It has been a year since I have done anything creative. Well, not exactly true, but I haven't had the time to photograph and write about every thing I have done. My latest project has me making roses out of dollar bills and making arrangements with them. Nothing like a gift of money presented in such a lovely way. Hopefully I will find the time to type up step by step instructions and post them here. See you soon!

Just wanted to update this Blog with a hello and how ya doing! I have been very busy with my mothers cancer treatment so my crafting has been put on hold. However, I have been beading here and there and will post a few pics later on. See you all soon!

Easter Crafts

Hey everyone. Easter is coming early this year, so there isn't much time to play around. There are many different things we can make for this time of year. It will even be more fun since we can bring spring around a little bit earlier, and chase away this nasty winter.

This next craft is easy and fun to do for all ages. It is called decoupage. You can decoupage just about any surface, or item. I will be using ceramics this time. My mom loves to do this, keeps her busy. All you need is some decoupage glue (Mod Podge), a short stiff brush, material, and ceramic eggs and pinking sheers. You can order ceramics online or go to your local ceramic shop and purchase the eggs. I make my own ceramic eggs. My Mother-in-Law has her own ceramic shop in her basement.

Pinking sheers are scissors with a serrated or notched blades. They cut the material and leave a zigzag edge that looks decorative and helps prevent the material from fraying. The material you use should have small patterns on it. It looks better when cut up and glued to egg. Larger patterns get lost and don't look very nice when glued together. When finished, you can decorate egg with ribbon and small flowers.

Decoupage Easter Egg

Supplies:

• Eggs
• Material (cut in small triangle shapes)
• Glue
• Brush (short stiff bristles)
• Pinking sheers
• Ribbon
• Clear gloss spray
• Ribbon
• Small silk flowers (if you want)

First step is to cut all your material into small triangular pieces. Next, use the brush to spread glue on egg in a small spot, just to stick the material on it. Then completely cover the piece of material with more glue. Keep repeating this step until egg is completely covered. Let dry. When completely dried, spray with a clear gloss to give it a finished smooth look. Let this completely dry. Spray the clear gloss in a well ventilated area, outside would be best if not too cold. Finally, you can decorate it. Use little flowers and/or ribbons. What ever you chose. I chose ribbon, just to give you an idea.

You can fill a basket with them, or just set them out by themselves. They make great little gifts for teachers. The following pictures show you each step. Have fun and enjoy.

Being a Florist

OK, so you want to be a florist? I hope you are ready to be overworked and under appreciated. It sounds mean but it is true. You work long hours on your feet. You work 'til your fingers bleed (literally). You work 'til the work is done, no excuses. You have a wedding to put out? The bride doesn't care if you have a 103 fever or you are running to the bathroom every 5 minutes. All she knows is her bouquet better be perfect. You know, the one she ordered filled with roses and diamond studded stephanodis. The one she cried about being $150.00. That probably cost me $149.00 to make. The one that would have cost her $300.00 in a big city. Yes that's the one. After she pays for her limos, photographer, ceremony, reception, and cake, she comes back to you and has the nerve to say we have to cut some of the flowers. There is no money left. Can you believe that?

I love it when they ask "What can I get for 20 bucks?" I would love to just be able to say NOTHING! Just once would be nice. Or say, "How about cutting out the 12 limos instead?" The brides always come in to make cuts on the flowers to save money. I guess they don't realize that the flowers will be in almost every picture.

Maybe I am being a little harsh (not really). Not all Brides are Bridezillas. On occasion, we do get lucky with a bride that loves everything you make and will pay anything for it. We love that kind of bride. You don't mind adding a few extras for the people that appreciate it.

No one really knows how much work goes into making a floral arrangement, of any kind. There is a lot of preparation involved. All the flowers we receive in the shop have to be cleaned. Daisies need all their little leaves removed from their long stems so they don't mold. Everything has to come out of its wrappers and placed in water so it can open up. Roses need to be stripped of their thorns without injuring their stems. This is where the "bleeding fingers" come in. All flowers need to be cleaned and preserved a different way just about. There are some flowers that can't even be stored together. This is do to ethylene being produced by the flower and ruining other flowers in the cooler. Click here for more information on this subject.

Just loving flowers isn't going to make you a great florist. You really need to LOVE the flowers even after the long hours and sore backs and bleeding fingers, and broken nails and blistering feet and whining brides. Should I go on? I think you get the picture. Before you jump in and say HEY! this looks like fun, remember that it just "looks" like fun for the most part. It really is a lot of hard work.

If you really want to open your own shop, I suggest that you go work in one for about three months. You will learn flower arranging techniques and tips. You will learn to work with fresh flowers, dried flowers and silks. You will either love it or hate it by then. That's what I did. I went to buy a woman's shop and ended up working there for five years. I really LOVE the floral business. I would still consider opening a shop of my own some day.

