Bliss Guild

A Packaging Primer for the Holidays

2009-11-04T10:13:00.003-05:00

Image from wink designs

Even though it’s still Autumn, many artists and crafters are already preparing for Christmas in our shops. For most of us, packaging and shipping during the holidays is nothing less than an unpleasant task. Here are some ideas that might make this chore a little easier so you can enjoy the season.

Beth at Hint shares a detailed article on shipping along with some great resources for packaging.

Image from Hint

From the Art Bead Scene Blog, a beautiful article featuring Erin Prais-Hintz and the love she puts into her packaging.
It’s The Little Things….

Photo from Art Bead Scene and Hint

A great article from every heart crafts, with beautiful packaging and great resources. Check out her sweet package toppers!

Image from Every Heart Crafts

From Etsy, Fabulous Packaging and Wrapping with rikrak including a video and several helpful tutorials.

Image by maythird

And more helpful articles:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/search/title/packaging/
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/seller-how-to-packaging-ideas-2912/
http://www.shopnicepackage.com/about-us/

A Blissful Journey

2009-10-29T12:18:00.003-04:00

Come along with us as we travel through inspiring, informative, insightful, and sometimes wacky websites and blogs. No airport parking or baggage concerns. No lofty hotel rates or fuel costs. No ‘Are we there yet?’ Just grab a cup of tea and a bit of chocolate, sit back, and enjoy the journey!

A short story from A Dress A Day
http://www.dressaday.com/2009/10/this-weeks-pattern-story-and-sale-with.html

Entrepreneurship Tips from Etsy and The Daily Worth
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/seller-how-to-entrepreneurial-tips-from-dailyworth-5286/

Little People Street Project
http://little-people.blogspot.com/

Suzanne of Pear Tree Primitives shows how she creates her miniature portraits.
http://peartreeprimitives.blogspot.com/2009/10/miniature-portrait-painting-process.html

Where The Wild Things Are – the movie. I can’t wait!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z46Yym346QA

Making Shabby Chic, Again
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/garden/15shabby.html?_r=1

Weaving A Story—we need your help to finish.
http://blissguild.blogspot.com/2009/10/weaving-story.html

Did you enjoy the journey? Please drop us a line so we know you visited.

Weaving A Story

2009-10-23T10:21:00.006-04:00

Let’s weave a story. I’ll begin, and each of you will add a part. You may weave in a word, sentence, paragraph—there is no limit. You may take the story any direction you like, but please keep it clean. Oh, and don’t worry about grammar or spelling, or that you may not be a professional writer. Let’s just have fun and see where it goes. And remember, all stories must come to an end, so don’t be afraid to be the one who finishes it. Okay, is everyone snuggled in? Quiet now…..and let’s begin.

The Key

Katie examined the plain brown package that arrived in the mail. The return address read Bruxton and Wells Attorneys At Law, and the package was addressed to Miss Katelyn Jane Tidwell. Only her Aunt Agatha addressed her by her full given name, but Aunt ‘Aggie’ had passed away almost a year ago. Katie’s brow furrowed as she carefully opened the package. Nestled in yellowed tissue paper were two keys and a short note indicating that Aunt Aggie had willed her house and all its contents to Katie. The larger of the two keys she assumed unlocked the house, but the smaller key with a tiny glass bead and a metal star hanging from it gave no indication as to its purpose.

It had been years since she had seen her aunt. The last visit ended in an argument and their family never visited Aggie again. Though she was only eight years old, Katie still remembers the shouting that went on between her parents and Aunt Aggie that day. Too young to understand the quarrel, she only remembered that it had something to do with the attic, or more specifically what was kept there. After the argument Katie asked her aunt what was in the attic that made her parents so angry. With a flip of her wrist, Agatha waved away any concerns and answered Katie’s question with one of her own. “My dear Katelyn, will you promise to always believe in the magical and mysterious—things that happen but simply can not be explained?” Katie gripped the keys tightly and whispered the same response she did 19 years ago; “Yes, Aunt Aggie, I promise.”

Vacations - Next Stop, Paris!

