tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45857921779056557832024-02-07T05:12:43.396-08:00fandomonium designsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-47949063325074715152015-02-22T17:31:00.004-08:002015-02-22T17:31:57.186-08:00#BuzzFeedFamousFriday afternoon, I noticed a big spike in our Etsy shop views and checked my stats to see what was up. Imagine my goggle-eyed-shock when I saw that the source was BuzzFeed! I asked the Google what was going on, and discovered that Erin Larosa had published an <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/cool-etsy-products-all-redheads-will-love#.jgpEALvoZ2" target="_blank">Etsy Guide for Gingers</a>, and our <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/210561622/soulless-ginger-hand-stamped-aluminum?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=soulless+ginger+cuff&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery" target="_blank">Soulless Ginger</a> cuff had made the list. I'm kind of a BF junkie, so this particular mention had me giddy with delight.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/210561622/soulless-ginger-hand-stamped-aluminum?ref=shop_home_active_8" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.etsy.com/listing/210561622/soulless-ginger-hand-stamped-aluminum?ref=shop_home_active_8" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMV1UlEKQ3cmFjwZIlgK8FlY8o64J0RTVNuER657XOS4anYdbcHBSZwjU9_ILhbEL7pJ2kD5wYSSzZR5w_yuPMyrpJJzh4ZTEN9YJbf5aJzzyNMZpgdHj1zT6rxoxIi7bAAH2tbwn6CFi_/s1600/ginger.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-51997010606748668442015-02-04T10:41:00.001-08:002015-02-10T16:25:28.815-08:00No Day But Today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxNTLXICq8viwqVqsBsxuEOh6OXBId1GQvuMFFdKN21r8jnuEnVikE31_fwNfpdrwx8asYCrPISmMNLmuohYlHIKp25nV4-NGrehCl73wihyphenhyphenGtq8ygSR3dUhZ6gBfM-5qhm_jJzv_AjR7/s1600/rent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxNTLXICq8viwqVqsBsxuEOh6OXBId1GQvuMFFdKN21r8jnuEnVikE31_fwNfpdrwx8asYCrPISmMNLmuohYlHIKp25nV4-NGrehCl73wihyphenhyphenGtq8ygSR3dUhZ6gBfM-5qhm_jJzv_AjR7/s1600/rent.jpg" height="238" width="640" /></a></div>
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Some of my friends are pretty damned talented. One of my high school buds, Tony Gilkinson, is directing of <a href="http://www.madtheatre.com/" target="_blank">M.A.D. Theatre of Tampa</a>'s production of<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/510365489103640/" target="_blank"> RENT</a>, and we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to make some commemorative cuffs for his incredible cast and crew.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsv1vmtS-rGF7Cr4Zsx0iu3PVPFaBoVqzRmPyb5DJDOARvcxv4VHh5-vUvzV6ihhHVZ0ADBFcE_MXgjoZiYuXFf1fpPSmkTyGKV1J0S6BOupl-75VnGBO9mVS9N0wfSqSKVH9GyT9atFkt/s1600/roger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsv1vmtS-rGF7Cr4Zsx0iu3PVPFaBoVqzRmPyb5DJDOARvcxv4VHh5-vUvzV6ihhHVZ0ADBFcE_MXgjoZiYuXFf1fpPSmkTyGKV1J0S6BOupl-75VnGBO9mVS9N0wfSqSKVH9GyT9atFkt/s1600/roger.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: <span data-si="true">Nicolas Francisco Burgos</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Even cooler, midway through <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2qpklxK478" target="_blank"> La Vie Boheme </a>I noticed one cast member---then another, and another---wearing a shiny, silvery band on their wrists. It was (embarrassingly) exciting to see our cuffs in action!<br />
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If you're in Tampa, make sure you get to see this one. They've sold out all except the Valentine's Day show, so hurry and <a href="http://strazcenter.org/" target="_blank">get your tickets</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61FlsPAQdTSWQnlHHPMQ662jbW6L0pV8rj-imcayqnRxlne7Hhyphenhyphen-VLP1PFQtzG0Fg-htAiFAXL9oZFqSpXdJe73WUhXOoEsXF3-ro8fm6-eG5HccdLXuETTq8_7DBG_gKFn7ciWoioJOB/s1600/rent14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61FlsPAQdTSWQnlHHPMQ662jbW6L0pV8rj-imcayqnRxlne7Hhyphenhyphen-VLP1PFQtzG0Fg-htAiFAXL9oZFqSpXdJe73WUhXOoEsXF3-ro8fm6-eG5HccdLXuETTq8_7DBG_gKFn7ciWoioJOB/s1600/rent14.jpg" height="538" width="640" /></a></div>
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And if you ---or your Valentine---are an as-yet-unadorned RENThead, you can get a cuff like the ones we made for the cast<a href="https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/fandomoniumdesigns/tools/listings/query:rent/220606412" target="_blank"> here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ICsMGHSyS9aXGF2x2x1bIC3Jh96LbtIEXy2YP7HSVvg6v2IvxNp295MpX3e38_byirjixE9F3tbWYwRQm2IjnsrPYqES3WMIQm5pVxuXSRSkXISBbvdbVqcSB4HKMlL7g0Hz1tBy7ioZ/s1600/noday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ICsMGHSyS9aXGF2x2x1bIC3Jh96LbtIEXy2YP7HSVvg6v2IvxNp295MpX3e38_byirjixE9F3tbWYwRQm2IjnsrPYqES3WMIQm5pVxuXSRSkXISBbvdbVqcSB4HKMlL7g0Hz1tBy7ioZ/s1600/noday.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Or <a href="https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/fandomoniumdesigns/tools/listings/222046836" target="_blank">this one</a>, inspired by the flat-out gorgeous performance we attended on Friday evening.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWS6M6jxV4E8V0L6O5aKMvqxIOIxu6lJ9q5TMfDJnJmrT5ZGOpzi_-eHhGi0beADcjt_7XOmATHaIL8Gcsj7ChjNncmfOEOOzOEmEAWjBGC6qcj0BTCKEHSik-0wOKyvP8BPCapzhwetzr/s1600/rent+kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWS6M6jxV4E8V0L6O5aKMvqxIOIxu6lJ9q5TMfDJnJmrT5ZGOpzi_-eHhGi0beADcjt_7XOmATHaIL8Gcsj7ChjNncmfOEOOzOEmEAWjBGC6qcj0BTCKEHSik-0wOKyvP8BPCapzhwetzr/s1600/rent+kiss.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-63695198013444233702015-02-03T05:32:00.000-08:002015-02-04T10:49:31.540-08:00#ThatAwkwardMoment...when you set up at a show and realize that you've forgotten a critical piece of cuff-making gear.<br />
