Artfire Cafemom Team

Merry Christmas...

2009-12-25T16:22:00.002-09:00

... and a supper HAPPY NEW YEAR in 2010!

From the team members of Artfire Cafemom Team to you and yours! Be on the lookout in 2010 for great things coming from the group!

Say "Booooooo!" and Vote for Your Favorite Halloween Themed Item

2009-10-21T06:41:00.004-08:00

With Halloween just around the corner, it’s time to vote for your favorite item in the ACT October Contest. Our theme was “Booooooo!” and 4 of our talented artists submitted one of their creations.

First up, is a Devil Ring submitted by the Vermont mother and daughter team at With Our Hands. The size is adjustable.

Second, Coco of ByCoco--Art for Everyday Enjoyment, who hails from Maine, submitted her stained glass Ghost and Bat Duo, which measures approximately 4.5"x2.5".

Next, Haffina Creations from Southern Australia created this polymer clay Evil Tomato Keyring. The eyes and mouth of the tomato are glow in the dark clay, and each side is different.

Finally, Creations With Heart, a Jewelry artisan from Michigan entered these glass bead Ghost Earrings made with sterling silver ear wires.

It’s now up to you to help determine which of these pieces best fits our October theme: "Booooooo!" To find out more about each piece just click on either it's picture or its title. If you'd like to see other works by that artist, click on the name of their studio. Once you've made up your mind, please vote using the poll below.

Each month, members of this Artfire Artisan Guild are challenged to create something that represents a specific theme. The contest is designed to spur their creativity in the spirit of friendly competition. Stay tuned to find out who won the Artfire Cafemom Team's contest this month.

What will our November theme will be? Becoming a follower of this blog is an easy way to keep abreast of future themes. If you're an artist and would like to participate in our monthly contests, join our guild on Artfire.com. We are user friendly and welcome new members.

StichNLove's Tie-Dyed Ensemble Wins ACT's Retro Challenge

2009-09-22T06:55:00.007-08:00

Congratulations to Christie of StitchNLove for winning ACT's retro themed September Challenge. At the beginning of the month, our guild master, Jenn of Jemz, dared us to get "groovy" with the 1960's and 70s and create something "far out". And Christie responded by creating this funk-a-delic (a creative combination of the words funky and psychedelic) Tye Dyed Bell Bottom Outfit complete with a cloche hat.

Christie was captivated by the material from the moment she first laid her eyes on it. Each time she returned to the store, she was once again drawn to the colorful tie-died material but couldn't figure out what to do with it until the theme of ACT's September challenge was announced. "When I thought of the 60's and 70's, I thought of bell bottoms and tie-dye. This outfit blends the two," said Christie.

Christie designed this boutique outfit using patterns she found online at You Can Make This. She used Toni Hamel's Skinny Bell Bottoms pattern as the basis. She combined elements of two shirt patterns from the same site to create the tie-dyed top. Even the hat pattern came from You Can Make This!

The pants pattern seemed to run a little big, which presented her with an additional challenge. However Christie was very pleased with the overall project and said, "It took about a day from cut to last stitch, but it came together even better than I imagined."

Knowing that Christie is Mom to 6 children, I asked her when and how she carves out the time to design and sew her outfits. Her reply: "Very creatively actually. I sew when Dad is home in the evenings and after bed time. And I sew during the day as much as the kids will let me. There are only two not in school. Next year, I have to decide if I am going to homeschool my youngest daughter, and that will be interesting: homeschool and a sewing business.

(Any homeschoolers out there? Leave your tips for Christie in the comments below.)

When I expressed my curiosity about what her young model had to say about the outfit, Christie shared this antidote. "She is such a ham! She often stands next to my mirage of outfits with her hands in a prayer position and asks what she can wear. This outfit, if I am not mistaken, she wore to bed that night, she liked it so much!"

Each month ACT (Artfire CafeMom Team) challenges its guild members to create something that reflects the chosen theme. Member artists have 21 days to submit their entry by posting a picture of their item in a designated thread within the guild's forum on Cafemom.com. The general public, as well as guild members, are then invited to vote for their favorite item during the last week of the month.

Christie was the only one to rise to the challenge this month, but even if there had been several artists competing, I do believe that she would have won hands down with this 60's & 70's inspired bell bottom ensemble.

To find out more information about ordering this fun colorful outfit in the right size for your little lass, just click on the link to go to the listing for this Tye Dyed Bell Bottom Outfit in StitchNLove's Studio on Artfire.com.

Introducing Julie from Creations With Heart

2009-09-06T11:15:00.000-08:00

Last on our ACT PowerUp Promotion is Julie from Creations With Heart!

This creative lady started making friendship bracelets, in middle school. She had a ton of fun making and sharing those and those eventually grew into nicer jewelry.

In her own words," It wasn't until 2006 when I started creating again as a way of relaxing. I read beading magazines and searched the internet learning the basics and going from there as I caught on. I found myself making classic, western and paw print designs - very fitting for me! Shortly after, I had my own website, selling my own jewelry designs for the first time! Then Etsy came along and just this year, I starting selling on the amazing ArtFire! I'm having a blast! I continue to learn new techniques, bringing fresh, new creations to you!"

Julie offers Earrings, Bracelets, Necklaces and Anklets in her store. Specially for all you animal lovers like Julie, her doggies inspired her Paw Print Jewelry collection and it continues to grow! Keep on the look-out for new designs!

Get 10% Off Your Order - Just add ACTPROMO4 in the Note To The Seller box~ Promotion ends 9th Sept 2009!! Hurry!!

Julie wants you to know also," Please don't hesitate to e-mail me if you have any questions regarding the website or any jewelry creations. If you see something sold and you're interested in it, just e-mail me and we can work something out. I also take custom orders! Stop by for a visit ~ I'd love to hear from you!"

Visit Julie and CreationsWithHeart at...
http://www.creationswithheart.com/

http://www.creationswithheart.artfire.com/

http://www.creationswithheart.etsy.com/

http://www.creationswithheart.blogspot.com/

http://www.twitter.com/creationswheart

http://www.byhand.me/creationswithheart

Introducing Stacey from SWDesigns

2009-09-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

Here is Stacey from SWDesigns, a stay-at-home-mom to 4 teenagers with a wonderful husband and sweet old golden retriever. She loves to cook and read books whenever she can.

In her own words, "I've enjoyed all kinds of crafting my whole life. A few years ago, I began making earrings and bracelets as gifts and for fundraisers for my children's schools. From this I received several requests for other items or for jewelry to go with an outfit. Last year, a local store started a display of several of my items, especially jewelry sets."

Stacey makes really beautiful handcrafted necklaces, bracelets and earrings out of a variety of materials, especially pearls, crystals and gemstones.

Special Promotion: All jewelry will be on sale 20% off, until 5th Sept 2009.

Visit Stacey at SWDesigns and follow her at her twitter account!!

Introducing Christie from Stitch'N Love Boutique

2009-08-29T10:45:00.000-08:00

Meet Christie from Stitch'N Love Boutique!!! A Mom to 6 precious kids who believes that "handmade trumps factory-made anyday. The price is well worth it." How true.

Christie has been selling online for a little over a year. She first learned how to sew as a teenager and has always been interested in crafts. She started Stitch'N Love at first to make quilts, then moved into handbags, then hairbows, then nap mats, then it exploded into sewing clothes!!! Now she does a little bit of everything and hope to have a full service online boutique!

Christie offers a little bit of everything: children's clothing, parent accessories, hair accessories, children's accessories and more...

Enjoy 15% discount with "ACT2009" in note to seller. Promotion valid until 3rd Sept 09!! Grab your favourites today!!

Visit Christie at Stitch'N Love today!!

Introducing Robin and Caeli from Everyday Moments

2009-08-25T10:39:00.000-08:00

I really like Robin's store name; Everyday Moments.

It feels.. so captivating.. and has the impression of a photographer who is always around to capture the important everyday moments that we missed out... Really.. In our busy lives, we are almost always rushing from corner to corner and overlook so many beautiful moments..

Please meet Robin, a mom and a photographer. Her very first camera, the trusty Nikon F was a special gift from her dad when she was 13 and she has been taking pictures ever since...

In her own words, "It is truly my passion. I love to find new ways to share my photos and I am currently working on prints, coasters, and jewelry...and many other possibilities.."

Robin offers Photo Jewelry, Photo Cards and Prints currently and she intends to add more in future. Besides that, I woud like to also mention Caeli, Robin's beautiful 8 year-old daughter who designs and hand-make lovely jewelry in her little Caeli's Corner!!

Specially for you, Robin and Caeli is offering Free shipping until 28th August 2009!! Hurry!!

Check out Robin and Caeli's store at Everyday Moments!

Vote for "Ret Hot"

2009-08-21T12:54:00.012-08:00

Our ACT contest theme for August is "Red Hot" and we have, for your deliberation, eight hot, Hot, HOT, unique handmade works of art from Artfire studios which belong to our members. At first, I was surprised to see that no one entered an artistic rendition of a hot chilli pepper, but then I remembered how creative we all are, and that might have been just too predictable.

After reviewing the submissions below, please vote for your favorite red hot item. Unfortunately, you must pick just one, but feel free to leave comments about the others you liked in the the comment section below. Thanks for helping us to select this months winner.

___________________________

Handmade Pink and Red Apple Large Zip Pouch (Applique on Linen)

by djStoreRoom

___________________________

Ray-Lee Manta Ray Sock Drawer Refresher

by Eddy G

___________________________

Desert Fortress Abstract Watercolor Blazing Red Rocks of Sedona, AZ

by Spirit Essence Art

___________________________

Red Sweetheart Coffee Cup Cozy

by SubEarthan Cottage

___________________________

Look Hot Hot Hot in Cherry Red Jewelry Set

by The Blue Beadle

___________________________

Red Super Soft Scarf with Angel Hair

by With Our Hands

___________________________

Chainmaille Necklace Fire and Ice Byzantine

by HaffinaCreations

___________________________

For Any Old Red Hat "Hottie"

by ByCoco

___________________________

Introducing Kelsey from Bows For Baby

2009-08-21T10:19:00.001-08:00

Here's Kelsey from Bows For Baby!! I absolutely love her Crocheted Booties!!!

In her own words, "I am a 25 year old FT college student, army wife and mom. When I'm not in school I'm at home with my daughter. I got into hair bow making when she was an infant and I took to it instantly! I think there's nothing more adorable than a big bow adorning her head!"

You can find Bug Bows, Crochet Sets, Hand Crochet Beanies, Hand Crocheted Booties, Misc Clips, Simple Clips, Stacked Pinwheel Bows - L, Tuxedo Clips, Large Pinwheel Bows, Mini Korkers, Small Pinwheel Bows, Tutus and more that values between $1-$25!!

Specially for you, Kelsey is offering 15% off everything in her store (excluding custom orders) during these 4days only!! Hurry!!

Visit Kelsey at Bows For Baby! Read more about her thoughts and updates at her blog!

Introducing Tamra and Linda from WithOurHands.

2009-08-17T08:06:00.001-08:00

Check out this fabulous collaboration between yet another mother&daughter team!! Here's Tamra and Linda from WithOurHands!!

WithOurHands is a little artfire shop stocked fully with greeting cards, scarves, handbags/ purses, dishcloths, facecloths, cell phone/ iPod holders, bag dispensers, wrist cuffs, finger puppets, swiffer covers, market bags, jewelry, upcycled notebooks, paper crafts and more!!

This little formidable team is really creative and great with their hands. They would always make their own christmas ornaments and donate them to the church for their craft fair every year. Between them, they have 60+ years of experience!!!

For just these 4 days, you can enjoy free shipping on all orders over $25!!

Visit Tamra and Linda at withourhands
and check out their blog at for more updates!!

Introducing Arlene from Spirit Essence Art

2009-08-13T08:36:00.001-08:00

Next up on the PowerUp list is Arlene from Spirit Essence Art!!

Arlene started working with glass 25 years ago, doing custom stained glass windows for her customers. When she later discover fused glass, she became so passionate about it that she continues working with it until this day. The creative and experimental Arlene first started painting with oils. Now, she does watercolors and has dabbled a little with acrylic paints of late. Arlene even had her own supply and gift shop!! Amazing isnt it?? Who hasnt dreamt of having her very own gift shop?? And, to actually own a Supply & Gift Shop?? Fabulous!!

Arlene work at home in her own studio in western Pennsylvania and have her art pieces listed exclusively on Artfire!! She is also an active Member of Artfire Cafemom Team Guild and also Guild Master of A Passion For Painting Guild. She is an excellent leader and team member who always try to help out whenever she is needed!!

You should definitely check out her store offerings of Watercolor paintings, Oil paintings, Fused Glass Art Pieces and Fused Glass Jewelry!!

Check out Arlene at her
artfire store
blog
twitter
facebook

Power UP : DJ Storeroom

2009-08-09T14:11:00.003-08:00

Name: Diana

Shop Name: djstoreroom

URL Links: Etsy, Artfire ,Flickr, Blog, Twitter

Product Range: PDF Sewing Tutorials with Sewing Patterns for Zip Pouches and Wristlets, Vintage Buttons, Handmade Bags and Purses, Handmade Vintage Button Bracelets and more...

Experience: I started sewing during my school days and totally stopped once I finished my O'Levels.. And, I couldnt believe that I got first place for fashion and fabrics in the whole school.. It was only when my daughter was born that I started sewing again.. To get back my skills, I went online and registered for a long distance course on Dressmaking and Design. Today, I sew and craft daily with my daughter. Many times, I sew using my own patterns and decided to share my them online through pdf sewing patterns. These include really simple english, lotsa pictures and sewing patterns to print, cut and use immediately! Perfect for the busy sewers like you and me...

Special Promotion: Free Reversible Pin Cushion Sewing Tutorial with Sewing Pattern with each purchase of a Pdf Pattern

Introducing Jenn from JazzyJemz and MyBraggBag

2009-08-05T08:15:00.000-08:00

Today's ACT PowerUp Spotlight is on Jenn from JazzyJemz and My Bragg Bag.

Jenn is an Army wife and mother to a beautiful toddler and two cats. She has been an avid crocheter since she was 7. She daubles in knitting and loves to draw. She has been crafting all her life, thanks to her wonderful teacher- her mother. She won her first art contest at the age of 7 and had her pen and ink drawing of a white tiger published. After graduating college and working several years as a social worker, her drive shifted back to crochet and sewing when her daughter was born. She self taught herself to sew!! She has always had a passion in creating items with her hands.

JazzyJemz has clothing, toys, blankets, bibs, burp cloths and more items for babies and nursing items and diaper bags for the moms. MyBraggBag is where you can find custom-made military purses. She has also plans to expand the line of items in MyBraggBag to include other Military related accessories & clothing.

Just for you, Jenn has kindly offered Free shipping on all orders over $30 until the end of the August!! What are you waiting for?? Get Shopping!! Here are some of my favourites...

Jenn is also our Artfire Cafemom Team Guild Master and an admin for the Artfire Sew What Guild. She also holds membership in several other teams/ guilds on both Artfire and Etsy. Her commitment to promoting Handmade really inspires me and many mommies around. Thanks for the work, Jenn!!

Visit Jenn at
JazzyJemz Blog
MyBraggBag Store
JazzyJemz Store

Specially presented by Artfire Cafemom Team Guild.

Introducing Charity from SubEarthanCottage

2009-08-01T08:02:00.000-08:00

Here is introducing a very special lady, Charity of SubEarthanCottage, from our Artfire Cafemom Team, one of the specialty guild on Artfire.

Charity is wife to a wonderful man and a SAHM to one beautiful and very active 3 year old son. She learned to sew sometime in elementary school and has always enjoyed creating and making gifts for her family and friends. Charity started researching soap making about nine years ago and it was only a few years later that she attempted making handmade soap of her own. She started seling her handmade soap two years ago after much experimentation on herself, her friends and her family.