2009-10-21T10:23:00.004-04:00

Our second vacation post takes us to Paris, a dream vacation for Karen Platner of Robyn's Egg Blue

(click here if you missed the first post)

It is said that Paris is a city for lovers...yet I cannot imagine a better place for a mother and daughter to bond. In fall 2004 our daughter Robyn did a semester abroad in Paris. It was understood even before it was spoken that I would visit her. So for her first 5 weeks abroad she investigated countless nooks and crannies of this timeless city. When I arrived in October I hardly needed the travel book my son had bought for me earlier in the year. She was easy to spot among the crowd at Charles DeGaulle and yet she looked different .....Parisian! So, we hit the ground running.

Once the Metro pass was purchased and my bags stowed in her room we began. It was not quite a vacation; it was more "living" in a different culture. Although Paris is 1/2 way around the world from my home it had a familiarity. Every corner we turned seemed to reveal a scene that was unexpected and yet so normal. It is as if you constantly run into old friends, the ones you have not seen in a while but who you count among the dearest of your friends. One corner revealed Notre Dame another exposed the Eiffel Tower. Paris is bigger than life and at the same time the most intimate of places.

Historical buildings and art galleries were seen but I took away from Paris a million little memories that are not etched in stone or painted on canvas. I will never be able to recreate strolling the Champs Elysee with my daughter while sampling French macaroons purchased at Laduree. I will hold in my heart the scene we encountered passing by a designer’s atelier, through the window we witnessed a bride trying on her wedding dress with mother and grandmother looking on. Another chance encounter found us rounding a corner and landing in Place du Tetre, the artist square set up with easels and artists ready to paint you or sell one of their original paintings. I felt special when we purchased earrings at a small jewelry shop and the shop owner gift wrapped our purchases, we told her they were gifts to ourselves. However, my favorite encounter came when shopping for the perfect red purse for Robyn. It was the quest of the week and we were daily challenged to find "it". Many small boutiques later we ended up back at the Galleries Lafayette where a petite Asian woman offered her services to us...in French. Robyn asked if she spoke English and without skipping a beat she carried on in English with a French Asian accent! This very chic lady offered Robyn a "smart handbag" from under the counter and it was perfect! The handbag may one day go out of fashion but the memory will relegate it to heirloom status in our hearts.

Paris, a city for lovers or mothers and daughters. Either way, it is a city well worth the visit.

Turning Over A New Leaf

2009-10-14T08:15:00.003-04:00

Autumn, a new season, a time for change, for turning over a new leaf. For Bliss Guild member Jennie Baer of Homeberries the time for change had come. Read Jennie's story of her decision to begin anew.

I've been an artist my whole life, but never recognized myself as really "good" until I was published by Leisure Arts in 2006. Leisure Arts published a small booklet of embroidery patterns I had designed, well up until that point they had just been simple line drawings. When the booklet was commissioned I was asked to write simple instructions and embroider the projects for the book. - Thus a pattern designer was born!

I worked at being a good pattern designer for 3 years. I would go through periods of confidence and periods of "I just want to quit" exhaustion. I started with a freebie website that turned into a store, that then became a blog that had links to stores that sold my patterns. Being a one woman show was just too much for me. I was drowning in the many hats I was trying to wear fashionably. At my peak I was:

1. Web Designer
2. Programmer
3. Graphic Designer
4. Sales Department
5. Pattern Maker
6. Artist
7. Blogger
8. Mom
9. Wife

The last two on the list were suffering the most. I would get in creative frenzy's where I could go for days doing nothing but designing, it was bliss. Then I would have to stop everything, write the directions, update the website, list products in the store, and try to fold laundry all in one day. I had to do it all. I was a published author and my job had been decided for me. I was a pattern designer. I was supposed to love it. So why was I so miserable?

I didn't have my "ah ha" moment until I started blogging about successful work at home topics. My last topic I wrote about was about "Ways to make work your Passion". After I wrote it I felt like a total hypocrite. I was so not passionate about pattern making. I might have faked it a time or two, or three, but deep down I knew I hated the converting of my artwork into clean lines to copy,writing instructions, and packaging. The only part about the whole process I did like was the designing. The artwork. My artwork.

