Happy New Year's!

Happy New Year's! What are your resolutions for the new year? Let me know in the comments!

Blog Anniversary and Giveaway!

This week is My Thread of Thought's anniversary. To celebrate, I'm having a giveaway. The prize is a greeting card of your choice from my shop. To enter, you just have to leave a comment in this entry. If you post about the giveaway somewhere else (your blog, etsy forums, twitter, etc.), just let me know and you'll get an extra entry. The giveaway will be up until July 18th.

I can't believe it's been two years since I've had this blog. I posted my first entry on the Fourth of July of 2008. This blog has been a good way to talk about my Etsy shop and things going on in my life. I find it helps organize my thoughts and relieve stress when I write things down. I've gained 269 followers which is great. I thought I'd post some of my favorite entries over the years:

Fourth of July (July 4, 2008)
Getting Etsy on Other Sites (July 14, 2008)
First Sale! (July 21, 2008)
Craftster Challenge: Playing Cards (July 22, 2008)
Halloween Cards Tutorial (September 20, 2008)
Election Day Giveaway (October 28, 2008)
Valentine's Day Items (February 14, 2009)
World Autism day (April 1, 2009)
Record Store Day (April 18, 2009)
Etsy Day (April 23, 2009)
First Craft Show (July 13, 2009)
Luna's Famous! (July 21, 2009)
Vote for my Journal to be in the Gift Guide (July 28, 2009)
Giveaway and Hippo Treasury (August 11, 2009)
Vatican city Photo (August 24, 2009)
Worldwide Moment (September 8, 2009)
My Cousin's Wedding (October 24, 2009)
10 Things I'm Liking and New Card (November 17, 2009)
Gift Guide Part I (December 11, 2009)
Christmas & Snowflake Journal (December 24, 2009)
YouTube & Tumblr (February 6, 2010)
World Nutella Day (February 5, 2010)

Good luck on the giveaway!

Giveaway Winner!

Thanks for everyone who entered my giveaway! I'm giving away one greeting card of choice from my shop in honor of this blog's anniversary.

And the winner is...
Square Kitties!

Congratulations! I sent you a note about how to claim your prize.

I have some new items I'm going to try to get up soon. I lost a bunch of my Etsy photos and it's taking forever to get them from the site I backed them up on. Once I organize them though, I'm going to post a few cards. I haven't had a lot of time or space to make new items, but I do have some Etsy related things to share in upcoming blog posts. :)

Fourth of July Festive Looks

Fourth of July is in a couple days. Here are some stylish Fourth of July outfit ideas to help you celebrate in patriotic style:

Classic Americana Look: Create a red, white and blue ensemble for that timeless patriotic vibe. The patriotic outfit above is from Windsor. 

Chic White Dress: Keep it easy and casual with a white maxi dress. Experiment with different necklines like a halter version or puffed sleeves

Family Barbecue: Opt for a festive graphic tee with jean shorts for an easy, casual look. Try a striped shirt dress in blue and white, paired with blue jeans.

Simple Denim Dress: A denim dress is perfect for a family party or event. 

Bandana or Headband: Tie a red bandana around your neck, head or bag handle for a versatile accessory. This is a great way to easily add some Fourrh of July colors to your outfit. I found a Fourth of July headband recently. It makes any outfit festive even if you are not wearing red, white and blue. 

Espadrilles: Complete your look with comfy and chic espadrilles like these patriotic ones from Utoimkio . Or add your favorite pair of red or blue flip flops. 

Classic Stars and Stripes Nail Art: Create a patriotic nod to the flag with red and blue nail art. Paint horizontal stripes with vibrant red polish on a white base. Add a pop of blue to one nail. This is an easy way to dress up any outfit.

Remember to have fun and celebrate in style! 

"After Every Storm..." Rainbow Treasury

I made this rainbow themed treasury. I haven't made a treasury in a while and I thought it would be fun to do something bright and colorful for summer:

You can see the whole treasury here. Be sure to leave a comment and check out the items in the shops! Have you seen or made any good treasuries lately?

Etsy Labs

Etsy has these craft night events in their labs in Brooklyn, NY. Since I stayed in Brooklyn for the summer, I went to a couple of them. They were a lot of fun and it was nice to try different crafts. I think I'll make a series of post where I post photos from each of the the events. Here's just some general photos of the Etsy Labs.

The labs are located right by the Brooklyn Bridge

At the Etsy Labs events, they usually had a sign pointing where the Etsy offices are located.



I got excited when I saw the big Etsy sign and doorway.





The Etsy Labs are really cute and look very Etsy-ish. They have cute crafty things everywhere and I even recognized a few of their spots from their video blog posts. I loved this stuffed typewriter:



At the events, they usually had Etsy merchandise for free to help promote Etsy. I love all the cute things they had.



It's not really related to Etsy, but when I was trying to find the Etsy labs, I saw this sign for a restaurant which I thought was cute:

Look out for my upcoming posts about the events I went to and what crafts I made. If you're in the Brooklyn area, you can hear about Etsy events on their blog.