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Like a bracelet bender, or a bench block. And you weep hot tears of maker-ly frustration because you know that now you'll have to take orders for all of your customs instead of making them on-site, and that means eating the shipping fees and people not having instant gratification and<em> it's all your fault</em>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaa1Hp0hhWSWXY0K_dcJWA62mvu-neSHXSgOdPw9Iui2EYWTvnIXKAvttHaeKMHK8G29R0MfWa_RbjPiPWsCzjaUXwrGa-rQn3SjEWuf3rN1_TZTjvydgxLr5SdcljQHc2Uzmt-LCzWZye/s1600/bang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaa1Hp0hhWSWXY0K_dcJWA62mvu-neSHXSgOdPw9Iui2EYWTvnIXKAvttHaeKMHK8G29R0MfWa_RbjPiPWsCzjaUXwrGa-rQn3SjEWuf3rN1_TZTjvydgxLr5SdcljQHc2Uzmt-LCzWZye/s1600/bang.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Yeah, it's happened to us a time or two, and would you like to know why? Because, until yesterday, there was only one Bang-Bang Kit. The Bang-Bang Kit---or the BBK, as I've just dubbed it, having typed it twice and not liked messing around with that hyphen and those nasty capitals this early in the morning---consists of a plastic tote that holds all of the essentials for cuff-crafting. Aluminum blanks, metal stamps, bench block, brick, bracelet bender---what an alliterative craft I practice!--- steel wool, polishing cloths, and a selection of sharpies. I schlepp it back and forth with our gear, and it comes inside when I need it between shows, to build inventory or fill online orders. And therein lies the rub; entirely too often a piece of much-needed equipment is left languishing on the workshop table when I unpack my gear at the next event. <br />
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Sean talked me into ordering a second bracelet bender and bench block a few weeks back. I finally got around to making that esteemed purchase late last week, and they landed in my mailbox last night. And there was much rejoicing. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-31108350104520469402015-01-26T16:14:00.000-08:002015-01-26T16:14:00.049-08:00Fandom Subway Art We're starving for wall decor in our little house, and I'm mad about <a href="http://littlegreenbums.blogspot.com/2011/08/epic-fail.html" target="_blank">subway art</a>. It occurs to me, linking up with my old blog, that I probably should have reread that post before putting this canvas together. Because, apparently, I'm reasonably consistent in my mistake-making.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib14zZSDCHiphDvClSKSdrAPPBBViMHJncOHJN2DeylOmOm3zRE5faDkeoIOAAkOwJt4pZP8gRGFLDyDiVX0TwLQoKVhO4bDIyIQhYCT6jZd3PXJpO41jZi9_HVK9I-ZcTOLB59TI5KLDX/s1600/fandom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib14zZSDCHiphDvClSKSdrAPPBBViMHJncOHJN2DeylOmOm3zRE5faDkeoIOAAkOwJt4pZP8gRGFLDyDiVX0TwLQoKVhO4bDIyIQhYCT6jZd3PXJpO41jZi9_HVK9I-ZcTOLB59TI5KLDX/s1600/fandom.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anyway, I had a good-sized canvas to work with, and one of the local office supply stores was going out of business. I scored a stash of vinyl letters for 90% off (squee!), and I knew what I wanted: an homage to our favorite tv shows. I started this project back in October, then went on hiatus when the madness of holiday markets consumed our every waking hour. (It got seriously hairy there, for awhile. Also, it said "Buffy the Vampire Slaye" for weeks, and that set my poor, spelling-sensitive nerves on edge each time I looked at it.) I finally finished up last night, when I added in the last batch of shows and hit the spray paint. <br />
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I have some touching up to do; some of the tinier letters kind of melted when the spray paint hit them and didn't leave a clear impression. And, of course, I listed one show twice---(can you find it?---and left out a few (Warehouse 13, Psych, and The Listener) that I remembered at the very moment the spray paint fumes settled. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMS0WhWWHKJpFqYOYkhU4dtvzPO7ONq2PCF8dhdSeELRL09wElis9z4nU0_Hsji9QTVqs4BCMwbjI3nfarYGa17A4uaJ1VsiYdxmsYhNNZmzzfIUkbq5aygv8hbtpbUhqojEdrGlpnqpUC/s1600/fandom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMS0WhWWHKJpFqYOYkhU4dtvzPO7ONq2PCF8dhdSeELRL09wElis9z4nU0_Hsji9QTVqs4BCMwbjI3nfarYGa17A4uaJ1VsiYdxmsYhNNZmzzfIUkbq5aygv8hbtpbUhqojEdrGlpnqpUC/s1600/fandom2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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All in all, though, I'm pretty pleased with my handiwork, and can't wait to get it on the wall.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-7984444835203093242015-01-18T14:29:00.000-08:002015-01-18T14:29:52.067-08:00The Magic of Freezer PaperFreezer paper. It's amazing stuff. Apparently, some people use it to wrap things in before they freeze things, and I've got no problem with that. Except that it seems like such a waste of potential awesomeness. <br />
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Here's the deal.<br />