I believe the only difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is confidence and believing in one's self. I had gained my confidence from Leisure Arts (thank you very much), and determined that that confidence only belonged to Jennie Baer the Embroidery Designer. I needed to have confidence in Jennie Baer. Whether I'm an Artist, Mom, Wife, Daughter, embroidery designer, quilt designer, or clown I have to believe I am good at what I do and others will believe it too

Autumn Flame by Jennie Baer

So after a long struggle one day I just decided "ENOUGH". I hung up my apron as a pattern maker and put on my apron as an artist. When I finally realized what I had just done I was giddy. I almost felt like laughing. My whole perspective changed. I was really following my bliss.
I know it will take some time to build my portfolio and a following, but I know it will happen.

The experiences I have had as an embroidery designer have not been all bad. I have learned so much about business, and myself. I know how to manage my time better and be a happier person in the process. It's just another turn in the road to being a successful me.

Teacher by Jennie Baer

Check out more of Jennie's work at Homeberries. Thanks, Jen, for sharing your story. We hope this will help others recognize when their current job is no longer their bliss, and the courage to turn over a new leaf.

Let's Dish!

2009-10-08T11:28:00.004-04:00

Welcome to Let’s Dish! where we talk about everything from Allspice to Celebrities, Heart Disease, Money and Zoos! If you’re reading this (and we know you are), please share your thoughts on the current Let’s Dish! subject. How can we dish if there’s no one to dish with? And if you have any subjects you’d like to dish about please drop us a line!

Our Let's Dish! subject is a second installment about the history of makeup. If you missed the first one, check it out here.

For centuries, both men and women have indulged in the use of cosmetics. The history of makeup dates back to the 1st century Egyptians, although they were not the first to use makeup. Rather, they were among the first to understand and document the importance of makeup as part of culture.

Egyptians were well aware of the beauty of soft skin and seductive eyes. They used kohl and soot as eye and lash makeup, and unguent to hydrate the skin. They also used copper and lead ore to create fine cosmetics, and traced the veins in their temples and breasts with blue paint. The 1st century Romans also used kohl for the eyes, but also introduced chalk as a skin whitener, rouge, and the use of henna dyes to stain the face, nails and hair

In ancient Greece around the 4th century, women painted their faces with white lead and used crushed mulberries for rouge. The application of fake eyebrows, often made of oxen hair, was also fashionable.

By the Middle Ages pale skin became known as a sign of wealth and stature in society. Women went to great lengths to achieve white skin, including bleeding themselves on a regular basis. Later in the 13th century subtle pink was added as a further sign of societal wealth and importance. Only the wealthy could afford pink makeup.

In the 17th century ‘beauty patches’ – pieces of velvet or silk cut into shapes such as stars, moons and similar figures- were sometimes applied to the face and body to cover smallpox scars and other marks. A secret language even developed through their use: A patch near the mouth meant you were flirtatious; one next to the right cheek signaled you were married; one on the left cheek announces you were engaged; one at the corner of the eye meant you were someone’s mistress.

A pale complexion was still desired, and achieved by making a cream from powdered chalk or white lead, mixed with white of an egg and vinegar—making a smooth shiny finish. The cheeks were reddened by adding a little cerise powder (white lead to which red coloring was added), or by using Spanish paper which was bought dyed red to rub on the skin. Lips were reddened with fruit juice or cochineal, a red dye obtained from the crushed dried bodies of female cochineal insects.

Stay tuned for the third and last installment!

In the mean time, here’s a couple great links to cosmetic sites.
http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/learn/articles_index.tmpl
http://www.more.com/beauty

These Five Things

2009-10-05T08:04:00.004-04:00

photo courtesy of farm4.static.flickr.com

Something new and just for fun. Every so often we will ask you to list FIVE things that pertain to a certain subject or idea. Some may require a bit of research, and others will be quick and easy. So here we go.....

Quick, off the top of your head, list FIVE things that you associate with Autumn.

By the way....The Roman Numberal for five is V, which comes from a representation of an outstretched hand.