Makeup Ideas for Halloween

You can be really fun and creative with makeup for Halloween. Makeup palettes, like eye shadow ones from Coastal Scents, are good for Halloween because they have a variety of colors. Having a good eyeliner, such as a black pencil or liquid eyeliner, is good for drawing on details. Here's some ideas I've found online:

If you want step by step videos on how to do makeup, makeup gurus on YouTube are a good place to look. They always have creative ideas for makeup for halloween. Here are some of my favorite videos. Just press play to watch them:







Check back soon for nail ideas.

2010 Planners

I finally got my camera to work and got my 2010 planners up. The reason it wouldn't work is because I needed a new USB plug to upload photos. It was a simple solution, but it took me a while to figure out what was wrong. Here are the planners.
The reason I did altered Moleskines instead of completely handmade is because it would be a lot of work to make all the inside pages myself (even though I did do all my pages in my calendars myself, it took longer than I thought and would be even harder for a planner). I like Moleskine journals and wanted to try using their planner this year. They're just black on the cover so I decided to decorate mine myself and figured I would make a couple to sell too. Here they are individually:

Leopard Print Altered 2010 Moleskine Planner



I love leopard print and I had to buy this leopard print paper that is textured (it feels soft when you touch it).

Newspaper Altered 2010 Moleskine Planner



I love this newspaper decorative paper and I thought it fit with the theme of a planner.

Orange and Pink Bird Altered 2010 Moleskine Planner



This is the one I made for myself, but it's still listed on Etsy. I just have to make it to order instead of it already being made. I'm already using the planner and I like it a lot. I wanted to use a fun, vibrant paper for one of them.

I'm going back to school tomorrow. Break always seems to go by really fast. My classes should be interesting. I'm going to be pretty busy so my planner should help keep me organized. :) 

Featured in Treasuries

These are some treasuries I've been featured in lately:

Have you seen any good treasuries? I'm working on new Etsy items and should have some listed soon. Let me know what type of items you'd like to see in my shop.

Figure Skating

I love going ice skating in the winter. I have taken some ice skating classes over the years and I like that it feels like dancing on ice. These are some photos of figure skating that inspire me.

Did you know I have a figure skating stocking tutorial? Let me know in the comments what your favorite winter sport is. 

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! LisbonSky won my Valentine's Day giveaway. She chose this card as her prize:

I really like the fabric on that card. She lives in Australia, so the card won't get there by Valentine's Day, but the card is blank inside so it can be used for any occasion.

I don't think I've posted this before. I was going through my Flickr and found this love themed box I made. I found the tutorial on Craftster.org. It's a paper box made with fake love letters stacked on top of each other. There's ribbon on the outside and decorative paper on the inside. I thought the idea was so cute.

My mom sent me these Valentine's Day cookies and I took a photo as part of my 365 project.



You can check out all my Valentine's Day themed items in my shop here. You can see one of my cards featured on the EtsyVeg blog. As the blog says, "! Handmade love is about lots more than general and unabashed love of fabulous handcrafted and vintage goodies, though. It's about the love that each indie-artisan puts into their craft makes every piece special."

Pantone Color of the Year: Rose Quartz and Serenity

Every year, Pantone chooses a color of the year. I like that they chose a pastel combination this year and had two colors instead of one. The lighter tones are different from the darker red marsala color from last yeaTry using makeup in Pantone's pastel colors. Use Rock the Boat and Pink About It by Essie on your nails. You can paint half your nails pink and the other blue or using the opposite color on your ring finger. Eyeshadow by MAC in colors Yogurt and Moon Reflection has similar colors to Pantone's choices. The Nude Pink Blush by Bobbi Brown  is one of the lightest shades and will give you a natural rose quartz glow.

The pretty pink dress on the left was worn by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The blue dress was worn in the Leanne Marshall fashion show.

What do you think of Pantone's choice this year?

Tie Greeting Cards

Every year for Father's Day, I make my Dad a mini greeting card shaped as a tie. I think it's fun to play with the shapes of cards. Here are some of the tie greeting cards I've made:

I've never listed one in my shop, but let me know if you like them so I know if I should make some to sell. Did you do anything special for Father's Day?

Bookbinding Inspiration

I like looking at other journals and seeing how other people make journals and use bookbinding. Here are some I found photos of journals on Pinterest:



Do you like to journal? Have you ever tried bookbinding? If you're interested, I might do some bookbinding tutorials in the future.

Umbrellas

I found these photos of umbrellas that are really creative:

I have more umbrella inspiration on my Pinterest and more things that inspire me on my Tumblr. Which is your favorite?