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You're going to need<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGIux7zUEAqDjza7tciZcRExilAPa0ynXmS5UV-6Zml_IlZ5pJb1mH9PeLQ-H9qDj2IQ5TuUz37c459yAT1l6V2ymJXhLXf2BV8fzvbbS0v-L51ZUYHujJxtMeMKQI7_73_Y-EdVE0Dqh/s1600/freeze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGIux7zUEAqDjza7tciZcRExilAPa0ynXmS5UV-6Zml_IlZ5pJb1mH9PeLQ-H9qDj2IQ5TuUz37c459yAT1l6V2ymJXhLXf2BV8fzvbbS0v-L51ZUYHujJxtMeMKQI7_73_Y-EdVE0Dqh/s1600/freeze.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>a roll of freezer paper</li>
<li>a pen, pencil, or Sharpie </li>
<li>an X-Acto knife</li>
<li>a cutting surface </li>
<li>a sponge brush</li>
<li>fabric paint (but I almost always use plain old acrylic) </li>
<li>something to stencil your design onto</li>
<li>newspaper or similar to keep your table clean </li>
<li>an iron </li>
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Freezer paper has two sides: one shiny, and one papery. So what you do, should you ethe need to make something---t-shirt, shop banner, tote bag, whatever!---that looks pretty professional and requires minimal preparation, skill, or moolah, is this <br />
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You choose your design. You can print it out, or flip your laptop over and use it like a lightbox and trace it right off the screen. Trace it onto the papery (non-shiny) side of the freezer paper. I almost always use a superfine sharpie for this step, but that's purely a matter of personal preference. Whatever works. You are the master of your fate, yadda yadda yadda. <br />
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Next---and if it seems like we're moving at a pretty brisk clip here, we are---use your trusty X-Acto knife to cut out your design. I'm hoping you've got mad X-Acto skills, but if not, we'll wait while you catch up. Go ahead and cut out the whole blessed thing, then position your design---shiny side down--- on whatever you've chosen to stencil on. <i> (Ugh. Preposition at the end of sentence has been duly noted. Sue me.)</i> Heat up your iron and use it to press the paper firmly and slowly to the fabric until it's nice and stuck. (I usually turn my iron to the highest setting. I craft like I cook---a lot of trial and error and "to taste" type of measuring. Your mileage may vary. Don't burn yourself.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINjhsBJUDUXLvdE5Hy3VVA0uWMu2hSYSRIKXXGQvGCZeNIGYaKlXaq_tz9Io9iSos8gddzVX7jOFI9Romk6UwxfIJjyTJ51Uu4N_1QVsUClA-1oVe7inA7E0pmsQ2RBRaOtU-41907The/s1600/letters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINjhsBJUDUXLvdE5Hy3VVA0uWMu2hSYSRIKXXGQvGCZeNIGYaKlXaq_tz9Io9iSos8gddzVX7jOFI9Romk6UwxfIJjyTJ51Uu4N_1QVsUClA-1oVe7inA7E0pmsQ2RBRaOtU-41907The/s1600/letters.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next order of business is the application of paint. Pour out a puddle of paint and get the tip of your sponge brush nice and paint-y. Then use a stippling motion to fill in the areas left exposed by your stencil.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9KhHZ9JhuLZBhDSCLyKihjIZNkr5afmXYpZQU7SQuwS20MHqZuhtYmYvvuPKc2N32sCN1mJvopoQGcTKvZNtEBTrlklcF3posIh2jR0GhCxkep2uO6xsuxwLosmbbyI_8CShSkQ2A-tN/s1600/IMG_20150101_103343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9KhHZ9JhuLZBhDSCLyKihjIZNkr5afmXYpZQU7SQuwS20MHqZuhtYmYvvuPKc2N32sCN1mJvopoQGcTKvZNtEBTrlklcF3posIh2jR0GhCxkep2uO6xsuxwLosmbbyI_8CShSkQ2A-tN/s1600/IMG_20150101_103343.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtjwQp2OjHuyVHdaNu4q8dyvRdwupZjb0BnfKNwUJnpmNIBNRwzH8UoWDH82YjjrY0-45hvcVo4A9RqKsiNwaVQGAOuyb7_RfeRbyKxSsry69yQQHgyVP8Yh6l0LsigYyXxzdaoOt4XpP/s1600/IMG_20150102_092814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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Once they're all covered, gently peel the freezer paper off of the fabric and admire your handiwork. Try not to smudge. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtjwQp2OjHuyVHdaNu4q8dyvRdwupZjb0BnfKNwUJnpmNIBNRwzH8UoWDH82YjjrY0-45hvcVo4A9RqKsiNwaVQGAOuyb7_RfeRbyKxSsry69yQQHgyVP8Yh6l0LsigYyXxzdaoOt4XpP/s1600/IMG_20150102_092814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtjwQp2OjHuyVHdaNu4q8dyvRdwupZjb0BnfKNwUJnpmNIBNRwzH8UoWDH82YjjrY0-45hvcVo4A9RqKsiNwaVQGAOuyb7_RfeRbyKxSsry69yQQHgyVP8Yh6l0LsigYyXxzdaoOt4XpP/s1600/IMG_20150102_092814.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Quick, cheap and easy, right? There are scores of applications for this little trick, and I promise, your friends will be in outright awe of your talents. Go forth and make stuff!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-54276596715666604032015-01-11T07:37:00.000-08:002015-01-11T07:37:05.461-08:00Saturday in St. Pete Yesterday was our<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1510261405904420/?notif_t=plan_user_joined" target="_blank"> first market of 2015</a>, and it was a doozy! We were lucky to be set up next to the fabulous Kate of <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/KateKreatesArt?ref=l2-shopheader-name" target="_blank">Kate Kreates</a>, and spent a busy afternoon and evening hanging out with her crew, hobnobbing with the fine folk of St. Petersburg and basking in the glow of the goodies we've added to our setup.<br />