Did you like the gorgeous photo above? Click here and scroll down for more beautiful Autumn photos.

A Blissful Journey

2009-09-30T10:04:00.002-04:00

Come along with us as we travel through inspiring, informative, insightful, and sometimes wacky websites and blogs. No airport parking or baggage concerns. No lofty hotel rates or fuel costs. No ‘Are we there yet?’ Just grab a cup of tea and a bit of chocolate, sit back, and enjoy the journey!

You know you’re from Kansas when your Square Dance partner is a tractor!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WxyzS0vCME

The Best Business Advice You’ll Ever Receive
http://thinkbakery.com/the-best-business-advice-youll-ever-receive/

Make your own vanilla
http://www.linesfromlinderhof.com/2009/09/homemade-vanilla-thirty-five-year.html

http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2009/08/easy-as-pie.html
Sweet-as-can-be Pie Pops from Bakerella

Style and craft through the ages. Be sure and watch the Futuristic Video!
http://www.etsy.com/storque/reviews/news-from-the-craft-style-blogosphere-may-28-2009-4056/

Wait……wait….that’s it, just a little longer………
http://vimeo.com/5239013

I’ll leave you with this gem, ‘Circle Game’. Get the kleenex out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmJ_nGOBV-w

Did you enjoy the journey? Please drop us a line so we know you visited.

Let's Dish

2009-09-24T15:01:00.003-04:00

Welcome to Let’s Dish! where we talk about everything from Allspice to Celebrities, Heart Disease, Money and Zoos! If you’re reading this (and we know you are), please share your thoughts on the current Let’s Dish! subject. How can we dish if there’s no one to dish with? And if you have any subjects you’d like to dish about please drop us a line!

Our Let’s Dish! subject is Makeup.

Growing up my sisters and I were not allowed to wear makeup-our dad thought it made us look, well, trampy. After moving out I was excited to finally get a chance to experiment with the stuff. But being born with pale skin, large pores (thanks mom), acne, and skin which was either too oily or too dry made finding the right makeup seem impossible.

Later I found that I have Rosacea, an intolerance of synthetic substances, and a host of allergies to ingredients normally found in most skin care products. Having spent enough money to buy a house on products that just went into the trash, I gave up. And when people asked why I didn’t use makeup, I simply told them I like the natural look.

I’m now past middle age, and when I look in my vanity mirror I am happy with the face looking back—bare skin and all. In fact, I grew quite used to ‘going bare’. But that all changed the day I purchased a free-standing mirror for my jewelry shows. One side had 8 times magnification, so I took a look at the bigger me. Whoa Nellie, what a shocker! It turns out that my vanity mirror was keeping secrets. The soft glow from its lights failed to properly illuminate those fine lines, puffy eyes, crow’s feet, wayward brows and other imperfections best left unsaid. I felt betrayed.

So, back to the drawing board I went. I’ve been surfing the web about makeup for a while and have come across some interesting facts and history, which I will share with you in segments over the course of a few weeks. In the mean time, I’d love to hear about your favorite makeup, or even your makeup trials and catastrophes.

For now I will leave you with a few links:

Celebrity Makeup Disasters

A book on being beautiful without makeup.

Triple-Dog-Dare to go bare

Blissful Getaways--First up, Cancun

2009-09-21T09:58:00.004-04:00

Julia (aka Mersea of Heart of Mersea) and her husband Burton recently took a trip to Cancun. They were greeted at this lovely hotel with a glass of champagne and were instantly enchanted.

Ahhh, the beach. White sand. Warm sun. A cold drink. What could be better?

Flora, Fauna, and.......birds!

Click here to see more photos on her blog.

Thank you Julia for sharing your lovely Cancun Getaway with us!

The Scoop about The Farm Chicks...and a giveaway

2009-09-15T14:41:00.005-04:00

To everything
turn, turn, turn
There is a season
turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven......
-song by the Byrds

The Not Quite June Cleaver Blog has the scoop about changes at The Farm Chicks. In addition, she's having a giveaway. Click on the link to see what the hubub is all about.