Charity has much to offer for you, your friends and your family. Her handmade shop is loaded with Handmade Soap in 4-5 ounces, 5-6+ ounces or Sets, Eco-Friendly and Upcycled products including Coffee Cozies, T-shirt Totes & Shopping Bags, Jewelry and more..

I checked out her store and guess what, she even offer samples!! You get to pick 5 samples of her handmade soap! Isnt that cool? Try first and we can later come back for the fragrances that we love. Did you notice that she even has a discount and sales section? And, specially for you, Charity has decided to throw in a free bar of soap for every $20 that you spend in either her artfire store or her etsy store!!

This looks totally delicious!!!

Charity is a very friendly mom who loves to chat and is always open to questions and comments. Do feel free to contact her for more information on her handmade goodies!! Meanwhile, you can stroll over to her blog to read more about her, or follow her on twitter!!

Quick Links
http://subearthancottage.artfire.com/
http://sophiecls.etsy.com/
http://subearthancottage.blogspot.com/
http://www.twitter.com/sophiecls
http://www.artfirecafemomteam.blogspot.com/

ACT Power Up Promotion Starting 1st August

2009-07-29T06:34:00.004-08:00

Photo; Karate Mom courtesy from Flickr; chobecajero.

Hello Mommies,

Here is a chance for you to further promote your artfire store!! Its the ACT PowerUp!! We are gathering troops for this free promotional campaign!

If you are a member of our Artfire Cafemom Team Guild AND Artfire Cafemom Team, you are eligible to join us!! If you are a new member of our guild, please complete your application at cafemom.com to become eligible for this.

For further details, check out the forums at cafemom.com!!

*you would need to login..*

Quick!! You need to register, on a first-come-first-served basis!! Last day for joining in the fun is the 7th August!! Everyone gets 4days full of promotion!! Here is your chance to make use of our guild's cooperative efforts!!

Artfire Cafemom Team has lots more promotional ideas for you!

Join us now!! You have 9 more days to register!!

Vote for Your Favorite in ACT's July Summertime Contest

2009-07-21T15:30:00.016-08:00

We have some great entries this month, which may make it hard to pick a favorite. But we want your vote and the votes of your friends, so please tweet, digg, plurk, email, post, or pass this link along in whatever way you communicate online.
Voting begins now and will run through July 31. July's winner and August's ACT Contest theme will be announced right here on our ACT Blog at the beginning of August. So, pick your favorite, vote, and may the best summertime creation win...

Fab Fuzzy Flip Flops by Bittersweet Design Studio
Slip them on to go to the pool, the beach, or wherever...

Grass Stain Soap by SubEarthan Cottage

I'm totally in love with the scent!

Morning Buzz Post Earrings by A Bit of Color
Something bright and sunny to wear for summer (or anytime)...

Oh YUM! Ice Cream Tags by Diecutz
Think ice cream sundaes...

Life is a Fantastic Voyage by Face of Contentment
Abalone like and bronze clay beads dangle with great movement...

Hand Crochet Toddler Dress by Jemz
The perfect hand crocheted Toddler Summer Dress...

Emerald Sea Shore Bracelet by Anonymous ACT Team Member
The little star fish just add a little spark!

Zodiac Crab-Cancer by Eddy’s Pressies
He's king of the Summertime castle...

Palm Tree Sunset Sterling Anklet by Creations With Heart
Perfect to wear all summer long!

Ice Pop Finger Savers by Stitch ‘N Love Boutique
These yell SUMMERTIME, even in the winter in my house!

Lemongrass Citrus Loofah Soap by Amy Rose Berlin
A refreshing slice of Lemongrass Citrus Loofah Soap!

Summer Flowers T-Shirt Market Bag by With Our Hands
Summertime=Market; Grab this "green" upcycled shirt Market Bag...

Stretch Japanese Chainmaille Bracelet by Haffina Creations
I love to make chainmaille pieces in bright colours...

Handmade Large Zip Pouch Cherries by Djstoreroom
Abundant Fruits--Cheery Cherries for Summer!

Song of the Sea by SWDesigns
Firepolished Jablonex beads are the sparkling aqua color of the sea...

My sewing studio, aka my sewing corner

2009-07-18T20:09:00.001-08:00

Its been sometime since I blogged... Had a little writer's block here..
Anyway, here are some pictures of my sewing area.. :)

Here is my sewing corner.. I feel really comfortable here, as it is in my living room. My daughter can play and even chat while I sew. I use 2 standing lamps and 1 table lamp to lit the area as there are no permanent lighting in this part. On the right, there is my antique safe and our gohonzon. On the left, there is a pillar which holds our pool cues. My ironing board sits folded in front of it. I do my cutting on the pool table. It is just right in front of the chair on the left bottom corner.

My iron sits right on the sleeve board for light sewing jobs. A tall plastic drawer holds my crafty stuff. My fabric are kept in another room as there is no other space for it here. The pink pail? That is my dustbin.. I got it in France for just 1euro.. Love the color!! And, I only have 1 little sewing machine right now.. Now, I mostly work around my sewing machine's capability. Maybe thats why I was able to come up with those sewing patterns which uses short-cut techniques. Hhaha.. So there, the reason why I can think of all those sewing methods is because of my sad little sewing machine which cannot change the width and length of the stitches and has limited sewing foots, with limited type of stitches.... But no, I am not changing it yet... :)

Summertime is This Month's ACT Contest Theme

2009-07-05T09:03:00.006-08:00

July marks the beginning of the changes to our ACT contest. We have switched from a weekly theme to a monthly theme, and right now the theme is Summertime.

We began accepting entries on July 1st, and as an ACT member, you have until the 21st of this month to post your entry in our discussion thread on Cafemom. Please post a picture of the item you are entering, as well as the link to the item in your Artfire studio as well as the name of your studio and a link to your studio. One entry per artist please.

By extending the submission window to three (3) weeks, we are hoping more artists will be able to participate. If they didn't already have something in their shop that fit the theme, they have time to create something and get it posted.

Voting will take place the following week on this blog between July 23 and July 30. Beginning August 1, The winner will have their rapid cart displayed in the top right hand corner of our blog for the following month.

August 1st will also be the day we begin accepting entries for August's theme, which will remain a secret for now. We are still working out the details and hoping to be able to open our contest to all Artfire artists by August. More on that later.

So far we have nine (9) entries for July, and we still have 18 days to go. So if you don't have an item that fits the summertime theme, maybe you can create something and enter it.

Oh, I just love summer!!! How about you???

Congratulations to Ruby! Our Giveaway Winner!

2009-06-28T12:52:00.002-08:00

Ruby is our winner of the Paws In Your Heart Sterling Silver Toggle Bracelet! Congrats!

Special thanks to Creations With Heart for donating this lovely bracelet! Check out her shop for more wonderful must-have items!

Congrats to our winner: Eddy's Pressies

2009-06-22T07:28:00.003-08:00

Congrats to our winner of our Father's Day contest-- Eddy's Pressies

She won the opportunity to have her rapid cart on our blog.

ACT is about to change how we hold our weekly contests. We are going to be switching from weekly contests to monthly contests. We will also be lengthening our time for voting to a one week voting period. The winner will still be given the opportunity to have their Artfire Rapid Cart on our blog for the duration of the month.

Thank you to all members who participate in the contests and to those who take the time to vote.

Mom Behind the Shop: Creations With Heart

2009-06-20T00:01:00.006-08:00

This week's Mom Behind the Shop is Creations With Heart, aka Julie. Julie is sponsoring a giveaway of a very pretty Paws In Your Heart Sterling Silver Toggle Bracelet. We decided to interview her to find out more about this giving mom in our Artfire Cafemom Team. So here is a bit about this talented mom!

Who are you: I'm Julie, a "dog mom" of two furry girls! Creations With Heart is my shop that I enjoy running and playing with. I love to make jewelry, take pictures of nature (and my dogs!) and really enjoy every minute of the day!

What kinds of items do you sell: I sell classic and western jewelry using gemstones, Swarovski Crystals, Czech glass and so much more. Many of my designs will have matching pieces. I love coordinating jewelry! I also enjoy designing petite jewelry. It's mostly smaller in size and lighter in weight. The paw print jewelry has a special place in my heart. My dogs are a major part of my life and they inspire me to use those cute little paw prints! I have such a love for all animals, I can't keep them out of my creations. You're bound to find something that suits your style. I like to make it all!

What made you get into your craft/what inspires you: Remember those great friendship bracelets? That's where it all started! I made tons of those which lead me to start using other materials. I'd see a bracelet I liked, but it would be too big, so I'd go home and make one myself that fit! I made necklaces on and off for awhile and ended up too busy with school work. It wasn't until 2006 (many, many years later) that I started again and found it so relaxing. I would read magazines and look on the internet for different techniques to try and teach myself. Then it was suggested that I sell my jewelry on my own website, which lead me to Etsy and this year to ArtFire. Now I can't stop! I love it!!

My family, dogs, nature and God inspire me. I only wish I could work fast enough to catch up with my thoughts! Every day is a new day and I look forward to what it will bring!

Tips for online businesses: Do a lot of research! Don't be in a rush - enjoy the journey. Talk to people and learn from their experiences. Make a list of everything you want to learn and be patient - it will happen. Never feel like you're below anyone. Be confident in yourself - it will show through in your work. Never stop learning new things. Always remember who you are and be yourself!

Tips for moms : I'm a "dog mom", so here are my tips for you. Know and understand your pet inside and out. They are part of the family. Be patient, calm and kind. Your pet depends on you for their well-being every single day. Forever and always - love them! ❤

What is your favorite place to visit: Mackinaw City/Mackinac Island. There's so much history and fun to enjoy! Ok, I'll live there!

Your comfort food: Brownies!! They're good anytime of the day! So moist and chocolaty!

If you were able to do anything in the world, what would it be and why: I would rescue all the homeless animals and have them live with me because I would take care and love each and every one!

I would want to help, take care and keep safe, all the elderly that live alone or don't have any family because they are such an important part of our lives and we have so much to learn from them!

Be blessed financially with enough to share with my family and those in need and be able to sell my jewelry and give all the proceeds to multiple charities.

--------

Thank you Julie for sharing all of this great information with us!

Make sure you go and enter her giveaway!

Happy Father's Day Weekly Contest

2009-06-20T00:01:00.005-08:00

In order to honor all our fathers, our grandfathers, and our children's fathers, this week's theme for the ACT Weekly Contest was Father's Day. Unfortunately, at press time, there were only two entries, but two very nice entries indeed--Both worthy of the men we intend to honor this Sunday.

Title of this piece is:
Masculine Musings Journal

As modelled by me (couldn't find any brave men)
A hat for all dads who love to go fishing

Once again, the winner is up to you. Please vote below.

Thank you for voting. We hope you'll stay tuned for the announcement about some changes to our weekly contest. We have received requests, suggestions, and answers to our questions, and change is in the air...

Giveaway #6: Creations with Heart

2009-06-19T00:01:00.001-08:00

Welcome to our SIXTH blog giveaway!

The shop behind this giveaway is
CreationsWithHeart!

"Hi! I'm Julie, a "dog mom" of two furry girls. I love to make jewelry, take pictures of nature ( and my dogs!) and really enjoy every minute of the day.

Creations With Heart is my shop. I create and sell classic and western jewelry using outstanding gemstones, Swarovski Crystals, Czech glass and so much more! You'll discover coordinating jewelry, petite jewelry and because my dogs are such an important part of my life - animal themes! I like to have something that suits everyone's style! My jewelry is made by hand...created with heart~"

She is giving away her Paws In Your Heart Sterling Silver Toggle Bracelet

About the Item:
Show your love for animals by wearing this sterling silver linked charm bracelet. The focal point is the adorable sterling silver heart charm with little paw prints inside. Dangling next to it is a petite amethyst Swarovski Crystal. Wear this everyday and everywhere!

How you enter:

1 Entry- Go to Creations With Heart's shop and find the item that catches your eye! Copy and paste the URL here in the comment section along with a valid email address in case you are chosen as our winner.
1 Entry- Blog about it! Be sure to include photo of the bracelet and a link to the ACT blog in your blog entry. When you have blogged about the giveaway, all you need to do is post a link to the blog in the comment section. Please do this as a NEW comment and make sure to add your email as well.

1 Entry-Become a follower of our blog-if you are already a follower then you can have credit for this.

1 Entry-Become a follower of Creations With Heart's blog.

5 Entries-Make a purchase from Creations With Heart. (this will be verified if you win)

The giveaway will run from Friday 6/19 to Thursday 6/25. One winner will be chosen by random. We will contact the winner to get a valid shipping address. Please reply within 48 hours or a different winner will be chosen. Item will be shipped via USPS First Class or Priority Mail within one business day.

***Please leave your email address since this is the easiest and most efficient way of contacting the winner!***

Great Reads at HMN

2009-06-17T21:48:00.003-08:00

Many of you may have already heard of HandmadeNews.Org.. Its running really feverish now, for some really good reasons. Everything else aside, the focus of the site is still on contributed articles by fellow artisans, like you and me!

Selling online requires great photos. And, at HMN some writers has came down to share their knowledge and experience precisely on that! Photography! Here are some great articles that aims to help you improve your photography skill. Check them out and remember to share your comments, views or experience so that others may learn and understand more...

Here's the links
How To Save A Bundle Photographing Your Bundle @
http://www.handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1558

Shutter Speed and Its Effect On Photos @
http://www.handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1216

Making Lemonade Volume 5 @
http://www.handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1507

Understanding Your Camera Settings @
http://www.handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1304

Visit http://www.handmadenews.org/ to read thousands of craft, business, inspiring and helpful articles, written by fellow craft artisans around the world!

Show Me Your Rainbows!

2009-06-12T12:46:00.006-08:00

Rainbows

"Show me your rainbows!" was this week's contest challenge from our guild leader, JazzyJems.
Each week, a new theme is announced to the members of the Artfire Cafemom Team, who then submit one of their creations. The entries are then posted on Saturday and voting takes place throughout the weekend. Come Monday morning, the winner of our public poll gets their Rapid Cart displayed on our blog for a week.
It's a lot of fun for the participating artists and we hope it's a lot of fun for those voting as well. So please take a moment to browse this week's colorful entries and place your vote. These artists will be glad you did. (Click on the shop name to see what else is in the artist's studio or click on the photo or item name to learn more about their entry.)

Arlene of Spirit Essence Art says, "Rainbow colors are kind of my specialty! Here is my entry:"

Small Round Rainbow Plates

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Tamra of WithOurHands said, "Here's my rainbow item:"

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Fun & Funky Thin Scarf

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Yarn of a Tail said, "Here is a skein af yarn that has some of the soft colors from the rainbow, the way you often see it in the sky."

Hand Spun and Hand Painted Yarn

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Katie of The Blue Beadle said, "I call this one my "Rainbow Beads Set." It is made from the glass czech beads. It includes 2 pairs of earrings and a bracelet.

Rainbow Czech Beads Jewelry Set

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Eddy of Eddy's Pressies said, "I'm going to put in my owl cushion-pals as they are the colours of the rainbow (even though 2 have been sold-orange and green-hurrah.)"

Owl Cushion-Pal

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Goals for the year 2009...

2009-06-11T00:05:00.001-08:00

Its JUNE!!!

How time passes... Its been 6 months since I made my goals... I have some pretty far-fetched dreams and I turned them into goals at the start of the year..

For this year, My goals were pretty simple. 3 of them.
1. I want to lose weight. 14kgs.
2. I want 1000 number of sales this year.
3. I want to have my own backup funds of $15000.

This is my first time revealing my goals... Its so frightful just announcing it here. I am someone who really minds what other people say about me, my work and so on.. Perhaps I need to work on improving that by ignoring others' comments.

