Shabby Miss Jenn

Friday, January 20, 2006

Primitive Watercolor and Sheep


Hadn't dug out my watercolors in I can't even remember how long. This willow tree happened and I wanted to add "something" but wasn't sure what. Saw the bag og sheeps wool on the desk and .....grabbed my felting needle an created a sheep! I just love how it looked together.

This was placed on my FOA page as well and is on its way to California. I have 3 more in the series started! be on the lookout for them!

PrimBlessing!
Cedara
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
AND MORE OF MY DOLLS FEATURED AT
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Bit more PRIM then my usual

Doesn't she make ya smile? The idea sort of come out on paper while I was sketching something totally different...isn't that always the way?! LOL
She went on my FOA page this week and is flying to live in Nebraska now. I have another in the making right now that I hope to add to my website on monday!

Prim Blessings!
Cedara
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/

AND MORE OF MY DOLLS FEATURED AT
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

PatternMart



http://www.patternmart.com

I mentioned earlier in my blog (and I know you have been reading my blog and remember!LOL) that my friend KELLE of Dirty Crow Inn was starting an new adventure. This is it!

PatternMart is where you can find and download EPatterns instantly! The patterns there are by a number of wonderful prim artists whose names you may already recognize.... Back Side of the Moon Primitives; Sue Allemand; Tennessee Ridge Primitives; Kelle has her patterns as well as a bunch of other wonderful artists.

They have different ways for you to join as a designer and have your patterns for folks. Check into it. This is going to be HUGE! They also have a community message board that you can join and be kept on top of all that is going to be happening there.

I am so excited for Kelle and all the ladies and wish them the best of luck! Its going to be a site to BOOKMARK and check out all the time.

Oh and before I forget.......brace yourself....they even have some EPatterns for only a penny!

PrimBlessing!

Cedara
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
AND MORE OF MY DOLLS FEATURED AT
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Today is WACKY FRIDAY for FOAF on Ebay

Today is another fabulous day of awesome primitive goodies from the FOAF group on Ebay!
Just when you think you can't fall in love with anything else more speical then what you have already seen.....someone creates something else.
I am gaining a much bigger love for a "bit more extreme primitive" in style.
These are amazing artists!

Go to Ebay today and type in FOAF.......look what they have made for you!

PrimBlessings!
Cedara
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
AND MORE OF MY DOLLS FEATURED AT
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Inspiration always........ PrimRaggs!!!!!!!!



If you have never had the pleasure of seeing this website before now, you have no idea what you have been missing.

http://www.primraggs.com

I strongly believe that ANYONE that is interested in creating primitive style dolls must have AT LEAST a few of Brenda's patterns. I savor the ones I have gotten. When I find enough spare change in the bottom of my purse.....her website is the first place I head for. She always has something that just has to come home with me! heehee

Brenda is so sweet to deal with on a business level. She is very quick at answering any questions that you might have. She offers both patterns that can be mailed to you or an EPattern that will arrive in your mailbox. Sometimes patterns take so long to come across the border and I just want it NOW! heehee

She has a pattern for any prim doll you can imagine. The instructions that come with her dolls has the most clear and simple directions. She shows you step by step what you need to be doing. Highly recommend her site for those that have never made a doll before but are interested. More advanced doll creators will also find themselves thrilled with her patterns.

http://www.primraggs.com is her website and please tell her that Cedara sent you over:)

Prim Blessings!

Cedara
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
AND MORE OF MY DOLLS FEATURED AT
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Interview with a Friend~ Shawnette of Imseeingraggedies



Shawnette is one of the first gals I ever met when I first joined Primmart's online community. She created the most unique and adorable raggedies I'd ever laid eyes on.

I adore her stuff and knew that I wanted to read her answers to m questions.

Here they are!


1. When did you first start creating and then selling your creations?
I have been crafting forever. I got it from my momma! lol I didn't start selling my finished creations until March of 2003.
2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home. What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft business, that you wish you knew when you started your own business?
To keep all transactions seperate for tax time. And have everything ready come Jan.!
3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about marketing their product?
Join communities, but be sincere. Don't just go there to advertise. Join topsites. Send out emails when updating products. Make sure you send bcc (blind carbon copies) to protect your list of subscribed clients.
4. What is your typical crafting day like?
Check emails, grab cup of coffee. Start sewing. Check Primmart! Finish sewing. Then start the staining process. Clean house while I am in there! Then take everything back out to my crafting room to start the stuffing!
5.What sparks your creativity?
I get inspiration from anything from fabric to vintage toys, to Cheryls' graphics!
Who inspires you?
Ummm Cheryl and my wonderful friends at Primmart! They are sooo talented!
6. What do you LOVE to work on?
I love making raggedies!
What do you HATE?
I think it drives me nuts all the legs and arms! Having to sew all them!

...................................................

Thanks Nutt! XOXOXO

Please everyone go check out her dolls and goodies. She has the most adorable paper towel holders right now! Every prim kitchen needs one!

Her website http://www.ezshoppes.com/shoppe/info.asp?sid=Imseeingraggedies

On Ebay imseeingraggedies

Interview With a Friend ~ Mary of AntyM's Garden


There are not enough words in my vocabulary to describe how much this lady has effected my life. Mary is always so funny and makes me laugh. She has a been a wealth of wonderful information for how to run my business. She lights up my life when I open my mail and see I got an email from her. You all are about to capture a small glimpse of her special sparkle when you read her answers to my questions. Get comfy.....she had fun! LOL
From the bottom of my heart.....THANKS Mary!XOXO

Here are her answers!