Then go to the Farm Chicks blog for further information and a chance to leave your well wishes for both Teri and Serena:

http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/farmchicks/2009/09/seasons-of-change.html

http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/farmchicks/2009/09/carrying-on.html

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”
-Albert Einstein

A Blissful Journey

2009-09-15T10:12:00.002-04:00

A Charming Exchange for Breast Cancer Auction

2009-09-10T08:47:00.003-04:00

Kristen Robinson and Ruth Rae from A Charming Exchange are creating a collaborative piece for the Charming Exchange Breast Cancer Auction. Check out their how-to video here.

Wouldn't it be lovely if the Bliss Guild Members could create something wonderful for a worthy cause? Something to think about....

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2009-09-08T09:45:00.004-04:00

photo courtesy of webandthecity

As most of us know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Though the medical world has come a long way in battling this disease, breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. In the United States alone, there is a new diagnosis every three minutes.

Still, there is a lot of confusing information on the web. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure site urges regular screening tests is still the best way for women to lower their risk of dying from breast cancer. These tests can find cancer early, when it is most treatable. To help, the site provides a section on understanding breast cancer, including types of screening. http://ww5.komen.org/breastcancer/understandingbreastcancer.html.

photo courtesy of graphics8.nytimes.com

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2005 there were 186,467 women diagnosed with breast cancer, and 41,116 women who died from breast cancer. This disease is the seventh most common cause of death in U.S. women of all ages.

Most doctors recommend a screening every year beginning at age 40, unless other risk factors are present. If you have not already done so, call to schedule an exam for the month of October.

Here are other sites to visit:

American Cancer Society

Avon Breast Cancer Crusade

Coldwater Creek

Talk Like A Pirate

2009-09-03T08:54:00.002-04:00

September 19th of every year is unofficially designated as ‘Talk Like A Pirate Day’. Get the history of the sketchy but fun tale here: http://www.talklikeapirate.com/about.html

If you’ve always wanted to talk like a pirate (and who doesn’t) check out this quick lesson. http://pirateblogge.blogspot.com/2009/02/pirate-lingo-made-easy.html

And for that special pirate in your life
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/how-tuesday-ahoy-there-pop-up-pirate-card-3781/

http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=category&category=paper_goods&search_query=pirate

For some extra ‘booty’, just scroll down…..a little more….little more…..more…
yes, that’s it, to the right. Do ya see it Matie? We’ve added a shipload o’ our favorite blogs. Check them out when you have some time, and be sure to send us your favorite blogs so we can add them to our list. Arrrrgh Matie!

A Blissful Journey

2009-08-28T23:09:00.002-04:00

Come along with us as we travel through inspiring, informative, insightful, and sometimes wacky websites and blogs. No airport parking or baggage concerns. No lofty hotel rates or fuel costs. No ‘Are we there yet?’ Just grab a cup of tea and a bit of chocolate, sit back, and enjoy the journey!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9TyHzP-8b8
Rivers and Tides – a sculptural exhibit found on Winona Queen’s blog

http://paperforest.blogspot.com/2009/03/intricut-paper-work-of-aoyama-hina.html
Shelly Noble at Paper Forest features the intricate work of hand-cut paper artist
Aoyama Hina.

http://www.crayola.com/colorcensus/history/chronology.cfm
Crayola Crayons through the years

http://thinkbakery.com/bakers-bits-speedlinking/
Eight great articles from The Bakery

Change can happen in the blink of an eye. Maggie Doyne will show you how.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2STnO01zGw

http://maggiedoyne.squarespace.com/about-maggie-doyne/

http://www.blinknow.org/ABOUT_home.html

A life-sized dollhouse by Heather Benning featured on http://dornob.com/
http://dornob.com/life-sized-dollhouse-design-colorful-creative-creepy/

Did you enjoy the journey? Please drop us a line so we know you visited.

Paper or Plastic?

