Biz Tips: What does Your Shop Say?

The past couple of Mondays, I have been talking about SEO and today is no exception. Today I have an exercise that will make you more aware of what your shop says. You probably think you know, but you might be surprised to find out that it doesn’t say what you want it too.

1. Go to Create on Wordle.net
2. In the url box type in your Etsy Shop url.

1. Hit Submit and you get your tag cloud:

Now look at your cloud. What does it say about your shop? Does it represent your product? Does it represent you? If you aren’t satisfied with your cloud move on to the next exercise, which is brainstorming.

1. Download this brainstorming worksheet. Of course you can just write it down too, but I like colorful.

1. Next in the center of each of the five starburst, but one of your 5 major keywords.
2. On each of those rays, write a synonym. Who thought that a thesaurus would become so handy? Here is mine:

Good, now keep this handy for next week! Keep it crafty! ❤ CNJ

DIY with Andrea: Pebeo Planter

Happy Wednesday!

And you know what Wednesday means… A new DIY.

I was at a loss this week; I didn’t know what to do as the DIY. So I rummaged through my supplies and came across an old mug and some Pebeo Porcelaine paints from last year’s Christmas project.

As it turns out, going through all of the stuff you have accumulated can be the best way to be inspired. Because I decided to make a planter. A painted planter.

If you haven’t heard of Pebeo paints before, let me tell you they are awesome. They sell a line of paint for painting on glass, and another for porcelain, so you can customize nearly anything!  (All of the links I provided send you toDick Blick art supply store, but if you would rather run out and buy materials right away, they sell them atMichaels.)

So on to crafting…

I first washed and dried the mug and then wiped it off with some white vinegar.

Then I decided to paint a really loose/unplanned design on my mug. The cool thing about the paints is that they can be mixed like any other paint to make different colors and can be washed off with water. I did a couple of layers to deepen the colors.

Then, I got out my pens to draw lines on the mug. If you go the pen route, make sure you store them horizontally and always cap them when not in use. Even when you are drawing with them, if you put them down for a second, cap ’em. They will dry out very quickly otherwise.

When you are done doodling let your work dry for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, place your work in a cool oven. Set the oven to 350* F and bake the paint on for 40 minutes. Let it cool in the oven.

And then you can do with it as you will. I put a tiny Sage plant in there. Fingers crossed I keep it alive…

AS ALWAYS CLIPART FROM PUGLYPIXEL

DIY with Andrea: Paper Mache Vase

Happy Belated Mother’s Day!

What did you do for your Mama? Something special, right? Cause you know she deserves it.

I did this.

I was inspired by this tutorial on Etsy, but I chose to use paper mache (one of my Faves) rather than joint compound among other things.

And I like how it turned out. It kind of reminds me of a barnacle.

So take a plastic bottle, and decide how tall you want your vase. Measure up from the bottom, and cut off the top.

Use heavy weighted paper to make the “petals”. To make mine to the correct size,  I used a tape measure to visualize the curve I wanted and to measure the length with turned out to be 7″. I marked 7″ on my paper, and then made note of the halfway point (3.5″). I drew a curve from the top of the 7″ to the bottom, making sure the widest point was at the 3.5″ mark. That became my template.

It sounds more complicated than it is.

I cut out about 10 or so petals from that template and then glued them on the top and bottom of my cut bottle with hot glue.

I then wrapped it in masking tape to give it extra body and to further develop the shape.

I paper mached it. I did three layer of paper mache. Remember to let them dry in between applications. After the final layer, I sanded the vase and applied a layer of mod podge to seal it.

Here is a paper mache recipe that always works for me.

To paint it I decided I wanted a lot of texture, so I mixed sand with craft acrylic paint and stirred it up. It is easier to dab this on than to paint it, and it is awful for paintbrushes, but it is a cool effect.

When it was dry, I brushed on another layer of mod podge for sheen and to keep the sand from flaking off.

And then….

It was time for flowers.

My Mama loved it.

It should last a while too. Just use common sense when you wash it. Rinse it out, but don’t let it soak in water. And absolutely don’t put it in the dishwasher.

Isn’t that a far cry form the plastic bottle it once was?

Until next time friends:)

AS ALWAYS CLIPART FROM PUGLYPIXEL

Monthly Design Challenge: April Winner and May’s Topic

More than 50 votes were placed!

Congratulations to the winner Fiesta Peyote Cuff Bracelet by Sand Fibers.

Now its time for another round of creating with our new May topic: Enchanted.  What enchants you? What is enchanting, and how does one cast an enchantment? Here are a few inspirational pieces, but it is the topic is up for your interpretation.

Fairy Door, Enchanted Forest, Enchanted Zia, Kachina Wall Plaque

To enter, post a link to your item in the comments of this blog post.  All of the official rules can be found here.

Entries are due May 31st at the enchanted hour (Midnight, MDT).

DIY with Andrea: Wood-Burning 101

Today’s tutorial is less of “make this” and more of ” here are some basics, now go forth a do what you will”. As you have seen from some of my Works in Progress, I have been doing some minor (read: just a little) wood-burning. Not enough to make me an expert, but enough to have some tips.

So, here they are. I hope they encourage you to try it for yourself.

You want to start with unfinished wood. This is a biggie. If the wood has been varnished, sealed, lacquered, or whatever, you will be burning that varnish, sealant, lacquer, or whatever when you wood-burn. Problem is, those things can smell awful. And who knows exactly what they give off when burned.

When I have found the wood I am going to use, I transfer my drawing onto it. I have found that the white transfer paper (you can find it anywhere they have drawing/art supplies i.e. Hobby Lobby/Micheal’s) is the easiest to see on wood. So you cut the transfer paper to size, lay your drawing over the top, tape it all down and using a pen trace your image. It works like magic.

Then you are ready to get wood-burning. For anybody who is worried about the price of a wood-burning tool; don’t. I got mine for $10 at Hobby Lobby, and replacement tips are $5 for a set. Of course, the caveat is that this tool only burns at one temperature, HOT. This means it is more difficult to get subtle variations in tone if you are interested in doing lots of shading. But I do believe that this is a good tool to start with, and it can help you decide if  you like wood-burning before blowing hundreds on a really nice tool with temperature dials.

Okay, now make sure you are working in a well ventilated area. I personally wear a mask, and sometimes even safety goggles. The little puffs of smoke can be really irritating to your sinuses and eyes. So I would rather be cautious and enjoy the rest of my day, instead of ending up with a massive headache.

Attach the tip you want to use to the wood-burning pen, and then plug it in. I suggest you try out all of the tips that come with the pen. You might be surprised by which one becomes your favorite.

Once the tip has heated up, slowly draw around your image. Be careful not to touch ANY METAL on the pen, it is extremely hot. And when you set the pen down, make sure you place it on the rest included in the kit away from anything flammable.

And experiment with the different marks you can make by holding the pen different ways. Or burn the wood a little more or a little less. Practice makes perfect, and I am far from perfect.

Unscrew the tip partially with pliers when you are done drawing and have unplugged the pen. If you let it cool in the pen without unscrewing, it could get stuck. FOREVER. 🙂

If you choose to paint or seal the wood, do it after you are done wood-burning.

See what I did?!?

I really hope you try this. It is a wonderful medium, just be careful.

So, until next time. 🙂

AS ALWAYS CLIPART FROM PUGLYPIXEL