Paper Bag Luminaries for Father's Day

Now that summer is supposedly arriving it would be nice to add a little glow to your summer festivities. Why not add these inexpensive paper bags to surprise Dad on his special day in June. Have a Bar-B-Q in his honour and make these lovely bags leading the way to the party.
Paper bag luminaries, made by yourself or the kids lend a warm glow to any nighttime outdoor festivity. The addition of a “stained glass” window of your own design creates an even more dramatic light. A few inexpensive supplies coupled with an hour or two of creative time and you’ll have a whole new look for your patio by evening. Decide on a theme such as fruit, marine life, or kids names or just "DAD" and how many luminaries you want to make. Obviously, the more you have, the more striking the visual impact. A half dozen is a good number; enough for an impressive display but not too many to become tedious in the making.

Putting it together:

On a bag that measures 5” wide x 10 1/2”tall, mark a rectangle of approximately 3 1/2” wide x 4 1/2” tall. It should be about 1 1/2” from the base of the bag and 3 1/2” from the top. Slide a piece of cardboard inside the bag to prevent cutting through both sides. Cut out the rectangle using an art knife and a metal straight edge. You should have a window on one side of the bag. Repeat on remaining bags. Cut vellum into rectangles slightly larger than the window removed from the paper bag. In this case, 4” x 5” will work. Using a pencil, sketch your designs onto the vellum. Color in with colored markers and let dry. To finish, outline the design in black tempera or other liquid craft paint. Use a round brush for the best “flow” of paint. Some variation in the width of your paint stroke is desirable; it gives the finished piece an artistic look rather than a mass-produced one. When the small paintings are completely dry, slide one into each bag and adhere to the inside using tape or rubber cement. Open the bag and fold the top over once or twice; crease sharply. Fill the bottom of the bag with an inch or two of play sand or kitty litter to create a solid base. Set a candle in a glass container into the center of the sand, light and enjoy.

Microsoft Office Using Word

Today I thought I would mention an under appreciated software used frequently by many in scrapbooking layouts. I couldn’t scrap without my MS Word. I use it primarily for printing text. Although I own a Cricut and am having fun experimenting with it, I still use Word to create a lot of the text for my layouts because the font possibilities are virtually endless. Using Word, I set up a table of a specific dimension and place text within it so there’s no guess work as to how big or little it will print.
There’s also the option of printing text within shapes. Using the Format Font option, I can apply a shadow to my lettering. I primarily use black as using colours can be unpredictable as they don’t print out precisely the shade you see on your monitor. I do, however, still use colored text occasionally.
The best part is that you can print on any paper. I routinely run cardstock through my printer. It works on both ink jet and laser printers. I’ve even printed on Creative Memories vellum! Your paper has to be cut to 8.5 inches in width, and the ink should be allowed to dry before you start manipulating it or cutting it out. And if your printer has an envelope feeder you can print on paper that is much narrower than 8.5 inches.
I’ve been using this technique for the past few years and have never had an issue with the ink colour fading. There are 1000’s of free fonts available online. As long as you’re using a true-type font it will print out exactly as you see it on your screen. Even if you don’t have Microsoft Word, you most likely have other word processing software on your computer. It will have similar functions. Take the time to get up close and personal with your own software, you could be surprised!!!

Vintage Wedding Idea

Craft Fair Advice~

Thanks to all of you for reading my blog. Many of you have asked me for Craft Fair advice. Here is a list of what to DO and DON'T DO from my perspective. I may add to this list as I think of things. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comment section. Thanks!

Craft Fair Don'ts

1. Don't be afraid to do a Craft Fair or Craft Show. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot.

2. Don't be afraid to talk to people as they walk by. When they stop by your booth engage them in conversation. Even if it's just about how cute their baby is or that you like their earrings. It helps break the ice.

3. Don't Crowd Shoppers. Be attentive but, not smothering.

4. Don't ignore a customer, even if you are assisting someone else.

5. Don't forget bags and any wrapping paper needed to keep their purchases safe.

6. Don't forget to mark everything with a price. If they can't see the price they probably won't ask and most definitely won't buy.

7. Don't forget your business cards and event book. You never know when you might get a booking.

8. Don't break down your booth until the event is completely over. A lot of people shop at the last minute.

9. Don't be discouraged if you don't have a lot of traffic. I found that it comes in waves.

10. Don't crowd your table displays. I found that if your rotate your product it looks nicer and it less overwhelming for shoppers.

Craft Fair Do's

1. Wear Comfortable clothing and shoes. Dress for the weather possibilities if outdoors.

2. Keep busy. Activity attracts attention. You are more likely to have people notice your booth if you are doing something instead of just sitting.

3. Have adequate change. I kept all of my prices to whole dollar amounts. You want to make the check out process effortless.