Upcycled Birchbox Peace Box

There's this service called Birchbox I get where you pay $10 for a box of beauty samples that comes once a month. It lets you try new beauty products without having to buy full size. It's also fun because it feels like getting a present every month. The packaging for Birchbox is really nice. It comes in these cute cardboard boxes that look like this:

The beauty products inside are wrapped in tissue paper which I usually end up using later to wrap Etsy orders. Since I reuse the tissue paper, I thought I would try upcycling the cardboard box it comes in. I made this Birchbox with a green peace sign decorative paper:

I didn't list it for sale because the top doesn't fit perfectly in to it. When I add decorative paper to the box, it changes the size a little bit so the measurements are off. I thought I'd share it on this blog anyway. Let me know what you think of it. I'm going to try to make more boxes in the future.

Survey for Blog Viewers

I thought I'd try to get to know my blog readers/subscribers better. Feel free to fill out this survey. Just copy and paste the survey in to the comment box.

Name:
Age:
Location:
Do you have an Etsy?
Do you have a blog?
Have you bought things off Etsy before?
Favorite type of craft?
Favorite artist? (whatever this means to you - musician, painter, writer, etc.)
Last book you read:
Last movie you watched:
Favorite quote:
Anything else:

You can feel free to use this form on your blog too if you have one.

Photography & Updates

I'm working on two new journals now. One has red flowers and is red on the inside. It started off good, but I made a few mistakes so hopefully I can fix it up and sell it. I really like how it looks though.

I also started one with the same pig fabric here and it's going to use glittery pink paper on the inside. I love how it looks, but I messed up the pages on the inside and might have to resew the whole paper part. Maybe I can find something to do with the pages I messed up. I might wait until I get my own paper cutter (which is coming in the mail) to try to do it again.

It's been hard to really work on items with school. I'm okay with that because you can't always do both. I've been doing a lot of photography in my Photography class. In our next assignment, we're supposed to make photos out of the words isolation, naked, contained, encompassing, and open. I have a few ideas for some of them, but let me know if you have any ideas. :)

Here's some photos I took sofar. These weren't for an assignment, they were just random photos I took:

This is a tree outside of the building I live in. I was just walking out and took a photo. I liked how it looked with the snow everywhere, my campus looks so pretty when it snows.


This is a photo of some fake flowers I have in my room. Once I lightened up the picture, I really like how it turned out.

I've also been doing a lot in my art journal lately. I got a moleskine sketchbook instead of using one of the journals I made. I felt weird about not using a journal I made at first (since I sell journals and everything), but I was curious about the moleskine. I really like it and it seems like the pages can hold a lot, which is nice.I might do some blog posts of scans of entries I've been making in my journal (I haven't been able to get my scanner to work lately though). There's some journal pages you can look at from my previous journals in my flickr.

When I sell journals, I also put a little note with journaling ideas and tell buyers they can always scan in journal pages (if it's something they want to share) and I can post it on my blog. I've only sold a few actual journals, so nobody's done that yet, but I hope someday people do so I can share what other people do with their journals on here.

So I noticed nobody did my game when I tagged them from the last entry. If you want, you can do the game from the post below. I didn't think I'd find a post that could relate to my shop and blog, but it happened that I found a good photo to talk about and maybe you will too. :)

Sea Themed Appliqués

The last Etsy event I went to this summer was on July 28th at the South Steet Seaport where we made sea-themed appliqués. It was nice they had an event somewhere other than their Etsy labs. The Seaport area was really nice. There were a lot of cute shops around and they had free ice cream right outside where the event was being held.

I sewed a whale cut out on to this sea themed fabric. I might try to do something else with it, but I'm not sure what yet.



I get used to doing paper crafts and journals so it's fun to do different crafts like sewing, which I don't usually do. If you're ever in the New York area, stop by the Etsy Labs. They always have events going on.

Halloween Costume - Spider-Man

Being a superhero is a fun costume. My favorite superhero is Spider-Man so this tutorial explains how to get a Spider-Man costume. You can customize this costume however you like or get inspired to make your own superhero costume.

Costume:

You can find a Spider-Man costume at Halloween Express or other costume stores. This costume is for women:

If you don't want to buy a costume, you can use any red and blue outfit. You can even draw spiderwebs on it in black sharpie marker.

Accessories

If you want the Spider-Man mask that covers your whole head, you can buy one here. You can buy Spider-Man gloves here:

Makeup:

There's a good tutorial on how to get Spider-Man makeup here:



Nails:

If you're not wearing gloves, paint your nails a fun Spider-Man design:

Halloween Costume - Leopard

Animal costumes are a great Halloween costume. This tutorial is for a leopard costume. I think leopard costumes are pretty easy to do because you can find leopard print items everywhere. You can also change this costume to represent another animal, such as a zebra.

Costume:

For the costume, use a leopard print dress you have or find a new one such as this one from Overstock: 

If you don't have a dress, you can also pair a leopard print top with leopard print leggings or black pants.

Accessories:

You can add leopard print ears and a tail to this costume. You can buy ears and a tail or make them yourself. To make ears, take a headband and cover it in fabric. Use construction paper to make ear shapes. Cover these in fabric and use glue or wire to attach it to the headband.



If you have a leopard print purse or other leopard print items, consider bringing them as part of your costume. Any leopard print items work great as accessories.