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We finally got a chance to use<a href="http://fandomoniumdesigns.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-banner-day.html" target="_blank"> our new banner</a> (yes, I'm a little obsessed), and we gave the <a href="http://fandomoniumdesigns.blogspot.com/2014/12/pimping-tent-more-crazy-coming-up.html" target="_blank">bunting</a> a trial run, too. The banner looked pretty damned good, if I say so myself, but the magnets I sewed in to hold it up were a fail. Actually, the magnets were less of a problem than the fact that I didn't set up the tent while I was making the banner to determine where the magnets should be placed. (Duh.) So we improvised with<a href="http://www.containerstore.com/shop/office/clips?productId=10037574&ci_src={ifpla:17588969}{ifpe:27500988}&ci_sku=10063360&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=44-24385975-2&utm_source=channelintelligence&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=google" target="_blank"> tiny binder clips</a>, and nobody was any the wiser till this very moment. Consider yourself armed with insider information.<br />
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See the canister in the right-hand corner of the photo? That's our new magnet display, and I'm a little bit smitten with it. Actually, it's so cool that I'm planning to dedicate a whole post to it later in the week. For now, let's just say that it spins, it didn't cost me a cent, and it worked like a charm. We let people choose a free magnet if they followed us on 3 social media channels at the event. It was a good deal all the way around, and I got to introduce a surprising number bunch of people to the wonders of the QR Code reader. It's kind of magical. (If you're looking to make a follow sheet of your own, you can <a href="http://www.qrcode-monkey.com/" target="_blank">generate printable QR codes</a> for free.)<br />
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Our upcycled cork keychains made their debut at this event, too. These, like our pendants, are only available at our events--we won't be listing them in the shop. They're a fun upcycle, and they seem to appeal to oenophiles and garden-variety lushes alike.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-47748540560264392015-01-07T05:24:00.001-08:002015-01-07T05:25:16.323-08:00Shop update and a giveaway!November and December were kind of a blur. A busy, happy blur, but they went by in a frantic rush of markets and making. We were constantly under the gun to keep our inventory up, and I'm pretty sure that visions of sugarplums were entirely eclipsed by frenzied 3 AM fretting over whether the resin would set, the bracelet blanks would arrive in time for whatever events we had that weekend, and whether it was actually reasonable to assume that I could card 60 pendants on the way to Sarasota. (It was, in fact. And, no---I wasn't driving.)<br />
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Lots of new cuff designs made their way into our market setup with precious little fanfare. (Unless you happened to be following us over on <a href="http://instagram.com/fandomonium_designs/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, in which case there may have been a modicum of hasty, hey-look-I-made-this show-offery and perhaps a some half-hearted hashtagging, but still.) The point is that the shop has been languishing while we played store, and we've finally gotten around to fixing that.<br />
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A couple of cuffs that have been knocking around in my brain for too long finally came to fruition earlier this week. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/217365856/makers-gonna-make-hand-stamped-aluminum?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=makers+gonna+make+cuff&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery" target="_blank"> Makers gonna make</a> is one of my favorite hashtags over on IG, and our stint at<a href="http://fandomoniumdesigns.blogspot.com/2014/12/4-o-clock-in-morning.html" target="_blank"> St. Pete Maker Fest</a> gave me the impetus to go ahead and do just that. It's in the shop now, and was actually our first order of the new year! Pretty sure that's an omen. The good kind, right?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVIFPetrNN6whpJxZemnKQN7fHz0AMKqUj6zwDpLlKDkyZZgt16TVf5RRbj2i6JV7YdGivBE8UceAU6vGEOtLDeTvWKmZHzErCSJd30biH8NfFx4b6_LNzZ5znvYuVxmNMcqg1slar5RS/s1600/make.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVIFPetrNN6whpJxZemnKQN7fHz0AMKqUj6zwDpLlKDkyZZgt16TVf5RRbj2i6JV7YdGivBE8UceAU6vGEOtLDeTvWKmZHzErCSJd30biH8NfFx4b6_LNzZ5znvYuVxmNMcqg1slar5RS/s1600/make.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/217366963/not-my-circus-not-my-monkeys-hand" target="_blank">Not my circus, not my monkeys</a> has been my unofficial motto for a few years, now. Works like a charm in situations from traffic jams to family feuds, and keeps me well and truly focused on whose drama belongs to whom. Try it...you'll see!<br />