Anyway, I am not even 1% there for each of the goals.. And yet, I only have 6 more months to go..

What about you? What are your goals? Have you reached them?

Creative Inspiration

2009-06-10T13:04:00.001-08:00

Have you ever thought that you just didn’t have enough time or energy or motivation to create more of your handmade art or craft, like you know you would like to? I have been aware that I needed to be creating more art to list on my Artfire site, so that my store didn’t become stale and boring.

Every time I thought about listing more of the items I already have in my stock (i.e. the oil paintings and fused glass art and jewelry), a lethargy took over me. I got bored and listless, and self-doubt tried to move in. Or, when I thought about creating new artwork, I would just shift stuff around in my art space, without really accomplishing much. It just wasn’t gelling. Has that ever happened to you?

I have been struggling with myself to figure out how to create some new and exciting stuff that would be fresh and enticing to prospective buyers. Not to mention, that it would be exciting to me, too, so I would feel inspired to create more every day. Nothing seemed to work until now.

Today when I thought about a topic for my post, I was happily down in my studio in the middle of creating a painting for a challenge I am participating in. When I signed up for it, I wondered why I was committing to it, when it seemed that I already had too many commitments for my time.

This one is different, however. It has the potential (and it is certainly delivering what I expected and MORE!!) to stir up my creative juices. The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. I haven’t felt this inspired for a long, long time. Just what I need, I thought, even if it means that my other projects might have to wait a little while longer, or the house perhaps isn’t as clean as I would like it to be, or dinner gets a little late some nights.

I couldn’t help myself. I joined the 100 in 100 Challenge, which is a commitment only to me, though I am publicly declaring that I am participating. It is something I am doing to get out of my stale mold, to inspire myself to see and try new things, to go beyond where I ever thought possible.

If you ever have felt stalled in your art, or needed new inspiration or ideas, to be able to move beyond your usual stuff that holds you back creatively, I encourage you to take a look. Even though it started a little over a week ago, it’s not too late to join in. You can catch up or extend your hundred days from whenever you start. It doesn’t matter. I started a few days late, too, and I am still able to get a lot out of this. Also, it is totally free to participate. No cost whatsoever!

Here it the first post where it is described. It is being run by Warrior Girl (Rowena) who creates unique “Flying Girl” paintings. What do you think? You can tailor it to whatever you want to create more of in your creative life. What if this is the one thing you can do to get out of your creative rut?

Come join me and others and have some fun!

Arlene
http://www.SpiritEssenceArt.com
http://www.SpiritEssenceArt.artfire.com

Technorati Tags: creative,handmade art,painting,crafts,inspiration,100 in 100 Challenge,Artfire,studio

News from Artfire

2009-06-08T09:03:00.002-08:00

Artfire sure is moving and shaking the handmade community up. There are several pieces of Artfire that I hope to share with ACTs followers.

First is the side news outlet that Artfire has created. HandmadeNews.org is a venue devoted to handmade articles from creating art, selling your pieces to inspiration articles and enviromental friendly pieces. The latest department is all about crafting with your kids. Not only does ACT 100% back this awesome publication, but several of our guild members are proud columnists for HandmadeNews.org

Secondly, in case you missed it, there is a new site that allows you to promote your handmade items. Vote Handmade allows members to submit links, vote pieces popular and comment on your favorite Handmade items! What a cool way to promote and makes it easier for shoppers to see all the best items in one spot.

Third-- and this is the best one, Artfire is hosting a contest. The contest is on Facebook and winners get a $100 shopping spree on Artfire. All you have to do is declare how awesome Artfire is. For more information-- please follow this link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Artfirecom/83967093958?v=app_2347471856

Vote in Artfire Cafemom's Weekly Contest

2009-06-05T20:17:00.007-08:00

This week's contest theme is Graduation and here are the three entries. Let us know which one is your favorite.

Mindy's Embroidery entered her "Naughty Pooping Graduation Owl" . She said, "Here is my Graduation contest entry. Its a Candy holder."

ByCoco submitted her "Bethany Angel" saying, "How about an angel to "guard and guide" as the newly graduated venture into the next phase of their life?"

Haffina Creations entered this "Pearl and Crystal Necklace". She asks, "How about a beautiful pearl and crystal necklace for a female graduate?"

If you'd like to learn more about the piece, click on its title or picture. To see everything the artist has for sale in their shop click on their name.

Time-Saving Housekeeping Tricks

2009-06-03T07:44:00.002-08:00

These days it seems we all have such busy lives, especially us moms! Those of us who are moms AND are trying to be creative and/or run a business at home are especially challenged. House cleaning is not my favorite task to do, though I like being in a clean, tidy space. I just don’t want to spend huge chunks of time to do what it takes to keep it clean. It is a dilemma I am sure a lot of you experience.

I want to share some ideas I have found and things that I do to keep the cleaning time to a minimum while still accomplishing what I want.

For me, the key is multi-tasking! An example: If I am cooking a meal, while it is cooking I will put away the clean dishes from the dishwasher or the drying rack, or I will take the broom and quickly sweep the floor or wipe down the microwave or oven or refrigerator door.

In my bathroom, I keep a sponge and some cleaners under the sink, so right after I am out of the shower, if the toilet or the sink needs a clean, I do it before I leave the bathroom. I do the same thing in the shower stall / tub: Sponge it down while I am still in it anyway, so it doesn’t get to be a big job later on.

Since my laundry room is next door to my art studio room, I usually put in a load of washing while I am creating rather than make a separate trip downstairs to do it.

Also, I am a procrastinator about folding the clean laundry – it tends to sit in the laundry basket for days, getting more and more wrinkled. An idea I have is that I spend even 5 minutes folding as I am getting dressed – even if I don’t finish. At least I am one step closer to having everything folded and put away.

These are some of the things I do, and when I looked up the topic in a Google search, I found this article and was surprised to find that some of what I already do is listed here in some form. There are other good ideas here too: Remember Heloise’s tips for cleaning, etc.? I used to see her column in the newspaper when I had time to read it. I found her online hints and there are some great ideas there too.

I know that if I can do a few extra things each day towards keeping our living space tidy and comfortable without making it a big production, I am satisfied. Hope you find some helpful tips here. Happy housecleaning all!

Arlene
www.SpiritEssenceArt.com
www.SpiritEssenceArt.artfire.com

Where's My Motivation?

2009-06-02T06:07:00.011-08:00

I have been lacking motivation lately in a serious a way. It's hit all aspects of my life but one area that has been hit the hardest is my desire to craft or work on my studio, which of course is not a good thing since my shop is starting to get stale. I figured that this was something that everyone suffers from time to time, whether it pertain to work, exercise, cleaning, etc. and thought a post about how to get your motivation back might be helpful. I scoured the net for hints and tips and decided to post a few of my faves (in no particular order).

1. Set one goal - Often when you are in a slump it could be that you just have too much going on. Trying to do too much can leave you unable to focus and you start lose motivation and energy. Set one goal to focus on at a time so you are not spreading yourself to thin and can dedicate your time and energy to one thing.
2. Find inspiration - Find others who have achieved what you want to do. Read blogs, books, magazines, google for sites that pertain to your goal. On a related note - carry a notebook with you at all times. Sometimes inspiration hits us at the most inopportune times and we don't want to miss an opportunity to jot that thought or sketch our latest idea. The notebook will also give you something to fall back on for those time when your motivation wanes, just flip through it and hopefully you will get some inspiration and motivation.
3. Get excited - Sounds kind of odd, it did to me when I first read it but it makes sense. When you are excited about what you are doing than you have lots of energy and motivation. So what are some ways to get excited about what you are doing? Start with the inspiration that you get from others and build on it. Share your ideas and foals with your partner, family, and friends. Visualize yourself being successful. Once you get excited continue doing things to keep that excitement going.

4. Get Support - Ask for help, join an online forum, talk to partner, call someone, doesn't matter who just tell them what's going on and just talking about it will help. Asking them for advice and for help in overcoming your slump is sure to give you the boost you need to find some motivation. Sometimes we all just need a good swift kick you know where to get ourselves in gear.
5. Do something! - As Nike would say "Just do it". Staring or constantly thinking about all the things you need to just adds stress and anxiety that keeps you in an unmotivated state. Start with something small, work through it and the sense of accomplishment should be enough to keep you going. Getting started can be the toughest part. Keep taking those small steps and down the road after a week or a month all those small steps will have added up to lots of progress and success.
6. Do nothing - Goes against the previous advice but sometimes we just need to clear our heads. Spend 15 minutes doing nothing but closing your eyes, relaxing, and concentrating on your breathing. I know that's tough to do and inevitably thoughts of all the stuff that you need to do will crowd your head and when they do recognize them and then let them go. This can work wonders for decreasing anxiety which will lead you to be able to tackle the progects ahead of you.
7. Get moving - Take a moving break. Take a walk, go to the gym, do some stretches. Your physical energy will hep get the mental energy flowing.
8. Create a deadline - Best motivators can be deadlines.I know this firsthand. If you don't have any deadlines looming create a self-imposed one. Or set a timer and challenge yourself to get something done in 15 or 30 minutes, after that time is up you should be motivated to keep going. If not at least you still got something done.

9. Take a vacation - Take a good long hard look at what you've been doing and where you are. Look closely at how much and how long you have been working and when the last time you took a break was. Everyone needs some downtime and what can be seen as lack of motivation is actually burn out. If you feel like that's where you are, take a vacation even if it's only for a few days. This break can help give you a fresh perspective and outlook.
10. Try something different - Maybe it's not lack of motivation that's the problem but boredom. Doing the same thing over and over again can get monotonous. We all need something to get our brain stimulated and challenged at times so try something different, a new technique or craft, anything except the same ol' same ol'.

Most importantly remember that lack of motivation happens to the best of us, no one is immune to it. Keep in mind that it's normal, will pass, and not to ever give up!

Is it time to Change ACT’s Weekly Contest?

2009-05-30T05:11:00.013-08:00

For the past several weeks the Artfire Cafemom Team (ACT), an artist guild on Artfire.com, has been running a weekly contest. A theme is announced to guild members who submit one of their items, which is for sale in their Artfire Studio. A poll is then posted and voting by the general public takes place throughout the weekend, with the winner announced on Monday. The winner receives one week of free advertising on this blog by having their ArtFire rapid card displayed.

It’s a well planned and orchestrated contest. But only a limited number of the guild members have been submitting one of their creations. That was great for those of us having fun with this friendly competition because it gave us a better chance at winning notoriety and free publicity. But one of the comments left on last week’s poll started me thinking about ways to improve or expand the contest.

What if we opened the contest to any artist with a studio on Artfire?

Here are some pros:

ACT would become more visible and better known throughout the Artfire community.

ACT would receive more entries each week, which would mean more variety and excitement for those participating as well as for our readers who vote.

Artist’s outside of ACT who enter the contest would help bring more traffic and readers to this blog.

ACT's membership may increase.

And Here are some possible cons:

We might have to limit the number of entries per week.

.We’d have to post the weekly theme somewhere in Artfire rather than in our Cafemom forum.

Whether you are a member of ACT or not, if you are reading this, we welcome your feedback. Please answer the questions in this quick poll:

Get This - Survey Results - GlowDay.com

We’re all ears as we consider making changes to ACT's Weekly Contest. So, if you can think of any additional pros and/or cons, or even just questions or other suggestions, please give us your opinions in the comment section at the end of this article. We’ll let you know in a few weeks if we decide that it is time to change our weekly contest. Meanwhile, it’ll be back to business as usual, so tune in again next weekend and vote for your favorite item right here on the ACT blog.

Recommending a simple tool to make a face for your avatar!

2009-05-28T08:12:00.000-08:00

Wow.. This is simple and fast to make! Do visit http://www.faceyourmanga.com/!!

I made my own avatar and tink this service is really good. Its free!!

Does the above look like me?? Well, it certainly looks alot better then me. I try to incorporate my features in, but this avatar looks alot cuter then the real me.. Hhaha..

Plus, it looks slimer then actual me. hahha...

Quick and Easy Recipes for a Summer Day

2009-05-27T07:34:00.000-08:00

Now that summer is officially here, the weather is warmer, and kids will soon be home from school, who wants to spend a lot of time in the kitchen? If you are like me, you don’t want that, nor do you want to heat up your kitchen with foods cooking a long time on the burners / elements or in the oven.

Here are a couple of recipes that are quick and easy to prepare. The first one is from Stacey of SWDesigns . It is for a yummy soup.

CHICKEN SALSA SOUP

Ingredients:

2 cups of diced cooked chicken

2 teaspoons of cooking oil

1/2 teaspoon of chopped garlic

1/4 cup of chopped onions

1 teaspoon of chili powder

2 cans of chicken broth (15 ounces each)

1 cup of water

1 can of black beans - drained ( 15 ounces)

1 can of fiesta corn - this is a blend of corn and peppers ( 15 ounces)

1 cup of cooked macaroni noodles - drained

1 cup of diced tomatoes with green chilies - your choice of mild or zesty (15 ounces)

Shredded cheese and green onions for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large pan, add the oil, chicken, garlic, onions and chili powder. Saute over medium heat until the onions begin to brown.

2. In a large soup pot, combine the chicken broth, water, macaroni noodles, black beans, corn and diced tomatoes.

3. Add the chicken mixture to the soup, and cook over medium heat 4 or 5 minutes, or until soup is thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.

4. Spoon into individual serving bowls and top with shredded cheese and sliced green onions.
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How about grilling? I love grilled dishes because they are always tasty and are quick and easy to prepare, with the added advantage of not adding extra heat to the kitchen. This next one I found on one of my favorite recipe sites: Allrecipes

EASY GRILLED CHICKEN TERIYAKI

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions:

1. Place chicken, teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and sesame oil in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal bag, and shake to coat. Place in refrigerator for 24 hours, turning every so often.

2. Preheat grill for high heat.

3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Remove chicken from bag, discarding any remaining marinade. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes each side, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.

***********************************************

Makes me want to go out and fire up the barbecue grill right now! Enjoy these recipes and let us know how they tasted.

Arlene Holtz
http://www.SpiritEssenceArt.com

Technorati Tags: cooking,easy recipes,recipes,barbecue,bbq,chicken,soup

Tagging and Google Alerts

2009-05-26T06:07:00.006-08:00

I had my blog post all planned out for today but then ran into a snafu when I couldn't get my byhand.me spotlights to work. In my desperate attempt to find something else to blog about I ran across two articles that I think online sellers may find helpful in optimizing their shops.

The first has to do with tagging your products. We all know how important this is but how many of us actually know what tags to use? I thought I was doing pretty good but when I ran across this article I realized there were a few keywords and ideas that I was leaving out.

The second has to do with Google Alerts. Admittedly I had no idea what google alerts were or what in the heck to do with them but thanks to this article I now do and plan on signing up for them in the near future.

Hope someone else finds this information helpful. Have a great day!

Happy Memorial Day from the Artfire Cafemom Team!

2009-05-25T14:20:00.002-08:00

Just taking a little time out to day that we hope that everyone in the United States had a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend.

For many, it's the official beginning of summer! Time for family vacations, beach or river trips and the ever fateful, sunburns!

Weekly Contest: Let's Go to the Beach

2009-05-22T11:33:00.012-08:00

Vote to let us know which item you think best represents this week's Artfire Cafemom Team's contest theme: Let's Go to the Beach.
Learn more about each item by clicking on the photo or the items name below the photo. To go the artist's store, click on the Artfire Studio name.
Voting begins on Saturday and goes through Sunday.