Makeup:

Leopard print makeup can be a lot of fun to do. Here's an intense leopard makeup tutorial:



If you don't want to go full out, you can always just do leopard print eyes and draw on a nose and whiskers in black.

Nails:

This tutorial explains how to do leopard print nails:

Makeup Inspiration

I love playing with makeup. Here's some makeup related photos that inspire me:





I love seeing makeup with really nice packaging. I also sell Mary Kay Cosmetics if you're interested in buying skin care and makeup items. Do you like to wear makeup?

St. Patrick's Day Inspiration

St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow. Here are some St. Patrick's Day ideas to get you in the spirit:

Cupcakes

I found these two cupcake ideas. The first one is traditionally green while the second cupcake is inspired by a rainbow with a pot of gold.

Green Outfits

Wear your favorite green outfit on St. Patrick's Day. This dress is from Revolve Clothing.

Green Makeup

Green makeup is perfect for St. Patrick's Day. You can find tutorials on YouTube here and here.

St. Patrick's Day Nails

Any shade of green nail polish will get you in the holiday spirit.

Check back tomorrow for some St. Patrick's Day inspired items on Etsy. Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Journal Materials

Yesterday was my last day of this semester in college. I'm taking a summer class, but it's nice to have a break. I thought I'd share another project I did in one of my classes. I made a set of journals for one of sculpture classes which sort of relates to my Etsy shop. I experimented with putting different materials in a journal form.

In this journal, I used different colored papers. I might try this on a few books I sell. I've made books with different types of paper inside, but i haven't done one using different colors like this. 

This one uses sand paper as the cover. I wanted to experiment using a rough material as a cover.

This one uses different pieces of fabric as pages/the cover. I used a sewing machine for this one instead of hand sewing which is different for me. It reminds me of a book I had as a kid that was made of all fabric pages.

This one uses tea bags as the material. I thought it'd be fun to use a material that you wouldn't normally think of being used as a journal form. I also love the idea of combining food with art.

This journal uses recycled newspaper for both the cover and pages.

I want to try more new bookbinding techniques in the future like trying new stitches, doing different shapes and using interesting materials or recycled items. Do you have any ideas for interesting journals I could make?

First YouTube Video

I made my first youtube video to promote my shop. :) I started it way back in August, but finally got it uploaded. The song I used is "Wishful Thinking" by the Album Leaf. Since I made it a while ago, it doesn't have my newest items in the slideshow, but maybe it will help promote my shop. Tell me what you think of it. And feel free to rate/comment it on youtube.



I will have new items soon. :)

Children's Halloween Costumes

All of the Halloween costume tutorials I did can be done on children. Here are some more children specific Halloween costume ideas:

Bunch of Grapes

To make this grapes costume, blow up purple balloons and attach them to a child's outfit. For the headband, cut out a leaf shape from green foam and attach it to a headband.

Dragon



For a dragon, cut green sponges into triangles and stitch or glue them down the center of a pilot’s cap. Attach more triangles down the back of a matching bodysuit.

Moose



To make the antlers, stuff white cotton gloves stuffed with batting and attach onto a brown cap. Fill the toes of brown baby socks with batting for ears and attach above antlers.

If you have children or know any children, what are they dressing up for for Halloween?

Still Life Oil Paintings

These are some oil paintings I did for my painting class. They are a series of large oil painting still lives (except the last one which is a small, close up painting). The still life are a bunch of random items I found or bought (I talked about vintage shopping in my previous entry). I had six paintings altogether so these aren't all of them (some of the photos didn't turn out), but I thought I'd post anyway. 

Which one is your favorite? Do you like to paint?

Birthday Items

Today is my birthday! I am 27 today.

Glitter Sweet Tooth Candy Greeting Card

Iridescent Pink Collage Birthday Greeting Card

Black and Silver Snowflakes at Night Gift Wrap

To celebrate, you can get a discount code in my shop. If you want to get 10% off any purchase, enter the coupon code BIRTHDAY2015 at checkout.

Keyboard Fabric Card and Updates

I sold another item! It's the Pink Lace Keyboard Fabric Card, a music themed greeting card I made last year: it 

I'm happy this one sold because it is one of my personal favorites. I love the cute keyboard fabric, which I found on an etsy shop.

I relisted the Postcards from Europe Coptic Stitch Journal. Even though it sold, I never got payment for it so I just decided to relist it.

I also might have a custom order for a bunch of holiday cards during the holiday season. It's kind of different from my usual custom orders so I don't know how it will turn out, but we'll see what happens.

Art Journaling: Journaling Books

Looking for an easy way to jump-start your journaling habit? Pre-made journals with built-in prompts and activities are a fun, low-pressure place to begin. Here are a few popular ones to inspire you: 

These books offer unique frameworks to document your life and ideas.

· Listography by Lisa Nola: A series of books filled with playful lists to fill out—from your favorite foods to your best friends. Explore different themes like My Future Listography, Parenthood Listography, or Film Listography.

· Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith: This interactive journal encourages you to destroy, alter, and play with its pages—take it in the shower, drop it from a height, or poke holes in it. It’s all about breaking rules and embracing creativity. Keri Smith also authors other inventive journals like The Pocket Scavenger, Mess, and Finish This Book.

📅 Daily Documentation Journals

Perfect for building a consistent, long-term record without the pressure of writing a lot.

· The Q&A 5-Year Journal: Answer one question each day, and see how your responses change over five years.

· The Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal: A simple commitment to jot down one sentence about your day, every day.

⏱️ Quick Reflective Practice

For a focused daily ritual that combines gratitude and intention-setting.

· The Five-Minute Journal: A structured format for morning and evening that takes just minutes a day. (I have a full review of this one [here] if you’re curious!).

✂️ Make Your Own

You can always create a custom pre-made journal! Simply choose your favorite prompts or questions ahead of time and write them at the top of blank pages. Then, decide how often you’d like to respond—daily, weekly, or whenever the mood strikes.

Happy journaling

How to Have a Vegan Fourth of July Barbecue

Summer cookouts? Totally vegan-friendly when you come prepared.

• Veggie burgers or black bean burgers I love making black bean burgers or stroe bought veggie burgers for my barbecue, You can also use a mivcorwav eor stove top. Veggies burgers are easy toi cook and you can use any toopping soy uike, 

• Grilled corn with vegan butter and chili lime seasoning Just grill the corn over the barbecue or prepare it over the stoetop. 

• Marinated tofu or tempeh skewers - Have you ever tried marinated tofu? 

• Pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and Italian dressing

• Potato salad with vegan mayo or avocado.IF you don't leik pasta salad, try potato salad. Just prpeare the pootatoes until tender and add yoru fvorite seasonings or dressings. 

And yes—most major stores now carry vegan hot dogs, bratwurst, and grill-ready options.

Valentine's Day Desserts

These Valentine treats make great gifts or just to enjoy yourself.

Try making Red Velvet Waffles for a romantic breakfast.

Conversation hearts make a great addition to Valentine themed desserts. Try making White Chocolate Popcorn with conversation hearts (on the left) or Conversation Heart Brownies (on the right

These Cherry Jam Heart Pie Pops on the left are heart shaped mini pies on a stick. On the right, why not make your own Homemade Heart Marshmallows?

This Valentine Puppy Chow uses both milk and white chocolate.

This recipe shows you an easy way to make Heart Shaped Cookies without a cookie cutter.

For something healthier, try this Cookie Cutter Fruit Salad using a heart shaped cookie cutter.

What desserts do you like to make for Valentine's Day?

Halloween Costume - Vampire

Vampires are a classic scary Halloween costume. Vampires are mythological beings who feed on the blood of living creatures. Here's some tips on getting a good vampire costume.

Costume:

If you don't want to buy a vampire costume, a black or red dress works great, such as this one. The good thing about using dresses you already have (or a new one you bought) is you can use them for other occasions and not just Halloween.


Accessories

A vampire cloak is a good accessory to add to your costume to make it look more like a vampire.

You can buy vampire fangs here. I think these might be the most important part of a vampire costume. Even if you don't get dressed up in other ways, fangs can make the costume.


Makeup:

This video explains how to do makeup for women and children:



Nails:

I think these nails would be perfect for a vampire costume:

Light Speed, Shops and Craftster Challenge

The results for Craftster's gingerbread house craft challenge were posted. I only got 2 votes which sort of surprised me because I've been posting on Twitter, my blog, Facebook and other places to try to get votes. There were a lot of good entries though and so many to choose from. It was fun to enter anyway and allowed me to try something new. If you make crafts, do you ever enter craft challenges? You can still vote for my Reindeer card on the EtsyVeg team blog though for another challenge I'm doing (if I just got 10 percent of my blog followers to vote, I could win).

I went to Light Speed today to pick up the items I put there. The shop closed down and it's now a thrift store so I took all my items out. It was nice to get my items back since I haven't seen them in a year. Everything's relisted in my shop:

Green Bird Journal



Black and Gold Marbled Journal

Blue and Purple Sketch Book

Light Pink Rose Journal



Chinese Lady Yang Sketchbook



Red Indian Print Photo Frame (Altered)



Mini Autism Awareness Journal



I also went to two shops in Chicago with my items. One is called Lillstreet and they teach classes (such as screenprinting) and also have a little shop with crafty items. They said they had enough paper craft items right now, but they would keep it in mind. There's also a new shop opening in Chicago that I learned about from the Etsy forums and I'm planning to take my stuff down there.

New Year's Resolution Tutorial: Binder Organization

This is part of a series of popular New Year's resolutions for 2016 and crafts you can do to help your reach your resolutions.

New Year's Resolution: Get Organized

Want to get organized in the new year? It is great to be organized online, but sometimes it is just as important to be organized offline too. One way I like to keep organized is using three ring binders. Binders are good for keeping organized for a variety of things including business, home life and saving articles and printables you find.

