Sorry, been MIA

I have been absent the lasr few months.   I Have been busy trying to get this business off the ground, and it seems that I am not getting anywhere with Etsy.   I thought that Etsy was the best there is next to Ebay, and neither one of them are giving me the satisfaction I need as a seller and my cards.   I know also one of the reason for this, is I have been concentrating on swaps, and not my businesses.   This is a lesson learned for me.   After I make these Christmas cards, I am off swaps for a while.   I need to do the following things:

Concentrate on both of my businesses.

Concentrate on why I am doing my businesses.

Update my blogs.
Update my facebook page
Concentrate on what God wants out of these businesses.

Concentrate on both of my businesses.

Notice how I said "Concentrate on both of my businesses" twice.   I did not quit Archivers to do swaps, but the owner of the group felt like it is totally neccessary to swap out totally professional work, not my best work, although she says in the emails, our best work.   Swaps have to be wrapped just so, which I am willing to do.  You cannot have certain items on a swap piece, which I am willing to do, but with me making very little money at the moment, If I get out the pieces on time, I am doing good.

OK, enough with the gripe session, it is time to move onward and upward.   I need good website to promote my items on, and having my 14 year old nephew as a webmaster is not it.  He means well, and I love him for asking, but I went to one of my networking meetings the week before, and topic was how to promote your business.  the person who spoke, gave some good information on how.   I have most of it, I mean I have a facebook page with both companies, joined an online networking group, where I can promote both groups.   I am on a couple of yahoo groups to promote my businesses.  I have an Etsy store, I sell on ebay, and I have these two blogs.    I know I am not doing enough or my sales in both companies would reflect otherwise.

Well at least one:

I will show you at least on of my projects I worked on.  Yes, it was for a swap for this group I am in, and I mailed it yesterday.   I can make one for you, if you would like a copy of it for you Disney scrapbook you are working on, or would like for me to work on.

This is for an Animal Kingdom swap, and it is made out of the following :  1 bazzill Suade Brown Dark (12x12), Bazzill Grey (12x12, do not know the actual name of the paper since it is discontinued, but you can use another bazzill grey paper, I had this on hand), Creative memories White (12x12), Remininence leopard print (12x12), Bazzill Poka dot Beige ribbon, Mementos Black ink. elephant is from an unknown source from the internet (but any jungle animal will do).  The scallop and smooth oval circles were cut out from the Cricut cartridge Storybook, one of my favorite cartridges.  The scallop borders is a lighter unknown brown bazzill paper (it too is also discountinued)    

This is the sketch I drawn from:

The only thing that I changed up from the orignal sketch is that I have an oval instead if a circle.   I took the top of the paper Leopard print and where the writing goes, I flipped it, and used it on the ribbon.   I replaced the stars with the elephant to give that African look, and I put the journaling directly under the pictures instead of off to the side.  Now for the tricky part.   The scallops under the patterned paper were not on the orginal.  I faked a piece a scallop paper to make it look like there is a second peice of paper underneath.  I cut a scallop border from the Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge, then traced it onto a lighter brown bazzill cardstock.  

Well that is it.  I hope that I can get back on track.  I hope you have a wonderful start to the summer.  if you have kids, have fun finding them something to do for the summer.   My nephew will be busy, and other neice and nephew are not old enough to get busy.   (nephew is 3 and the neice is 1). I have no children, yet, so I get to skip that luxury.   Talk to you next time.

National Scrapbooking Day and a class

Hello-

I know it is late, but i just wanted to just jump in for a moment, before I go to bed.   I am sorry I did not post anything last Saturday.   I was very busy for National Scrapbooking day.   I got up at 7am, got out to the Spring Preview for Longaberger, Participated in a style show.   Next, I was at my parent's home waiting for my brother and his girlfriend to come over from Dayton, Ohio.   He is going to be a father soon (the 14 year old nephew is his son by a previous relationship).  I am going to be an aunt to another boy.  So as of September, I will have three nephews and a neice.  I so need to give this girl a girl cousin to play with.   That is not the reason for wanting a girl, I want to teach her how to dance, play the piano/organ, appreciate and respect God, love Longerberger products, getting all glammed up, and to scrapbook.   in other words, a little mini-me, LOL.   I am just kidding about some of it.   I do really want to teach her about God, and how to feel good about herself, that she can do anything she sets her mind to.  She just need to respect things  like to do, and that she can do that, or something else that is good for mankind, not destroy it.
Anyway, after that, I got ready to go sing in a choir for a local church.  By the time I got back home, finally, it was 10pm, much too late for me to get started with anything for NSD.   I am bummed out about that.   the program I attended and sung in, was a program about poverty, and indifference of different races and lifestyles.   The conclusion was that has gone one far too long, and that it must stop now.
I should be in bed, because I have my first scrapbook class to teach at my church, and I hope and pray that people will show up.   It is for all ages.   I am just introducing the world of scrapbooking to them, and how they can create beautiful book of memories.   I just wish I had time to make a faith-based layout for them.
Well goodnight, and God Bless You.  Oh, and go to my etsy page for my latest stuff.   www.etsy.com/shop/plogan721, or just click to the side if you want to read the descriptions of each card.