Mindy's Embroidery: Flip Flop Lip Balm Holder

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With Our Hands: T-shirt Turned into M arket Bag

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ByCoco: "Gotcha"--Stained Glass Hooked Fish

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Sisters of the Moon: Bikini Cover Up Skirt

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Leaving Your Name Behind

2009-05-21T08:06:00.000-08:00

Whenever you leave any comments at a blog, an article or even the forum, how do you sign off? Do you leave your name? Or even better, your url? Are you consistently doing it? Why not??

Goggle for djStoreRoom, and see for yourself. Some of the links shown were my signature!! Leaving behind your comments and signature really helps in bringing exposure to yourself and your brand!

So, how do we sign off? I have seen many comments. And over time I developed my own signature which includes my name and my blog url and this is how it looks…

Regards
Diana
http://djstoreroom.blogspot.com/

Most people do not leave their url behind when they read blogs or post on the forums. I would advise them to do so for each and every comment that they made. When you leave your clickable url behind, some people may just click on it to visit your blog! Imagine the amount of traffic you are wasting! If 10 new persons visited that particular page and read the comments, you have already wasted 10 unique hits!

And, do you limit your comments to just blogs? Of course not!! You can leave comments and your signature everywhere!! On guest books, on forums and even on articles!! Come on, leave your comments and sign off with your name and url now!!

Regards
Diana
http://djstoreroom.blogspot.com/

20 Things to Blog About

2009-05-20T16:22:00.001-08:00

As I am sitting here contemplating what to write about this week, I am aware that I have procrastinated with starting this today. In fact, I almost forgot that Wednesday is my day to write a post for our ACT blog. It is the same for my own art blog.

Whether it is because I find it difficult sometimes to come up with a topic that I think our readers will find interesting, or I am just struggling to find the words to express my thoughts, I am not sure. I just know that often writing does not come easy to me.

Perhaps others have the same problem and can relate to what I am saying. I do know that updating a blog regularly is important to attain a good page ranking as well as to keep the interest of the people who do read the blog. There is nothing worse than enjoying the posts of someone’s blog and suddenly there is nothing new to read for days or weeks. As a reader of many blogs, I have experienced this for sure.

I decided to brainstorm here with ideas for topics to blog about – anything that pops into my head for those of you who have a blog, have wanted to start a blog, or who have been avoiding starting a blog for this very reason.

Here goes - You can write about:

An activity you were doing today or in the last couple of days
A problem you have been struggling with lately
Some new work you have done (for those of you who are artists, crafters, have your own businesses, etc.)
An interesting article you have read or blog post you saw
A great new movie you saw that really touched you in some way
A news article that you feel is important to talk about
Any seasonal activity or fun experience relevant to the season
A new technique you learned from someone or discovered yourself
Some family issues you encountered that you resolved or feel are thought provoking
An event you are looking forward to
Instructions or suggestions on how to do something – a “how to” article about something you are good at
A new recipe you have tried and found to be delicious
A housekeeping tip that saves time and / or money
A gardening tip
Some ideas on how to grow your business – what has worked for you
Sharing some things that have NOT worked for you in business or in other aspects of your life
A funny story from your life
Reviews of great books you have read and can recommend
Explain some computer skill that you finally have mastered and can share with those that are still struggling
Sharing some artwork that inspires you

Well, that was 20 to start with, and I haven’t even struggled with it. Hmmm – guess I am going to have to keep this list in front of me every time I need to update this or my own blog. I have no more excuses! Nor do you!

Good luck and have fun with it.

Arlene
Spirit Essence Art

Memorial Day!

2009-05-19T09:01:00.007-08:00

Memorial day is soon upon us and that means lots of barbeques are in the works, so whether you are planning for a block party, family get togethether, or are just looking for some great recipes, here's a few to get you started.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste
(optional)
5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -
cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

Southwestern Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
2 (16 ounce) packages rotini pasta
1-1/3 cups vegetable oil
1 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chili powder, or to taste
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
8 cloves garlic, crushed 6 cups whole kernel corn
4 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and
rinsed
2 cups diced green bell pepper
2 cups diced red bell pepper
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
4 cups chopped roma (plum) tomatoes

Directions:
You have scaled this recipe's ingredients to yield a new amount (32). The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield (8).
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. In a large bowl combine oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and garlic. Stir in pasta and set aside to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in corn, beans, green pepper, red pepper and 1/2 of the cilantro leaves. Spoon onto a platter and garnish with tomatoes and remaining cilantro. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Stars and Stripes Grand Finale Cake
Ingredients:
2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
1 (.25 ounce) envelope plain unflavored
gelatin

2 pints fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar 1 (.25 ounce) envelope plain unflavored
gelatin

2 (10.75 ounce) loaves angel food cake,
sliced 1 inch thick
2 (8 ounce) tubs frozen whipped topping,
thawed

Directions:
1. Mix half of the strawberries, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1 envelope of gelatin in a bowl. Set aside at room temperature to allow the juices to develop and the sugar and gelatin to dissolve, about 15 minutes. Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes on full power, or until gelatin has dissolved. Stir to blend in the gelatin and then mix in the remaining strawberries.
2. In a separate bowl, mash 1 cup of the blue berries with the back of a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1 envelope of gelatin. Set aside at room temperature to allow the juices to develop and the sugar and gelatin to dissolve. Heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes to melt the gelatin, then stir to blend. Mix in the remaining blueberries.
3. Cover the bottom and sides of a springform or a tall, removable bottom tube pan tightly with aluminum foil to keep the juices from seeping out.
4. Pour all of the strawberry mixture into the bottom of the cake pan, cover completely with slices of angel food cake, tearing or cutting pieces to fit in a tight layer. Spread 1 container of whipped topping over the first cake layer. Make a second layer of angel food cake, like the first, and pour the blueberry mixture evenly over the top. Arrange the angel food cake in a third layer on top of the blueberries, spread the remaining container of whipped topping on top. Finish the dessert with a final layer of angel food cake.
5. The layered cake will be higher than the edges of your pan. Carefully lay a large piece of aluminum foil over the cake and place a baking sheet on top. Invert the cake, press the cake firmly onto the baking sheet. Weigh down the mold, using pie weights or bags of dry beans or rice; refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.
6. Soak a kitchen towel in very hot water, wring out excess water, and wrap the towel around the cake pan; let stand for 1 minute. Remove the towel. Holding the pan and plate together, shake the cake back and forth to release it from the sides of the pan. Open the springform ring carefully, or pull back the sides of the tube pan. Do not force the cake to release. If it continues to stick, repeat the procedure with the hot towel.

Weekly Contest: Pinks

2009-05-15T22:13:00.008-08:00

ACT's weekly contest theme is Pink. What item best represents Pink? As always, clicking the photo will take you to the product.

By Coco: Pink Heart Suncatcher with Bud vase

Spirit Essence Art: Pink Triangles Dichrotic Pendent

Jazzy Jemz: Diaper Clutch

Sisters of the Moon: Yummy Lolita Baby Style Hat

Eddy's Pressies: Sunggle Bunny

DJStoreroom: Pink Henna Garden Large Zip Pouch

Haffina Creations: Pink European Chainmaille

Totally Tyra: Lined Canvas Bag "Angel"

Bows For Baby: Adorable Crochet Beenie

Creations with Heart- Pink Pearls- Sterling Silver Hoops

Mindy's Embroidery: Breast Cancer Awareness Lip Blam Holder Keychain

How to Sew BackStitches and TripleStitches - Free Download

2009-05-14T08:09:00.001-08:00

Here are 2 free downloadable pdf files specially made to illustrates how to make a back stitch and a triple stitch... I made them to accompany my pdf ebook tutorials.. Here are the direct links:
::: Back Stitch :::
::: Triple Stitches :::

Fused Glass – History and How It’s Made

2009-05-13T09:44:00.002-08:00

Fused Glass is a term that describes glass that has been layered or stacked and then fired / melted in a kiln in temperatures between 1100 degrees F to 1500 degrees F. You may also have seen it referred to as kiln-fired glass, warm glass, slumped glass, or dichroic glass. It is a beautiful, innovative art form that combines all the sparkling qualities of stained glass but without the lead lines. Warm glass and slumped glass are explained below. Dichroic glass is what you may have seen in some glass jewelry, where the piece looks very glittery and changes colors. It is a specific type of coating for the glass that was originally made for the space program and now has been adopted by fused glass enthusiasts.

Its applications can be seen in jewelry, window decorations, bowls and platters, as well as decorative art pieces such as wall hangings, clocks, vases and other creations.

My career as an artist started out with stained glass because I love the colors, textures, and sparkle of glass. I gravitated towards fused glass after seeing some of the process and becoming fascinated with the seemingly endless ways to create with glass.

The exact origin / discovery of how to fuse glass is not known for certain, though some scholars believe the ancient Mesopotamians were the first to use the glass fusing and kiln casting techniques beginning from around 2000 to 2500 BC. The Egyptians were thought to have built upon the basic techniques of the Mesopotamians.

These “warm” glass techniques continued to be used and improved by the Greeks and the Romans through the third century BC until the birth of Christ. An important discovery was how to create core formed vessels, which was done by wrapping glass around a core vessel and then heating it to form mosaic and other patterns.

Soon after this time the technique of glassblowing (or “hot glass”) was discovered, which involved forming a vessel by using a long, hollow tube (called a blow-pipe) to shape the molten glass that had been heated in a furnace. Because this technique became more popular due to its efficiency, repeatability, and lower cost, the fused glass techniques all but died out.

It wasn’t until the 19th century AD that the glass-working techniques were rediscovered in Europe, though glass fusing itself was still largely ignored. However, fusing began to regain popularity in the 20th century, especially during the 1960’s until now.

As mentioned above, glass fusing (or “warm glass”) is formed by layering thin pieces of different colored compatible glass and then placing the stack inside a kiln, which is then heated through a series of ramps (rapid heating cycles) until the pieces begin to bond or fuse together. The longer the kiln is held at the maximum temperature, the more thoroughly the glass will fuse.

Glass is considered compatible when all the pieces and layers will expand and contract at the same rate, thereby safeguarding the final piece from shattering or cracking in the kiln or later.

There are basically three temperature ranges:

1) 1100 degrees F to 1250 degrees F is called “slumping” and is the temperature for molding and shaping a flat sheet of glass to a form, like a plate or bowl.

2) 1250 degrees F to 1350 degrees F is the temperature where glass pieces become “tack fused” , i.e. the pieces are attached permanently but you can still see the outlines of the individual pieces and layers. This creates some contours and textures.

3) 1350 degrees F to 1500 degrees F is considered “full fusing” temperature, where the glass is so thoroughly melted together it appears as one solid piece of glass.

Once the desired effect of the glass is attained, the temperature of the kiln is brought down very rapidly to about 1000 degrees F, after which it enters into the phase known as annealing. This is a slow cooling period which allows the glass to “soak” at various temperatures in order to prevent uneven cooling and subsequent breakage, to relieve stress in the superheated glass, creating a strong finished product.

The entire firing process can take up to 20 to 24 hours per firing, depending on the size and thickness of the pieces and the size of the kiln. Creating smaller pieces for jewelry, for example, can be done in a tabletop kiln and the firing stages can go a lot more quickly. I am able to complete such a firing in about 6 hours or less.

Of course, there are many, many specific techniques for the designing and creation of various fused glass art pieces, and this is a simplified overview only.

It is fun to do, sometimes getting unexpected results. It is always exciting to have pieces firing in the kiln and then finally to be able to open the kiln the next day to see the results!

I hope you enjoyed this post, and I am happy to answer any questions you may have. If you are interested in more detailed instructions, post a comment and let us know what you are interested in.

Arlene
Spirit Essence Art

Strawberry Pickin'

2009-05-12T05:26:00.008-08:00

First off I want to thank everyone who participated in our Open House events and give a shout out to our winners, CONGRATULATIONS! Now with that being said, on to the post of the day, strawberries.

I love strawberries, they are one of my absolute favorite fruits, their red ripe sweetness is absolutely divine. In the past I have just purchased our strawberries at the grocery store or maybe the farmer's market but this past Friday I had the opportunity to visit our local strawberry farm and do some picking of my own. I went with my neighbor, her two little ones, and one of my little ones and what fun we had. The kids had the freedom to run around and of course pick all the strawberries they could hold. They would pick a strawberry, then take a bite, then pick and bite, and on and on! There was even a maze at the end for them to do and as a special treat there were homemade strawberry slushies for them to indulge in. This farm was really amazing and just beautiful...everywhere you looked just fantastic views!

We couldn't have asked for a better time, the weather was perfect, the berries abundant, and even better because they had so many ripe berries they had marked them down to a dollar a pound! I came home with one of these bad boys filled to the rim. Now I just have to figure out what to do with all these lovely beauties!

I think first off I'm going to try this recipe from our wonderful Artfire Cafemom Team member Stacey of SWDesigns. I plan on using fresh strawberries instead of the preserves and maybe adding a bit of cream cheese and strawberries to the frosting too. Gotta find a way to use all these berries!

Strawberry Swing Cake

1 box of Moist Supreme Classic White Cake Mix

1 cup of water

1/3 cup of oil

3 eggs

15 ounce ( approximately ) jar of strawberry preserves

8 ounce container of Cool Whip

fresh strawberries for garnish

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch pan with cooking spray.

3. Combine cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Add 3/4 cups of the strawberry preserves and blend with an electric mixer for 1 minute.

4. Pour batter into the 13 x 9 inch pan and bake according to the cake mix directions.

5. When the cake is cooled, cut it in half and place one of the cakes top side down on a platter.

6. Spread the remaining strawberry preserves on the top of this cake.

7. Place the other half of the cake on top of this cake.

8. Combine the Cool Whip and the white frosting in a large bowl. Mix with an electric

mixer until well blended.

9. Frost sides and top of cake and add fresh strawberries for decoration.

10. Refrigerate until it is served.

And the winners are.....

2009-05-10T16:20:00.009-08:00

Thank you to all those who played and browsed through our Open House. The winners were selected randomly via http://www.random.org/.

And the winners are........

Jazzy Jemz Diaper Clutch

And the winner is.......entry #27

BabySigns with Elizabeth

BeSpalicious Soap Sample Pack

And the winner is.....

Angela!

SWDesigns Bracelet

And the winner is.....

Shaunna

Stitch N Love: Lil Chef Hat

And the winner is.....

Debbiekl

Jazzy Jemz: Crochet Newsboy Cap

And the winner is.....

Rachel

DJStoreroom: PDF tutorial

And the winner is.....

Jennifer B

Jewelry By Janzia : Set of 3 Bangles

And the winner is.....

Jennifer B

Eddy's Presses : Ox

And the winner is entry #8

Chris

Jazzy Jemz set of Burp Cloths

And the winner is.... entry #9

Tammy

Creations with Heart : Floral earrings

And the winner is..... entry #2

Arin

Bows for Baby: Springtime Bow

And the winner is..... entry #14

[M]isforMysterious

Softshell Body Shop: Sampler

And the winner is....

Sarsosari

Spirit Essence Art Gift Certificate

And the winner is....

Mia

Bittersweet Design Studio Gift Certificate

And the winner is....

Baby Signs with Elizabeth

Diecutz Gift Certificate

And the winner is.....

Goldenecho

Congrats to all the winners!!! We will be contacting you and getting your items in the mail this week! If you happen to visit- please leave us your email address, so we can get your addresses!!! Thank you again for entering and supporting Artfire Cafemom Team!

The MAJOR Giveaway!!!!!

2009-05-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Its Wednesday and time for ACT's Open House Major Giveaway!!!!!!!

We have lots of items that we are giving away. Everyone who enters could win one of these 15 items. All are up for grabs!

ACT is also having a huge sale in their stores, you can check out the sale list here.

We are also having a hide and seek challenge. Find letters in participating members shops and enter to win one of 3 $10 gift certificates. For more info click here.