1.When did you start making and selling your creations?
I have been creating stuff ever since I can remember. About 35 years ago I made some layered candles in milk cartons for decorations for an office party (the milk cartons were the molds, you removed them afterwards. Had to use broken crayons for coloring. Four people begged me to make them and paid me $5 each. That was a LOT of money for a candle back then. then I started making macrame hangers and everybody wanted one of those. Then there was Indian jewelry and we won't even discuss that. All I did was string beads 24/7 for a couple of years. I have made and sold candles, plaster statuary, macrame, jewelry, painted wood items, wall hangings, and a lot of stuff inbetween for years. About 20 years ago I made my first cloth doll. It was a sort of bigheaded baby doll with a sunbonnet that was actually part of her head. I sold them with a matching little outfit for the dolls owner. The doll had a heart on her chest that said I love Kayla (or whomever the doll was for) Then I wanted to make a scarecrow doll and couldn't afford 4.50 for a pattern so I designed my own.
Made a lot of them too. Then i didn't craft too much for sell for a few years because I had two jobs and didn't have time. About 1997, I was supposed to do a craft demo for a church group of simple autumn crafts. I could not find anything I liked. The night before all I had were two dim looking turkeys made out of flowerpots. I kept looking through craft magazines and not liking the stuff I was seeing. I don't know what happened. I went in my room and pulled out a bunch of fabric scraps and sat down with just the junk I had on hand and started making stuff. I worked all night and when I got done I had the huge pile of strange stuff like nobody around here makes. The lady next door saw my creations and begged to take them to work with her to try to sell. She said she's bring the samples back in time for the demo. She came home around 4:30 and give me about $350.00 in orders (these were $7-$12 items. The people at the craft demo went nuts and wanted to learn how to make everything. I am embarrassed when I think about how simple the stuff was. I sold a lot from then through Christmas. then my husband got really sick and died in July of 98. I needed more income but did not really weant to work outside my home because I had a 13 year old wannabe gangster that I felt needed supervision, rofl. I started selling old glassware and pottery on eBay. A friend of mine had a bunch of stuff whe wanted me to sell for her. I was looking up duck decoys and clicked on one to read the description and
found eBay primitives. I didn't even know such a thing existed. I looked at this doll and it blew my mind. I could make those.
My first doll was a 36" tall harvest angel. she was totally painted, even her skin, stained with wood stain and sanded. She has huge wings with wood inside of them. She had on more clothes than an eskimo. I got 9 bids for her and sold her for $27 rofl. I was ecstatic. I started making dolls big time and sold almost all of them but not for a lot of money.
I been making stuff ever since, just about every day.

2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home.
What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft
business, that you wish you knew when you started your own business?
Working at home is working with constant interuptions. People who would never dream of coming down and bugging you if ya worked in an office or a factory, think nothing of phoning or dropping in unannounced when they know you work at home because most people do not think of this as work. They think I am just making a big mess! lol My youngest son is particularly good at phoning and asking, "what are you doing"? WHAT DOES HE THINK I'M DOING!
There is a very real need, if at all possible, to have a separate work space for your work that is not used for other living functions. Otherwise you get the "stuff all over the place" syndrome.
Working at home is not as easy as it sounds. The good thing is you can wear your PJ's to work. The bad thing is sometimes you really have to force yourself to get to work and ignore the other things you would rather be doing or think you should be doing.

3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about
marketing their product?
Start on ebay, then try to hook up with a good group, then join a website like FOA, then when you get comfortable, start your own web site which really doesn't cost very much to maintain. Start up costs for graphics costs but if you can more or less design your own, you can usually find someone to put it together for you quite reasonably. Once you have established yourself like this, look for ways to expand. If you have patterns, get an eBay store and keep all of them listed in there also.
If their are good shows in your area for the type of things you make, try participating in some of them. Try to attend the show first to see what the set-ups, etc are like and then try to get in the next one. This is another case of you usually get what you pay for. Location is important.
A good show in a busy venue that costs $200 a space is usually a better investment than a little show in a recreation center or a church hall or parking lot that costs maye $10. There are always exceptions to this rule.
If you know people who do a particular show, talk to them about it first. I do not do shows in my immediate area, because few people buy finished items and even fewer buy prim items. I am getting ready for a big show in March. It is at the Disneyland hotel. I have done shows in that area years ago and they did very well. When people come to an area like that they expect to spend money and they will spend money. $50 for a doll is not much compared to $85 for a Goofy sweatshirt at Downtown Disney! lol ALWAYS BE SURE TO TAKE BUSINESS CARDS TO YOUR SHOWS AND PASS THEM OUT GENEROUSLY. IF YOU HAVE A PATTERN BROCHURE OR FLYER, TAKE PLENTY OF THOSE TOO. THEY WILL PAY OFF IN THE LONG RUN.
oNCE YOU HAVE DONE ALL OF THE ABOVE, (except maybe the shows, if you are in showless area), you need to think about print advertising. This is if your products have sold well in the other venues I have mentioned. If you are not doing that well, you need to examine your product and compare it to others like it. Maybe its too much the same and you need to think of ways of doing some fresh new stuff. If you are satisfied with your product , you need to consider print advertising. this is very pricy compared to the other stuff. Never waste your money on one of those tiny little classified ads in the back of the book. They are worthless. You also need to consider which magazines your items would do best in. Country Marketplace has been around a long time but its not as big as it used to be. Its focus is still more country than prim and its readers are generally a bit older and more conservative. Go for the biggest ad you can afford. Sometimes magazines offer upgrades. That means you pay for a 1/4 page and get a 1/2 page. Mercantile Gatherings is a smaller publication but much better for very prim things and very authentically old looking items. Create and Decorate is a terrific new magazine that defintely is slanted towards prim and I think it is going to do very well. If you can't afford an ad, consider submitting a project to the magazine for them to publish. They will pay you for this and it will give terrific exposure.