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You can also check out some new fandom-y goodness in the shop. We've added another <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/217373755/browncoat-hand-stamped-aluminum?ref=shop_home_active_2" target="_blank">Firefly</a> cuff, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/208335579/whedonist-joss-whedon-fandom-hand?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=whedonist&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery" target="_blank">an homage to Joss Whedon</a>, and, of course, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/printsicle?fref=ts" target="_blank">Printsicle</a>-inspired<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/217096124/aint-nobody-got-time-for-that-hand?ref=shop_home_active_7" target="_blank"> ain't nobody got time for that</a>. Lots more on the way...I'm shooting to list one a day. Goals, right? You can tell it's January.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFUbTUrHoTUIw-nTXvAy2UMHd1Tv7WyQVXsITPQN0ItHObWl6AynFdIYCI6qfLIbFaTEPwVYsdbycj6pDoyb5oXcX3ALZWMOOETMzfRw4O006XcLLIgIionXLPQMZM51JmG-wGZvruuS8/s1600/joss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFUbTUrHoTUIw-nTXvAy2UMHd1Tv7WyQVXsITPQN0ItHObWl6AynFdIYCI6qfLIbFaTEPwVYsdbycj6pDoyb5oXcX3ALZWMOOETMzfRw4O006XcLLIgIionXLPQMZM51JmG-wGZvruuS8/s1600/joss.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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In other news, we're approaching 300 followers on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fandomonuimdesigns" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/fandomonium_designs/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, and in our <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/fandomoniumdesigns?ref=l2-shopheader-name" target="_blank">Etsy</a> shop. When we hit those milestones, you can be sure there's going to be a giveaway. We'll keep you posted!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-86704796916539946512015-01-04T06:57:00.001-08:002015-01-04T06:57:13.737-08:00A Banner DayNew Year's Day was a day off from Ye Olde Day Jobbe, and I vowed to make it a productive one. I swapped Netflix for Pandora, and spent the morning putting together our new banner. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PAqM-djgybsQQOtiTA2Jj-9gUyiFrOB15vNe2QaQ37UDM_Rn4sI_G6a9XepgnyezfgI0vKToAysr_Sb7DkIduxNG803qwXpe4Hl0PWiCtcKxBy5KcyaS7qD2FggpGa76W9xNbLnWcH7M/s1600/IMG_20141230_220922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PAqM-djgybsQQOtiTA2Jj-9gUyiFrOB15vNe2QaQ37UDM_Rn4sI_G6a9XepgnyezfgI0vKToAysr_Sb7DkIduxNG803qwXpe4Hl0PWiCtcKxBy5KcyaS7qD2FggpGa76W9xNbLnWcH7M/s1600/IMG_20141230_220922.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
I'm a huge fan of <a href="http://www.craftster.org/blog/freezer-paper-who-knew/" target="_blank">freezer paper stenciling</a> and<a href="http://fandomoniumdesigns.blogspot.com/2014/12/pimping-tent-more-crazy-coming-up.html" target="_blank"> dropcloth</a>, so I chose to enlist that trusty team for this endeavor. If it ain't broke...<br />
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Having completed the lettering, it occurred to me that I should have gone with a much bigger font. There was some significant space on either side of the "fandomonium designs" and I wasn't entirely sure what to do about it. I'll admit that I considered just trimming it down and making a bigger banner later, or starting over then and there. Frankly, I'm too lazy for that to have been an option, so I hit Sean up for ideas. As usual, he had a plan; put "aluminum cuffs" on one side, and "upcycled bling" on the other. I liked it, but I still wasn't sure how to make it work. Different fonts? Different colors? I let that percolate while I had my breakfast, and hit on "negative space." I went to my laptop and printed out the phrases I'd need---same font, but a little smaller---and set about tracing and cutting. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4Yx_noZ-AknADacg4-Cm__YbjXgk-nRmFxxfpzGtH3cKF-JITfDhUDmaq2mhBJNHVe17X5XoKgurcS6OgNhUdbZ3Cy8koohxh8aIVKPJ5yGtcnpfhTprkFGz5Ye9mONkit9AdGHQpmiN/s1600/IMG_20150101_094216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4Yx_noZ-AknADacg4-Cm__YbjXgk-nRmFxxfpzGtH3cKF-JITfDhUDmaq2mhBJNHVe17X5XoKgurcS6OgNhUdbZ3Cy8koohxh8aIVKPJ5yGtcnpfhTprkFGz5Ye9mONkit9AdGHQpmiN/s1600/IMG_20150101_094216.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
Ninety-nine percent of the time, the cutting that's called for when I freezer paper is done with an X-Acto knife. I'm kind of a whiz with the X-Acto, but the blade on my current one is beat, so I was delighted to be able to knock this one out with a plain old pair of scissors. Yaaaaaay, negative space!<br />
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While I cut (and sang along with a mix of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0533466/" target="_blank">Once More With Feeling</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1227926/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Dr. Horrible</a> tunes, thank you very much), it occurred to me that it was going to be a huge pain in the keister to block out rectangles of equal size to float these letters in. More cutting, more rumination, and finally a lightbulb moment. I hightailed it to the kitchen to grab a dinner plate---thank you, IKEA!---and quickly traced it onto the freezer paper. A bit of seat-of-my-pants arranging yielded this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Fr7A01C-xtbjbvVPpQssaNNmCu3QhZ_YjUCrZaASuoyhb41r5bkYfOdFENuRxtWFpLixNJog3COvdc08Y4NhwZh5KTECe6DGc4HSHcX2AHvxfGRdfPl-WcxVITG1C4affw4kPHwR3pFP/s1600/IMG_20150101_102457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Fr7A01C-xtbjbvVPpQssaNNmCu3QhZ_YjUCrZaASuoyhb41r5bkYfOdFENuRxtWFpLixNJog3COvdc08Y4NhwZh5KTECe6DGc4HSHcX2AHvxfGRdfPl-WcxVITG1C4affw4kPHwR3pFP/s1600/IMG_20150101_102457.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Better than I'd hoped for. I filled it in with black acrylic, taking care to keep from bleeding through to the table this time, and hoped for the best. I pulled each letter off carefully with my X-Acto knife, knowing full well that this part of the process is the riskiest bit. It's easy to get a smudge in the white spaces with the not-quite-dry paint, and it wouldn't be the first time I'd screwed up a big project this late in the game. Slow and steady.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDXrwqprdTGVmjwHHOuRyKXRjgknVJQQLXdZ2yDeE-VJPuZMgUFc2W5ZlVXtJ-HtpupKcDHBIs8dwc3wh4vfPCC6_eXgBZTRc-UdLIrm7lp9OflqRWWZqw0T7IanFs51N0si4wqGiqr62/s1600/IMG_20150101_113421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDXrwqprdTGVmjwHHOuRyKXRjgknVJQQLXdZ2yDeE-VJPuZMgUFc2W5ZlVXtJ-HtpupKcDHBIs8dwc3wh4vfPCC6_eXgBZTRc-UdLIrm7lp9OflqRWWZqw0T7IanFs51N0si4wqGiqr62/s1600/IMG_20150101_113421.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />
Here are the fruits of my labors:<br />
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Not bad, right? I'll get a full view at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1510261405904420/?sid_reminder=2598569885411835904" target="_blank">our next market</a> on Saturday. You local yokels, come check it out in person! There will be beer, and music, and merry-making1<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-84654673072578666882014-12-30T12:50:00.000-08:002015-01-02T19:10:15.911-08:00More Markets!I figured our "season" had wound down a bit, but it's hard for me to say no to an opportunity to vend. I'm a total introvert, but I love these chances to put ourselves out there and meet the people our cuffs are going home with. So we'll be at the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1510261405904420/" target="_blank"> Grandiversary Block Party</a> at the St. Pete Community Café ---ohmygosh, I love St. Pete!---on the 10th from 3-9 and at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wfmtpa" target="_blank">Whole Foods Market</a> in Tampa from 5-8 on the 21st for the Local Market Night. And, yes, we did add some lights to our setup, so you can see all the pretties in the dark. <br />
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Still busy <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4585792177905655783#editor/target=post;postID=6459742870993177620;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=2;src=postname" target="_blank">pimping the tent</a>---we've been putting together a Bunting of Much Fabulousness, and I'm smack in the middle of a new banner. (Regulation size for the big markets---like Seminole Heights and St. Pete Indie, if anybody's looking for hints as to where we may pop up in the next few months...) Using my old standby, the trusty drop cloth, for both projects, and I have this to offer: New drop cloths smell like socks. Not new socks. Ugh.<br />
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Lots of other stuff going on---still futzing around with the blog, obviously, and working on a new line that we hope hope hope to debut (gulp) next week!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-69890416750729541862014-12-21T17:18:00.000-08:002015-01-02T19:10:34.519-08:004 o' clock in the morning......and the brain won't turn off. It's a night very much like the one when I wrote one if <a href="http://littlegreenbums.blogspot.com/2010/01/excedrin-craft.html" target="_blank">my first blog posts </a>ever, and it's frustrating, but I'm in a good place anyway. Today was exciting for us on a lot of levels. We did a stint--the first of many, I hope---at St. Pete Maker Fest, an amazing event put together by St. Pete Makers, There was nothing about this event that I didn't love: the incredible venue, St. Pete Shuffle, the remarkable assortment of vendors and exhibitors, and the overwhelming enthusiasm of everyone involved absolutely blew my mind. We made some incredible connections and had a blast shmoozing with all and sundry.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-64597428709931776202014-12-17T12:53:00.000-08:002015-01-02T19:11:43.249-08:00Pimping the tent: more crazy coming up!So we got our tent in time for last week's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1574336639446119/" target="_blank">Weinachtsmarkt</a> over at New World Brewery. Organized by the talented and fabulous Amy of <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/DesignsbyAmyJean?ref=hdr_shop_menu" target="_blank">AmyJeanDesigns</a>, the event was well attended and chock-full of awesome vendors. We love hanging out a t New World, and this is one of our favorite events. Come to think of it, it was the first one I did when I got back to Tampa, so there: sentimental value!<br />
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Anyhoo, the tent went up with less fuss than anticipated, and came down the same way. It took some finagling to get it in and out of the car, but it was still do-able. (Counting that as a win.)<br />
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Now it's time to pretty the Tent of Much Deliberation up a smidge, so I'm playing around with bunting ideas. And, of course, dropcloths. Because, seriously, where else can you get that kind of durability and yardage for cheap? (Word to the wise: don't "save" by buying your drop cloths at Harbor Freight. They're not washable, unless you're a huge fan of shrinkage. Mind you, I still shop there for a host of other things, but I learned the hard way to stick with Home Depot for the drop cloths.) <br />