2009-08-22T11:30:00.004-04:00

Image from http://www.simplewaystohelp.com/

There you are at the grocery checkout and the sacker asks "Will that be paper or plastic?”. Should be easy to decide, you think. As the sacker politely waits for an answer you quickly sift through all the information you’ve read about the long-debated issue; paper is biodegradable but the harvesting makes a larger negative impact on the environment. OK, plastic it is. But wait, your memory suddenly flashes pictures of plastic bags stuck in power lines, trees and fences, littering streets, sidewalks and gutters. And you are now leaning toward paper. During all this, you hear in the background a faint grumbling from a long line of customers, and maybe even the drumming of fingers from an impatient cashier. The grocery store begins to fade away as images of angry customers, huge landfill piles, and scarred earth swirl around in your head. Suddenly you are jolted back to reality by a loud voice. “Use cloth bags!”

Image from http://www.vegfamily.com/

OK, so this may be a little dramatic, but honestly I have found myself in a similar situation several times. So to help you decide (or make things even more confusing), here are a few sites that might help.

http://www.reusablebags.com/facts.php?id=7

http://www.reusablebags.com/facts.php?id=23

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/03/green-shopping-bags.php

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theappetizer/archive/2009/05/20/back-to-plastic-reusable-grocery-bags-may-pose-public-health-risk.aspx

And if you have plastic bags hanging around, check out these sites to see what you can do with them (by the way, I use them in my small trash baskets instead of purchasing them from the store).

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/08/plastic_bag_crafts.html

http://etsylabs.blogspot.com/2007/05/long-overdue-fusing-plastic-bag.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Rug-from-Plastic-Grocery-Bags/

Here is agreat resource for re-usable bags:

http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=handmade&search_query=eco-friendly+shopping+bags&order=date_desc&ship_to=

From Uzura: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=85278

The Vintage Barn's New Blog

2009-08-15T09:49:00.005-04:00

Drum Roll, please......

The Vintage Barn is proud to announce their new blog – For Love Of Farm. To celebrate their new addition, they are having a giveaway courtesy of The Vintage Charm.

If you are lucky enough to be close, be sure to visit their Antique Show in September!

What Brings You Joy?

2009-08-13T09:39:00.003-04:00

joy:
Pronunciation: \ˈjoi\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French joie, from Latin gaudia, plural of gaudium, from gaudēre to rejoice; probably akin to Greek gēthein to rejoice
Date: 13th century
1 a : the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight b : the expression or exhibition of such emotion : gaiety2 : a state of happiness or felicity : bliss3 : a source or cause of delight

photo courtesy pasotraspaso's

Cindy Pack of Cindy’s Art and Soul poses the question; What brings you joy? For many of us, the answer is a combination of things. But could you pick just one thing that brings you the most joy? Not an easy feat. Read the responses under the post. As a bonus, Cindy offers a fabulous Summer Celebration Blog Giveaway!

So we are posing the same question; What brings you joy? You can post here, or on Cindy’s blog. You can list as many things as you want, or even share a poem or favorite song.

photo courtesy of unescap.org

The Joys of Summer

2009-08-12T22:27:00.003-04:00

I haven't met a person yet that doesn't love summer, have you? It's one of my favorite times of the year, even down here in Florida where the humidity can be stifling at 7:30 in the morning. There's a lot to love about this season and I'm posting some of my favorites...I hope you'll post some of yours here too! School is out and the kids are having fun, a family vacation is most likely on the schedule, bountiful harvests abound not only from your garden but from your neighbors' gardens too. Too much zucchini, wonderful tomatoes, fresh sweet corn, homemade lemonade...could life get any better? Getting up early and going to the beach because you know it will probably pour the rain in the afternoon - that's when you curl up with a good book for an hour or so before it's time to start supper. Enjoying the evening on the front porch or the back deck and watching the kids catch lightning bugs. Splashing in puddles and feeling like today was the best day ever. What's your favorite summertime joy? Sometimes I wish it would never end!

A Blissful Journey

2009-07-24T11:18:00.003-04:00

Come along with us as we travel through inspiring, informative, insightful, and sometimes wacky websites and blogs. No airport parking or baggage concerns. No lofty hotel rates or fuel costs. No ‘Are we there yet?’ Just grab a cup of tea and a bit of chocolate, sit back, and enjoy the journey!