4. What is your typical crafting day like? I wish I could have one, rofl. I usually get up in the morning, read my e-mail and post on boards etc while I wake up and have coffee. Then I try to do a little housework and get busy. I usually try to sew in the morning, while the light is good, my eyes are old! Then I stuff and do the handwork in the afternoon while watching reruns of Law and Order, rofl. I usually stop and go to the post office to ship orders and pick up mail around 4 , then I do any errands that need to be done. Unfortunately if I have a lot of interruptions, I end up sewing in the afternoon and finishing in the evening. I really love to craft on a day when I don't have to go anywhere , do anything else, or get dressed up. I get a tremendous amount of stuff done on days like that. I hate stopping and starting.

5.What sparks your creativity?Who inspires you?
Anything and everything can give me an idea. I can see something someone else has done and think how it would translate to something I do. A quote from a book, some words from a song, a vist to the produce section of the market. I listen to a lot of music while I work.For reasons I cannot quite explain I find southern gospel Music and the music of Johnny Cash to be very, very good for creativity. I think most people have heard of method acting, where someone is supposed to immerse themselves in the role and pretend they are in the time and place of the character, to actually BECOME the character. I think I do method crafting, rofl. When I think of primitive I tend to think of people back in the Dust Bowl during the depression years and stuff like that. I don't think of people in 1786 in a log cabin someplace because I really can't relate to anything that far back. Most of the people I grew up around were always frugal by necessity. They really believed in the old saying, Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. My mom's aunt was the Queen of Recycling, she never threw anything away, even her dead parrot, rofl
we found him entombed in a box in the butlers pantry after she died. I think that is way too extreme. When I am working on things, I tend to become Anty M from someplace in Arkansas or Missouri, I spend a lot of time pawing through boxes of junk looking for just the right thing to add to something. Sometimes pieces of old fabrics or little doo-dads will give me an idea. I can remember my Grandmother cooking from scratch and remember what the fresh veggies looked like. I remember old quilts being cut up and being used for other things. Old furniture got painted or refinished and recycled to the bedrooms from the living room or whatever. Nothing ever got wasted. Of course the old stuff lasted a lot longer. Mostly I like to feel like I am in a simpler time when people did not worry so much about whether something was in and just did what they liked with what they had. I am old, almost 60. When I was real little most of my family had stuff around they used everyday that was pre WW2. Some of it was much older. My mothers aunt was much older than my grandmother. She was born in 1872 and died in 1963. She lived in a huge ancient house that was crammed with stuff going back forever. She left boxes and boxes of old family pictures and pictures of the inside of all her homes and they are very inspirational to me.
She was quite excessive in her personal style and was the first person I ever saw who wore rings on ALL her fingers. She used to wear old dresses from the 20's on holidays that were slathered in sequins. this generally horrified many of her relatives but I found it fascinating. the woman was like a living museum. Most of her furniture went back to before WW1. She was the only person I ever knew who never, ever had a 50's formica and chrome dinette set! I still have a lot of her things. Many people barely know anything about the Civil War. I look everyday at a small picture taken of my great-grandfather during the civil war AND ITS THE ORIGINAL. This was actually owned and touched by someone who fought in that war. It gives a slightly different perspective to things. My mothers aunt left school in 4th grade to work in a shirt factory. This was perfectly normal at that time. She was perfectly literate, very artistic and managed her husbands painting and paperhanging business so well that they retired when they moved to California in 1920 and bought an oil well! I remember so many things she had in her home and get inspired to make something similar.

6. What do you LOVE to work on? What do you HATE? I love to sew. I love to create things out of fabric that loook like something else. I lov e hand-sewing. I find it the most relaxing thing in the world. I totally hate paper crafts , which is what I happen to be doing now. Requires way too much equipment and supplies. Paper is very unforgiving. If you mess it up , you usually have to start over. Fabric is more fixable.I am only working with the paper because I had some ideas for using some of the vast array of old vintage photos I have inherited. I do have a lot of experience with stamping and embossing and know how to work with paper. I just find it very tedious.
Most people think of tags as a super easy thing to make. I think tags are just a big pain. I agonize over everything and then realize I just spent a couple hours on little pieces of paper with strings, rofl.
...........................................................

Oh how I LOVED getting back her answers. I want to sit at her kitchen table for hours and just talk and talk. I bet we'd be laughing the whole time.
Please make sure to check out the wonderful patterns and goodies that Mary has on her website as well as on Ebay.

http://www.antym.com
emmyray347 is how you find her on Ebay

What a true treasure to have come into my life!OXXOXOXO

Prim Blessings!
Cedara

http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
AND MORE OF MY DOLLS FEATURED AT
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Its FRIDAY!

WOW....where have the days been going? I swear that time is flying by quicker and quicker and I am getting nothing done! LOL I am going up to Halifax today to help my sister move into her new home. Well....truth be known i will be more on the "niece watching" then actually moving much stuff around. Eric is going for that! LOL
They told him they'd feed him homemade speghetti and meatballs.....we are lucky he didn't leave tuesday! LOL
Its cold outside but no snow so should be a pretty easy ride up the valley.
Not sure where we are going tos top for supper along the way. There is a chinese place that we both like.....Hmmmmmm!

PrimBlessings!
Cedara
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
AND MORE OF MY DOLLS FEATURED AT
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Interview with a Friend ~ Kelle of Dirty Crow Inn



Kelle was sweet enough to take time out to answer my questions as well. Thank you!She is very busy right now with a new adventure that I wil be blogging about in another article! Look for it!

Here are Kelle's answers!


1. When did you first start creating and then selling your creations?
I started creating about 3 years ago and sold my first finished doll online shortly thereafter.