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Back to the bunting. The plan---oh, the plan!--is to make a ton of pennants and string them up all pretty-like in the tent. But the beauty of this idea is that I'm going to put a different fandom symbol on each triangle. Naturally, this is going to be something of an evolving project, but I'm SO psyched about it, I can hardly wait to get started! <br />
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Pictures soon. Well, as soon as I can figure how to get the blogger app to work...things have changed since my days over at<a href="http://www.littlegreenbums.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> littlegreenbums</a>, dammit.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-91681832440495178322014-12-10T12:21:00.003-08:002015-01-02T19:11:03.433-08:00T is for Tent...For about a month and a half, now, I've been stressing out about a tent. A pop up tent, for markets, A white one. I think it's safe to say that I thought more about this tent-to-be than the rest of you all, combined, thought about your collective tents. And it's not just the tent---no, sirree!--there are weights to be considered, and layouts, and all manner of absolutely critical decisions which must be pondered over the course of many nights in lieu of sleep. And ponder I did, before I finally broke down and bought a mid-range tent that I hope to holy heck will get here before Sunday.<br />
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So yesterday morning, I scooted out of the house at the butt-crack of dawn and made a pilgrimage to Home Depot to gather the long-considered cart-full of Tent-Weight Making Things. Which I gathered, thank you very much, with precious little assistance from the staff of said emporium, who seemed to be suffering from severe caffeine withdrawal. When I arrived at the checkout, clutching a 50 pound bag of concrete to my chest, the girl rang me up and informed me that my weights would cost damned near as much as my tent. Resignedly, I swiped my debit card and schlepped my hard-won bounty car-ward. <br />
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I am a woman who loves a bargain. I DIY because I'm too cheap to pay retail. And it was <b><i>killing</i></b> me to think that I was going to spend a week's grocery money on a bunch of Heavy Things. But what's a girl to do? I'd Pinterested the subject of tent-weights to death, and PVC and 8" screw eyes seemed to be<i> de rigeur</i>. But, ugh! So much money! <br />
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It hit me about three hours into my work day, when I was thinking about eleventy-six things that had nothing whatsoever to do with tents, or weights, or PVC. I picked up my water bottle for a refill and thought, "Hmm. Cement?" And thus, our alterna-weights were born. The Boy and I hit Target and picked up a six pack of Smart Water. And four cans of Pringles, just in case. <br />
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And then I came to work this morning to discover that the office next door finished painting their premises. And left four empty paint cans with lids stacked right outside our back door, waiting for me to stumble (literally, of course) upon them and squeal with glee---and abject terror, because falling!---but, yeah. Mostly glee. In case I did that thing where I skip from square one to done without explaining again, the plan is to fill said cans with cement. And, perhaps, if I'm feeling all fancy, to paint them, or cover them with pretty duct tape. And hang them from our shiny new tent so it won't blow away. Pics to follow, of course, when I can remember to upload them.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-21685744222770897792014-12-08T13:28:00.000-08:002015-01-02T19:13:25.575-08:00Post-AtomicWhat a weekend! We had a blast at <a href="http://atomicholidaybazaar.com/" target="_blank">Atomic</a>, and our stuff seemed to be well-received. So many vendors, so much to take in...and I'm pretty sure I was able to process about 15% of what I saw. Sensory overload, to say the least, but so very, very worth it! <br />
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We met up with a bunch of our TBEC peeps, and met some new vendors, as well. Did a little bartering, made some contacts, and found another event to get excited about! You'll be able to find us at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/367761893384447/" target="_blank">St. Pete Maker Fest</a> on the 21st...a great opportunity to pick up those last minute gifts and check out the local maker scene. (Also the debut of our tent. I caved. I couldn't help it. So now I can agonize over prettifying that, as well.)<br />
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Couple of fun points to ponder about our experience at <a href="http://atomicholidaybazaar.com/" target="_blank">Atomic</a>:<br />
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1. I usually suffer from a massive need to decompress after a show. I get whiny, and irritable---yes, sounds like my before-show self, but I swear, it's different---and come home and sit around in sweats and watch TV and eat carbs for a couple of hours. That didn't happen this time. Don't know why.<br />
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2. Always. ALWAYS. <b>ALWAYS.</b> Set up your display at home before you take it to a show. Especially if you keep switching it up because you suddenly feel compelled to make 413 new pendants. Because it WON'T fit. And then you'll be a basket case and take 2 and a half hours to set up and<i> no one will like you anymore.</i> Trust me on this one.<br />