Buying out someone else's business isn't always the best route to go. Customers love their florist and when a new owner takes over they don't think you can keep up with their needs. When word got out that this woman was selling her shop and I was their learning the business, a funeral director called and complained about the casket spray. He said the new girl doesn't know what she is doing and everything was a mess. The best part about this is that I didn't make the casket spray; the owner did. So loyal customers assume you won't do well. I think I would be better starting from scratch without someone else's troubles and building my own clientele. That way I can't blame anyone but myself if I fail or succeed.

Lastly, don't be discouraged. If this is something you truly love and can be dedicated to, you will do well. You definitely need to be positive and believe you can offer services someone needs. Make sure you also have a sound business plan. You can get in over your head quickly with bills. Plan wisely. Think about it for a while before you jump in

Easy Flower Arranging

I love flower arranging. I love to do up a vase or a bouquet just to see the joy it brings someone. Fresh flower arranging is my favorite. The colors and the scents are magnificent. You don't have to be overly creative to do this as long as you follow a few basic tips. You can go to your local grocery store and buy a mixed bouquet with all you need to make a beautiful arrangement.

One of the first tips I will share is, make sure you always snip the end of the stems, at an angle, before you place them in your arrangement. This fresh cut allows the flower to drink up the water. Also, use a preservative in your vase. This usually comes with the bouquet. It helps them last longer. A little known fact; when florists receive their flowers from a wholesaler, they are often dry packed in boxes, and could have been in cold storage with no water for over a month. So be sure to hydrate them. Do this even when you receive a new bouquet.

My basic flower arranging instructions:

• Fill vase with plain water and any greens that may have come with the bouquet or that you may have purchased. This can include baker or tree fern, or other greens used as fillers. Tree fern is fluffy and looks nice to finish off the edge of a vase. Place them in one at a time at an angle, so they crisscross in the vase. This will act as a grid and allow you to hold your primary flowers in place. I used some Seeded Eucalyptus in my vase. I love this stuff

• Place primary flowers in vase first. A primary flower is usually your focal point, or the prettiest and largest flower you are using. Cut stems as you place them. If they are big, put them a little lower so the arrangement doesn't look top heavy.

• Determine at what length you wish to cut your flowers. You can easily do this by moving the vase to the edge of the table or counter, where ever you are working. Hold the flower up to the greens, where you want it to sit in the vase. You will see the stem lower than the counter top. You then snip the bottom, right where it lines up with the counter top.

• Next, use the smaller flowers to place in between the larger ones to fill in the spaces. Cut them to the right length as above.

• If you have tall flowers like Liatris or Snapdragon, use them in the top to give your arrangement some height.

• When finished arranging flowers, grab the bouquet tightly and remove it from the vase. This will allow you to dump the water and put fresh preservative water in the vase. If you have two of the same vases, arrange in one and display in the other. You do this when arranging in a clear vase. Flowers are actually pretty filthy and the water turns brown and nasty when arranging. Plus, little leaves and pieces of stems will be floating about.

The following pictures show some steps. This will give you an idea of how easy this is. You will want to give flowers to someone special every day, and they will think it came from a florist.

Grandma: The Afghan Queen

Nothing in the world like an afghan from Grandma. Sure they are a similar stitch you have seen before, but in Grandmas, you can see the love. Wrap it around you, and it feels like Grandma is giving you a hug. They are a treasure. I cherish every one she ever made for me. If this was a Grandma blog I could go on forever. She was awesome, and still is to me. I wish I knew how many she made over the years. I am sure the yarn could wrap around the earth at least twice.

Even after she passed, my new born children were brought home in their own "Grandma B" afghan. I remember crying in the hospital to my mom, after my 3rd child was born. (She died earlier that year.) Telling her how Michael won't be coming home wrapped in one. Well much to my surprise, Grandma, in her infinite wisdom, already had one made for him. She had it tucked away in the attic for me, just in case. I think I cried even more when I saw it. When I had #4, there was an afghan for him too. Apparently she made a few, just in case. She even had a box full of doilies made for me, for when I had a bigger house.

I can still see her sitting in her favorite chair, crocheting Barbie clothes for me. She would make me headbands to wear in my hair, ponchos, vests, booties and more. I thought they were the greatest things she ever made. I finally asked her one day to teach me. I must say, I didn't know Grandmas could lose patience with their sweet granddaughters so quickly. She kept telling me "No! not that way." and "Your stitch is to tight." She would rip out what I did and start it over. Her joy of passing along her craft was soon forgotten. I think she was thrilled when I gave up. She was able to relax and enjoy it again. Every afghan I ever started, she finished. I still have her crocheting needles someplace around here. When I find them, I am going to give it another shot. It wont be the same, since she isn't her to yell at me anymore, but I am determined to complete one on my own in her honor.

