The GREAT Craft Festival!!!!

Hello faithful readers,

So, did anyone other than me read the title of this blog and instantly think of Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin? Its fitting for the season that's for sure! Not to mention a classic.

The Great Craft Festival is being held at Cashman Center, November 4th - 6th and Paper Dolls is going to be there! We are super excited for our first large craft fair but also exceedingly nervous! The booth fee was not a meager amount for our little business and we are all having nightmares of no one showing up, not being able to process credit cards due to a freak internet connection mishap, selling nothing, and any number of other mini craft disasters you can imagine!

We have been working away creating all kinds of crafty art with a conscience - the sweatshop is back in business. Also, we have enlisted the help of family and friends for making us an awesome display fixture, assisting with set-up, and just begging them to attend and pass the word on. We've ordered bags, tissue paper (because that makes everything pretty) and new business cards. I tell you, there has never been a time where I've felt more official or more broke!

So, please plan on coming to the Great Craft Festival in a couple of weeks and tell all of your friends! Here are the details, we hope to see you there:

Great Craft Festival
Cashman Center Exhibit Hall
November 4th (10-6), 5th (10-6) and 6th (10-5)
850 Las Vegas Blvd N
Cost: $8 for adults (but we have a $2 off coupon - see below!!!!)

4 Rs and a U!

How many times have you been cutting a pattern out of felt and looked at the remaining scraps feeling guilty? They aren't really big enough to make anything out of but you just can't bare to throw them away. Or maybe, you slice through cardstock at a whirlwind pace while making exploding boxes, scrapbook pages, etc. and just swipe the left over bits of polka dot papers and strips of patterned vellum into the recycling bin. And I bet you have all looked at a few inches of remaining yarn, thread, or ribbon and just known there is nothing you can do with such a small scrap!?








Ruth, Gracie and I are constantly trying to think of things we can do with what others view as trash, rubbish, disposable or unusable. It really isn't hard - it just takes a change of mindset. And before you start calling us things like "green police" or "tree huggers" please realize that half of our motivation is financial. Well,, maybe a third! The more you reuse, recycle, upcycle and repurpose, the less you have to buy. And for three girls who aren't the richest crafters in the world - that's huge!

What is upcycling and repurposing anyway?

Most people who grew up with the three Rs are pretty aware of what reusing and recycling is. But what about the 4th R, Repurposing? Repurposing is literally what is sounds like. It basically means revamping something with a new use. Reusing a coffee can to capture used oil, keeping your PF Chang's left-overs container to feed Grover his morning kibble, etc.



Now, what about that pesky U?

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value. Similar to repurposing but the important part is that upcycling maintains or improves the quality of the materials . Many of the handmade items sold on Etsy are made with upcycled items. There are coin purses made from sweaters, earrings cut out of vinyl records and an old travel case made into a clock, to name just a few. Another example might be taking the Starbucks coffee sleeves that you would normally throw away and using them as mini album pages such as the Las Vegas mini album Gracie made below.
So, the next time you find yourself walking over to your trash can or recycling bin, take a moment to pause. Ask yourself, is there something I can use this for?

"I'm not lying, I'm just stunnin' with my love-glue-gunning"

It's true, I like Gaga... even more when I was playing "Rock Band" a few weeks ago and finally paid attention the lyrics to "Poker Face" with Lauren. During the part,

"I won't tell you that I love you

Kiss or hug you

Cause I'm bluffin' with my muffin

I'm not lying

I'm just stunnin' with my love-glue-gunning"

We looked at each other and thought, "BLOG TOPIC"! haha. Yes, we are nerdy and are easily amused by silly Lady Gaga lyrics and are thinking about our little business all. the. time.

In all of my years of crafting, I have had a healthy phobia of glue guns. True story. Stop laughing. (Raise your hand if you've ever had a blister from a glue gun burn! Yup, you probably sucked it up, healed, and continued to use the gun to make pretty things.) Not me! I could give you a list of other adhesives that I've used to avoid the dang gun... Tombo Aqua liquid glue, Aleene's Original Tacky Glue, ZOTS clear adhesive dots, Amazing GOOP Craft Contact Adhesive and Sealant...

This summer at the sweatshop, I decided to give the glue gun another chance. It's cut down on drying time for projects, and I've probably gone through 200 glue gun sticks making exploding cards! May I recommend one? Here's the one I've been using:

It's the SUREBONDER Hi-temp detail mini glue gun. It's got a fine nozzle for detail work and a built in stand. :) I never thought I'd say it, but I love it.

Take a peak at what I've been working on:

What pretty things have you been making?

P.S. We sold another item on Etsy! Shout out to Candy from LV! Thanks for your support, it means a lot!

(Owl hoop made with felt, embroidery floss, and buttons)

P.P.S. Happy birthday (8/18) to an honorary Paper Doll, my Paper Mama, Mama Baula!

(She's still got it... I got it from my mama.)

Favorite Things Friday: Baby Edition

Push Play:

Hi doll face! Is it me or does it seem like everyone is popping out babies lately? I feel like I’ve been focusing on baby gifts for the past month. It’s seriously making my ovaries hurt, giving me baby fever! These are my favorite projects this week:

1. Baby booties

Look at these teeny, tiny things! SO simple, but so cute. My mom made these, by the way. They’re made of felt, flannel, and embroidery floss.

2. Baby wooden blocks

Step 1: Use your "25% off your entire purchase" coupon at craft stores to buy these 1.5” wooden blocks because they never go on sale and it doesn’t make sense to use your "40% off one item" coupon on one block at a time :/ Use your "40% off one item" coupon on the Mod Podge. That's right! Save that money. :)

Step 2: Cut paper scraps from your scraps bucket to cover your wooden block sides. I cut 1 and 3/8 squares, but you can make them smaller if you want.