Supplies:

• Blank White Binders: I got mine off eBay to buy them in bulk. You can find binders at many office supply stores. Look for binders that allow you to insert items in the cover. Also, be aware of the size of the binder. You can choose a side depending on how much stuff you want to store in your binder. For bigger
• Magazines ... images: Similar to with the vision board, you want to find images that inspire you to achieve your goals. If you are doing a Cooking binder, for example, you can find images of cooking and recipes you want to try. For a Finances binder, try looking for images of things you want to buy with your money to stay motivated.
• Paper: You need paper to put in your binder. You can use blank paper or lined sheets depending on what you need your binder for.
• Printer and Ink: You will need a printer and ink to print out things such as recipes or printables. If you don't want to use a printer, you can always handwrite things. There are a lot of printables you can find online to help keep you organized though. (where to find printables) I recommend looking on **sy, Pinterest and blogs such as Heartmade Blog for printables.
• Three Ring Hole Puncher: A three ring hole puncher is perfect for adding holes to items you need to put in your binder that don't already have holes.
• Scissors or Paper Cutter: Use scissors or a paper cut to cut items.

Instructions:

1. Start with blank white binders. You may want 2 inch or 3 inch t hold more files.

2. First decide on what you want to use your binder for. Here are some ideas for binders you can keep:
Home Organization
Business
Blog
Recipes
Crafts

3. Now start adding images to the front of your binder. You don't have to glue these in because they will just stick inside the binder cover. Find images you want to use and cut them out. You can start with a background image and then add your images.

4. You want to know what the binder is about when you look at it on the side. Add a label to the side of the binder. Sometimes, binders will come with labels. If you don't have one, just type the name of the binder in big, bold text on a word document. Print it out and use scissors or a paper cut to cut it in a square shape. Then stick it inside the binder.

5. Now it's time to add dividers to keep your binder organized. If you have a recipes binder, you might want dividers for different topics such as side dishes, main dishes and desserts.


6. When you add papers to your binder, make sure to hole punch them. If there are files you want to keep that you can not hole punch, use a transparent clear sheet and add items inside the sheet such as receipts or papers. You can also put clear sheets in pages you want to keep protected. For example, if you keep a recipe binder, clean sheets can keep them from getting dirty.

Keeping binders is a great way to stay organized with papers offline. How do you like to stay organized?

EtsyVeg Ten Percent for Peace

I posted about a promo I'm doing for the EtsyVeg team in my last entry where 10% of all my sales will go to a charity. This entry goes in to more detail about it. 


Join the EtsyVeg Team this week as we promote Ten Percent For Peace. All this week, November 30-December 6, members of our team will be offering great handmade items for you or your loved ones. Through the generosity of the season, all sales this week in participating shops listed below will be donated to a great organization called Food Not Bombs and their Dollar for Peace campaign.



Every year there are millions of people who go with little to no food. They suffer from hunger, and often malnutrition as a result. There are, luckily, many organizations and programs that work to provide food for people who do not have enough.

Food Not Bombs is an all-volunteer global movement that shares free vegetarian meals as a protest to war and poverty, believing that money spent on sustaining warfare could be used to feed the millions of people starving across the globe. Dollars for Peace, a program run by Food Not Bombs, have roughly 400 chapters around the world that work to provide free vegetarian and vegan meals for people who would otherwise not have enough or any adequate food.

Dollars for Peace is able to provide about 4 meals for as little as $1.00. That means that like many organizations of their kind, they are able to provide a lot of healthy, sustainable food for people. Through providing food for people, they are making sure those people are taken care of in some small way.

Shop handmade for the holidays with EtsyVeg shops all this week and help us to raise support for Food Not Bombs! Feel great supporting local and small businesses and artisans who create each and every item in a unique way, and helping an organization that works to help people create a more peaceful world while combatting the serious problem of world hunger!

Visit the following shops this week to find great items, and in some shops, great sales or special offers!

auclairdelalune
amefaust - Free Matte and Free Shipping
movetheneedle - Free Shipping*
starfirewire
urbanimal
claynfiber
aktie9
jenoconnell -Free U.S. shipping, 1/2 off shipping elsewhere
beanlennon - Buy 1 get 1 half off
griffinlamps
sweetvconfections - Free 1/2 Dozen Cookies with every order
silentlotus - Free First Class Shipping to Anywhere
ladonnae
lostmitten
luniquejewellery
daisywares
sassandperil - Free Shipping
veganosaurus
artbysusmitha - Free Shipping
magglepie

I put a star next to my shop. I'm also offering free shipping all December so you'll get a discount while also helping this charity.

In other news, I started trying out Google Wave (which is still in a BETA stage). Google Wave is this new website where you can basically communicate with people. It's kind of like an e-mail and chat on one and it lets you easily share stuff such as maps, photographs, video, blogs, etc. It's good for working on group projects, planning events or just for talking with people. I'm hoping I'll find some good uses for it. I've been playing around with it, but it's more fun if you have other people to try it with. I have 8 invitations. If you want an invite, let me know and leave your email in the comments.