Create your very own word cloud collage.
http://www.wordle.net/

What the world eats-a photo essay from Time. Not sure of the year this was produced…
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519,00.html

Sharyn Sowell hikes the Cascades. Gorgeous photos! I’m jealous!
http://sharynsowellartblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/hiking-cascades.html

Need to cool off? Try a dip in one of these pools.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31669640/ns/travel-luxury/?pg=2#TRAVEL_BudgetTravel_HotHotelPools

Firekites Autumn Story – a beautiful chalk animation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gvOVWKKxmo

There’s no place like here: The Edna W. Lawrence Nature Lab. After watching the video, be sure to scroll down and see all the interesting specimens from etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/storque/handmade-life/theres-no-place-like-here-edna-w-lawrence-nature-lab-at-the--4282/

For your daughters…..wouldn’t you want to know?
http://www.hpv.com/index.html?tcode=GR06Z&WT.mc_id=GR06Z

Did you enjoy the journey? Please drop us a line so we know you visited.

Artist Profile: Norma Toraya of Crankbunny

2009-07-19T22:34:00.009-04:00

Introducing artist Norma Toraya, an animator by day and paper puppet magic fish by night. Norma is also owner and designer of Crankbunny, an online shop that sells all sorts of paper puppets, greeting popup cards and other paper novelties. Check out her story......

How did you get into crafting with paper?
I was a kid in Florida at my daycare center (we are talking 3 to 5 years old here) and when it would rain we'd make paper snowflakes in the big common area. They'd make popcorn for us and the room would fill up with these white pretty snowflakes. I remember really looking forward to days like that. That was my first impression of using scissors to cut paper.

Then about a gazillion years later I started doing animation. In graduate school I saw people doing films with paper cut outs and paper puppets. It's something I started incorporating into my animation work because it's so much fun. Then I started crafting with paper as a sort of creative vacation from all the animation I was doing. I have a lot of down time between jobs. Seriously, if there wasn't this sort of thing in my life and I was just constantly animating... I'd probably be in an asylum by now.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I get it from stories I hear, see, or read. I also obsess too much about a certain thing that strikes me at that moment (i.e. fortune tellers, an ornamental egg, a sea slug, etc) and it leads to a lot of research in all sorts of ways. I've been collecting pop-up books and old paper toys for a few years. Those are a constant source of entertainment and ideas. If I ever get creatively stuck I also get on the subway with my sketchbook and for some reason solutions always work themselves out. I just have to make sure its not rush hour on the train. Norma likes to sit!

How did you arrive at the name 'Crankbunny'?
I get asked this question frequently, and sadly I don't really have a cool or even semi-interesting story behind the name. Basically in undergraduate college I was a total spazz. One day I walked into the house I shared with a bunch of roommates and blurted out the name for no reason. I thought it was hysterical and it stuck. There was no thought behind it; no comprehension of what 'branding' meant or what 'identity' was, and I certainly wasn't thinking about the future.
Total letdown.. I know. But, it's in part one of the reason I'm a big fan of intuition and the unexplained irrational randoms that occur in life.

Anything else you want us to know about you (publications, hobbies, family etc.)?
I'm actually an animator – it’s what I do for a living. I love animating. I'm Cuban. I love soda, tacos, Cheetos, guacamole, and onion rings. Surprisingly although I'm very tiny and petite, I can eat alot. My metabolism has always been nuts for some reason. I know how to snorkel for lobster.

Early this year my book on making paper puppets called "Paper Puppet Palooza" was released. It's got a storybook theme to all the projects within the book. There are lots of wacky Crankbunny characters and each project comes with a master template that lets you build your own puppet (who doesn't LOVE templates). You can also view more of the book and the animated trailer I did for the book at http://www.paperpuppetpalooza.com/

To learn more about Norma, visit her blog here.

Women In History: Margaret Bourke-White

2009-07-16T14:55:00.002-04:00

Margaret Bourke-White 1904-1971

Margaret White, born on June 14th, 1904 in The Bronx, New York, was a revolutionary photo-journalist. Her father, Joseph White, an inventor and engineer, was of Polish-Jewish background. He believed in equality in education and opportunity for all his children. Margaret's mother, Minnie Bourke, was of Irish-English ancestry and was a loving and nurturing mother. Minnie was completing her college degree at the time of her death.