Step 3: Brush one layer of Mod Podge on a side of the block.

Step 4: Carefully lay on square of paper on the Mod Podge layer.

Step 5: Give it time to dry (it dries pretty quickly), then brush a 2^nd coat on top of the paper.

Step 6: Continue steps 3-5 until all sides of all blocks are covered.

Step 7: Decorate as you wish. I used letter stickers to spell my friend, Julie’s little man sandwich’s name! I can’t wait to meet him.

3. Diaper Cakes

This was my 2^nd diaper cake ever! It’s pretty easy to make. I learned how to make it by using good ol’ YouTube… that’s right… where I learn how to do just about everything. Ha!

Hope your week was filled with making pretty things! Happy crafting!

P.S. Ruth, Lauren, and I submitted an application along with our Etsy site and photos to become a vendor at The Great Craft Festival in November on Wednesday. This would be good experience for us because this is the 29th annual festival, and 13,000 are expected to come! We got an email back on Thursday that said we were accepted! Woo hoo! This only means one thing: Back to the sweat shop. :)

It's hard to find good models these days...

So what's a lady to do when she doesn't have access to kid models for a "photoshoot" so that she could add more items to the Paper Dolls Etsy shop? Model them herself?

EH! Wrong answer! Can you say fivehead? My forehead can give Tyra Banks's forehead a run for her money. It might honestly distract you from the cuteness of these fabric yo yo headbands and barrettes.

(My mom made these... can you believe how crafty she is?)

Another option would be to bribe her god daughter with obscene amounts of candy ask her god daughter who was staying over to model them for her... no pressure.

She said, "Yes!", people! Halleluyer. She was a very cute model, if I had to say so myself.

What's funny is that my nephews wanted to get in on this photo party... no bribery... nothing!

Thanks for your help you guys! I'll only be using the lil lady's shots, but I loved your enthusiasm, boys!

It's true that no children have come out of my womb... yet! But I consider these guys like my own. When I have kids one day, I hope that they turn out just like these little cupcakes.

Favorite Things FRIDAY!

1. Making Lists :)

I love, love, love making lists and checking off items that I accomplished that day. Yesterday was SUPER busy, but I got everything done... it helps that I'm summer vacation!

2. Crafting with paper scraps.

If I focus on keeping my scraps bucket empty by making crafts using scraps, I save moolah, and you know that I am cheap LOVE saving money! I used the paper scraps from the exploding boxes that we've been making to make journaling strips for cards like these:

10 Reasons I <3 U card

3. Etsy.

I'm getting more and more comfortable navigating through our Etsy site. We've even made our first TWO sales this week! My post office has never seen a happier girl to send these 2 packages through the mail:

SOLD! (Happy Birthday coffee sleeve album)

SOLD! (Hand Sewn Zebra)

4. Listening to the Warblers CD while making pretty things!

Anyone else a big GLEEK, like me?! I can't get enough of Darren Criss's voice. All the songs are great on this CD, but my favorites are "Teenage Dream" and "Silly Love Songs". These songs make 5 hour craft sessions go by quickly when I leave it on repeat and treat it like a filipino karaoke party! ha

What's on YOUR to-do list? What have YOU made using paper scraps lately? Who's your favorite GLEE character? What's on YOUR crafting playlist? :)

Happy Friday to you!

Thinking Inside the Box... KABOOM!

Greetings from the Paper Dolls Sweatshop! One project that I've been cranking out this week are "Exploding Boxes". It was such a treat to receive one for my birthday this year, and I just had to learn how to make one myself! The first time was a little daunting... measuring, scoring, folding, cutting, measuring, cutting on the WRONG lines (whoops), starting over, scoring, folding, cutting... and 4 hours later -(not kidding)... I was pleased with the prototype! Now that I understand the assembly process, and have a father who is retired and willing to do all the scoring, folding, and cutting, it only takes me 2 hours to embellish and fold up the box! ha!

This one is my favorite of the 7 boxes I made this week:

"Love" Exploding Box

(the lid)

BOOM! the inside of the box :)

(a view of one side with pockets for notes, pictures, keepsakes...)

(another side)

(another side)

(the last side)

Can you picture a special person who would love this as gift? Especially with all the weddings this summer? I can, too! :) Here is a simple tutorial if you'd like to try one on your own. I promise that if you give this as a gift, you'll get an "explosive" reaction. Happy crafting!

SEW what's new?

(Singer Promise)

Well, I broke down and bought a sewing machine that went on sale at Tarjay (Target pronounced fancy). We have a love/hate relationship going on right now. I have a stack of books of cute things that I'm dying to make, but the only thing that's standing in my way of making all kinds of cuteness is one, very tiny, insignificant detail... I DON'T know how to sew! :/

All I have to say, is thank goodness for Youtube videos like this one, and for other Paper Dolls named Lauren, and Ruth! Quick tip: if you are thinking of buying a beginner's sewing machine, my advice is to buy one with a drop-in bobbin rather than a front loading bobbin. Trust me, as a beginner, the front loading bobbin is a pain in the tooshie.

Last Saturday, we were determined to get the sewing machine up and running. After a couple of hours of fighting with a bobbin, Lauren got it working!

We practiced sewing paper :)... don't judge, we have to start somewhere, right?! ha!

As soon as I have a sewing project that's presentable to share, I'll post it. For now, I'm sticking to good old trusty paper, and glue! This is what I finished today: a birthday gift for my mom. It's a brag book like this one, but of her yummy little grand babies.

Go ahead Jared, and Jace... be cuter! I dare you.

Have a happy and safe weekend, everyone!