So how do you enter? A comment is all that is necessary. If you comment- please just leave a valid way to contact you- email or website preferred.

You get one comment per day to enter. You can also "earn" more comments by :

1 comment-- twitter and leave your link to your twitter homepage

3 comments--- blog about the giveaway or the sale and leave link

5 comments--- if you enter our hide and seek challenge (click here for info)

20 comments-- if you purchase an item from any ACT member- search artfire cafemom team on artfire to find our items or click the sale list here. (post link to item)

Each comment will be given a cooresponding number and then using a random generator we will pull a number for each giveaway item. Giveaway ends on Saturday. Winners will be drawn and announced on Sunday- so be sure to check back!

Here are the goodies!!! For more info or to see more items from that shop- click the photo!

Diaper Clutch by Jazzy Jemz

This Diaper Clutch is perfect for moms on the go! Convienent and stylish, this diaper clutch can hold diapers and a wipes case. Comes with an attached handle. Throw in your purse for quick trips.

Variety Pack: Soft Shell Body Shop

In this neatly packaged variety pack comes a Gardener & Mechanics Soap Bar, Naughty Nails & Cuticle Care, Honey Mint Flavored Lip Balm and a Lovin' Life Fuffa Food Soap. This package smells so lovely!

Bracelet : SW Designs

This photo does not do this bracelet justice. It is a dark bracelet that has specks of glitter in the light. The clasp on the braclet pulls it all together as it has a classy scrollwork design on it. Perfect for an evening out!

Personalized Lil Chef Hat: Stitch N Love

Wouldn't your little chef look great helping in the kitchen with his or her own personalized chef's hat? Personalized upon discussion with giveaway winner.

Black Crochet Newsboy Cap: Jazzy Jemz

Woman's Newsboy Cap with a Pink flower on the side. Comes with a sturdy bill. Perfect for the modern woman or teen!

PDF Tutorial for a Zip Pouch: DJ Storeroom

This PDF tutorial to make a handmade zip pouch will arrive in via email.

Crystal Gray Bangle- Set of 3: Jewelry by Janzia

Bold silver bangle made with crystal gray czech fire polished beads and silver plated rounds. Much prettier in person. Made with memory wire so one size fits all.

Adorable Stuffed Ox: Eddy's Pressies

Look at this adorable hand knit Ox. So squeezable !

Set of Two Barnyard Burp Cloths: Jazzy Jemz

Soft flannel on one side helps wick moisture away, underside is super absorbant terry cloth.

Floral Earrings: Creations with Heart

Pink trio of flowers adorn these earrings.

Springtime Flower Clip: Bows For Baby

The bow is attached to a 1 3/4" long alligator clip. It comes fully lined and there is a no slip grip on the inside. The ends are heat treated to prevent fraying.

Sample Four Pack: BeSPAlicious

Sample Packs are so much fun! The SPAlicious items are in here smell so wonderful!

Gift Certificates!!!!!

1-- $10 Gift Certificate to Spirit Essence Art

1 --$10 Gift Certificate to Bittersweet Design Studio

1 -- Gift Certificate to pick any 10 items from Diecutz

Reminder:

You get one comment per day to enter. You can also "earn" more comments by :
1 comment-- twitter and leave your link to your twitter homepage
3 comments--- blog about the giveaway or the sale and leave link
5 comments--- if you enter our hide and seek challenge (click here for info)
20 comments-- if you purchase an item from any ACT member- search artfire cafemom team on artfire to find our items or click the sale list here. (post link to item).

Giveaway is closed at 11:59 pm Saturday. Winners will be announced Sunday. ACT team members are prohibited from participating. All participates MUST have a valid email or website we can contact you through.

Thanks for participating!!!

Sale Spotlights

2009-05-05T05:06:00.002-08:00

In keeping with the theme of Open House this week I thought I would put together several spotlights of some items that are on sale this week by our wonderful and talented Artfire Cafemom Team members. Enjoy!

Hide and Seek Time

2009-05-04T12:00:00.004-08:00

To help celebrate our Open House, we are having a Hide and Seek. All this week our members will have hidden letters in their shops. The hidden letters will be in one of the photos in our guild member's shops. Here is a list of our member roaster to help you search.

As you find the letters, write each one down. After you are done searching, you will find that if you unscramble the letters you will have a phrase that reflects our guild members.

When you think you have the correct phrase, please email this phrase to the guild master. You must include your name and email address in the email. Contact us at jazzyjemz (at) hotmail (dot) com OR by hitting Contact me here

*********** WINNERS**************

If you guess the phrase correctly, you will be randomly entered to win one of 3, $10 gift certificates for use in any of the participating hide and seek shops. Gift certificate will be emailed to the winners and must be used by the expiration date. Gift Certificates are for product only and do not go towards shipping and handling costs.

Correct answers will be assigned a number and randomly choosen through a computerized generator.

Best of luck to you all and remember to check out our list of shops on sale this week by clicking here!!!

Come Shop in our Open House!!

2009-05-03T20:45:00.004-08:00

Artfire Cafemom Team is having an Open House with lots of shops on sale! Come celebrate, shop and spread the word! Click the shop name to be directed to the shop. Remember to search Artfire Cafemom Team to find more of our team members!

Jemz – 20% off , free shipping on orders over $30
http://www.jazzyjemz.artfire.com/

Bows for Baby: 15% off items in store, not on custom orders. Free shipping on orders over $20 before shipping. http://www.bowsforbaby.artfire.com/

Stitch n Love : 10% off all orders
http://www.stitchnlove.artfire.com/

Spirit Essence Art: 20% off all items, Free shipping on orders over $30 http://www.spiritessenceart.artfire.com/

Creations with Heart: 15% off all items
http://www.creationswithheart.artfire.com/

Jewerly by Janzia: 15% off all items
http://www.jewelrybyjanzia.artfire.com/

Chantilly Lace: 15% off all items
http://www.chantillylace.artfire.com/

Totally Tyra: 15% off all items
http://www.totallytyra.artfire.com/

Diecutz: 50% off all items
http://www.diecutz.artfire.com/

Bittersweet Design Studio: Free Shipping
http://www.bittersweetdesign.artfire.com/

Francisbel Boutique: Free Shipping
http://www.francisbel.artfire.com/

Waters Girls Crafts: 15% off all items
http://www.watersgirls.artfire.com/

By Coco: 15% off all items
http://www.bycoco.artfire.com/

SW Design: 20% off all items
http://www.swdesigns.artfire.com/

Eddy's Pressies: Free shipping on all goods over $25 to UK, US and worldwide
http://www.eddyspressies.artfire.com/

Soft Shell Body Shop: 15% off all items, free shipping on orders over $30.00, after discount
http://www.softshellbodyshop.artfire.com/

DJ Storeroom: Free international shipping, international airmail, delivery confirmation and insurance for all items.
http://www.djstoreroom.artfire.com/

Vestque : 50% off all items
http://www.vestque.artfire.com/

Subearthan Cottage: 10% off all items
http://www.subearthancottage.artfire.com/

Handmade with Love: 20% off items in her store
http://www.handmadewithlove.artfire.com/

Everyday Moments: 10% off all items

http://www.everydaymoments.artfire.com/

BeSpalicious: 20% off spa bottles, discounts on giftsets, and FREE SHIPPING for orders over $50.
http://www.bespalicious.artfire.com/

How I set goals for my online store

2009-04-30T08:02:00.000-08:00

Here is how I set goals for my online store. It is my own method that I worked out during my stance as an Insurance Advisor.. I was doing road shows back then and numbers are really important to me. The more people I speak to, the more chances for closing a sale. It is what they call, a numbers game. To use this method, you would need the studio stats to track your progress.

How my system works...

First decide the number of sales that you want.

My goal this year is to have 1000 sales transactions.
A big number for me that I seeked to motivate me and a big enough number for me to dream.

It sounds impossible, but yet maybe reachable as a clear, measurable figure is stated.

I am not looking at dollar sales, as it gives me too much stress.

How I count is, 1 item sold is 1 sale. 1 admin job for 1 month is 1 sale.

I count these only when I collect payment.

Pending payment cases do not count.

Step 2: The golden rule says 3%. Going by the 3% rule;

Goal / 3 x 100 = Number of views needed

1000 / 3 x 100 = 33,333 views needed

This is the number of views that I need for my product listings to get 1000 sales.

I am selling my products, not my shop.

Plus, some visitors come and go without checking out products.

Remember to use Total Item Views.

Step 3: The golden rule still says 3%. Going by the 3% rule;

Number of views needed / 3 x 100 = Number of impressions needed

33333 / 3 x 100 = 1,111,100 impressions needed

This is the number of times that my shop url needs to be seen to get 33,333 views.

Working backwards to explain the above calculations.

1,111,100 people will need to see my url, before 3% of them actually visits.

3% means 33,333 viewings of my products.

I will need 33,333 views on my products, before 3% of them actually buys.

3% means 1000 sales for my store.

All these figures matter as these are the goals that I work towards everyday. Its not just the 1000sales. Its the views also!

This system works well for me as it distract me from the pressure of sales target.
Instead I focus on marketing my store, trying to increase visits to my store, increase the number of views each item gets, which in turn helps to bring in sales.

I hope this simple method will help you to focus on marketing your store,

instead of focusing on sales. Do you have your own method? Share it!!

All the best..

Regards

Diana

http://djstoreroom.blogspot.com

http://djstoreroom.artfire.com

http://twitter.com/djstoreroom

Time Management For Busy Moms

2009-04-29T06:31:00.003-08:00

It has been suggested recently that many of our readers would be interested in an article about how to manage our busy time schedules and activities. Those of us that are moms with children at home certainly seem to run out of time each day to accomplish all we want to do in a day, whether we work outside the home or are stay-at-home moms.

Even if we no longer have children at home (like me, being a grandmom) and we are working at our art or craft in addition to all the other household and family needs, time management is still an issue. I thought I would tackle this concern in today's post. Though I certainly am no expert in this, I would like to share a few things that have worked for me as well as bring you a couple of links to other expert articles I have found.

Certainly we don't need another complicated, time-stealing method of grabbing control of our activities, so what I will talk about will be common-sense, simple methods of making a change to help us out. One of the things that I tend to do is make a lot of "to-do" lists. Now, it doesn't work to put them on little scraps of paper that are later easy to lose on your kitchen counter or desk. Believe me, I have first-hand experience with this! I have a notebook that I keep for jotting down things I want to remember, among them my tasks that I want to accomplish for the day.

Alternatively, keep a "to-do" list space on your fridge posted with a magnet, or someplace you will always see it. Just make sure it has a permanent place that you will always find it.

I don't know about you, but my lists are always long, and I never can seem to finish everything on the list. How about prioritizing that list in some way? One thing I do is to star the items that are "must do today or else". Then you know that these are the things that get done for sure.

Another way I have tried is to put each item in one of three categories:

Must do today - time sensitive items
Need to do today if at all possible
Would like to do today, time allowing

The time sensitive items would be things like doctors' appointments, picking up kids at school or taking them to regularly scheduled activities, etc. "Need to do today" items would be all those things that are important, but not life-threatening, like cleaning the house because in-laws are coming for a visit tonight or doing some grocery shopping because it would be difficult (though not impossible) to come up with anything healthy to fix for dinner tonight or get to the Post Office to send out that order I got on my Artfire site. "Would like to do" items would be things like cleaning out that junk drawer finally or surfing on the internet for a new and interesting recipe to try out using ground beef.

Another help I have found is to look at what is your most productive time, as well as when you seem to lose time to that proverbial "black hole" and make some adjustments. For example, my most productive time seems to be mid to late morning, especially when I need to write. I am awake and most alert then, so a lot of my blog writing and posting in forums gets done then. Additionally, late at night is my second most productive time (I am a night owl!), so I also can get a lot done on the computer then.

For me, my biggest black hole in time is right after I wake up, when I get online with my morning coffee. So many times, I have looked up to discover that several hours have gone by and I have not done anything that I thought was important for the day! One solution that is helping me lately is to either not get on the computer before I have my coffee and morning shower, or to at least only allow myself a very limited time (half an hour) before I get off the computer and then get myself ready or other things done first.

Another issue I have trouble with, and you might too, is that I often (usually?) put too many things on my list! Then when I only get 3 or 4 things done, I feel bad and give myself a hard time. That is not only discouraging but also counter-productive, because a few days of this and I feel like giving up. Limit your list to only a few items a day. Then when you get those done and still have time for more, you feel on top of the world!

I have one more bit of advice, but first want to share with you a couple of links to some interesting articles I found today.

This first one was an article that also had a simple, no-nonsense approach, from AllThings Frugal website. I haven't taken the time to look much further, however there seemed to be lots of interesting articles for saving money and time all over this website.

The second article I found and read this morning is about Time Management for the Busy Mom which brings up how important it is to schedule time for yourself. I agree with her on that issue! She talks about "Type A Moms" - we are all that, aren't we? Sometimes I feel like the Mom "chicken with her head cut off" type! It really pays to take even 5 minutes to yourself each day, even if it is to just sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and BREATHE.

Finally, my own bit of final advice. Very profound. Don't miss it. Here it is: Give Yourself Credit! We all do a lot every day, then no matter what happens, we have to get up and do it all over again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. We do the very best we can, don't we? So give yourself a pat on the back for what you HAVE done. We don't have to be perfect. And we all are perfect in our imperfections.

Enjoy your day and your week!

Arlene / Spirit Essence Art

BBQ Chicken Nachos - Yummy!

2009-04-28T05:04:00.005-08:00

This recipe brought to you by JazzyJemz sounds right up my alley. These nachos sound divine and best of all the recipe is super simple and quick to make. It's also easily modified for those who are watching their waistline by simply replacing the cheese with a fat free or reduced fat variety and using either Baked Tostitos or Tostitos Light chips.

BBQ Chicken nachos- Appetizer or snack

1 cup cooked chicken

BBQ sauce

Chopped Tomato

Chopped Red onion

1.5 cups Shredded Chedder

Tostitos

Preheat oven to 300

Toss Cooked Chicken and BBQ sauce in a pan to heat on low while you chopped the toppings- onions, tomato

When cooked chicken is warm put a layer of tostitos on a shallow cookie sheet. Layer chicken on top, onions, tomatos. Top with the shreeded cheese. Drizzle some BBQ sauce over the cheese.

Pop in oven, remove when cheese has melted. Eat up before they disappear!

Congrats to our newest winner!

2009-04-27T12:52:00.003-08:00

Bittersweet Designs has won our Weekly contest for her Set of 7 face scrubbies. She gets the awesome prize of having her Rapid Cart featured on our blog. Congrats!

Weekly Contest- Green

2009-04-25T14:33:00.005-08:00

Our weekly Artisian Challenge is under way and we need your help with participation! Please vote for your favorite item.

Our theme this week was "Green"

Poll is at bottom of post. One vote per IP address. You have til Sunday to vote. The winner of this week's challenge will be announced on Monday- and the winner will get their Artfire Rapid Cart on our blog. Best of luck to all artists

Spirit Essence Art - Mystical Aum Glass

Subearthen Cottage -Lemongrass Soap

Bittersweet Design- Set of 7 Eco Friendly Face Scrubbies

By Coco- Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Bottle Art & Glass Candle

Mindy's Embroidery- Going Green patch

Please vote once. Feel free to share with your friends!

Its Coming!!!!

2009-04-25T14:29:00.003-08:00

That is right!

Artfire Cafemom Team is having an Open House !!

The master list for the Open House will be posted Sunday May 3rd. Stay tuned to see all the awesome shops who are having sales to celebrate!

Promotion Counts!

2009-04-23T11:37:00.003-08:00

Promotion is key to sales for online businesses. If you are selling on a platform like Artfire or Etsy, you can't always rely on the random browser to find you shop and fall in love with your items.

So what does the novice online seller do to promote his or her business?

