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Saturday, January 4, 2014

WEEK 1 - Tool Challenge - Die Cutting Machine

So if you are like me - you love your die cutting machine, have plenty of images to chose from, however, long for some quality time to become a true pro using it. This week I am giving you and myself total permission to use it.

My die cutting machine is my beloved Cricut. I love my Cricut machine even more now I have realized I can hook it up to my computer and use it. Since then I have been buying my cartridges digitally - thus saving myself all the clutter and constantly looking for images I want to use - or even better finding images I didn't even know I had!

So if you are already an avid user of yours, I hate you, I'm jealous, I mean...great! You will have an advantage! I will do my best to become cozier with mine. Here are a few cards I've made in the past with my Cricut.

I hope that gives you a little inspiration - Keep Calm and Craft On! See you in a week!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

A New Year - A New Challenge: "52 Card Pick Me Up"

Why is it some people can continue treating every January 1st as another day, while others treat it like a rebirth and try and become the person they want to be with thousands of resolutions that slowly start dying off on day one?

Well guess which person I am?

Yep, I'm the one who treats the new year as a clean slate - a do over on bad eating decisions, changing personality traits, organization and cleaning habits, and creative goals that should find me peace.

I would however like to change one of the ways I treat these aspirations - not to beat up on myself when I fail. Oh well I ate two pieces of cake, oh well I let my boss get the best of me, oh well I didn't wash the dishes tonight, and oh well I didn't post a weekly challenge on my blog.

A weekly challenge you say? Why yes! I love making cards and I spend entirely too much time staring at all of my goodies, wondering what card to make next. I'm proposing a "52 Card Pick Me Up" to help streamline my creative juices when I do find the time to make a card. I call it "pick me up" because I hope it will help me and yourself to perk up and never have to worry about "card block" ever again!

My idea is there are 52 weeks in a year... and for each week I will post a challenge each week to combat "card block". Each challenge will result from one of the five basic categories. Within each category will be more details of the challenge. The categories are as follows:

Tool Challenge: I will appoint a random tool to use to make your card. This could be a punch, die cutting machine, stamp etc.
Color Challenge: Luckily there are more than enough colors in our gorgeous world to pick from. There are weeks where we can create a card monochromaticly or use an actual color palette and have more than one color
Sketch Challenge: I will post a card sketch and voila! You won't have to think of a layout!
Theme Challenge: This can be anything! Perhaps we can focus on an upcoming holiday or occasion... or perhaps it an be about puppies, bunnies, airplanes, flowers, etc. Another category where the possibilities are endless.
Grab Bag Challenge: I will let the Card Gods choose for us. I will pull three random pieces of paper with different products, themes, occasions, etc. out of my grab bag for that week's challenge. So for example: My three pieces of paper could say: Glitter glue, stamps, birthday. We would have to make a birthday card that incorporated a stamped image and some glitter glue.

My goal is to post the challenge on a Saturday. This will give us all week to come up with a card for the challenge. I might feel extra creative and will make one or several cards with our challenge in mind. The following Saturday I will post the creations I have made and off to the next challenge for the upcoming week.

I will see you January 4, 2014 - to announce Week 1's challenge - If I can, will post a card right away to get those juices flowing :) Ready, set, create!

Saturday, March 16, 2013

I'm On Facebook!!!

I launched my Facebook page in October 2012 and let me tell you... I have A LOT to learn. I wish I had one tenth of what my husband (The Geek) has when it comes to being tech savvy. But I'm putting on my big girl panties and I got them pulled up high enough to look like granny panties with the wedgie (ok sorry TMI) and I too will possess something geeky!

I recently gave myself a challenge of posting a card a day and using my friends as work horses to help me start getting their friends, family, and other acquaintances to "like" my page. Facebook is quite interesting. When you reach 30 likes, you get to view insights. So now I get to see how my posts are fairing. When I make a post... I have a chance to see if and when my cards go viral. It gives me "stock market" reporting - telling me if people are engaged or talking about my page and how many people I'm reaching with percentages. It is very exciting. As you keep seeing my posts you will notice I'm going to launch contests. A great way to win free stuff for just liking my page. This Facebook page well also help getting the word out on my Etsy store where kind people who like my paper goods enough will be willing to purchase them. I got my fingers crossed.

I'm deeming this project as Facebook Posts

http://tartspaperdesigns.blogspot.com/p/facebook-posts.html

Sunday, October 28, 2012

I've Created A Monster: Etsy.

