The results are in! As you can see, I wrote all the comment authors on a sheet in order of time/date and numbered them. Using Random.org’s random number generator, the winner and runner-up were chosen! Thanks to flickr for providing photos of the two lucky ladies!

Amanda (the winner!) will receive her choice of two packs of cards
from my shop along with one handmade, collage art piece made by me!
(Color scheme to be chosen by winner.)

Kendall will receive her choice of one pack of cards from my shop!

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Thanks so very much to everyone who commented and shared their lovely thoughts and words of encouragement! I was amazed at the heart behind the comments. My desire is to bring a little inspiration to others as I am so inspired by all of you. Thank you again and there will definitely be much more to come!

This week I am applying for Crafty Bastards D.C. with fingers crossed! Even if I don’t get in this year, my goal was to simply have the guts to apply…  so here goes!!!

Finally! I have photographed (Thanks, Dustin!) and added these two notecard sets to my Etsy shop. I designed and printed these back in November for my first craft show. These are sold in sets of 5. They are blank inside, perfect for any occasion. These are original designs, printed in my home studio using my Gocco printer. I’m hoping to use the “Robots Unite” design for tshirts soon! We will see how that goes. Also, I was toying with the idea of using the blue swirls for a fabric design via Spoonflower. I have never designed fabric before, so that could be fun! My Etsy Shop. Enjoy! 

CLICK HERE TO VISIT MY ETSY SHOP >>>

I was playing around with a possible business card last night. I think I’m liking this. I need to get some cards printed for this show on Friday that was TOTALLY last minute, so Kinkos will have to do. I do have a fondness for this 50’s teal/blue (as I see it). I was inspired by my “new” metal coffee and sugar containers I bought for under $2. Also, threw in a design element from one of my new Gocco card designs. I think I’ll work on a little of the spacing, but what do you think? 

Well, this past weekend was my (our) first craft show. I would not call it a complete success, however it was a great learning experience and proved to myself I can do it! In that sense, I would say we were successful. First off, the show was only about 30 vendors in this Ukrainian Catholic Church. Most of the people that came (all 150 or so) were quite older, and just didn’t seem to be interested in purchasing anything! Not from me, not from any of the vendors. It was beyond slow, but like I said before, the experience was a good one. I am now prepared to take on another show, to put myself out there again and again.
 

Dustin was incredibly supportive through the whole process, telling me how proud he was of me over and over… especially during the two days we sat behind our completely dead booth listening to what sounded like Ukrainian Ska music on one side of the room and Carribean Steel drums on the other… yes, it was interesting to say the least. So, again, we’ll chalk this one up on the side of experience. 

Here are some photos from the weekend. And oh, did I mention? My cousin got me into a show this Friday at an Art Gallery, hopefully more of our crowd. We will see how that one goes! Enjoy! 

My “wibits” and a tshirt pillow. We sold one of the plaid guys.
Made from an old pair of Dustin’s pants. The others are made from
thrifted or donated old fleece blankets.
 

Close up of the Wibits.
My little sister wants this one. 

My $5 Display rack from local thrift shop.
Gave it a quick coat of white, looks good as new.
I think it was originally used to house sewing patterns. 
 

Detail shot on the display rack and cards. 
 

Extra Gocco cards for sale. Picked up the blue metal container
for .69 cents at my local thrift store. I have another matching
SUGAR one that is quite larger for .99 cents. I love the color.
 

One of my new designs I created for a Gocco Swap.
I love this one so much. I think I’ll make it into a tshirt!
 

Make these from glass chips and magazine/junk mail clippings and a little felt.  

Detail of one of the shirt designs.
 

 Tiered Dessert Tray I made from thrifted and donated vintage items.
 

This is what I first saw when I walked into the church. LOTS of sausages.
 

LUNCH! Those potato ravioli type things were SO YUMMY! Pyrohys? 
 

Dustin thoroughly enjoyed every bit of his food. 
Isn’t his hat great?  
 

I’m excited for the next show. I hope things pick up. I did get a lot of great feedback from other wonderful vendors at this show, so that was very encouraging. Oh, did I mention, we definitely spent more at the show than we made! But that’s ok. We found some great vintage items. I’ll share those next week. Until then… HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! 

I’m bummed. I’ve had really great results with my Gocco until today. (Not the Gocco’s fault, mind you.) It’s frustrating that changing factors disrupt your results. However, I get it. I know when you change something you are almost guaranteed to run into a snag, especially with printing.

This first card was supposed to be something to make my husband happy. Instead, he’s lost all hope for his design to EVER be brought to reality. You see, we attempted screen printing this for T-shirts one afternoon with total and utter failure So, trying to be an encouraging wife I suggested we print the design onto some cards since I have had such great success. (He wants to send people encouraging notes.) Hmm, hopelessness soon set in once he saw the design was stuck (more than usual) to the screen. I always get a little stick-age between my design and the screen after it is exposed, but this was crazy… parts of the paper were fused to the screen. So sad. I will try again in hopes of boosting Dustin’s ego. 

Since, I had bad luck with the first print, I decided to draw something with my RISO pen. Some Horse chestnut leaves actually. I thought cropped the right way might look really pretty on a crisp white card. I traced over a drawing I had done this weekend and filled in the leaves with my pen. I, then, laid white paper under the trace to make sure the print would come out well. Hmm, disappointment … again. I’m not sure if the heat from the bulbs reacted with the tracing paper, or if the paper didn’t give me good coverage with the pen. Either way, it did not come out the way I had hoped. And, I definitely inked the screen VERY well. Gr! Do I give up or try again? 

One last shot with the Gocco. Thankfully, I had written out a little something to go on the backs of my cards and burned it into the same screen with the leaves. Hallelujah! It worked. It’s little bit less than crisp (which I have a hard time accepting with my anal-retentive nature when it comes to my designs), BUT I actually am quite happy with it. Maybe it makes it a little more “real”, reinforcing that “handmade quality” that I love. I’m happy to have something to finish off the cards by adding this information and my mark. 

Although I wouldn’t call this a successful day of printing, I’m happy it wasn’t a total bust. Did I mention Gocco printing on your couch results in…. green ink on your couch?