How to Have More Fun

Fun is a subjective concept that depends on your personality, preferences, and mood. What is fun for one person may not be fun for another. However, there are some general tips that can help you find more joy and excitement in your daily activities.

Here are some suggestions on how to have more fun:

• Try something new. Learning a new skill, hobby, or sport can challenge your mind, boost your confidence, and expand your horizons. You can also explore new places, cultures, or cuisines. You never know what you might discover or who you might meet along the way. 12
• Be spontaneous. Sometimes, the most fun moments are the ones that are unplanned and unexpected. Don’t be afraid to break your routine and do something different. Go on a road trip, join a flash mob, or say yes to an invitation. You might end up having the time of your life. 2
• Laugh more. Laughter is good for your health, happiness, and relationships. It can also make you more fun to be around. Watch a comedy, read a funny book, or hang out with people who make you smile. You can also find humor in everyday situations and laugh at yourself. 23
• Enjoy the little things. Fun doesn’t have to be big and spectacular. You can find joy in the simple pleasures of life, such as listening to music, playing with your pet, or watching the sunset. Appreciate the beauty and wonder of the world around you. 2
• Have fun with others. Sharing your fun with friends, family, or strangers can make it even more enjoyable. You can also learn from others and get inspired by their ideas. Try new activities together, play games, or have meaningful conversations. You can also join a club, volunteer, or attend an event to meet new people who share your interests. 123
• Have fun by yourself. You don’t need anyone else to have fun. You can enjoy your own company and do whatever makes you happy. You can also use this time to relax, recharge, and reflect. Treat yourself to something nice, indulge in your passions, or pursue your goals. 12
• Balance work and play. Having fun is not a luxury, but a necessity. It can help you cope with stress, improve your productivity, and enhance your creativity. Don’t let your work or responsibilities take over your life. Make time for fun and leisure every day. You can also find ways to make your work or school more fun, such as adding some humor, taking breaks, or collaborating with others. 123

I hope these tips will help you have more fun and live a more fulfilling life. Remember, fun is not something that happens to you, but something that you create for yourself. Have a great day! 😊

Halloween Costume - Paper

This is another tutorial for an inanimate object. Inanimate objects are fun and unique ideas for costumes. This tutorial explains how to be a piece of paper/notebook for Halloween.

Costume:

I was inspired to do this costume from this shirt I found here. You can pair a shirt like this with jeans or leggings. Sneakers would be a good shoe to wear with this look. I've also seen this design in a dress if you can find one.  

Accessories:

Consider carrying a notebook around with you as an accessory. You can also buy a jumbo pencil to carry, such as this this one:



If you don't mind your shirt getting ruined, you can bring around sharpies and ask people to write on you.

Makeup:

For the makeup, you could use a white eye shadow eye look to match the paper. You could also use matching blue and pink eye shadow that matches the lines of notebook paper:



Nails:

This video explains how to do matching notebook nails:

Halloween Pumpkins

I love Halloween pumpkins. You don't have to just carve a pumpkin. Consider using other materials such as glitter, paint, rhinestones, ribbon and fabric.



Feel free to share photos of your Halloween pumpkins in the comments. What is your favorite photo?

Celebrating 50 Seasons at the Oak Park Farmers Market!

This summer, the Oak Park Farmers Market is celebrating an incredible milestone — 50 seasons of farm-fresh produce, handmade goods, local music, and strong community spirit.

Since its founding in 1975, the market has been a beloved Saturday morning tradition for Oak Parkers and visitors alike. Generations of families have strolled through the stands, coffee and donuts in hand, chatting with local farmers and artisans while kids dance to live bluegrass and folk music. This year’s golden anniversary is a tribute to all of that and more.

To mark the occasion, the market has launched exclusive 50 Seasons merchandise, perfect for loyal fans and new visitors alike. Check out the fun new items:

• Aprons – Great for grilling, gardening, or gifting!

• Mugs – A cozy reminder of those early market mornings.

• Totes – Sturdy and stylish for carrying your market haul.

All merch is available right at the market — just look for the colorful chalkboard sign!

Why Oak Park Farmers Market Matters

More than just a place to shop, the market is a space where neighbors meet, local businesses thrive, and seasonal eating comes to life. Vendors offer everything from just-picked veggies and local honey to hand-crafted soaps and baked goods.

✨ Fun Fact: The Oak Park Farmers Market was one of the first in Illinois to accept LINK cards and offer matching funds — ensuring fresh food is accessible to everyone in the community.

Visit Every Saturday – Rain or Shine

• Time: 7 AM to 1 PM

• Location: Pilgrim Congregational Church parking lot (460 Lake St.

Grab a donut, pick up a tote, and join the celebration. Here’s to 50 more seasons of local love and fresh finds! Do you whom at the local farmers market? Let me know in the comments. 

Random Wishlist Items

I like to keep word documents of wishlists, products I might buy in the future or just like to think of having. Here are some products on my current wishlist:

Strapless Pleated Floral Dress

I like cute, colorful dresses for spring like this dress from Forever 21.

