Custom Orders and Low Prices

Hello Blogiverse,
I know it's been quite some time since I've dropped by and chatted with you. Life's been a bit crazy and I lost my mojo somewhere along the way. All the excitement I had vanished along the way. It happens, I'm not upset or mad.

So the other day, I had someone contact me on Etsy about some custom items for a baby shower. I'm all about doing something different so I responded. I really don't know/understand why people expect things to be dirt cheap. You are requesting my labor, my supplies, my creativity, etc. Not to mention you want something customized for you, therefore making it one of kind. I'm not going to sell myself short. She found another person to do what she wanted for cheaper and I hope she is satisfied with the results.

So my question to you today is: Do people you know expect you to do things practically for free?

Stay Crafty!

Project Life updates

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I all caught up now. All my pictures are printed. I got a new set of page protectors. The last two weeks you see I'm using Design D. I think I like it better than Design A. We'll see as time goes by.

Stay crafty

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Valentine's Cake in a Jar

Happy February Bloggers!

It's been a while since I've updated you on what's been going on over here in my little crafty world. Today I have a project for you that I can't really take credit for. Another of my crafty friends enlisted me to help her with some Valentine projects. Well, actually a few friends. This past Sunday we made cake in a jar.

I don't have the recipe, but it was an applesauce spice cake. We used pint sized mason jars. Here's the final project. This one is for me, but the ones we made for her patients had tags on them that said, "Happy Valentine's Day".

I peeked on Google and there a tons of recipes and directions for making the cakes. You can adapt them for any season, any holiday. We used fabric from Walmart and took a saucer out of the cabinet to trace circles and fabric scissors to cut them out. After the cakes baked and cooled a bit, we took the rims off and added the fabric. Finished them off with a little bit of tulle for glam.

I'll be back next week to update you on my Project Life progress.

Stay Crafty

Project Life 2013: Weeks 1 & 2

I've decided to take the plunge into Project Life. I was unhappy with my success in documenting the memories of my little family. This method seemed to be my answer (let's see how well I keep up with it). I started by ordering the Cherry Edition Core kit and the Signature White binder. I'm still waiting on the binder, but it should be here tomorrow. I loved the colors of the kit, not too feminine and not too masculine. I apologize for the lack of pictures (I need to go pick them up) Here's my title page:

The only thing I added to this that wasn't included in the kit was the "2013" that I cut from my Cricut using some cardstock I had on hand.

Week 1: Right page - Still trying to decide how I want to identify each week. I started this album with the days of 12/31 to 1/5. I added to stamps to this page. I added the recipe I made for Taco Eggrolls that I found on Pinterest.

Right Page - On this page I added a little blurb about each of us, what we are currently doing, and my baby sister's big 16th birthday

Week 2:

Left Page - Added a summary of our week, which was pretty uneventful. Talked about the great Gummy Bear heist.

Right Page - I added a stamp that says, "You are so silly" which has lines for a quote. Miss A said, "the first 5 days before the weekend are the hardest". This was her reponse when I asked her about her first full week back to school.

So far, I'm really enjoying the process. I signed up for OhLife.com which emails me everyday to remind me journal for the day. Are you doing Project Life? Share your link down in the comments, I'd love to come check your progress out.

Stay Crafty!

2013 Goals

Happy New Year!

Let me just say, I'm so glad that 2012 is over. It was a pretty hard year. My plan is to make this year, 2013 one for the record books both personally and professionally. I started off the year by putting my Etsy shop in vacation mode. It's not that I don't love it anymore, I just haven't had to time I wanted to do things for me. I haven't scrapped in AGES!

So my first goal for 2013 is to scrap more. I have 2 albums that I need to do for others and my own layouts that need to get done. I didn't take many pictures this past year, because frankly we didn't do much.

My next goal is to add some scrapbook layouts to my Etsy shop. Still debating on whether to offer individual layouts or full books (20 layouts).

Another goal is to do more things, together, as a pseudo-family this year. As you all know the man-friend, his daughter, and I aren't legally the typical family. But we do all live in the same house, with the Queen B (the cat). I want to take a real vacation this year. Not just a weekend down to the Jersey Shore.

