Let’s Color and Make a Card with Tombow Markers & Win Some!

This post will remain at the top of my blog until the giveaway is over on Monday 10/27. Please scroll down for newer posts! Thanks!

Hi friends! Today we are going to make this card And I will give you a chance to win the markers I used! Make sure to read to the end to find out how to win!

In today’s video we will make this card, from start to finish including coloring in under 20 minutes. It’s easy using Tombow Dual Brush Pens and blending kit.  Purchase any 10 piece set and receive a FREE Blending Kit! Offer is available 10/24-10/31

I am happy to announce that I am the guest designer for October for Tombow! Have a look at how easy it is to use these makers:

If you want to win the markers I used then leave a comment here then head over to the
Tombow Blog where you can leave a comment, see full contest details,  and visit the rest of the designers on the blog hop!

I used the Layered Poppy stamp set from Rubbernecker. It is intended to be stamped and then the watercolor layers (which would be great to ink up with the Tombow pens) would be stamped on top but I found the outline layer so striking that I wanted to just color that. I love stamps and markers that are versatile in design, don’t you?

Make sure you I hope you try these techniques on your next card. Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

How to Price Your Art and Crafts! {It’s Craft Fair Season!}

Hi friends! The one topic I get asked the most about (often in private messages) is pricing crafts and artwork. I don’t think that there is any point being quite about this. If we charge fair prices for our wares we are all going to do better at craft fairs and on ETSY type stores. The rising tide lifts all boats. (BTW I just found out that ETSY now allows mass producing companies to sell there so color me unimpressed.) I am an artist living in a small town who only sells locally (well, I do sell to fans who email me about stuff they have seen me make on YouTube but I don’t list crafts and artwork in an online shop) and I still manage to get a fair price for my stuff and outsell other crafters and artists at fairs. Do you want to know how? Then watch the video!

OK, here are MY successful art/craft selling rules:

1. The price of an item must account for materials and time.
2. Price everything. If customers do not see a price they will assume that they can’t afford it OR that the price is subject to change OR the artist does not know what to charge.
3. Do Not Discount. If something on my table is $5 it will be $5 later in the day, that is the price. However you can reward your best customers with a deal like buy 2 get one free, especially on items you can batch up quickly. Think, instead of selling 1 pair of earrings for $5 you sell 3 for $10 without putting an item on sale, win win!
4. Evaluate after a show, not during. At the end of the day if something did not sell at all think about why: Price? Season? Crowd? If you suspect the price was too high lower it on the NEXT show. Customers do not like to see you changing the price during shows, it will make them wait until last-minute to buy. If you sell out of an item make more and price them higher if appropriate next time. I will often give an item a couple of shows to see if it was a bummer or just the wrong crowd. Don’t spaz out and start giving your stuff away if it is not moving as quickly as you like.
5. Grab Bags! Move inventory without slashing prices. Say you got a little carried away and, I don’t know, made 45 birds nest pendants and after a year of peddling those suckers you only sold 5. They are taking up precious space on your table which could be used to showcase new stuff. My solution is the grab bag. I make a lot of things. My top seller s $5 beaded earrings that take 10 minutes to make, I always have a surplus but I like making them so I will go though and take any pairs whose packaging is starting to look shabby and odd ball items (you made a batch of something and now have 2 left and it seems weird to only have 2 of something on the table) and the aforementioned birds nest pendents and put them in grab bags. Price these cheap, like $5 even though they contain $20 worth of perfectly good product and you will sell them out and people will look for you first next show to make sure they get one. Be sure to drop your business card in there and leave the original prices on the grab bag items so customers will know what they cost when the reorder…and they will. Grab bags lead to more sales. It is almost like a free sample.  Great, now everyone know what’s in my grab bags this year LOL!
6. Don’t spend money to make money the first time out. Use up what you have, be creative with your current supplies so you can make a profit. A mistake I see many beginners make is they run out and buy a lot of new supplies to make stuff for their first craft fair. Cardmakers go out and buy the newest paper and stamps, sewists get new printed fabric, jewelry makers go on a bead binge. Do not do this. The people buying your handmade cards or dolls do not know or care that the paper and fabric you are using is 5 years old use up what you have and reinvest in supplies for next time. That goes for displays too, be creative, recycle and borrow. Find items that you can use to store and transport your items and use as display. Think Low overhead=more profit.
7. Be friendly, smile but do not stalk your customers. I like to bring watercolors and watercolor cards with me. Sometimes I will paint requests on the spot if it is slow. Ether way it keeps me from coming on too strong to the customers because I tend to be excited about what I do and I do not want to scare people away. Also I juggle at my booth…I’m not sure if that is helpful or not….

I hope this helped you. If you have any questions leave a comment and I will help. I am contemplating a new craft fair this year, it is November 1st, the day after Halloween, not sure I can pull it off but at least all of my stuff is packages and priced! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Got Glue? Got Glitter? Let’s Make Earrings!

Hi Folks! I have a super cheap and easy project for you tonight that will make you sparkle! Watch the video to learn how to make glitter glue earrings:

You will need:

Glitter in varying degrees of chunkiness

White glue or mod podge

2 ear-wires and jump rings

wax paper

pliers

*optional-glitter glue for even more sparkle!

 

Directions (make 2)

1. Squeeze glue on a piece of wax paper, mix in glitter. Let dry.
2. Cut glitter film into a circle and punch a small hole in the edge.
3. Attach to a jump ring and ear-wire.

Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

DIY Bride of Frankenstein Costume! {wig, costume & makeup!}

Hello friends! Some of you die-hard frugal fans will notice that I did not post a video yesterday on my YouTube channel. I hope you forgive me because I have 3 videos today! I spent yesterday making my Halloween costume using supplies from our sponsor Papermart! My Husband and I are going to a costume party this year as Frankenstein’s Monster and the Bride of Frankenstein (Hopefully he will let me shoot a video of his costume) and so I figured I would pull it all together and film the process. I have to admit the hardest part of this entire costume was making the wig. Viewer Teresa (AKA TerryMcCrafty on instagram) suggested I use a soda bottle for the wig form, genius! I used fine black mesh tulle fabric and glitter mesh tulle in white for the hair. The fine mesh tulle sold on the bolt is super soft and full so for all of you parents who have to make Elsa from Frozen costumes this year you might want to grab some light blue! Papermart also has a 15% discount on combined fabric orders over $300 so keep that in mind for holiday crafting! Now, Let’s make a wig!

Compared to the wig the costume is a piece of cake. It is no sew and only uses one roll of 14″ burlap jute fabric. Best of all I constructed the costume in a temporary way so I can take it apart and use the burlap on other projects in the future such as burlap stretched canvas decor….that is if I can get through 2 parties without spilling something on myself LOL! That’s OK, I have an extra roll:)

And now, the makeup! I have NEVER done a makeup tutorial before. Just think, If I can do this so can you and I am simply using an inexpensive set of Halloween makeup for the discount store. I also used my normal mascara, eye and lip pencils. I know, fancy right?

So how is that for a frugal costume? $1 for the soda bottle, $13 for a roll of burlap and $6 for the makeup (and there is a ton leftover), not bad I say! Thanks to Papermart for sponsoring these videos, if you end up ordering remember that Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner so you can stock up on paper goods, gift wrap and food packaging supplies. They have so many nice things for holiday parties and gift packaging there! Thank YOU for watching, let me know if you have any questions and til next time happy crafting!

Ask A Crafter S3:E3

Hi friends! Kathy, Lorraine and I had a ball this week answering your questions….

If you want your question answered leave it in the comments section! Thanks so much for watching and as always happy crafting!

A Prairie Painting Tutorial with a FREE Pattern!

Hi Folks! Today I have a viewer request! A prairie painting for Sarah Hoffman.

You can find the reference photo I used by Rachelle Eversole at Paint My Photo. Since I did not go over drawing the scene in the video I made a pattern for you, you can print it for free here.  I hope you enjoy this tutorial and try it too, it was fun to paint!

Supplies: (Feel free to substitute for what you have on hand.)

140# 9″x12″ Strathmore 400 series watercolor block

3/4″  Angular brush, 1/4″ flat, #4 round

Cotman colors: English Red, Sap Green, Raw Sienna, Payne’s Grey, Ultramarine Blue

Other: Credit card scraper, paper towel, 2 buckets of water.

 

Paint along and have fun! If you would like more painting tutorials click here. Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Let’s Draw Gourds and a Winner!

Hi Friends! First off I want to announce the winner of the ArtNeko stamp giveaway….Phoebe Thibault-Sherrard

Check your email for details on getting your stamps and gift certificate!

And here is a fun drawing exercise for you:

Grab some gourds and get going! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Got UFOs? I can help!

Hi friends! Are you a crafter plagued by UFOs? No, not the flying variety, I mean Un Finished Objects! Not to be confused with WIPs, Works In Progress, that are currently being enjoyed. UFOs are those “lonely only” socks and mittens you started with the best intentions but lost interest before the other one was made (I have that problem so I knit them 2 at a time!) or the extras you make thinking “I love this card design I’ll make 50!” but poop out on the job after just stamping and coloring 10 images. Do not fret, Lindsay is here to help in this weeks vlog:

Don’t you feel better knowing that you are not the only one? I sure do LOL! Do you have any advice for those pesky UFO’s? Let us know in the comments section. You guys have the BEST ideas! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Duct Tape & Dolls!

Hello friends! I have been super obsessed with duct tape this week, mainly the pretty colored stuff you can make crafts with. I got some from Papermart a few weeks ago and I have been pondering what to make with it. Well, with Halloween right around the corner I decided to make a costume for an 18″ doll or stuffed animal:

I know I have a lot of American Girl doll fans here, but I love that you can customize it to fit whatever doll or toy you have. I am using colored duct tape from Papermart because you get more in a roll of solid color than the patterned kind. The colored duct tape is $1.36 for a 10 yard roll! No need to be stingy with that tape! Also I noticed that Papermart just added washi tape to their website. They have 38 styles of adorable patterned washi tape for $1.34 a 10 yard roll and multi packs of solid color washi tapes for less than $6 a package of 5-10 5-yard rolls! I can’t wait to get my hands on those! If this is your first time working with duct tape I recommend you watch the video all the way through before beginning.

Tips for working with duct tape:

1. Have wax paper handy to place scraps on, you might need them later!
2. Use an x-acto knife and self-healing mat for cutting. The matte grey Fiskars mat I used was ideal because it was not shiny so the tape did not stick to it too badly. I tried another cutting mat and the tape stuck so bad I ruined some trying to remove it. Also have a couple extra blades handy because they will get sticky.
3. Relax and go slow, there is no rush. Crafting is fun so why rush it?
4. Involve your kids! My girls took to this craft like a duck to water…or a duck to duct tape?

The ONLY downside to letting your kids help with this craft is that they will have so much fun they will use up your entire stash of tape in no time flat, good thing it is only $1.36 a roll at Papermart!…better get extra! I hope you enjoyed this project as much as I did and til next time happy crafting!

 

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