Etsy

I have seven items listed on Etsy up for sale.  Two of them are custom orders that I can do, and they are note cards.   I believe I posted them on this blog around August 2009.   The rest are cards that I recently made within the last month.  

Please look to the right-side panel to take a look.   you can also get to them through by clicking here.  

Take care.  I have a longaberger event to go to.   If you are local, the Spring preview event is Saturday, May 1, 2010 and will feature new Longaberger products.   The event is from 10am-12nn.  is localed at the Doubletree Worthington, 175 Hutchinson Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43235. I will post further details on my other blog, and you may access it here.

Take care, and I hope and pray your weekend will go well.   God bless you, and take care.

New cards

Hello, this is a short and sweet post.   I just updated my other blog, and a new facebook page for my Longaberger business, and I am busy making cards and other things.   OK, on with business.

My first card

This is the first thank you card in a series of thank you cards I made for my father to give to the trustee women at the church I beling to and attend.   it is really simple.  no Cricut was used. general cardstock paper made into a blank card, single matted.  the wooden hearts I purchased at a thrift store for only .50.  Well, whoever gave to the thrift store, their lost, my gain.   I sponged Memento black ink on the grey cardstock.   1/4 red ribbon by offray.   One of the hearts, I colored with a copic marker, R59-Cardinal.  


Second card

I love this card, and I will have to make another one (which is one of the reasons why I take photos of my projects).
the ingredients for this card are generic blank cardstock (standard size) in a teal.   The darker blue was embossed in swirls (cuttlebug).   The red circle was cut with the plantin Schoolbook cart, and sponged in Mementos black ink.    The ribbons are bazill and a fabric lace I purchased from the thrift store, again for .50.   I am finding out that the thrift store is your friend, but you do have to watch it.   I do not know where I got the black letters from.  

Third Card..

This card is also 50% Cricut.   The pattern paper is from a discontinued Daisy D's paper exclusively made for Archiver's (I purchased it 3 years ago).  It is the Moda Collection.   The circle is cut out from the Plantin Schoolbook, the pattern paper is also discontinued, but it is by Heidi Grace.    The thanks is cut out of the wild card cartridge.    Generic cardstock for both the blank card and the mat.



Well, I have typed long enough.   so I will show you the rest tomorrow.   God bless you, and see you later.

Kind of sad news...

I did not make the design team.   That's OK, everything happens for a reason, so I am over it.

How can I keep up with two blogs...

I am posting wonderfully on this blog, and not enough on the other one.  in fact I only have one entry.  here is are the reasons:

1) I only have one person join to view it, and 2)  I have heard rumor that Longaberger may not like it, but if so, I will be notified.  for this week only, I am posting the same announcement on both blogs, so if you are not a fan of Longaberger products, skip this next part, but I urge you to at least take a look, PLEASE!!

This Wednesday's online-only offer is a great deal -- you can purchase our retired Mug Rack which holds six mugs for just $15 -- a 50% savings! Since our Mugs and Soft Square Mugs are on sale for 20% off the entire month of April -- just $22 for a set of 2 Mugs and $25 for a set of 2 Soft Square Mugs -- you can really add up the savings this month! The offer for the Mug Rack begins at noon on Wednesday, April 7 through midnight that day -- quantities are limited, so order beginning at noon through my website www.longaberger.com/patricialogan or call 614-236-4970 or e-mail me at plogan@columbus.rr.com and I'll place the order for you! See the photo below for details!

As noted above, ALL Woven Traditions Pottery in ALL colors is on sale throughout the entire month of April -- it's our yearly pottery sale! Now is the time to add to your collection, or begin purchasing the pottery you have always wanted.


Plus, during April, you can get a free lidded protector set with the purchase of any color Buffet Basket or Buffet Buddy Basket!



AND, with every $50 in guest sales, you'll earn a $10 coupon to spend on another $50 purchase in June! It's like creating your own 20% off sale in June on ANYTHING in our collection! See the photo below for more details!



Thank you for your support of my business and The Longaberger Company!

I will post something in regards to scrapbooking later.  Take care.

I am joining a design team

Finally, I am free to do whatever I want in the paper industry.   I asked a couple weeks ago about getting Copic Marker Certified.   Oh, did I tell you that these certifications, including getting MS Office certified, which I also want to be, cost a lot of money.   Look, with me trying new things, which also makes me busy, not to mention that I have two businesses to run, and to make my father happy, get signed up with a staffing agency (he still does not know that I left Archivers, but my mom knows, and they live in the same house), I do not have the kind of money they require.   Plus, the certification class for Copic Markers in Columbus is the same weekend as my church's anniversary, and my mom's birthday.  so I have to wait for the next class.  It is also the same weekend as the Scrapbook Expo on the Ohio State Fairgrounds, and I want to go that Friday (yikes, it is next weekend, where did the time go?).