2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home. What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft business, that you wish you knew when you started your own business?
One would be how important staying organized is. Just like any other small or home based business it's important to keep your business well organized. This includes invoices, expenses, etc. For some time I was doing everything by hand and come tax time it was really a challenge to get everything together. Since then I have discovered Quick Books and it really has made keeping the financial aspect of my business organized, much easier.
3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about marketing their product?
Patience and the willingness to devote ongoing marketing. One thing new craft business owners tend to believe that is false, is that if they build a website sales will follow. This simply is not the case unless they have already built a nice sized customer base. It takes a lot of ongoing marketing to get your business in front of customers. The internet is enormous and it's so easy for a business to get lost among so many others.
4. What is your typical crafting day like?
I generally devote time in the evening once my children are asleep. There are other times when my 5 year old daughter will come out to the studio with me when she's not in school. I have a nice set up out there with a tv and her toy box. Often times she will sit beside me while I sew and she will paint with her watercolors.
5.What sparks your creativity?Who inspires you?
Pretty much everything around me. I also find inpiration through old books, reading stories set back in the 1800's, and my own imagination. There's so many people I'm inspired by, it would be hard to just name a few.
6. What do you LOVE to work on? What do you HATE?
I love making dolls and bringing them to life so to speak. My favorite part of making a doll is watching their characture come to life through their facial features. My least favorite thing to work on would be custom orders. I am really not one that would enjoy remaking the same doll over and over or doing 20 of the same thing for a craft show. I would get bored very quickly and lose interest. For me, I enjoy being able to let my creativity take me where it will and not hindering it by remaking a doll. Thus, majority of my dolls are one of a kind.

Kelle Arvay

website URL: www.DirtyCrowInn.com

http://stores.ebay.com/Dirty-Crow-Inn

THANKS KELLE!

PrimBlessings!

Cedara

http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com

http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com

Interview with a Friend ~ Paintin By Faith










I asked my friend Vanessa to answer my questions as well. She is an awesome painter that I think you all should make sure to check out!

Here are her answers!


1. When did you first start creating and then selling your creations?
I have been creating things for as long as I can remember but I didn't start selling any of the things I made until 2001. The first things I sold were on eBay and that has been where I have sold most of my things.
2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home.What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft business, that you wish you knew when you started your own business?
I wish someone had shown me how to keep up with my financial part of the business better for tax time. And I wish that I had realized how important it was to sell myself as well as my product. I think selling yourself helps with bringing customers back. They remember you and want to buy from someone they have built a 'friendship' with.


3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about marketing their product?
I think it is very important to be proud of what you are making and don't be afraid to 'toot your own horn.' If you aren't impressed with what you are doing and willing to say it is great then why should the buyer think it is worth spending their money on? And I think a cheery friendly personality is very important too ... people remember you that way.
4. What is your typical crafting day like?
I craft when I have time in between work and kids. With four kids and a job my crafting time has become more slim ... but I do it when I can. I do seem to get more done late at night when my kids are in bed and I am the only one up.
5.What sparks your creativity?Who inspires you?
Different things at different times will inspire me ... I can be mowing and see something that gives me a little spark. Sherry of Anniescupboards is a big inspiration to me .. she is soooo excited about everything she does and that inspires me.
6. What do you LOVE to work on? What do you HATE? I love working on great old finds ... y'know the ones you find at a flea market or thrift shop and then finding the perfect thing to paint on it. I hate base painting .. LoL .. I think every painter says that ... but you can't do the rest without it!................................................................................................................................................................................................................Then Vanessa Hoskins
Her website URL www.peddlerhillprimitives.com
Her Ebay info paintinbyfaith
A peek at her past creations http://www.picturetrail.com/paintinbyfaith

THANKS NESSA for taking the time to answer my questions!XO

Prim Blessings!

Cedara

http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com

Http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com

Friday, January 13, 2006

Amazing BATIK!



Can you believe that this creation is done with WAX!?! How cool is that? This is another talented lady from the FOAF group. My friend CARA!

The stuff she quilts and creates is amazing...I can't stitch straight enough for quilting! heehee

Check out this quilt on Ebay right now!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Batik-Wall-Art-Original-Birdhouses-FOAF-The-Landlord_W0QQitemZ7381723184QQcategoryZ357QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Queen of Hearts.....a different view



Wouldn't she be awesome hanging in your home for Valentine's Day? I think I'd have to find a spot for her to always hang up!

Drop by to check her out and tell Jus that Cedara sent ya! ;)

PrimBlessings!

Cedara

http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com

http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com

and also found on

http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Queen of Hearts ......up on EBAY!


Doesn't this doll just blow you away?! I think she has got to be one of the most amazing creations I have ever seen.
Want to know how I stumbled across her in the vast world of EBAY?

MY FRIEND MADE HER!

Her name is Justine Watson and she goes by "little.ol.me" on Ebay. She is a new designer but if this wonderous doll showcases a smidge of her talent....I will be keeping my eyes open for many more breathtaking creations.
I am blessed to have had this new friendship come into my life when she joined the FOAF group on Ebay.
(Folk of Art Friends....you all know about that site as I mention it as often as I breath!LOL)

She is a wealth of information and I am really learning so much from Jus. She has such a way with words and never fails to make me laugh about something.

Please go and check out her Ebay auctions. She is going to be a NAME to look for on Ebay!
http://cgi.ebay.com/PriMiTiVe-Valentines-Queen-of-Hearts-doll-FOAF_W0QQitemZ7381653062QQcategoryZ1217QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Prim Blessings!
Cedara
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com
and also found on
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Saturday, January 07, 2006

Interview with a Friend ~ R&KCreations


Talk about INSPIRATION! My friend Karen is always creating something that I just have to have! LOL I wanted to make sure she was on my list of folks to send this batch of questions to.

Here's her answers!

1. When did you first start creating and then selling your creations?
I started painting about 11 years ago. I mostly painted on wood surfaces
that my husband, Rick, would cut out for me. I sold a few things here and
there. I had a booth at a craft mall. But soon it was just too much work.
So, I started making my own designs and making patterns. It's only been
within the last year and a half that I have started making sewing
patterns. I just LOVE it!!!

2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home.
What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft business,
that you wish you knew when you started your own business?
1-How much time it actually took promoting your business and updating your
website. It seems that that is what takes up most of my crafting day!
2-The amount of space an clutter it takes to create something new! LOL!!
(Hubby isn't too happy with that one! ) LOL!!