Many people will first start promoting their businesses on social networking sites like Myspace, Facebook, Twitter or Plurk.

This is a great step to get started promoting your business. It is free (who doesn't like free). The downside is that it is time consuming to update and maintain pages and keep people in the loop to what new items you have, sales, etc.

Never fear, there is a new program to help update all your social networking sites at once. Presently it is in beta and still working on improvements but it looks promising.

Ping has a dashboard where you can control your networks, updates on various accounts. Go check it out, it may make your life a little more simplier!

Another venue businesses utilize for effective promotion is a blog. There are many different venues you can blog on from Blogger, Typepad, Xanga or you can set up your own domain name for blogging. Blogs provide an avenue for you to spotlight your own work, promote yourself and other shops, advertise sales or giveaways. You can mix business with personal and add information from your life. Play around with what works to see how you can get more traffic to your blog. One thing that is a must if you sell on Artfire or Etsy is having your mini shop or Rapid Cart on your blog.

Promotion also come in the form of advertisements online. My prefence for online advertising is paying pennies a day for ads on different sites that publish through Project Wonderful. For more tips for online ads, please see my previous blog for getting started with Project Wondeful.

Artfire and Etsy also have teams or guilds that you can belong to that can help advance your business through group promotion. If you haven't already, check out the guilds on those handmade venues to see what activites they are doing to promote.

There are several online sites that are all about promoting the handmade community.

www.byhand.me

www.indierepublic.com

www.votehandmade.com

Have you checked out Stumbled Upon where people can randomly be sent to your shop? It is useful!

Some more free ways to advertise:

•Your email signature
•Leaving blog comments- sign with your website link
•Have an online portfolio with photos of your items- use flickr or photobucket
•Leave your business cards at restaurants, places in town that you could see your item sold at
•Upload your photos and turn them into a music video for blogs, you tube and other promotional venues by using www.onetruemedia.com

•Are you putting business cards in with products for every order?

•Clickable signature links to your shop for posting in forums.

Do you have any more suggestions for promoting your venue? Tell us what works for you!

What Are You Doing on This Earth Day?

2009-04-22T07:13:00.004-08:00

Today is Earth Day, and we certainly have the opportunity to do our part in preserving and valuing the resources of our home. This day is just a reminder to us to be more aware of our planet, not just on this one day of the year, but every day. I find myself asking "What can I do that I am not currently doing to take better care of our environment?"

How many of you are using the cloth reusable grocery bags to bring home your groceries? I have started doing that, though I could be better at remembering to bring them in with me from my car when I stop at the grocery store! We can all do things like turning off the faucet while brushing our teeth until we actually need it, or putting cans, recyclable plastic bottles, our newspapers, and glass into the recycle bins. What are other ways we can help? I decided to do some research on the subject. Here are a few ideas I found on the internet.

Are you using eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products in your home? These are a lot more available these days. The main thing is to avoid the poisonous and harmful ingredients in them such as chlorine bleach, phosphates, formaldehyde, napthas and mineral spirits, which can not only cause damage to us and animals, but also to our environment. Here is an interesting article I read that gives some natural, safe cleaning alternatives: Switch to Natural Cleaning Products .

In addition to that, we can do what we can to raise our awareness of environmental issues. Here are some ideas on how to do that. Teach kids about Earth Day. They are the adults of tomorrow. Here are 10 Ways to Teach Kids About Earth Day. Here's another page of Earth Day Activities for Kids.

Read up on Earth Day - inform yourself and share with others what you learn. Just do a Google search on Earth Day and you will see literally hundreds of thousands of websites devoted to the subject. Take action: Do one new activity to teach someone about caring for our environment or to recycle our waste, or even to promote and support creating less waste in the first place. How can you recycle materials in your art or craft? As creative people, we can come up with some new and interesting ways to re-use materials.

I am thinking about paintings I have not liked, especially on watercolor paper - I plan on keeping it and maybe cutting it up in different ways to use in my artists journal, rather than just throwing it in the trash can.

So, what can you do? How can you help? Perhaps you can post here some ideas you might have on ways you are helping or plan to in the future.

Enjoy your day!

Arlene

Photography Tips

2009-04-21T07:43:00.005-08:00

In my behind the shop interview I mentioned that taking great pictures of your products was key to having a successful online business. Of course that is much easier said than done and something I still continue to struggle with. In this quest I have stumbled on many helpful online tips and tutorials that I thought I would share with everyone today. Most of these have to do with photographing jewelry since that is what I specialize in but I think most of the tips could apply to anyone.

Great resources for online photography tips:
1. DIY Lightbox tutorial - this is the one that I personally use and although I'm not 100% happy with it, it does work well. Some other tutorials I have came across that look good are from Digital Photography School, Strobist, and Creative Pro which covers more than just your basic cardboard box.
2. Rena Klingenberg also covers how to build your own lightbox but goes a step further by discussing backgrounds, lighting, and camera settings.
3. For those that don't have a camera or who are not confident in their picture taking abilities Bill Gallagher has an interesting article on scanning your products.
4. Marlize Kasselman shares her tips on photography and has some of the best tips I've seen regarding the settings on your camera.
5. Lastly, I stumbled across this article from Pure Beads last night. I haven't had the chance to read it thoroughly but from my skimming I think might be one of my best finds yet. The article goes into great depth about all aspects of photography including photo editing.

Here's a few items from our wonderful Artfire Cafemom Team who I think have done a wonderful job with their pictures.

Hope someone has found this information as helpful as I have and here's to taking great pictures.

An Artisan Mom's Work is Never Done

2009-04-20T07:07:00.004-08:00

Well, I made it through my first craft show! The hubby and my oldest son went with me to help out and keep me sane, if that's possible. We made the spot money and a tiny profit, so to say. But I learned a lot all the same and made a few connections! That made it all worth it!

I will say this though, I wish that I had this Bright Eyes Herbal Tea Bags by SoftShellBodyShop! Those late nights for a week prior were really getting to me by the end of the festival! In fact, I am still not caught up on my rest since the two littlest ones have been keeping me up since they were left with Grandma on Saturday while I was selling my wares!

I can also say that when I do another show, and I KNOW that I will, I will make sure that I have some Honey Bath Soak with Goat’s Milk by BeSpalicious to put in my bath after a long day on my feet! I would love to have some of her pepermint foot stuff too!

Don't forget to check out all the great mom's in the "Artfire Cafemom Team" when you are looking around! They are some amazing moms and artisans!!!

Mom Behind the Shop: Jewelry By Janzia

2009-04-18T09:57:00.007-08:00

This week's Mom Behind the Shop is Jewelry By Janzia, aka Jeanette. Jeanette is sponsoring a giveaway of a very pretty PURPLE AMETHYST SHIMMER BRACELET . We decided to interview her to find out more about this giving mom in our Artfire Cafemom Team. So here is a bit about this talented mom!

Who are you:

I am a jewelry designer, wife, former mental health social worker and a stay at home mom to two wonderful children. I grew up in WV but have lived in Charlotte, NC for the past 7 years. I miss the mountains and countryside of WV but am happy to call Charlotte home now. It has a beauty of it's own and is a great place to raise a family.

What kinds of items do you sell:

I sell handcrafted jewelry including bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. I work mostly with semi-precious stones and crystal but like working with a wide array of materials. I've recently started to experiment with some paper materials and resin but am still perfecting the technique. I will also be attending a wirework class soon and look forward to learning ways to improve in that area too.

What made you get into your craft:

I first became interested in making jewelry when I commented on liking a pair of my neighbors earrings and she told me that her daughter had made them. I was amazed by the idea that you could make your own earrings and a little seed was planted. The next time I went to my local library I checked out every book I could on jewelry making. I read everything I could on the subject but wasn't really spurred to action until I went to a jewelry party (not the handcrafted kind but a company sponsored one). I loved everything I saw but after reading so much about it I kept thinking to myself I could make that. I figured by this point it was time to stop thinking about it and start doing something. I went home and scoured all my books once again and then made my first piece which I gave to my mom for her birthday. After that there was no stopping me.

Not one to ever do things halfway I went on a shopping spree and started making more than I could ever give away. I first got the thought to sell my jewelry when my neighbor asked if I had anything to sell because she was looking for a gift for her niece. I sold my first piece that day and at the urging of my family and friends decided to create Jewelry by Janzia and here I am.

Tips for online businesses:

There's so many, I don't know where to begin. I think first and foremost you need to learn how to take great pictures, which is something I'm still working on. Really read your camera manual and learn what each of the settings are for. Learn about lighting, build yourself a light box, shoot different angles and in different lighting. Remember that customers online can't touch or see your items close up so try and get the best pics you can. After you've got that down then promote, promote, promote!

Tips for moms :

Take time out for yourself and don't feel guilty for it. Sometimes I think guilt is my middle name and I just have to remind myself that I deserve to have my needs met sometimes too.

What is your favorite place to visit:

I'm a kid at a heart so I'd have to say Disney World. I've been there a ton of times but still enjoy it every time. It's especially great now that I have kids, watching their faces just brings joy to my heart. I'll never forget when my little girl had her luncheon with the princessess, the look on her face was worth every penny!

Your comfort food:

It's a toss up between homemade macaroni and cheese or a nice hot bowl of homemade soup. I love soup and could eat it about every day and do most days but there's something about macaroni and cheese that just soothes the soul.

If you were able to do anything in the world, what would it be and why:

Right now I would have to say that I would love to be able to take a get away weekend with some of my best girlfriends. There's nothing like being able to kick back with the people that love and know you best, having a few drinks, a few laughs, good conversation, and, of course, good gossip.

A few more items from Jewelry By Janzia's Store
(Clicking the picture takes you to that item in the store)

Denim Blues - Sodalite & Crystal Hoop Earrings

Joy, Respect & Harmony

Crystal Cube Bracelet

Giveaway #5: Jewelry By Janzia

2009-04-16T23:08:00.005-08:00

Welcome to our FIFTH blog giveaway!

The shop behind this giveaway is
JewelryByJanzia!

"The name of my studio is Jewelry by Janzia. I wish I could say something creative about my name but I chose Janzia as my internet name years ago while trying to register on a forum and my real name Jeanette was already taken. I decided to continue using it for my studio name because I think it has a nice ring to it, plus I just like the name Janzia. In my studio you will find handmade necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. I work mostly with semi-precious stones, glass, and crystals but try to provide a range of items to suit a variety of people. I find inspiration everywhere I look, nature, magazines, paintings, even the way colors are put together in a towel or a bedspread. I try to observe my surroundings and find things or color combinations that speak to me."

She is giving away her PURPLE AMETHYST SHIMMER BRACELET.

About the Item:
A fun and and chunky lampwork bead bracelet where the color ranges from the palest lavender to the deepest royal purples. The bumpy dot beads are brought to life with amethyst teardrops, purple shimmer tubes, and miyuki square seed beads, all accented with silver toned rounds and daisy spacers. Bracelet clasps with a silver tone hook and eye clasp. Bracelet measures approximately 8" in length with an inner diameter of approximately 7.25". Can be resized if needed.

How you enter:

Go to JewelryByJanzia's shop and find the item that catches your eye! Copy and paste the URL here in the comment section along with a valid email address in case you are chosen as our winner. One entry per person. If you want a second chance to win this beautiful bracelet - you can blog about it. Be sure to include photo of the bracelet and a link to the ACT blog. When you have blogged about the giveaway, all you need to do is post a link to the blog in the comment section. You can do this all in one comment and it will still count for two entries.

The giveaway will run from Friday 4/17 to Thursday 4/23. One winner will be chosen by random. We will contact the winner to get a valid shipping address. Please reply within 48 hours or a different winner will be chosen. Item will be shipped via USPS First Class or Priority Mail within one business day.

***Please leave your email address since this is the easiest and most efficient way of contacting the winner!***

Good luck!

Weekly Contest: April Showers bring May Flowers

2009-04-16T10:00:00.003-08:00

Our weekly Artisian Challenge is under way and we need your help with participation! Please vote for your favorite item.

Our theme this week was "April Showers bring May Flowers"

Poll is at bottom of post. One vote per IP address. You have til Sunday to vote. The winner of this week's challenge will be announced on Monday- and the winner will get their Artfire Rapid Cart on our blog. Best of luck to all artists!

Clicking photo will take you to a product description

Bows for Baby- Springtime Clippie

Jewelry by Janzia- May Flowers Lampwork Cube Bracelet

Creations with Heart- Heart Blossums Bracelet

Jemz- Carnival Bloom Splat Mat

Weekly Artisian Competition
Which item best reflects the theme of

Bows for Baby - Spring Clippie
Jewelry by Janzia- May Flowers Lampwork Cube Bracelet
Creations With Heart- Heart Blossums Bracelet
Jemz- Carnival Blossum Splat Mat

view results

Tasty, Time-Saving Recipes!

2009-04-15T08:48:00.008-08:00

I don't know about you, but if I am deep into an art or craft project and it gets to the time of day when everyone is hungry for dinner, the last thing I want to do is start cooking a meal that takes too long. Since we haven't had any recipes posted here for a while, I thought I would share with you some that are quick, easy, and delicious.

Here is one that our own Stacey from SWDesigns contributed.

FRUIT MOUSSE

1/2 cups milk

1 box (5.1 ounces) of instant vanilla pudding

1 container (8 ounces) of Cool Whip

1 can of your favorite fruit pie filling (15 ounces to 21 ounces)

1. Pour milk into a large mixing bowl. Using a whisk, mix in the box of instant vanilla pudding. Whisk for around two minutes. The mixture will be thick.

2. Add in the pie filling. Using whisk, mix until blended.

3. Add in the cool whip. Using whisk, mix until blended.

4. Spoon into individual serving dishes, and refrigerate three to four hours before serving.

It looks delicious, doesn't it? So, dessert taken care of. Now how about a main dish that is quick and easy? This next one comes from Jenn, our fearless leader here at Artfire Cafemom Team and owner of JazzyJemz .

ITALIAN SAUSAGE BISCUIT CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

1 lb ground sausage - you can use the link Italian sausage and remove the casings

1/2 small onion

1 green pepper

1 clove garlic minced

2 cups frozen mixed veggies

1 zucchini

1 container Homestyle Biscuits by Pillsbury

1 container Chunky Veggie Style by Ragu

Do:

Preheat oven to prepare biscuits as stated on the package

Brown the sausage and drain. Add onions, peppers to the pan to get tender.

Once tender, throw in the mixed veggies and garlic. Let cook for 5 minutes. Throw in zucchini.

Once zucchini is tender, add the Chunky Veggie style Ragu. Let simmer until hot.

While mixture is simmering- put biscuits in the oven and cook as directed on package.

Serve:

Open biscuits on plate, serve sausage mixture over. Eat up!

Alternative servings - serve over pasta or rice- just as scrumptious!

That one works for me - a one-dish meal with your protein, starch, and veggies all in one delicious dish!

Speaking about time saving, here is a quick and easy way to prepare almost anything you have in your fridge for a tasty dinner meal, that is both delicious and healthy. How about stir frying?! It's really easy and you can use the basic formula with almost any meat and vegetables.

EASY STIR FRY MEAL

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless beef, chicken, or pork, cut into bite-sized strips or pieces
1 onion, chopped or 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
Several cups of other vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini, asparagus, carrots, celery, etc.
1 cup Chicken, beef, or vegetable stock or, alternatively, small can of tomato paste mixed with about 3/4 cup or so of water
Soy sauce (or tamari sauce), to taste - optional

Directions:

The trick to stir frying is to have all your ingredients chopped and ready to throw in beforehand. Make sure all your vegetables (and meats) are cut into small, bite-sized pieces and are relatively uniform in size.

You can use a wok that has been heated with about a tablespoon of a good quality cooking oil or any large pan. I like to use my non-stick large frying pan because it is so easy to clean up afterwards.

