DIY Revisited: Mother's Day flower pot with template

Last year I wrote a post with an idea for a Mother's Day card that I like to do at school with my kids each year. This year I decided to make a template to speed up the process!

Here are your options for different ways to use the pattern:

1. Print the pages and either use them as is.  You can let kids cut and color the pieces, but normal printer paper will be more on the flimsy side.
2. Photocopy them onto construction paper.  This is what I'm doing at work, we have a heavy duty printer that will take construction paper without a problem.  Then I let the kids to the cutting and help them put all the pieces together.
3. Cut out the pieces and and use them to trace the shapes onto construction paper.  Then let the kids cut their pieces and finish the project.

Click here to download the PDF.

Hope this helps make this project easier some of you out there!  If you want more information and details on putting the card together, go to my original post.  Happy (almost) Mother's Day!

What I've been up to lately

I'm really not getting better at regular posting lately, but in my own defense, things have been crazy busy... we got engaged, I'm finishing up my last class in my graphic design program (which happens to be character animation and is not my forte), and I was just in my first craft show! 

Being my first show, I had a lot to do other than making product (which I spent a lot of time on).  I ordered business cards, made tags for my merch, and made displays for my stuff (with Mark as the construction implementer).  It all got done, and looked great for the show!

My table display was made almost entirely from stuff we had at home.  Mark made display boards and a headband rack with wood from his shop and I covered them with fabric I already had.  I bought three cheap necklace holders at thrift stores for $1-2 apiece to hang other headbands on.  Everything else (fabric on the table, boxes, the actual tables, etc.) was stuff we had!  Oh yeah, and I made the KareWares bunting which is a bit hard to read in the photo.  I loved my booth.  It looked unique and really stood out in the room!

 I designed my business cards, printed through Vistaprint and they turned out great!

I made tags with photo paper I was never going to use (home printers can be such a pain), label tape my dad gave me, and a stamp with my logo, also from Vistaprint. 

The show went... well, ok.  The overall turnout was actually quite poor and there were other vendors who didn't sell anything.  I reached my goal of making back what the table space cost, plus some, so I felt somewhat satisfied (although business could have been better).  I think I could have done better in a more urban, well-advertised fair, but those do generally cost more to enter.  And what's with craft shows having mostly non-craft vendors?  Oh well, now I know and am prepared to enter another show when the time comes!  Again, thanks to Mark for building my stuff and keeping me company during the long day, and to friends and family for stopping by to say hello or pick up a craft!

Craft show preparation

As I get ready for my first craft show that's just a week away (eek!) I realize how much there actually is to do that I wouldn't have otherwise thought of... processing payments, tagging, displays, branding, etc.

Here are a few of the things I've been able to accomplish so far:

Payments:  I ordered a Square.  It's free to recieve and when you process payments by credit card  they only take 2.75% of the purchase total.  That seems worth it to me for sales that I might otherwise lose if people aren't carrying cash.  It hooks up to your iPad or smartphone and the app processes
payments straight to your bank account.

Branding: I have a few other things in the works, but my business cards were my first plan.  I designed them, printed through Vistaprint, and they turned out great!  I wasn't sure how the color would compare to my computer screen, but it's pretty spot-on.  I'll throw them in bags with sold items and place some on my table.

Tagging:  After I ordered the cards, I got a coupon from Vistaprint in my email.  I ordered a stamp for  creating tags and after discounts, it was $3.99+ shipping!  I stamped it on some Scotch brand label tape my dad got for my birthday (he works for 3M).  I used old photo paper that we were never going to print on for the tags and put them with my stuff!

I'll hopefully be sharing more of my progress over the next week, including display plans and the banner for my table!

Big news!

Well, we've had a lot going on lately, but that will have to wait because...

WE GOT ENGAGED!

It happened on my birthday this past Tuesday, and I couldn't be more excited!  Mark is such an important part of my life, and since we met so many things changed for the better.  I can't wait to embark on this new part of our lives together!  

(No gratuitous ring shots yet- Mark picked out a fabulous wire-wrapped gemstone ring which, unfortunately, did not fit.  More unfortunate is the fact that it can't be made in my size because of the size of the stones, but we picked a new one that I love and it should arrive soon!)

Now we have a wedding to plan and (of course) much of it will be DIY! I'd love any suggestions and guidance along the way and can't wait to share our journey!

Little projects

I've been crafting like crazy lately, getting things ready for my first craft show!  Our house seems to be overtaken with my supplies... sewing machine on the table, piles of fabric across the living room floor, yarn everywhere. I will be a relieved when the show has come and gone, and I know I made things I genuinely liked.  Some of my favorite things to make are these little brooches and hair clips with flowers and embroidery. 

Here are a few of my favorites:

Some are felt and beads, some have little crocheted flowers I whipped up.   It's nice being able to have variation between pieces by changing things slightly.

 

 
 Well, back to work.  I'm very excited and nervous about the show, so hoping it goes well!  (I may have had a nightmare that I didn't sell anything, so here's to hoping I sell at least one or two things!)