3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about marketing
their product?
Find as many contacts/people you can to help you promote your business and
make your name and products known!
Join online groups! That is the one thing that seemed to help my business
the most! You get the added exposure and awesome new friends too!!!
Also, have confidence in what you make and do! That was (and still is) my
biggest problem! Remember, no one can do exactly what you can! You are
unique! I think everyone has something to offer! There is always people
interrested in what you do or make! you just have to find them!
Don't be afraid to try new things! Try a new medium! If you paint, try
sewing. If you sew, try sculpting. Just find something you always wanted
to learn and do it! This also helps your creativity!

4. What is your typical crafting day like?
Lets see....typical? I get up and get my 2 older girls off to school.
Then I have to switch on Dora the Explorer, or whatever my 3 year old
seems to be in the mood for, get her occupied and sit at my computer.
This is where I do most of my work! On a tiny computer desk! LOL!! I draw
out designs that have been in my head. If one really inspires me I just
HAVE to make it THAT day! LOL!! I do most of my tracing and cutting on my
living room floor! LOL!! I have my sewing machine at my kitchen table.
(All the while still in view of my 3 year old! LOL!) I have to take
breaks every now and then to refill sippy cups and get snacks. Her
favorite thing to do is roll up in my fabric that I have spread on the
floor for cutting! LOL!!
My work day ends as soon as my girls get off the bus! Then it's homework,
dinner, and then bed! (unless, of course, I didn't finish the project that
I HAD to get done! LOL!! Then I'm up LATE!)

5.What sparks your creativity?Who inspires you?
Lots of things inspire me! I have kept every craft magazine I have EVER
bought! (Hubby HATES all the boxes that I have!) I sort them out into
seasons. When I need to work on a different season, I get out my old
magazines and look through them....this gets me in the "mode" for that
season. It's hard to want to create Christmas crafts when its summer! So
this helps a LOT! But here is the secret to my creativity.....are you
ready? After I go through all my magazines....I take a NAP!!!!! LOL!!!
Rick (DH) thinks I'm being lazy! LOL!! I tell him it's all part of my
work! I don't know why I do this! But after I wake up, I'm just FULL of
ideas!
I had to explain to him once that if he sees me just staring off into
space, or it looks like I'm just being lazy, that I am actually VERY busy!
LOL!!! My mind is ALWAYS on! When I get this way, I am usually visualizing
how a craft would come together, or how to explain a certain technique for
a pattern. This usually comes after I have a sketch of something I want
to make.
My daughters actually come up with sketches and drawings of ideas too! My
oldest (10) comes to me and makes suggestions on what I should make! It
great to get a fresh perspective!
Taking a walk, listening to music, watching movies (Comedy, of course!!!)
or just talking to someone will inspire me to make something.

6. What do you LOVE to work on? What do you HATE?
I LOVE working on a new idea or concept that I have! I HATE writing up
instructions for the pattern! LOL!!!
I get bored pretty fast, so I LOVE making new creations everyday! I hate
making the same thing over and over again!

THANKS KAREN! Those were great answers! If you love patterns....then make sure to stop by and see what Karen has created next!

Name: Karen Nieforth
website URL: http://rk-creations.com
EZShoppe: http://www.ezshoppes.com/shoppe/?sid=rkcreations
Ebay ID: rkcreations
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZrkcreationsQQhtZ-1


Prim Blessings!
Cedara
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
NOW ALSO ON
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Interview with a Friend ~ Me MyShelf and I Designs



My friend Robin has always been such an inspiration to me and I wanted to see what she'd say to my questions.

Here are her answers!


1. When did you first start creating and then selling your creations? I found Prim Mart about 4 years ago and fell in love with Primitive Decor and creations and started making some things just for myself...One day a friend suggested I get my own website through Prim Mart , so I decided to get an EZ Shoppe first to get my feet wet. That did pretty well for a few years and I learned alot and really started to " find my own style"....I just opened a DIY site last year and I'm trying to expand my "Prim Horizons" a little.


2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home. What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft business, that you wish you knew when you started your own business? If you want your business to be a "business" ..then you need to act like it is just that..It has it's own place in your life just as any "job" would. You can't take it everywhere you go, or allow it to interfere in relationships or other areas of your life, but...on the same order, it has a very important place and that means, time set aside just for anything to do with your business,e.g. , designing, creating, working on your site, advertising, etc.


3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about marketing their product?
What is your "passion" ??? Find that and run with it, but, do try to find a way to incorporate your style or your love into what people want, in the "venue" you are in. It's like this..You don't go to a grocery store to buy furniture....well people don't usually come to a "Prim" site to buy "Country Froo Froo"...Sounds harsh maybe, but that is the way it is....Nothing wrong with different styles of Prim or country and there will always be a market for various styles, but are you advertising in the proper "venue" to match what potential customers are looking for ?.With that in order....go everywhere and anywhere and "toot" your horn, but make sure you do it with some humility....LOL....remember "Pride goeth before a fall".....There will always be bigger and better and higher priced items than your own...that's ok, some day maybe you will be there too, for now, be happy with what you are doing, but "do it well" !


4. What is your typical crafting day like? I usually get up around 6am to get my youngest off to school and then get the house in order a little...After that it's time to get down to business. I get in slumps and it is hard to stay focused , but I do try to get at least something creative and constructive done every day. I'm slower than most. I design all my own dolls and such, so alot of my time is spent just sitting and "thinking"...Plus I am not very decisive ..I will take hours sometimes just to decide what buttons to use or hair to put on, or how to do the eyes or nose, etc. Sorry, not very exciting, but until lightning strikes and I get a "divine" idea, I'm a slow poke !...LOL


5.What sparks your creativity?Who inspires you? When I see a creation by someone else, I think to myself, "what do I like and not like about that"? if I created something similar, what colors would I use, what fabric, so on ...sometimes, an idea for something just pops into my head ...I do pray about it...After all, the way I see it, I didn't get what little talent I have on my own, it is God given and He is the " Creator of Creativity" so who better to consult with, eh????