Her favorite pattern was "Birds of Paradise", as shown in this picture. She would crochet them in any color you wanted, usually two. I am having one heck of a time finding this pattern online. If anyone has a clue, please leave a comment I would love to see it. Not being a crocheter, I am not sure what all her patterns were called. There was a zig zag, a clamshell, one with long rows and tassels. Many others too. Some of my favorite afghans were the ones that she made from all her left over yarn. Multi colored is an understatement. They ended up pretty funky looking.

She always used Red Heart yarn. She would save the label and search for a certain dye-lot when she needed more. Now I see they have "no dye-lot" yarn. She would have loved that. When she would give someone an afghan she would always include a Red Heart label so they would have the washing instructions. She always said Red Heart held up the best. You didn't get fuzz balls after washing it.

This post is more like a tribute to my Grammy. I couldn't help myself. The joy over the years with her is priceless. Now we have her heirlooms to enjoy and remember her with, and we can still feel her love. You all go out and crochet an afghan for someone special, so they have something to wrap themselves in when they want to have you near. I think I just might go wrap myself in one now. Happy Holidays!

Comments

Posted by: Pam Lenihan on Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Hi Susan, I believe your Grandma's Bird of Paridise pattern is a shell crochet, changing color every row. I loved reading your description of how wrapping up in the afghan was like a hug. I believe thats what she wanted to leave you, unending hugs. Blessings to you.

Some Craft Show Tips

I am writing a few tips for crafters that do shows. These are a few of the things I like to do, to keep up with the competition. They are simple but sometimes forgotten.

• Don't get stuck in a rut. Don't only make things you like. Not everyone shares your tastes. To be productive and profitable, you have to think of what others may like. For instance, I made this wreath. I threw it together with scraps I had laying around. I took it to a craft show and it was the first thing I sold. I wouldn't want it for free. I was shocked. The best part was, the woman who purchased it asked me to hold it for her for a bit. So I put a sold tag on it and kept it on my display. Would you believe I received two more orders for that nasty thing and had to go dig for stuff to make it again. So, in short you never know what people will like. You have to be versatile and willing to try new things.

• Pay attention to new yearly styles and ideas. I like to browse magazines and even store flyers for new ideas. Some of my best sellers were things I saw in magazines, and I would say "Hey I can make that!". Then I would make it for much less and make a great profit. There is nothing wrong with seeing something someone else has made and then making it yourself. You put your own twist in it. It is like receiving a recipe. No matter how many times you make, it will always be a little different each time, and it never tastes like the original.

• You really need to update your inventory. Selling the same thing year after year gets old quick. You have return customers who are looking for that special item that they know only you can make. They tend to find a liking to your style and creativity. They get excited when they know a show is coming up. They can't wait to see what you'll have this time. You can still keep your best sellers around. New customers are always browsing. Try making something that you usually wouldn't tackle, like crochet a baby blanket or knit a scarf. Both of those items would be a challenge for me. It would also keep you from being bored doing the same holiday crafts over and over.

• Another tip for shows, always be courteous and smile. Talk with your customers. It lets them know you care about them and appreciate them. They will come back time after time if you are friendly. Help them find the best gift for someone, or help them in selecting a piece that will suit them. I have had customers like a certain piece but wanted it in another color. I would offer to make it for them and deliver it with in the week. They love the personal service and the care you give them. They are more likely to tell friends and family about that beautiful floral arrangement you made, when you are nice to them. Customer service is key to having a great business.

All this crafting, and writing about it, is really getting me in the mood to do shows again. If I decide to embark on this endeavor again, I will need to find some shows to participate in. Some shows are easy to get in. For instance, local schools and charitable organizations do them as fund raisers. They are easy to get in because they are not always juried. They are usually on a first come first serve basis. The larger juried craft shows can be tough. The organization hosting it will basically judge your work on originality, creativity, and presentation. It usually costs more to be in this type of show, but it is worth it. They tend to draw in a larger crowd and you have the potential for greater profits.

One of my favorite art and craft shows to attend (shop) is the "Christmas in the Country" arts and crafts show in Hamburg, New York. It is spectacular. I was in heaven walking through it. They hold over 400 vendors in 3 different buildings. You need to make a day of it to enjoy everything they have to offer. I never applied for this show (yet) but I know there is a waiting list. I think I should start out small, don't want to be overwhelmed.

For some great craft show information. You should check out the Sunshine Artist Magazine.They give tons of information that every crafter should read, especially if you are doing this as a business. I find it very helpful and full of information. I enjoy reading the reviews for the art and craft shows, and scanning the listings of show dates. If you have any questions for me please leave a comment. I would love to help if I can. Have fun crafting and selling!