Promoting My Blog & Mini Makes!

Promoting My Blog

This week I've spent some time looking at different ways to promote my blog. I submitted my blog to blognation a while ago, and then forgot about visiting their website - but recently I've noticed that I'm getting quite a lot of views from them. They also have a blog called craftblogs.org where you can find loads of interesting blogs and vote for them.

Another good site is ukcraftblog which has lots of articles about what to write on your blog, and how to get more traffic on to your blog, plus lots more helpful tips about blogging.

Mini Makes

On to what I've made this week.

Mini post-it Note Holder

I thought this mini post-it note holder would make great stocking fillers for my Mum & Sister.

Small Decorated Notebook

I had some stickers and new washi tape that I wanted to use on this notebook. This was a cheap notebook I bought and covered with scrapbook papers. I was very pleased with how it turned out.

Mini Christmas Gift Bag

I wanted to try some gift bags in my Etsy shop, so I bought some plain brown bags with handles to decorate, but I just couldn't come up with any ideas to decorate them. So, I decided that maybe something small would be easier to start with. These little bags are tiny & would only hold chocolates or jewellery. I'm now going to make the bags bigger, possibly so they would hold a cd.






Hope you all have a good week.

I'm going to settle down with a cup of tea, and see what everyone else has been making this week over at Handmade Monday. Why not check it out too!

Melanie x.

Favourite Craft Material - What's Yours?

What is your favourite 'go to' craft material, that you can't resist using on your craft projects?

Mine is ribbon... and twine, hemp cord, wool, craft string the list goes on!

I have quite a collection, as you can see from the photo's - and this is not all of it.

I love these rich colours.

Up-cycling

I often use up-cycled ribbons as well - sometimes you get ribbons on packaging such as chocolates or clothing wrapped up in ribbon. The pyjamas I buy always have lovely wide ribbon wrapped around them. It just seems a waste to throw the ribbon away. As with all my crafting I try to be thrifty, and keep any little pieces of ribbon or twine etc. It's surprising how they often come in handy!

The photo's below are some ribbons and wool I found on one of my crafty shopping adventures.

I couldn't resist these beautiful country style ribbons

So... what is your favourite craft material? - the one thing you can't live without!

I'd love to hear from you, so please leave your comment, and I'll try and reply to all messages.

Melaniex.

Pink Cupcake Card

Hi! Hope you've had a good week.

This week has been a bit slow on the crafting front, even though my children went back to school, I just didn't get much done! But I have been thinking about new ideas for card making. One of the ideas I've been looking at on the internet is using fabric on my cards. The only problem is that fabric is expensive to buy! I only want to buy mixed packs of fabric, as I'll only need small pieces - so I wondered if anyone could recommend a good website for fabric :0)

Cupcakes are Everywhere!!

Cupcakes seem to have taken over the world! They are on everything from cards and notebooks to lining the shelves of cake shops. So, this week I made a template for a cupcake, and added it to a Birthday card.

I decorated the edge of the cupcake with glitter glue and hand stitched the cake case.

The other card I made was another Christmas card, using some papers called Christmas Tidings from Papermania.

That's all for this week, I'm off to checkout Handmade Monday to see all the lovely crafty things, everyone else has been making.

Melanie x.

Christmas is Coming!!

Last week I went to Yorkshire with my family, and although we had to put up with the British weather, we did have a lovely week. We stayed in a cottage that had been converted from farm buildings, in the village of Gristhorpe.

As always I took the opportunity to seek out craft shops in the area. Scarborough has two good craft shops - Craft Inspiration, which is mainly for card makers and The Craft Store, (Victoria Road) which  has a treasure trove of craft goodies. This shop has everything  for scrapbooking and card making, but also has wool, some beautiful fabrics and lots of ribbon. Another good shop for button lovers in York, is Duttons for Buttons, they have every colour and style of button you could possibly think of.

I came back from my holiday feeling very inspired and ready to get back to some card making. So, over the weekend I decided to get started on Christmas cards - I know! you're probably thinking it's a bit early, but as I'm doing the Nov Craftfest, I thought I'd get ahead while I have some spare time. Anyone else started yet?

This year I want to make some traditional cards and also try some modern themed cards. But I'm still looking for suitable scrapbook papers for modern cards.

That's all for this week, I'm now popping over to Handmade Monday to see what everyone else has been doing this week.

Have a great week,

Melanie :0)