6. What do you LOVE to work on? What do you HATE? I love working on a Fresh new idea.....the very first of any item I make...after that I get bored...I hate repetitive work. I get sooo bored and frustrated making 20 of the same thing..... If I could, every doll or stitchery or any thing I make would all be "one of a kinds" , but sometimes I do have to make 2 or 3 of my dolls or whatever, if I want to make any money...LOL....

THANKS ROBIN! Please make sure to scoot over to Robin's website. She has some wonderful prim goodies that I don't want you to miss.

http://www.memyshelfandi.com

You can also find her on EBAY! Ebay ID : themommy06

Prim Blessings!

Cedara

www.thrutheatticdoor.com

http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/

NOW ALSO ON

http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Interview with a Friend ~ American Prim


The next person I sent my questions to was my friend Megan of AMERICAN PRIM. Her friendship is such a wonderful part of my life!

Here are her answers!


1. When did you first start creating and then selling your creations?
About 3 years ago. I went from being a working mom (USAF) to being a stay at home mom and needed something of my own to keep busy!...I found Primmart while searching for "grubby recipes" (LOL!) and have been there ever since! The ladies convinced me to open an ezshoppe-for the money I figured it couldn't hurt! After that, I started carrying items at some local stores and then across the states. I do craft shows now, too.

2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home. What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft business, that you wish you knew when you started your own business?
That it takes alot of work-alot more than I thought it ever would! Not just in creating-but putting in time for advertising, site work, paper work etc...and #2 would be that you have to have a schedule or else the work will take over-and with a family you have to put them first! It's hard to be creative on a schedule but I've learned to jot my ideas in a journal and I can come back to them when it's "work" time!

3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about marketing their product? Get your name out there...Do your research, hit up fellow business owners for advice...hire a professional if you have to. Have a newsletter!! Use it to market new products, offer specials, and to tell folks what's up and coming!Offer something unique-work on creating something that is "yours". I started out using other designers doll patterns and learning different techniques and then branched out to making my own and putting my own spin on them. Packagine speaks volumes-not just your product but your site also! Keep your site fresh by adding new products on a routine basis and letting others know when you update. Put your business name on EVERYTHING! It helps to have a logo or trademark so that when folks see your products they know it's yours without even seeing your business name!GREAT customer service should be your top goal!! There are alot of businesses out there who sell basically the same type of items-what makes one stand out from the rest is the level of customer service!! Communicate with your buyers and let them know that you appreciate their business!

4. What is your typical crafting day like?
Crazy! I have 3 kids and the oldest 2 go to school. Once they are at school I can sit down and check in on the message boards I belong to, work on paper work, marketing, newsletter stuff etc...When the baby takes a nap I get out my sewing stuff and work on new dolls, patterns and other items. I do alot of work at night when the kids go to bed. I have a wonderful hubby who never hesitates to help me!!

5.What sparks your creativity?Who inspires you? I like looking thru magazines!! I get inspired looking at the work that other crafters do! I am inspired by those who have taken the time to make their business succesful!

6. What do you LOVE to work on? What do you HATE? I love to draw out patterns & sew!! I hate waiting on paint to dry!

THANKS MEGAN!
You can check out Megan's goodies at http://www.americanprim.com
She also has a wonderful "how to" blog that I think you should see http://amercianprim.blogspot.com


PrimBlessings!
Cedara
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com
and also found on
http://www.folk-of-art.com/tracyd.html

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

More interviews...........

I hope you enjoyed the questions/ answers from some of my friends. I have more coming so make sure to keep me bookmarked so you don't mis any of them.
They sure did give me lots to think about with my business in 2006.


Prim Blessings!
Cedara
www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
NOW ALSO ON
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Interview With a Friend ~ Hand-Me-Downz



The creativity this wonderful lady blows me away. She had rapidly become such an inspiration to me in the short time we have gotten to know each other better and I knew I wanted to send her these questions. I may even get brave enough to try something with paper mache and it will all be her fault! LOL

This is my friend Barb of HAND-ME-DOWNZ!

Here are her thoughts................

1. When did you first start creating and then selling your creations?
Creating has been a part of my life since I was a small child, from crayons
and clay, to fabric, paints and little bits and pieces made from found
objects. My mother and grandmothers were incredibly talented individuals who
painted, sewed beautifully, embroidered, crocheted, you name it. My sisters
and I were taught these skills starting at about age 5. I first started
selling some of my artwork in college, and slowly developed a business
through craft shows, consignments and selling on ebay. When my husband's job
moved us to the south, I "retired" from my career as a social worker, and
decided to stay home and try it as a full time endeavor.


2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home.
What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft
business, that you wish you knew when you started your own business?
I wish I would have had more confidence in my work and original ideas early
on. It is hard to put something you have created out for the public to view
and then wait to see if someone will like it and buy it. Throughout the
years, thankfully, original designs have been the most popular, however. I
also wish I had known more about all of the ways to market my work and
network with other artists. Now, with the internet and all of its options,
the sky is the limit!


3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about
marketing their product?
Make a list of every possible marketing outlet, and try them all! There are
so many free and inexpensive ways of marketing your business these days!
Some possible marketing ideas include a free email newsletter, a lovely blog
like this one, a website of your own with a mailing list option, a web page
on a great catalogue site like www.folk-of-art.com , designing a pattern and
submitting it to a craft magazine, having the local newspaper do a feature
article about you, selling your work on an auctions site like ebay, and
possibly most important, finding and joining a network of artists. Many such
groups are available on ebay and other auction sites, as well as online
bulletin boards. There may be a group of local artists in your community
that have similar interests, and can provide information about craft shows,
advertising, etc. Most of these ideas are free or almost free, and not only
will market your business, but just might introduce you to some great new
friends!