Heat the pan to medium-high heat with your cooking oil, and add your onions and garlic, stirring while it cooks for a few minutes. Take care not to let the garlic burn.

Add in your meat, continuing to stir while it cooks. Next add in the vegetable(s) that take the longest to cook, such as carrots or celery. Stir for a couple of minutes more. Add in any remaining vegetables, stirring in each as they start cooking.

Once everything has started to cook, add in your liquids, including any soy sauce, stir it around, and close the lid for a couple of minutes, allowing the vegetables to finish cooking. Don't overcook - the idea is that the vegetables will retain their color and some crispness.

If you like a thicker "sauce", you can also add in for the last few minutes a tablespoon of corn starch mixed in a small amount of water, and combine it with the ingredients in the pan or wok. Cook for another couple of minutes.

Try varying it with different meats and vegetables for new flavors. Also, you can have on hand some of the pre-bottled stir-fry sauces from your "International Foods" aisle in your grocery store, such as Stir-Fry Sauce, Kung Pao Sauce, Teriaki Sauce, etc. for a more authentic Chinese food flavor.

Happy eating all - and happy crafting!

Arene
SpiritEssenceArt

Car Trips with Kids Tips

2009-04-14T04:54:00.005-08:00

I was having a difficult time thinking of something to blog about this morning because quite frankly I'm exhausted. The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, the kids were on spring break last week so I've had to find things to entertain them, I hosted Bunco last Friday, and the past two weekends we have traveled to WV.

We actually spend quite a bit of time on the road, at least once a month we travel to WV for hubby's Army Reserve drill weekend, on a good day the trip can take four hours and on a bad day, well, a looonnng time. Yesterday the drive went smooth but it still leaves me a bit wore out and the old brain a little fried so I got to thinking about what to blog about and thought well, the Artfire Cafemom Team does consist of moms and I'm sure other readers are moms and they all probably have to travel with their kids so why not a post about how to entertain and keep the kids happy while on long car trips? That was quite the run-on sentence, told you my brain was fried, lol.

Traveling with kids can be a stressful affair but not so bad if you plan in advance. Here's my list of the top ten best things you can do to prepare for the road ahead.

1. Pack lots of snacks and drinks if you are going to be on the road awhile. They're going to get hungry and thirsty and having something available to give them is going to save time and money on unneccessary stops but...

2. Plan to stop at least every couple of hours for bathroom breaks and a chance to stretch legs. If you've been on the road for awhile and still have a good ways to go it's a good idea to find a nice rest area with some open space and let the kids get out and run. Maybe pack a couple of play balls and let them kick and throw them around.

3. Good children's music. Can't take another round of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or Mary Had a Little Lamb? The music doesn't have to be geared just towards kids. One of my kids favorite cds (ages 8 & almost 5) is one I made up of music that I enjoy too. Some of their faves are Sixteen Tons, Leroy Brown, My Boyfriend's Back, Don't Worry Be Happy, and Black Horse and the Cherry Tree. Not so bad and something I can sing my heart out along with them.

4. But sometimes all you want is some peace and quiet. Some may disagree but portable devices may be the greatest invention ever. Whether it's a dvd player, mp3 player, gamesystem or whatever, pack plenty of games and movies and the kids can be entertained for a couple of hours. Just DON'T FORGET THE HEADPHONES or you can kiss the peace and quiet you were so desperately seeking goodbye.

5. Pack a special bag for each child consisting of favorite toys, crayons, coloring books, stickers, etc... If you plan on having coloring or drawing pages try to pack a couple of lap desks or clipboards so they will have something sturdy to put their artwork on.

6. Spring for something new. After a bit and they are bored with the above have another bag consisting of all new items. You can go to your local dollar store and pick up a few things for a little bit of nothing and the newness of the items will keep them entertained for a bit.

7. Pack extra blankets or pillows. I often forget to pack blankets in the car and kick myself for forgetting them because inevitabley one child is hot, the other is cold and the battle of the air conditioning or heat begins. Get those blankets!

8. Pack hand sanitizers, wipes, tissues, trash bags and any other item you can think of that will help keep the kids and vehicle clean. It will make your life much easier and the stress of something spilled a lot less. While I'm on that train of thought an extra set of clothes in an easily accessible area is always a great idea.

9. Print out or come up with simple games to play in the car. Some great resources I have found are Mom's Mini Van and Car Travel Games.

10. DO NOT FORGET YOUR CHILD'S FAVORITE SLEEPYTIME STUFFED ANIMAL/BLANKET!!! If your 4 y.o. needs her dream hippo at night to keep the nightmares away or your 8 y.o. needs his Smokey the Bear to help him sleep, do not, I repeat, do not forget them at home or worse yet leave them behind at wherever your final destination is. Trust me, been there, done that and it was not a good time.

So there's my list of tips for traveling with kids. Please comment with any of your own because I'm sure there are plenty I missed.

Mom Behind the Shop: TRPottery

2009-04-11T08:28:00.005-08:00

This week we are hosting a giveaway by our lovely TR Pottery. So we decided to interview her to find out more about this giving mom in our Artfire Cafemom Team. So here is a bit about this talented mom!

Your shop url: http://abitofcolor.artfire.com/

What kinds of items do you sell: I sell polymer clay and mixed media jewelry and accessories

Who are you (kids, family, education, hobbies etc): I am a professional potter/ceramic artist and a stay-at-home mom with a degree in elementary education (my life, like my work, is very eclectic). I have one daughter who is 3 and a half. I teach clay classes for kids at home and adult education classes at different community centers. My clay work has been exhibited all over the United States. Right now I’m working on a line of leafy pottery for a show in June. I’m just crazy enough with all that on my plate to be working on a separate business in a separate medium.

What made you get into your craft: I started playing around with polymer clay so that I could use it in one of the child clay and 3-D art classes that I teach in my home. It quickly became an obsession and soon decided to open a separate shop just for my polymer clay work. Tips for online businesses: I’ve found it’s important to list new things often. I also promote my polymer clay work on my blog at http://abitofcolor.blogspot.com/ and I twitter about new products and what’s going on in my life here: http://twitter.com/trpottery

Tips for moms: Naptime and/or preschool time is sacred. Whenever my little one is away or sleeping, I try to drop everything and get to work. This gives me a solid chunk of time to concentrate on my work and to get things done. Now that my daughter is getting older, I’ve also had her start doing activities with me. If I need to work on polymer clay while she’s up, I’ll give her a big chunk to make her own things out of. When I need to work in my ceramic studio, I bring her along. She loves taking a bucket of water and a sponge and sponging things down. This often ends up making a bigger mess than before with water and clay everywhere, but we’re both happy.

What is your favorite place to visit: There’s a frozen yogurt shop in town where you self-serve and pick your own toppings. They always have good fresh fruit. That is my favorite place to visit—by myself, with my daughter, with a friend.

Your comfort food: There’s a frozen yogurt shop in town….

If you were able to do anything in the world, what would it be and why: I’ve just applied for graduate school. I want to get into the Fine Arts/Ceramics program. It’s a very competitive program. They only take two new students a year. So although it sounds very practical and not incredibly exciting, if I could do anything, I would get into this program and do graduate work in ceramics. I would eventually like to teach at the college level and I’m geeking out at the chance to explore the medium more in depth with several different firing methods available.

Favorite 3 items in your shop- Clicking on items takes you to the item in TRPottery's shop

Mr Snail Bracelet

Coming up Rosy Earrings

Easter Egg Post Earrings

You can see some of TRPottery's other medium- ceramic, here: http://trpottery.etsy.com

Giveaway #4: aBitofColor!!!

2009-04-10T00:33:00.005-08:00

Welcome to our fourth blog giveaway!

The shop behind this giveaway is aBitofColor!

"I'm a stay-at-home mom with too many arts and crafts obsessions and not nearly enough time. A professional potter by trade, I "needed" something to do while my little one was awake and I couldn't get my hands in the mud. Polymer clay filled the gap (that probably should have been filled with housework--oh well...) I love the versatility of the medium and the near instant-gratification (compared to traditional clay) as I can form and finish a piece in the same day."

She is giving away a pair of her Twiggy Dangle Earrings.

About the Item:
These cute little numbers are all individually handmade with real twigs to give each unique character.

A hand-sculpted white blossom with a yellow center is attached to a real twig. The twig and flower were dipped in a clear satin finish sealant. The twig has been wrapped with wire and connected to a delicate earwire. Although there is some variation, the twigs measure about 2.5" long. With the earwire, they hang about 3" from the ear.

Because all are handmade, yours might be slightly different than the ones pictured here.

While pretty sturdy, if pressed upon, these can crack and break. I would recommend taking them off to practice somersaults, rolling down a hill, playing football, etc.

How you enter:

Go to aBitofColor's shop and find the item that catches your eye! Copy and paste the URL here in the comment section. One entry per person. If you want a second chance to win this adorable pair of earrings - you can blog about it. Be sure to include photo of the earrings and a link to the ACT blog. When you have blogged about the giveaway, all you need to do is post a link to the blog in the comment section. You can do this all in one comment and it will still count for two entries. Please leave your email address since this is the easiest and most efficient way of contacting the winner!

The giveaway will run from Friday 4/1 to Thursday 4/16. One winner will be chosen by random. We will contact the winner to get a valid shipping address. Please reply within 48 hours or a different winner will be chosen. Item will be shipped via USPS First Class or Priority Mail within one business day.

Good luck!

Congrats to Our Easter Contest winner

2009-04-08T20:08:00.004-08:00

A Bit of Color won ACT's first guild theme contest. The catagory was Easter. She won with her Easter egg post earrings submission :

To see more items from A Bit of Color- check out her Artfire Rapid Cart to the right for more of her colorful items!

What's Your Favorite Color?

2009-04-08T13:29:00.011-08:00

What color do you naturally gravitate to when you go clothes shopping or go into your closet to select what you are going to wear for the day? How about the colors that you decorate your home with? How does your favorite color make you feel? When you spend a lot of time in a room that is painted in a color that you do not like, how do you feel?

I know that in general my favorite color is purple - all shades of it. From the coolest pale lavender to the deepest juicy grape! I don't know why exactly. It just is. It makes me feel happy and confident. I feel connected when I wear purple.

Color and its effect on our moods and emotions has been studied extensively. I am sure you could find a "scientific" explanation for how and why different colors affect people. This is not such an article. In fact, I don't really care why. As an artist, I just feel the effects and love to play with color.

I love bright clear colors. I love soft, muted, smoky colors. I love it all! If you are like me and adore lots of color, isn't this the best time of year? Spring brings out Nature's best colors - the beginning, soft hues in her garden. Promises of what's to come as the weather warms up and more and more flowers and plants come alive with new growth.

Here at Artfire Cafemom Team, we are busy creating lots of luscious new colors in our hand-made art and crafts. Here are some examples.

Thanks! Enjoy your spring colors! And if you want quality and uniqueness, always buy Hand-Made. Just go to Artfire.com and search for "Artfire Cafemom Team" .

Recipe of the Day: Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

2009-04-07T04:18:00.003-08:00

I have recipes on the brain as I am the host for my neighborhood Bunco group this month. I decided to check out some of our own Artfire Cafemom Team's stash of recipes for some inspiration and found these delicious sounding cupcakes from Stacey of swdesigns. Be sure to check out her artfire studio for her crafty jewelry creations.

Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

1 box of Fudge Supreme Hot Fudge Brownie Mix (must have syrup pouch)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

3/4 cup mashed banana

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 teaspoons of vanilla

3 eggs

OPTIONAL:

3/4 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup chocolate syrup (to decorate plate)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put standard size paper baking cups into a 12 muffin/cupcake pan. Spray each paper cup bith cooking spray.

3. In a large bowl combine melted chocolate chips, mashed banana, melted butter, vanilla and eggs. Mix until well blended. Add the brownie mix and beat 50 strokes by hand.

4. Spoon half of the mixture into the sprayed baking cups.

5. Cut off a small corner of the syrup pouch that came with the brownie mix. Squeeze a small amount of syrup into the center of the batter of each cupcake.

6. Spoon the remaining batter on top of each cupcake.

7. If using chopped nuts, sprinkle them on top of the batter and press down gently.

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 27 minutes or until edges are set. When cooled, remove each cupcake from pan and baking cups from each cupcake.

9. Drizzle chocolate syrup decoratively on individual plates and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Preparations have begun!

2009-04-06T18:24:00.002-08:00

Preperations have begun!

We are so excited here at Artfire Cafemom Team. We are planning a HUGE Open house for our guild. So far planned for the first full week in May .... so stay tuned.

We will have a hide and seek contest in our guild members shops.

We will have a HUGE giveaway-- you dont want to miss it.

Oh, and of course our members will have discounts in their shops.

You know handmade is best made by Moms! Shop our ACT team by searching our items with the words artfire cafemom team!

Congratulations to Sharon!

2009-04-05T18:17:00.002-08:00

Congratulations to Sharon! She is the winner of the Green Dichroic Green Glass Pendant!

To all of our other faithful followers, make sure to check back every Friday for new giveaways!

Mom Behind the Shop: Bows For Baby

2009-04-03T21:32:00.010-08:00

This week's Mom Behind the Shop is Bows For Baby , aka Kelsey. Kelsey is sponsoring a giveaway of an adorable hand crocheted children's beanie (you pick the size). Click here for the giveaway.

Here we asked Kelsey some questions to get to know her:

What kinds of items do you sell: I sell hair bows, pacifier clips, hand crochet beanies and hand crochet booties.

Who are you ??? I am a 26 year old army wife, FT college student and mother to one energetic 2 year old! I grew up in Minnesota and have been an army wife for the past 4 years. Before this we were stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana and moved to Alaska in July of 2008.

What made you get into your craft: I knew that when my daughter was born that I would be spending a fortune on hair bows and accessories. I have always had a knack for crafty things, so I thought I would try crafting my own. I actually got the idea from a friend of mine who was in the same playgroup as I was back in Louisiana. She dabbled in it herself and showed me the basics. I took an instant liking to it and worked hard on perfecting my style. It took be about a year to really feel like I had something worth selling. Once I started getting compliments on my daughter's bows and when people started asking where I bought them, that's when I decided I should sell them. I really like making hair bows and there's no better feeling than seeing your creations being worn and enjoyed by someone else.

This past December my mother in law came to visit our family over the holidays. She herself is a very crafty person, always making quilts, knitting and crocheting. I had wanted to learn to crochet for a while because I thought hand crochet accessories would add a little variety to my shop. It took me about a month to really catch on. The beanies have been a big hit since skull caps are so very fashionable at the moment.

Tips for online businesses: It took a lot of trial and error for me. I know that pictures say a thousand words, so I've been working REALLY hard on taking pictures that will catch a potential customer's eye. Descriptions are a must as well. Customers like to know what their buying, so the more detailed the better. I also found that selling hair bows is a very competitive craft and that having unique items or items that are one of a kind sell better. Customer service is always a first priority. If you have a good relationship with a first time customer, the likelihood of them being a repeat customer skyrockets. And my last tip is to just be patient. Take notes from sellers that are doing well, but don't copy them. Make something your own, make it unique so that it stands out.

Tips for moms : Don't overdo yourself. You need me time too.

What is your favorite place to visit: Minnesota! I never realized how much I loved that state until I moved away. :) My family and friends are there so it's hard to be so far away from them.

Your comfort food: Korean food! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Korean food. I was adopted from Korea when I was 3 months old, but I grew up learning about my heritage. I went to a camp when I was young and we were served Korean food for lunch everyday, and that's when I got hooked. :) I craved Korean when I was pregnant, but there wasn't a decent place in the small town where I lived, so I SUFFERED.

