketProductions.etsy.com.

Requirements for entry:

1. You must leave a comment here (on the etsygreetings blog) about what your favorite wedding invitation design is from my
flickr page.
2. Get another entry by signing up for my monthly newsletter on my blog Sign-up is on the top right side bar. Please leave another comment here that you signed up :)

3. Anyone that makes a purchase from my shop gets an entry if you tell me you went to my shop through the Etsy Greetings Blog in Message to Seller upon checkout :))

4. Twitter about this giveaway and leave a comment here with your Twitter post link for another entry :)-

Leave your comment and/or make your purchases by Saturday, May 16th 4:00 p.m. CST. Winners will be chosen randomly & announced by me on Monday (May 18th) 8:00 a.m. CST, here in the comments section of this blog post.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Tuesday Treasury

It's My Birthday created by pinkycreations

Another Year Older - Sassy Birthday Card by candyragz

Plaid Cupcake Birthday Greeting by scrappyky

Kreepy Kids Audrey Hepburn My Fair Lady Happy Birthday Handmade Card by uniquegrabs

Blue Flowers Birthday (Card) by littlebbunny

Happy Birthday- single A2 folded card by fivedot

Swirl Birthday Card or Invitation by aplusastudio

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Article: Brighten up your desk space

If you're like me, you spend a lot of time in a drab, featureless cubicle.

Bland grey walls, blah, boring desk.

But it doesn't have to be that way!

The topic of one of my favorite podcasts, CraftyPod (the podcast that's all about making stuff with tons of great information for the crafty entrepeneur) was "Craft Up Your Cubicle: Projects for your workspace" (CraftyPod #27, 6/1/2006). It was all about how to bring some crafty goodness in to brighten your dreary little desk space.

Among the wonderful ideas was one about how to turn your pens into a gorgeous bouquet of flowers.

(this is not a new idea and you can find many tutorials on the topic -- at the same time, I read about it in the Big Ass Book of Crafts)

This is what you need:

A handful of pens
Some colorful silk flowers (I bought two beautiful mixed bunches at Michaels, which was having a sale, for only $3.50 each -- I used two and made two sets, one for my mother-in-law for Mother's Day)
Floral tape
A wide-mouthed vase to act as a pen holder
Possibly some wirecutters

This project is so simple that even an eight-year old can do it. In fact, one of my eight-year old twins wrapped the bouquet shown above.

Simply clip the stems to the desired length, then wrap the floral tape to secure the pens and flowers snugly together.

It's that easy!

If your flowers are hard to arrange in your vase, a handful of floral accent marbles can help them stand up tall.

One nice side-effect of this lovely arrangement is that it makes it a lot less likely that your coworkers will accidentally walk off with your pens.

Enjoy!

By MollyLee of www.mollylee.etsy.com

Friday, May 8, 2009

Friday Feature

This week's featured shop is LindasPaperie

1. Tell us about you and your shop.

My name is Linda and my shop is Linda's Paperie. I decided to sell my cards and paper crafts at Etsy when I realized I was making more cards than I could normally use. I am a wife to a very busy guy, stay at home mom to 3, 'pack leader' of 2 beagles and a servant to our cat. My cards have been featured in Paper Crafts, CardMaker, and Just Cards. I recently started teaching paper crafting classes at My Creative Classroom. When I'm not paper crafting or running around after everyone, I like to read and look for old songs from the 80s on iTunes. My wish list there rivals my paper wish list.

2. How did you get started in your craft?

I started scrapbooking over 7 years ago. As a way to use my left over scraps and supplies, I began making cards.

3. What is your favorite material or tool?

That would have to be pretty patterned paper. I really can't help myself. A close second would be my Slice die cutting machine.

4. Where do you get your design inspiration from?

I really like challenge blogs. There are so many fabulous ones out there with sketches, color and technique ideas. They are the best way to help me get out of a creative rut.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Team Challenge - Father's Day

courtesy of CreativeHandsLLC

Last month's team challenge was devoted to mothers, so it's only fitting that this month's challenge is devoted to all those fathers out there!

Fathers Day is on June 21, 2009.

Here are some facts:

Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd of Washington thought independently of the holiday one Sunday in 1909 while listening to a Mother's Day sermon...she arranged a tribute for her father in June 19, 1910. She was the first to solicit the idea of having an offical Father's Day observance.

...a National Father's Day Committee was formed in New York City in the 1930's, which was renamed in 1938 National Council for the Promotion of Father's Day. This council had the goals of legitimizing the holiday in the mind of the people and managing the holiday as a commercial event, in order to boost sales over the holiday. The council always had the support of Dodd, who had no problem with the commercialization of the holiday and endorsed several promotions to increase the amount of gifts. In this aspect she was considered the opposite of Anna Jarvis, who actively opposed all commercialization of Mother's Day... Excert from Wikipedia

Team Members:

All entries will be posted on the blog on May 26th and open up to the public for voting!

The guidelines for those who wish to enter are as follows

1. Please ensure that your entry is tagged in your shop with the tag "challengefather"

2. You must be prepared to send the winning card to the winning reader FREE OF CHARGE

3. Either reserve your creation in your shop, or ensure that you can produce another one in case you sell it before the challenge is over (this is always nice)

4. Greeting cards, tags, and/or stickers are welcome

5. One entry per person

I will select your card from your shop and upload it to our blog.

Readers:

Once the voting is open on May 26th, you are encouraged to vote and leave a comment for your favorite card. You may only vote once.

Prize:

As always the wonderful prize will be the winning card. I will select a random readers comment and they will be the winner of the winning card.

Have fun!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Giveaway from Bean Sprout Studio

Description: The Dresses- Set of 4 everday notecards.

About The Artisit: I'm a mom to an adorable 14 month old girl, work full time, and in my "spare" time I love to design. I have a soft spot for pretty papers and things that sparkle, but my new passion is quickly becoming digital scrapbooking so I can document and remember every moment of my daughter's life.

How To Enter: Browse through BeansproutStudios's shop and leave a comment here what your favorite item is (doesn't have to be a card). A winner will be randomly selected from the comments on the evening of May 8th.

Check back often for more giveaways, contests, sales and features.