4. What is your typical crafting day like?
I get bored easily, so I usually have ten or more projects in the works at
any given time. We get up very early here, and I send my dear husband and
the kids off around 6 a.m., and then sit for a moment with another cup of
coffee, making a list of what I would like to get done that day. Then it is
back and forth to the sewing machine, stitching up doll bodies, dipping them
in coffee, maybe baking them awhile or hanging them outside to dry. Then I
might sculpt a few heads for those dolls, paint some art cards, quilt my
latest art quilt, embroider a doll face, draw out a few ideas....there is
little apparent order to what is done, but much fun in the process!
Hopefully, by the time the family gets home, dinner is cooking instead of
doll bodies, and most of the paint/coffee/glue is mopped up from the table
and off the front of my clothes. After dinner, usually is more design time,
often with input from my children, who are all artists in their own right.
It is great to get another perspective on things!


5.What sparks your creativity?Who inspires you?
So many things! So many people! Nature in particular, the colors, scents,
flavors. Sometimes just walking outside for a moment sparks an idea, or a
song on the stereo might bring to mind some odd thought that leads to an
idea for a doll. I love old quilts, dolls, furniture, linens...all inspire
new ideas. My dear husband, sisters and children are my inspiration, along
with the memory of my mother and grandmothers. Their constant encouragement
and support keeps me going. They have great ideas too! Oh, and did I mention
my artist friends...some of the most talented, generous individuals you
would ever have the pleasure to meet. That networking thing mentioned
earlier....you will find some of the most amazing people (like for instance,
the owner of this blog, an EXTREMELY talented individual, and a lovely
friend as well!). My artist friends inspire, teach, encourage, understand
and motivate me to continue each day.


6. What do you LOVE to work on? What do you HATE?
I love working on a new idea, regardless of medium. Sometimes I wake up in
the middle of the night, with thirteen new ideas crowding my brain....at
that point, sleep is less important than getting those ideas down on paper,
and even starting to work on them. The thought of a new creation is so
exciting, so motivating. I also love to try new mediums, new techniques, new
types of artwork. I also LOVE the interaction with my wonderful customers!
Conversely, I hate making things over and over again that are exactly the
same. Don't much care for cleaning up my messes either, but it is that, or
be buried under piles of coffee stained fabric and polyester stuffing!

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

That was a wealth of information and I THANK YOU so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I learned so much more about you. Your kind words make me blush! heehee

Please make sure to check out Barb's website http://www.hand-me-downz.com

and you can also find this talented lady on EBAY as well. Look for
ebay id: raskelley She will also have items listed under FOAF on Ebay!


Prim Blessings!
Cedara
www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
NOW ALSO ON
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html


Interview with a Friend ~ Kelleys Keepsakes



I thought this time around I'd share a friend that makes wonderful primitives other then dolls.Her table runners always catch my eye!

Her name is Kelley Waynick and she is from KELLEYS KEEPSAKES.

Here are her answers.......

1. When did you first start creating and then selling your creations?
I've been creating for several years but just for myself, family and friends. I started selling my creations when I opened my website in June 2005.


2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home.
What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft
business, that you wish you knew when you started your own business?
First thing is time management. In my case, I've found it hard to be able to turn off business and turn on family. You need to have set hours for the business so it doesn't cut into your family time.
Secondly, I thought as soon as I opened my website orders were going to pour in. Well, I was wrong and I was kind of let down. I have big dreams and that's wonderful, but you need PATIENCE, success doesn't happen overnight.


3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about
marketing their product?
It takes time to get your name out there so be patient and good things will come. Advertising is a must and there are many free ways to get your business noticed. Take the time to sign guestbooks, exchange links, join topsites, join crafting forums/message boards, plug boards and leave business cards everywhere you go. Usually, when you first start out you don't have the funds to afford paid advertising so these are some ways to get you started.


4. What is your typical crafting day like?
My day usually begins at 6am (sometimes earlier). I have a big family and so getting everyone ready for work and school is most times a fiasco. After everyone leaves for the day (around 7:30am) I begin my crafting. First, I do my computer work which includes topsites, message boards and checking email. I then get busy with orders or creating new items. I usually take a short break for lunch and some time for housework. I try very hard to have my crafting and computer work wrapped up by 4pm when everyone gets home. Then it's what's for dinner....


5.What sparks your creativity?Who inspires you?
I have to say my family inspires me to keep on crafting. I have five daughters that are always giving me little ideas to use for new projects. They are so sweet and my dear husband is always rooting me on. I also love to look through crafting magazines and such, and alot of times I just draw out what I want to make and then do it!!


6. What do you LOVE to work on? What do you HATE?
I really love to embroidery and quilt. My grandmothers taught me to sew when I was 12 and I've enjoyed it ever since. I have to say I dislike cutting fabric for rag quilts or any quilt for that matter. It just takes alot of time!!

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

THANK YOU Kelley for taking the time to answer my questions. Please everyone, make sure you take a moment to scoot over to her website and check out all her awesome prim goodies to go with your prim decor!

http://www.kelleyskeepsakes.com


Prim Blessings!
Cedara
www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
NOW ALSO ON
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Interview with a Friend ~~ RAGGEDY HOLLOW



Let me introduce you to my friend Charlotte of RAGGEDY HOLLOW.

She is such a sweetheart and just happens to create some of the cutest primitives I have ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on. She is also a big influence in how I dream about my business someday becoming.

When I thought about doing this blog idea with the questions...I knew I wanted to ask Charlotte.

Here is what she had to say....


1. When did you first start creating and then selling your creations?
Gosh Let me think.....just started as a hobby in 1990 but people started wanting to buy shortly there after. I grew up with a Mom that sewed everything. So it has always been in my "blood" LOL

2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home.What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft business, that you wish you knew when you started your own business?
Just how much more work it really is over going outside of the home for a job. I wouldn't give it up for anything however.
It can become all insuing (right word??) and take over if you let it.