4. Have your booth clearly marked. You want people to know right away who you are and what you are selling.

5. Have an email/newsletter sign-up sheet for people who are interested.

6. Look at other vendors' booths and note what you like and don't like. There is a wealth of info to be had. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself to other vendors.

7. Smile! It's infectious!

8. Be prepared for the bargain shopper. They might want to haggle over the price, have it set in your mind before hand how you want to handle that situation.

9. Have business cards ready for people at the entrance of your booth.

10. Use all of your space. That includes the ceiling of your booth (for canopy booths). It adds visual interest and attracts attention. For table displays keep things at different heights. I covered a few shoe boxes with solid color fabric napkins to add height and color to my table display.

Spread the word with family and friends that you a looking for craft fairs. Word of mouth is a great resource too. Check your local newspaperalso.

Digital Wedding Page (Scrapbook Flair)

All About the Sissix

The Sizzix Personal Die-Cutting System is ideal for all crafters and provides a convenient, at-home solution for small die-cutting and embellishing. The easy-to-use machine is great for teens and adults and will cut through a wide variety of materials including paper, fabric and rubber. All you crafters out there, will love the ability to enhance the creative process and the flexibility to add to your designs at a moment’s notice. The dies can cut a variety of materials such as paper, rubber, and fabric for every craft from scrapbooking to rubber stamping to quilting. There are over 100 creative shapes for every holiday and occasion available, as well as the alphabet, punctuation and numbers.

The Sizzix machine and dies are small and compact and require minimal space for storage. The Sizzix machine and dies are portable and can be taken with you to scrapbook parties and craft classes. Use the Sizzix dies to personalize scrapbook pages, envelopes, invitations, greeting cards, Christmas cards and invitations. Make your own rubber stamps, cut fabric shapes for applique and decorate picture frames with Sizzix. Combine Sizzix die-cuts with Ellison shapes to create unique boxes and bags for gift giving. Discover the creative potential of Sizzix. It is a great Die-Cutter and has made a great difference in my scrapbooking.

The Sizzix die-cutter and dies require very little maintenance. The machine and dies come with complete maintenance and troubleshooting tips for keeping them in top form. In case you have lost your instructions and just need a recap the most important rules to remember are:

1. Do not attempt to cut more than three sheets of paper at once. Doing so will result in incomplete cuts and over a period of time will cause added wear to the machine and dies.
2. The machine and dies can only cut certain materials. Attempting to cut materials that are not suitable will result in damage to both the machine and dies.
3. After prolonged use, the sliding cutting pad may begin to wear and warp. To help prolong its life, turn the pad over to insure even wear to both sides. Varying the placement of dies on the pad will also help reduce wear and warping of the cutting pad. In addition, cutting pads will become thinner with use. It may be necessary to add paper "shims" underneath the pad for added thickness, or to replace the pad.

Die Sizes and Dimensions:
Small 2 3/8" x 2 3/4"
Medium 2 3/4" x 4 3/4"
Large 4 3/4" x 5 1/2"

Uses:
Scrapbooking
Rubber stamping
Quilting and fabric appliques
Enhancing invitations and greeting cards
General crafts

Materials Cut:
Up to three pieces of paper at once
Fabric
Thin plastic (.020" thick)
Poly foam
Felt
Foil
Sheet magnet
Leather

A Cure for a Bad Day: Thoughts of Many

Having a discussion with over 30 friends over the holidays at an all-day Bar-B-Que, it is amazing what one can really learn. Between swimming, lounging, preparing and enjoying meals, wine talking, car talking, baby talking, work problems, life problems and everything under the sun, many of the following truths burst forward. Many are noteworthy to me, and ones many people should work on. If you can master these three tips only, life will be much easier and you'll be far happier.

Accept what you have. The problem with many of us is that we always think that we’ll be happy when we reach a certain destination — when we get a certain job, or retire, or get our dream house. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when you get there, you might have a new destination in mind. Instead, try being happy with where you are, with who you are, and what you have. To do that, instead of comparing what you have with other people, or with what you want, compare yourself those who have less, with those who are going through tragedy, with those who are struggling. You will see that you actually are extremely blessed. And this can lead to more happiness with your current situation.

Don’t compare yourself to others. This is hard to do, but it can be a great way to accept who you are and what you have. Whenever you find yourself comparing yourself to a co-worker, a friend, or someone famous (those models on magazines with amazing abs), stop. And realize that you are different, with different strengths. Take a minute to appreciate all the good things about yourself, and to be grateful for all the blessings in your life.

Savor the little things. Sure, the big things can bring big pleasure, but there are so many more little things in our lives. Savor them when they come up. It’s a way of practicing being present — stop and notice what you’re doing right now, what’s around you. And take time to enjoy it.