So I am thinking, "what do I need to get my name out there, besides word of mouth, Etsy, and Ebay to name a few?  Enter being on a design team.   I know it is a stretch, but besides having a video here and there about scrapbooking and card making (oops, excuse me, papercrafting) on You Tube, which I do, but not about papercrafting, yet.   I am submitting a card on Cutter's Creek, an online company, which I am very familiar with, since I buy there, and on a couple of Yahoogroups owned by the  owner of Cutter's Creek, Kim Bush.  So I do not join just any old design team.  not me.   even though I have not met Kim in person, I trust her, and she tells the truth of what she has availble, and what is not availble.   so you want to see my entry?   Here it is

(ok, I really hate the way Blogspot have you make your entries after add a photo.)   Anyway, the minimum requirements are, and what I did are: 1 die cut from a machine.  of course, I have the Cricut, and I used the Home decor Cartridge, Cupcake.   I now know there are other Cricut carts with the cupcake on the cart, so I cannot wait to get them.  I am into cupcakes these days, both making them, cutting them out, and of course eating them, LOL.  the next element is a ribbon.  I chose a thin ribbon in a sort of poppy red by Offray.  the next is ink somewhere on the card either stamped or as an edger.  I actually have ink three places on the card.  Around the edge, stamped on the circle,   also centered point cut on the stamped cupcake with the Cricut Storybook cart, which is edge in Chestnut Brown by VersaMagic, then I crumbled the circle to make it even more distressed.  the cupcake was colored by Copic Markers: Cadium Yellow (Y15), Pure Pink (RV23), Forest Green (G17), and Cardinal (R59).  The pattered paper is by a now retired Archivers exclusive by Daisy D's.  the collection is called Moda. It is no longer availble, and I finally used it.  I cannot remember what project I originally bought it for.  I just know that I did a lot of impulse buying back then.  It was Archivers first collection done by a major company, and today, if you happen to go into their stores, they have a lot of collections by major companies like K and Co.  The circle piece of cardstock in from Archivers.  The ribbon I bought at Frank's Nursery and Crafts when they went out of business. the little bit of bling by the Happy Birthday?  That is by Hero Arts, part of their Sparkle Clear Collection, Coffee.   It is a set of clear stamps, and small gems. the feux stitching was made by a thin Sharpie marker.  Well, that is that.   I had mentioned in my last post, that all my Longaberger entries have been switched to a new blog (oh, that I forgot to ask my leader last night in a meeting if I was really allowed to have).   Well, I will post later if I am on or not.  I must say that I missed one important part of the card:  The Small Cupcake.   I did not just design that one out of the air (I wish I could draw).   the stamp is by Stampin UP! and it is part of a stamp collection, called Two Step Stamping, from their 2004 book.

ok, now I am finished.   God Bless You.

...and I am on a roll

Made 8 more cards.   This method uses no electricity whatsoever (unless you count the lights used to see, LOL).   Yes, folks, I made 8 (count them) non-Cricut cards.   Meaning I did not use the cricut at all.  I could have used the cuttlebug on this, but that is for the next set of cards I do that way.  

First of all, the method I used (but not in the manner it is suposed to be), is called the one sheet Wonder cards.   What is the One sheet wonder card method?   This method, invented by someone on Split Coast Stampers (website: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/), is where you take a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of cardstock, and by following a set template for cutting, can produce 8-10 cards.  You can find the real instructions and template on that site or I found it on http://www.gingerstamp.com/inspire/onesheetwonder.pdf .   Ok, so here is where I went wrong:

Although I am pleased with the results (made 8 cards), I did not use a sheet of 8 1/2 sheet of cardstock.   I used a sheet of 12 x12 patterned paper.  Even though I personally do not think it matters to what size you use, it is important that I now know that you do not have wasted paper at the end of your little project.  I did have wasted paper.   Rot Roh.   So when the instructions say a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11, use that size sheet.  the rest of it can go into my scrap paper box.   Next, I did not do the second set of instructions either, which was to take preferrably a white sheet of cardstock and three color inks with three different sizes of rubber stamps.   OK, if you are in a hurry,love a favorite paper company , do 2-page layouts, and you have one sheet left, because you bought 3 sheets, save the energy, and cut up that sheet.   Other than that, I followed the rest of the instructions, which was to make any type of card from those pieces you cut from.   So without further ado, here are the cards, they are mostly love and Thank You cards:

So this these are the cards.   Like I said, I love them, I just did not follow the exact instructions for a "green-friendly" card making time, which I do not know if that was the original intention on the original creator's part, but I will follow her instructions from now on, LOL.

Good night, and,God Bless You.  thanks for reading.