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!

Bar Coaster Mini Album

Mike "Esquire" turned 31 two days ago and so of course a Friday night Happy Hour was imminent! Gracie took some photos at McMullan's, our favorite pub - its our Cheers. Not everyone nows our name, but most do! Lauren happened to find a couple of stowaway beer coasters in her purse this morning, so today I made him a little album out of them.

It's super easy - I think it actually looks better when you let as much of the coaster show through as possible so - you don't need a lot of paper. Just punch 2 holes along the sides of as many coasters as you want to join together, I used 5. Then attach them with ribbon or string.

Add all your photos, stickers, embellishments, etc. and you're good to go.

This is a great project for all those embarrassing or out of focus pictures you can't use in more traditional projects. Have fun kids!

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!

To Etsy Or Not To Etsy... That Is The Question.

Hello and Happy Tuesday to all of our faithful readers! We hope you enjoyed your long 4th of July weekends!

Ruth, Gracie and I have been doing quite a bit of soul searching lately, regarding our Etsy Shop - asking ourselves: Why haven't we sold anything yet?, Are our prices too high?, Does anyone know we exist?, etc. We see other Etsy sellers posting amazing, exciting statistics about their shops - even one who has reached her 1,000th sale. While we are so happy for her and think its great, we know we could reach 1 million sales! So, what to do?

Well, I did some research today and I will share a few of the Etsy tips that I discovered and that Paper Dolls will be implementing - these are things that came up many times from multiple sources. We hope they are helpful! If you have any other tips for how to make money on Etsy, please share!

1. Be different - Make your products a reflection of yourself, find a niche and don't try to cater to everyone.
2. Your Photos Can Make or Break Your Shop - The photographs of your items should be professional and editorial - they should look artsy and show your personality.
   
3. The Art Of Listing - Your Item titles are very important - make them short and sweet but descriptive. Use all of your tags when you can. 50 - 100 items at a time is ideal on your shop - most people will only browse through 2 - 3 pages (and see 40 - 60 of your products). Relist, relist, relist - Etsy's search function shows most recently listed items first.
4. Get Involved - Become a part of the Etsy community by reading the Etsy blog and being active on the comment threads and forums - you get your questions answered and gain exposure with your peers - BONUS!
5. Use your tools! Read Etsy's Seller Handbook, Your Shop 101 and again, use the forum - almost all of your questions can be answered there.

I hope that is helpful - I just added about 20 new items to our shop this evening - take a look and leave us a comment. You have no idea how excited we get when a new comment pops up - we text each other IMMEDIATELY!

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!