Margaret attended several universities while pursuing a degree in Herpetology (the study of reptiles) and received her degree in 1927 from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

As a young girl, Margaret found an interest in photography. Her father was a camera enthusiast who showed her the wonders of the photographic lens. She began to study photography as a hobby while a very young woman and soon developed styles and techniques of her own.

Margaret Bourke-White is a woman of many firsts. She was a forerunner in the newly emerging field of photojournalism, and was the first female to be hired as such. She was the first photographer for Fortune magazine, in 1929, and the first Western photographer allowed into the Soviet Union in 1930.

Henry Luce hired her as the first female photojournalist for Life magazine, soon after its creation in 1935, and one of her photographs adorned its first cover. She was the first female war correspondent and the first to be allowed to work in combat zones during World War II, and one of the first photographers to enter and document the death camps. Margaret made history with the publication of her haunting photos of the Depression in the book You Have Seen Their Faces, a collaboration with Erskine Caldwell. She wrote six books about her international travels and was the premiere female industrial photographer, getting her start in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Otis Steel Company around 1927.

Buchenwald-1945

from the Margaret Bourke-White Gallery

A Blissful Journey

2009-07-10T09:38:00.003-04:00

Come along with us as we travel through inspiring, informative, insightful, and sometimes wacky websites and blogs. No airport parking or baggage concerns. No lofty hotel rates or fuel costs. No ‘Are we there yet?’ Just grab a cup of tea and a bit of chocolate, sit back, and enjoy the journey!

Mrs. Hughes tells it like it is. This video has a teensy bit of language.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWrj9TaA0Mc

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/fashion/26spy.html crafting in difficult times found on shiny little things blog

A vintage dress pattern and a cute story.
http://www.dressaday.com/2009/04/this-weeks-pattern-story_16.html

Online pricing, be sure to read the comments for other ideas.
http://marketingtowomenonline.typepad.com/blog/2009/01/why-online-shipping-costs-are-driving-women-away.html

Bliss Guild Member Alexandra (Carmen Eichman) shares a poem
http://allthingsgirl.net/writings/on-display-mayjune-2009/last-calls-by-carmen-eichman/

A sweet video for the knitters—and you too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6ZjMWLqJvM

Too hot? Maybe this will cool you off.
http://inventorspot.com/articles/icehotel_25283

Did you enjoy the journey? Please drop us a line so we know you visited.

Let's Dish!

2009-07-02T16:48:00.006-04:00

This is the first Let’s Dish! blog post where we talk about everything from Allspice to Celebrities, Heart Disease, Money and Zoos! If you’re reading this (and we know you are), please share your thoughts on the current Let’s Dish! subject. After all, how can we dish if there’s no one to dish with? And if you have any subjects you’d like to dish about please drop us a line!

Our first Let’s Dish! subject is Table Grace.

Today I was eating at my favorite restaurant, Pizza Hut (OK, so it’s really fast food, but in this small town this IS our restaurant—unless you want to brave the greasy spoon down the road). Anyway, as I was reading a magazine, in came a family with three rowdy boys who were seated at the booth beside me. The boys were up. The boys were down. The boys were loud and full of energy. Soon their food came, and the grandfather motioned for a prayer. Immediately the boys quieted down and the grandfather began the table grace in a deep, resonating voice. I laid down my magazine to listen, and was moved by the simple but elegant prayer.

In today’s world it is a rare sight to see prayers in public, and I admire those who still practice this tradition. Our family continues a simple table grace from when I was young, even when we have company--but rarely in public. Once, in an attempt to make our table grace more ‘from the heart’ rather than repeating the same one over and over, I copied several I found on the internet and let the kids take turns choosing the one they wanted to read. That lasted only one summer, and then we were back to the familiar table grace I have always known.

Do you say a table grace? Do you do so in public or just at home? Would you like to share yours with us?