Lush Rub Rub Rub Sea Salt

I've been looking for a good body scrub and I like Lush products so I think I want to try this sometime.

MAC Jeanius Eye Shadow



I love the cute packaging on this eye shadow that's made to look like denim. I've never really tried MAC eye shadows before.

What's on your wishlist?

Urban Folk Circuit The Alley Craft Show

I got accepted to a craft show at Urban Folk Circuit. I haven't done a craft show in over a year so I thought I'd try doing one again. The craft show I'm doing is on February 12th and is called The Alley. The craft show celebrates Valentine's Day. You can RSVP on Facebook if you're in Chicago.

Have you been to any craft shows lately?

Little Red Riding Hood and Updates

I made some Little Red Riding Hood themed greeting cards. One's a reading card and the second one is a sympathy one:

Little Red Riding Hood Reading Greeting Card



Little Red Riding Hood Get Well Card



I also made a baby book with the same decorative paper, but I haven't listed it yet. It didn't come out perfectly, but I might list it at a sale price anyway. I really like the design of it.

I went to a paper store today and got some new paper that I'm excited to use. Some of it is Valentine's Day themed so I can make some Valentine's Day related items. I have a good collection of decorative paper now.

I've been organizing photos lately. I went through my Etsy photos and organized a lot of my item photos. There's still a lot of things I haven't listed yet that I'm going to put up gradually. I'm also going through old family photos offline, scanning them and saving them to my computer. I'm also making backup disk with all my photos. It's a smart idea to do this so you have backups of photographs on film in case you lose/misplace them.

I'm planning to go to Light Speed, a shop where some of my items are located tomorrow. I haven't been there in a year and I contacted the owner to see if some of my items sold, but he never responded back. I don't know if the place closed down or my stuff isn't selling there (or it sold and he hasn't contacted me), but I'm going to go down and probably take most of my items out of there. I'll probably put them back on Etsy or put them in another shop.

Don't forget to vote for me on EtsyVeg (Reindeer card) and Craftster (Gingerbread City). Thanks so much for voting! I really appreciate it.

New Items & Challenges

I reached 200 posts, yay! It's exciting to see how much I've used my blog since I first started it.

There's this feature on Flickr called Galleries where you can showcase some of your favorite photos from the site. It's a lot like Treasuries feature on Etsy. I don't see it used a lot, but my photos got featured in 2 galleries in the past and I decided to make a craft related one. I went through my favorites and just added my craft related stuff. You can see it here.

I listed this photo frame. It's an old photo frame I had that's covered with leopard print paper. I don't have a lot of photo frames up so it's nice to list a new one. It's a lot easier to make altered ones than ones from scratch (though I'm going to try to make more of those soon):

Leopard Print Photo Frame



I ordered some new business cards from Moo.com. I think they'll turn out really nicely. They have a photo of one of my items on one side and my logo on the other. This makes it so each card is unique.

My Reindeer card is in the EtsyVeg Team challenge.



You can do me a favor and vote for my card here. I enter every month, but I haven't won an EtsyVeg challenge yet. I'm hoping I'll win one time and maybe it will be this week. I need your help though. :) My card is the last one in the voting poll. I'm doing pretty well sofar so I think I have a chance.

I'm also doing a craft challenge on Craftster.org, which I mentioned before. You can vote for my Gingerbread City here (you can see photos a few posts below). Thanks so much for your votes! It'd also be helpful if you could post on your Twitter about this.

Orange Items & Cat + New Listings

I got a few new greeting cards listed.

Book Lover's Greeting Card



The paper from this card I bought while in Italy. I made a couple variations of this card so look out for those listings.

Purple Watercolor Congratulations Greeting Card



I made this card last year sometime, but just never got it listed. I think I didn't want to list it at first because of some imperfections (like the design on it was supposed to be flowers, but got kind of smudged and is more like a different design now), but when I saw people looking it at a craft show, I figured I should list it her etoo.

I still need a photo editing program because my Photoshop CS trial ran out. I have a really basic photo editing on my computer, but I like having a little more features. Does anyone know any good programs?

I did the Worldwide Moment yesterday that I talked about. I was just watching TV (90210 was on) and I was at home so I just took a photo of one of the cats that lives in my home. It's my housemate's cat. I think I posted two photos of the other one the other day, but this is the other cat I didn't have any photos of. She's a little older and was taking a nap on my fridge (which I'm selling). I almost went horse back riding at this time yesterday which would have been a more interesting photo, but I like how this turned out:



There was a mouse in my house last night. It was kind of creepy because it was in my yoga mat and the cats were trying to get it.

Sofar, I haven't got any sales for my EtsyVeg sale. Maybe later this week? I'm also doing a craft show on Saturday so hopefully that will get some sales. I might close my shop down for that day.

Today, orange items are on sale for 10% off. You can see all the items here.







If you didn't notice, the colors on sale correspond with the changing leave colors. So it started off green (on Monday) and goes to brown (on Friday). Pass on the word about it and check out the EtsyVeg blog to see what other members are participating in the sale.