So... about a week ago I set up an account on Esty. I think I've created a monster. I love making cards for my mom... The Nature's Call Card Project is definitely a challenge I'm up for, but creatively, I feel a little stagnant. My mom wants a certain look, but what I love to make are cards that have a vintage, retro, or chic feel. So I can juggle both right? Phew we will see :)

Truth be known, I wasn't ready to start this store. My inventory is something to laugh at. But I thought me setting up the store will keep my creative juices flowing and it will definitely keep me on the up and up about posting here on my blog.

I will deem this monster of a project as

The Esty Project

http://tartspaperdesigns.blogspot.com/p/the-etsy-project.html

This link is if you would like to see what I got for sell on Etsy, but you will stay here within my blog.

Should you want to venture out and check out my store...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TartsPaperDesigns

A big thank you in advance if you do sneak a peek!

Cards for Sell! Thanks Mom!

After my mom and I visited Sue at her antique shop to drop of her newly crafted sign. I got to thinking, maybe I should start to do something like that. Rent out a spot for my cards. I unfortunately don't have the inventory for it. But ultimately, it is something I think I could reasonably strive for.

I live in Healdsburg, Ca. We cater to many people who visit our little town of just over 10,000 people. First an up most - the wine-o's, which I'm one of them, after all my full time gig is an accountant at a winery. I only moonlight as a paper crafter. Secondly is eateries and artisan shops. Thirdly I would have to say is our antique stores. I could start hitting the pavement so to speak and see if there were vendors willing for me to pay a monthly fee to have my cards in their store.

My mom, being the angel she is... said "Why start there? I get foot traffic in my store, you can have a little turn table of cards to sell in my place."

Granted my mom doesn't own a antique store... and you are going to laugh when I say she owns... a RV supply store (pause, giving time for laughter) - she does get a reasonable amount of foot traffic and it is just the thing to get my feet wet. Plus it gives something for the ladies to look at when their husbands are debating over which brake controller or toilet chemicals they want to get. Not saying that men wouldn't look at them too.... it is statistically speaking... well... just saying.

My mom's store is rustically decorated with all things outdoors and travel related. Funny metal signs boasting fishing skills and eating at roadkill cafes. So what better direction to focus my designs with cards that a theme of nature. These cards will only feature plants, flowers, animals, and travel.

I will deem this as my first entrepreneurial project:
Nature Call's Cards Project

http://tartspaperdesigns.blogspot.com/p/cards.html

I will post all cards that I will put in my mom's store and will let you know if I sold them!

Wish me luck!

Hi hon... Got a challenge for you...

My mom called me at work with Sue, wife of my dad's best friend, giggling in the background. Larry and Sue are like second parents to me. I have known them my whole life. My mom says "Hi hon, got a challenge for you. Would you be willing to make a sign for Sue, using your Cricut machine?"

My mouth dropped (I thought to myself, my first paid project)... I instantly exclaimed "Duh, yes!". Sue is an avid seamstress. She makes beautiful aprons, doll clothing, quilts, baby clothes... you name it. She needed a sign to put in an antique store where she rents a portion of it to sell.

My mom passed her the phone and I got the specs. Her only concern was it needed to be large and say "Andrea's Collections"... I told her I could get a frame that would be 12" x 36". She said that would be perfect - and that was it. No color preference, no guidance.

Now you would think that would be a creator's dream. Well at first it was, and then it got a little daunting the the design department. I just felt I had so much riding on it. Not money wise, more so pride and wanting her so be thrilled with it.

After several crumpled piece of paper thrown in the corner of my office, screw the garbage can. I thought to myself go simple. I made her sign like an old fashioned quilt.

SHE LOVED IT!!!

Sorry, I'm a Slacker...

Hi There. Wow, how do I begin... well it has been a busy year.

While I'm a total slacker on the blogging side, I have absolutely NOT lost my love for card making... in fact my love has grown to the point where it might not be recognized as love as more of an obsession.

Don't worry I won't be marrying any one my tools or my gorgeous paper packs (beside in California, Polygamy is illegal and I think that terms only applies to men - whatever, double standards). I have kept my promise of taking pictures of every card I have ever made throughout the year.

So while I seek forgiveness... please find me a suitable penance, for I have sinned. Please enjoy what I have created through the year for friends and family.

HALLOWEEN 2011