I want to meet up with some friends that I've recently reconnected with. One friend and I have known each other since we were 4. Went to the same preschool. It's rare to have friends that long. Another friend and I met when we were 9. That one is going to be a bit harder to actually meet up with, since she is in Oregon. With that said, I'd love to take a trip out to the West Coast.

I want to feel normal again this year. My ulcerative colitis kicked my butt this past year, but I'm ready to kick it's butt. I will not spend weeks upon weeks feeling ill.

What are some of your goals this year?

Stay crafty

Baking Cakes

One of my first loves has always been baking. I don't do it nearly enough anymore. A coworker asked me if I could craft a special cake for her mother's 50th birthday. Here are some photos of what I came up with.

Ready to be frosted

Dirty Iced

Added final icing layer and borders

Finished product

I used boxed cake mix. Duncin Hines Super Moist always turns out the best cakes for me. I used a yellow and a chocolate fudge. I made my own buttercream icing too. I used a recipe that the lady who taught the Wilton cake decorating classes used. It wasn't exactly like Wilton's but it's SOOOo good.

I got a lot of compliments on the cake. One person even said it was better than a local bakery where they normally get their cakes from. *BLUSH* I'm taking a break from my Etsy store and other crafts that I've been doing for other people to focus a little more on my own crafts. I haven't done anything for myself in quite a while. With my 2nd blogiversary here, I've noticed that I need to spend a little more time with myself. I mean, this will be a good thing for you (if you still read my blog) because I'll actually have more crafts to post!!

Stay crafty!

Crafty Love and Hugs

Good Morning Bloggy World,

How have you been? Things have been crazy around here, very little crafting going on. I had plans to add new items to my Etsy shop for the holiday season, didn't get around to it. I had plans to start and finish a baby album for one of my best friends, didn't do it. It just seems like I go to bed and wake up and months have gone by. But you aren't here to listen to me complain about my ordinary life.

Yesterday I spoke with one of the girls that I met at the local crop spot. She was effected pretty badly by Hurricane Sandy that churned up the East Coast at the end of October. She lives in Seaside Heights, NJ. Her and her husband did evacuate as instructed and took very few items with them when they left to stay at her dad's house. Once they were allowed back, they realized that their home had been completely flooded by the storm.

Let me tell you a little about Mary.

From the moment I met her, I knew that I had met someone who's soul is truly genuine. Her and her husband have been together for about 20 years. No children, other than their dog Kiwi. Mary is a devoted scrapbooker and crafter. She makes albums for all of her nieces and nephews, neighbors, etc. She had an album for every vacation her and her husband have taken. She never hesitated to help anyone. Mary is unable to work, due to medical issues, and spends her days crafting when she can. At the crops, she volunteered her time to help the owners of the store, when their staff fell short. She would help customers visualize their next project. She helped fellow crafters, whether it be cutting something from her Gypsy to gluing die cuts together. Everyone I've met, speaks so highly of her. A true selfless person.

Luckily when she evacuated, she took her Cricut Expression, Gypsy, and some paper. However, she lost everything else in the storm. All of her paper, Sizzix and Slice cartridges, Cricut cartridges, punches, even her albums. There was mold already growing on everything and rust had already started forming on everything metal. I can only imagine what it's like to lose everything. All your memories, photos, etc.

I want to gather a few things for Mary. Just some things to help her start her collection over again. As scrapbookers, we know how much goes into the things we purchase. All I'm asking is that you take a look at those items you've had FOREVER and maybe decide to part with them. If you want to make a card to give her some encouragement and remind her that life will move on and fall back together, that would be fine too. I'm going to be doing this instead of my annual blogiversary. I'll accept donations until  December 21st. If you are interested in helping, whether it be donating some of your own stash, making a card, a gift card to Michael's/AC Moore/Jo-Ann's, or just words of encouragement please email me at natashacrafts[at]gmail[dot]com and I'll give you more details and an address.

Thank you for taking time to read, have a blessed day, and as always stay crafty!

Natasha