If you were able to do anything in the world, what would it be and why: Travel. I would love to just take a year off and travel. I've been wanting to visit Korea, just to see where I was born. I would also love to travel all over Europe and eat the different cuisines!!!!

Click on the photos to see some items from my shop:

Hand Crochet Booties 3-6 months
Adorable Spring Boutique Bow

Toddler Beanie with Bow
Pair of Elmo Toddler Bows

Welcome to Giveaway #3!

2009-04-03T08:47:00.005-08:00

Welcome to our third blog giveaway!

The shop behind this giveaway is BowsForBaby.

"I named my shop Bows for Baby because it was the first thing I could think of, really. :) However, I love the alliteration and that it's an easy name to remember. Plus, it describes my shop perfectly so no one is confused on what I sell! In my shop you will find adorable hair bows for all ages. They range in sizes, colors, styles, and type of clip. I am always crafting new ideas. I pride myself in making high quality bows and selling them for a very affordable price because I believe that every little girl deserves hair bows! I recently learned how to crochet. My favorite things to crochet are beanies and booties. Beanies, booties and bows oh my! The beanies are perfect for the little one that may not have enough hair to hold a bow."

She is giving away one of her Pink Hand Crochet Beanie .

About the item: The beanie is made out of 100%. It comes in three sizes (infant, toddler, and child -- please specify what size you would like if you win when you comment). It is breathable for the summer time with adorable scalloped edges!

*Child not included with hat :) *

How you enter:

Go to Bows For Babies shop and find the item that catches your eye! Copy and paste the URL here in the comment section. One entry per person. If you want a second chance to win this adorable beanie - you can blog about it. Be sure to include photo of the beanie and a link to the ACT blog. When you have blogged about the giveaway, all you need to do is post a link to the blog in the comment section. You can do this all in one comment and it will still count for two entries. Please leave your email address since this is the easiest and most efficient way of contacting the winner!

The giveaway will run from Friday 4/3 to Thursday 4/9. One winner will be chosen by random. We will contact the winner to get a valid shipping address. Please reply within 48 hours or a different winner will be chosen. Item will be shipped via USPS First Class or Priority Mail within one business day.

Good luck!

Artfire News!

2009-04-02T18:33:00.010-08:00

Artfire now has gift guides up and running on their site. Very exciting! The gift guides are random selection, same as their search function. It randomly pulls the items that have been tagged for that gift guide.

Here are some Spring items in the Spring gift guide that caught my eye. Click the picture to see the item in the artfire shop:

Click here for more gift guides. As always search Artfire Cafemom Team to find our guild members! Happy browsing!

Another Stress Reducer + Inspiration

2009-04-01T05:33:00.010-08:00

I read with interest the last blog post done by Jeanette about using exercise as a great way to relieve the effects of stress in our lives. It reminded me that we do not have to be victims of stress if we just take some positive action in our lives.

Of course, we, as artists also get some stress relief from creating, which is a wonderful way to do it! Sometimes, though, we can be hit so hard by events and pressures in our lives, that it is difficult to focus long enough in our chosen creative media to make a difference.

That's where exercise can come in handy. It is also where another method can help: Meditation! Now, I am not an expert in different forms of meditation. Not by any means. However, I have been a regular meditator for many years and I know it can be a very simple practice.

Research has shown that regular meditation can have very beneficial results on our physical and emotional well-being. I won't bore you with specific research studies - that is not my intent. I know from my own personal experience that even taking 20 minutes to a half an hour once a day can help me get through my day with much more ease and focus.

Another benefit of meditation is to provide a space for new inspiration to enter our awareness. In the process of quieting our minds, our creative "muse" can speak to us and we can hear it! It can be in the form of thoughts, ideas, images, or words. We are each different in how we receive new ideas.

A simple way to meditate is to just find a time (15 minutes to half an hour is fine) and quiet space where you will not be interrupted. Perhaps if you are a stay-at-home mom, when your little ones are napping or after they have gone to bed in the evening. Sit or lie down comfortably and first relax your body, focusing on each area of your body in sequence.

Intend that each part will relax, and it will. You can also visualize yourself in a real or imagined perfect spot in nature. Or just focus on your breathing. Take deep breaths noticing how your body feels as you breathe in and out. Just let go. If you find yourself thinking or worrying about something in your daily life, just notice it and then let it go. This is your time to allow yourself to just "BE". How infrequently we do this for ourselves, so busy are we in "DOING"!

After a few minutes, allow yourself to just gradually come back to waking reality, noticing how you feel. If you have fallen asleep, so be it! At least your body and mind have rested, which is probably what you needed. If you find your fall asleep every time, then make sure you are sitting up rather than lying down.

Try this once a day and see if you don't feel more peaceful, less stressed, and more focused. You may even find that you come out of your meditative state with a great new idea or two. If not, know that the more relaxed you are, the better you will feel and the easier your entire life can be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't forget our weekly giveaways: the one running currently ( Giveaway # 2: Spirit Essence Art ) is almost done. Enter today before you forget!

Arlene

Stress

2009-03-31T04:25:00.010-08:00

Stress is something that I am sure that we all face. Many of us wear different hats throughtout the day: mom, wife, friend, employee, boss, artist, marketer, and the list could go on and on. Sometimes we are so busy taking care of others or business that I think we forget to take care of ourselves and that can lead to us feeling stressed and irritable. So for today I thought I would talk a bit about what we could do to help relieve stress and pamper ourselves a bit.

First up is exercise. Did I hear a collective groan and sigh here? Seriously, exercise is a great stress reducer and I'm going to spend a little time on it because it's something that I know a bit about. I used to be an avid exerciser, operative word here used to be, I've let it slip to the wayside since I've become involved in opening and promoting my studio. I've been thinking lately that I really need to get back into it because when I was doing it regularly my mood was improved, I had more energy, slept better and it did help relieve stress. I've somehow convinced myself that I don't have time for it but deep down I know that's not true, I have to make time for it. There's always time for a short walk or after working at our desks or computers take a few a minutes to do some yoga poses or simple stretches, we just have to have make the time.

So what are our options as far as exercise goes? I've already mentioned taking a walk and doing some stretches or yoga and of course there's the gym but I know many of us don't want to take the time out of our busy days to go to the gym so what else is there? One option that we have is to exercise at home, if you have cable that offers FitTV there are some great exercise programs available throughout the day or Fit on Demand offers a wide array of exercise shows at your fingertips at your convenience. There's also a great variety of exercise dvds on the market and this is something I know a bit about because my collection extends to well, let's just say, a lot of them. There's something for everyone from yoga to kickboxing, beginner to advanced, weight training to pilates, you name it and there's probably a video or dvd for it. Too rainy to walk outside, try a walking video! You can find exercise dvds at almost any brick and mortar store but the variety can be limited, particularly for advanced exercisers. For some great online resources that I've personally bought from and had great customer service try Collage Video, Total Fitness DVDS, or Advanced Workouts. All of these sites offer clips and reviews so you can really check them out before you buy. A great consumer site for home exercise is Video Fitness. I've been a member there for several years and it's a great place to find reviews written by consumers and the forums are filled with great ladies and gentlemen who are always willing to offer advice and help someone out.

Sorry if all that came across as an advertisement but it's something I was once very passionate about and have come to realize that I miss it in my life but enough about exercise and back to the topic on hand which is ways to reduce stress. What are some other ways that we can relieve stress in our lives? A quick rundown would include getting enough rest, laughing with friends and family, doing something you really enjoy, learning to say no to others, prioritize your time, set up a home spa, treat yourself to something sweet, keep a gratitude journal. Of course a few of our Artfire Cafemom Team members have some wonderful products to help you reduce stress.

Please check out our other Artfire shops for more great items and feel free to post any comments or suggestions for your favorite ways to reduce stress.

Weekly Contest: Easter

2009-03-30T19:47:00.003-08:00

This week the Artfire Cafemom Team is holding the first of its weekly contests. The theme this week is Easter!!!

So ACT members please submit your Easter items on our thread for this contest found here on Cafemom.

All entries will be voted on by ACT members. The winner will get their Artfire Rapid Cart on our blog for a week!

Looking forward to seeing those Easter theme entrys!!

Our first giveaway winner is...

2009-03-29T14:47:00.002-08:00

Congrats Tanman0107 for winning a beautiful nursing cover! She choose this brown and green floral nursing cover! Thank you Jemz for putting your item into our ACT giveaway!

Mom behind the Shop: Spirit Essence Art

2009-03-28T10:14:00.009-08:00

This week's Mom Behind the Shop is Spirit Essence Art , aka Arlene. Arlene is sponsering a giveaway of her Green Glass pendent here.

Here we asked Arlene some questions to get to know her:

What kinds of items do you sell: Fused Glass Jewelry and Art Creations, as well as oil paintings

Who are you ??? I am happily married, have a married son, wonderful daughter-in-law, and 3 beautiful grand-daughers. I have had several careers before I decided to become a full-time artist, though when I started out, I was doing stained glass as a hobby. Now I am teaching stained glass, creating fused glass (that is formed in a kiln), and more lately oil painting and watercolor painting.

What made you get into your craft: I started by taking a stained glass class in a hobby shop for fun. I loved it so much I have been creating with glass for over 25 years now in one form or another. I started painting and drawing after I took a drawing class and then painting class so that my stained glass designs would be better. I just love working with color and that has kept my interest for so many years.

Tips for online businesses: I am not an expert, but I do know that it is helpful to be persistent, consistent, and to keep doing all you can do to perfect your craft, and to let people know what you have to offer. It is important also, in my opinion, to stay positive and keep believing that you can have all you want to have. Just love what you do and be enthusiastic. That will take you far.

Tips for moms : I know it is not always easy to pursue your art while you have young children at home. However, I feel it is important not to feel guilty for taking the time to do something for yourself, when it is appropriate. Your children will learn self-respect from you because of this. Of course, your loved ones come first, but don't leave yourself out either!

What is your favorite place to visit: Right now, it is to see my grand-daughters! I love being around them - they are so natural and you always know where you stand with them. My husband and I moved here to Pittsburgh to be close to them, and I am enjoying this opportunity so much. I never want to take that for granted.

Your comfort food: Only one? Well, I have a few: Chocolate is very high on the list! Also, I love home-made soups and a good loaf of bread. Then, of course, after having lived in the Southwest for 10 years, a bowl of hot, spicy chili is very delicious and satisfying.

If you were able to do anything in the world , what would it be and why: Travel! I love seeing different cities, different countries. I had the opportunity to live in New Zealand for 10 years and it was wonderful. There are so many interesting places in the world to visit, that I would travel a lot more than I am able to right now.

Click on the photos to see some items from my shop:

Arizona Agave Oil Painting

Red Starfish Dichrotic Glass Pendent

Fused Glass Sculpture

Giveaway #2: Spirit Essence Art

2009-03-27T00:22:00.007-08:00

Welcome to our second blog giveaway!

The shop behind this giveaway is Spirit Essence Art.

"My shop is called Spirit Essence Art, which means I go to spirit for my inspiration for my art creations. I create fused glass (kiln-fired) jewelry and art objects, as well as paintings (oils and watercolor). "

She is giving away a Green Dichroic Glass Pendant.

About the item: Glass pendant with pale green background and accent pieces of gold and green Dichroic glass fused in the middle and on top. Silver bail ready to take your own chain or cord. This is for the pendent only, a chain or cord is not included.

How you enter:

Go to Spirit Essence Art's shop and find the item that catches your eye! Copy and paste the URL here in the comment section. One entry per person. If you want a second chance to win this beautiful pendant- you can blog about it. Be sure to include photo of the pendant and a link to the ACT blog. When you have blogged about the giveaway, all you need to do is post a link to the blog in the comment section. You can do this all in one comment and it will still count for two entries. Please leave your email address since this is the easiest and most efficient way of contacting the winner!

The giveaway will run from Friday 3/27 to Thursday 4/02. One winner will be choosen by random. We will contact the winner to get a valid shipping address. Please reply within 48 hours or a different winner will be chosen. Item will be shipped via USPS First Class or Priority Mail within one business day.

Good luck!

Welcome to ACT!!

2009-03-26T10:37:00.001-08:00

Here's a special welcome to our new members!! I visited 9 new members at their artfire studios and shine our spotlights on 1 of their goodies each!!

~*~*~*~ Everyone say H! ~*~*~*~

Ps; I am running a special blog giveaway at my own blog.. There are 3 free, pretty and functional handmade zip pouches to be sent for free via international registered airmail!! Check it out at http://djstoreroom.blogspot.com

Spring Crafting Fun at Arfire Cafemom Team!

2009-03-25T13:38:00.002-08:00

Though the weather may still be a bit up and down in temperature, here in the Northern Hemisphere there are definite signs of Spring coming! Perhaps some daffodils popping up, a few days of warmer weather and sunshine, and just that nice "feeling" of spring-fever that is in the air.

With Spring comes new energy, longer days, and a feeling of anticipation. Feeling an urge to do some new craft projects by your self or with your kids? I thought I would bring you some ideas and links to some fun, new spring craft projects. In fact, in searching for new ideas I started getting excited and wanting to do some of them myself!

Here are some of the fun things I found when I searched today. To view instructions, click on the images below, and these will take you directly to them.

There were lots of Easter craft project ideas, of course, and here are a couple of them. An Easter Bunny decorative egg table ornament:

A cute Easter chick made from an inexpensive clay pot:

How about a simple decorative votive candle glass cover you can make to spruce up your decor? Try this one:

What do you think of when you think of spring? For me it is the beautiful flowers that start blooming this time of year. Even if it is still a bit too early to plant or cut fresh flowers, here is a way to bring some into your house anyway!

If any of you are into Artist Trading Cards, which are 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" cards that can be saved and traded (and are fun to create!), here are some ideas for ones that definitely have a Spring feeling to them:

Here is a great site that has lots of crafting ideas and projects ( http://www.creativity-portal.com ), and I am sure if you navigate to its home page you can find lots of new juicy crafts ideas to sink your teeth into. However, there were a couple that caught my interest.

For those of you who dabble in writing, whether it be a personal journal or your own blog, this one looked interesting for finding some inspiration for spring topics to write about:

Collages - all kinds and hints and ideas on how to put them together:

Well, if these don't get you going with some new projects to get your creative juices flowing, I don't know what will! I hope you enjoy these and can have some fun with them.

Come back and comment here (with photos, of course!) with some of your own art creations and suggestions. It's great to share and we can learn so much from each other.

Happy Spring Crafting!

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

2009-03-24T04:28:00.000-08:00

For today's feature I thought I would spotlight one of our members yummy recipes for a sweet treat. This recipe is brought to you from Stacey from SWDesigns to check out her other creative side visit her store at http://www.swdesigns.artfire.com/ where she showcases her fabulous jewelry creations. Without further ado here is the recipe:

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

24 Oreo Cookies

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

12 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves warmed

Whipped Cream

Chocolate Shavings (we used crushed chocolate chips)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put standard size foil or paper baking cups into 12 muffin/cupcake pan. Spray the cups with the cooking spray.

3. In a blender, or by hand in a large bowl, crush the Oreo cookies. Add the melted butter. Continue to crush the mixture until fine crumbs form.

4. Spoon the crushed cookies into the bottom of each sprayed baking cup. Gently press down.

5. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

6. In a medium sized bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with a hand mixer, until smooth. Add the eggs and the vanilla and continue to beat until well blended.

7. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into each of the baking cups.

8. Bake for 15 minutes.

9. Remove from the oven and spread one teaspoon of the warmed preserves on top of each cheesecake. Put the muffin/cupcake pan into the freezer for 15 minutes.

10. Remove pan from freezer and mini cheesecakes from muffin/cupcake pan. Gently peel off the foil or paper baking cups. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Sounds delish and my stomach is rumbling now! Enjoy and thank you SWDesigns for the yummy recipe!