3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about marketing their product?
Advertise Advertise Advertise. I know that sometimes it can cost a lot of money, but when I finally had the money to do Country Marketplace and Country Sampler...it was worth it. It took a few issues for people to really notice me, but once they did, I have made my money back and sometimes more, from each issue I've advertised in. It is also best to look at the best selling issues and go with those.

There are also many free advertising opportunities out there. It takes work to find them and submit to them, but it can be a big help in getting you noticed. Joining topsites can help as well. I have found that most will allow you to "vote" for yourself one time per day. Do it! When I forget to "vote" for myself for a bit, I notice my sales slow down. Within 2 or 3 days of getting my votes in the sales pick up.

4. What is your typical crafting day like?
My kids are older, so they don't need mom as much anymore. One is married and moved out and the other is 18 with a job and many friends. I hardly see him too much.
I usually stay up late and get up when I wake up....which can usually mean 9 am. I might make it down to my workroom around 10 and mess around on computer stuff. Fill orders, work on new creations or whatever I am inspired to do. Since my husband works nights, I break long enough to get dinner and see him off to work. Then I go back to work till whenever I feel that bedtime has come.

5.What sparks your creativity?Who inspires you?
Surfing the websites of all the other creative people out there will spark ideas for me.
I would have to say that Brenda of Primraggs is someone who inspires me. She encouraged me to take the leap into designing my patterns and opening the website. If not for her, I'd probably still be doing what I was before or possibly even have given it up by now.

6. What do you LOVE to work on? What do you HATE?
I LOVE creating new raggedies. It is amazing to see what can come from a pile of fabrics and supplies.
I HATE to stuff! This comes from the 6-7 years that I did my primitive stitched pillows wholesale for retail shops. I carried 5 shops and did over 1000 pillows each year. There would be times I had to stuff 60 pillows in 2 days to get an order out. By the time MAJOR burnout set in, I literally got sick when it came time to start stuffing. Brenda came into my life during this time and as mentioned above, she was an intrical part of my turning the corner and going back into the raggedies and things I loved doing before the pillows. I hadn't done them in all those years of pillows! I do have to say though that stuffing isn't quite as bad anymore since I don't have to do as much.

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

THANK YOU CHARLOTTE for taking the time to answer my questions. As soon as I sent you the email asking, you wrote right back with a YES.

Charlotte's website http://www.raggedyhollow.com

Please go check it out....you are sure to find at least a few things that you will just have to have. I peeked and she has some new patterns that I will be adding to my collection! heehee


Prim Blessings!
Cedara
www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
NOW ALSO ON
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Sunday, January 01, 2006

"Interview with a Friend"

So I am wanting to make 2006 a much better year for my blog. Really get myself in the habit of writing in it on a regular basis and giving lots of tips and information for folks to use. Thought that since most that read my blog are at least somewhat connected to the "world of Primitives", that I would contact some friends of mine and ask them some questions.
I'd post their answers in my blog.

I am blessed with my friendships as not one person has turned me down that I asked! I thank you!

So in the next little while make sure to check back often and see what my friends have to say.
Maybe you'll know them already.....maybe I'll be introducing you to some new faces in the "world of Primitives".

ENJOY!

Prim Blessings!
Cedara
www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
NOW ALSO ON
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

All Together 2005




My family was together for the holidays for the first time in a VERY LONG TIME!

Eric set up his camera on the tripod and we took this picture. We all got copies and I wanted to share:)

BAck:Aunt Pam, Uncle Steven,Aunt Kim, Dad,Mom and ME!

Middle: Jeff(cousin)Sarah,Gramma,Loran(cousin)Hannah and my sister Tara

Front: Uncle David, Eric and Dan(BIL)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

Prim Blessings!

Cedara

www.thrutheatticdoor.com

http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/

NOW ALSO ON

http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Sarah and Hannah.... My Neices!


Sarah and Hannah are my pride and joy!
Hannah asked Santa for a GameBoy and got one.
Sarah had never played one before so this is a "lesson" happening. I loved how this picture turned out! Not sure if they are playing "Scooby Doo" or "Finding Nemo".

I also had never seen a GameBoy and got so into playing Hannah's that.....yup....you guessed it...Eric bought me one! Mine is black so we'd not get them confused!(My game is "The Hobbit" heehee

I'm so spoiled by him!

Prim Blessings!
Cedara
www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
NOW ALSO ON
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Can't Forget the Birds!


Hannah and Sarah collected pine cones from the yard. Brought them inside and covered them with peanut butter and rolled them in a bowl of bird seed. Strung a piece of yard around them and then they were hung outside for the critters to feast on.
The birds LOVED it and so did the girls!

Prim Blessings!
Cedara
www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
NOW ALSO ON
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Gingerbread House


Having never made a gingerbread house before, I thought it would be something fun to create with the girls. We had a blast and I think our house turned out awesome!

Prim Blessings!
Cedara
www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
NOW ALSO ON
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Christmas Eve Marshmallows



Since the weather was so nice, we thought we'd roast some marshmallows! Eric brought the wood from his place(they have a wood stove). We all had sticks and had a blast! Sarah got so into hers that she had melted marshmallow in her hair!LOL

This shows my niece Hannah and I roasting them!

Prim Blessings!

Cedara

www.thrutheatticdoor.com

http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/

NOW ALSO ON

http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html

Christmas Tree 2005


OUR TREE......Covered with my prim ornies from the times I have done the Ornie Swap thru Primmart.
...... presents for everyone all under our tree. They spread across the floor quickly!

It was so great to spend this holiday together with the whole family:)





Prim Blessings!
Cedara
www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
NOW ALSO ON
http://www.folk-of-art.com/members/tracyd.html