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On a more positive note, The new displays will work wonderfully when we have more than six feet of linear space to work with. And they were free from my local ReStore. They used to be cabinet doors, and I wrested them off of the cabinet box myself. (Which was fun for all the folks in the parking lot---crazy lady giving a free show!)<br />
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The two hinges that survived the aforementioned wresting got a coat of red spray paint and became our ne business card holders. Upcycle, baby!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-64732600169350603022014-12-05T12:42:00.002-08:002015-01-02T19:12:21.827-08:00Thrift ScoreI've been out of thrift mode for the past month or so---markets and inventory building, blah, blah, blah---but I made a rare foray into the slightly funky-smelling aisles of my <a href="http://www.sunshinethrift.com/" target="_blank">favorite shop</a> yesterday. It was a good trip, yielding some bed risers I've been trying not to buy retail for a whopping $2.82, a few tops, and a kick-ass purse that will hold all the crap I need on a daily basis without being a backpack. Also a slew of books (some for los ninos, and some to reincarnate as pendants.)<br />
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I know the idea of buying things as therapy is appalling, and in general, that's not how I roll. But the whole experience of a thrift run is so good for my brain---the anticipation, the aisle-combing, and the "hmm...what could we do with this?" aspect of things---and it never fails to improve my mood.<br />
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Yup, I'm a cheap date. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-42586603125364122642014-12-04T09:41:00.000-08:002014-12-04T09:41:32.894-08:00Aaaanddd we're off!Big things are happening this week. My calendar is filled with holiday markets (yay!) and we scored a spot at <a href="http://atomicholidaybazaar.com/" target="_blank">Atomic</a> in the proverbial eleventh hour. Loosely translated, that means my "spare" time will be spent inventory-building, display-revamping, and running around like a newly-beheaded chicken. There is much to be done.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-91654631890691302582014-12-04T09:40:00.002-08:002015-01-02T18:52:22.294-08:00Almost Atomic!Sunday is <a href="http://atomicholidaybazaar.com/" target="_blank">Atomic</a>. I'm in a bit of a tizzy: displays, inventory and packaging are all mid-overhaul, which makes perfect sense given the timeframe I'm working with...<br />
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We did a couple of markets last weekend--the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/762837110421362/" target="_blank">TBEC Small Business Saturday</a> event, and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/894921623865992/" target="_blank">Harbor Island Art Walk.</a> It was a great opportunity to meet up with the local Etsy folk, and a chance to test-drive the new display. A few glitches to work out, but all in all we're good. <br />
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I've been telling myself I need to make a schedule so I can keep from getting totally overwhelmed, but I haven't gotten to it just yet. <br />
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There's a new display box to make, a much-needed order of blanks that's coming in on Thursday, pendants to make (and detail, and card...), a stash of magnets to glue (and fill and card) and, oh, yeah---cuffs. I need more cuffs!<br />
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There will be much banging and clanging chez nous this week, and the tumbler will be running 24/7, no doubt. I'm not much fun to hang out with right now, and I'm not sure how The Boy puts up with me. I'm grateful that he does, though. He's cool like that.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-6870374967480291462014-11-26T09:48:00.000-08:002015-01-02T19:12:13.106-08:00The Display DilemmaSo, I've been looking to add height and color to our display within my usual guidelines: cheap, upcycled, and DIY. Which had me heading to the thrift shop this afternoon in search of a few odds and ends: 2 45s, 4 candlesticks, and a few small dishes to hold my cards and some sets of cuffs I'd like to highlight. I found a pair of candlesticks, which now need painting.<br />
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Not a single piece of vinyl in the store, so I may need to rethink the 45s. And I snagged a small, crystal-esque soap dish that will do nicely for card-holding purposes.<br />
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My weekly Restore Raid yielded a giant cabinet door (from the free pile!) which was summarily loaded into my trunk before I got a chance to think about exactly why I needed it. I go with my gut on these things, people. After a bit of rumination, I spray-painted the door a cheery cranberry color, and decided to make it our pendant display. I'm hoping the pop of color will work with the existing display. (We'll find out for sure on Saturday at<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/762837110421362/" target="_blank"> the TBEC event.)</a><br />
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The next order of busy-ness is figuring out how to card and display our new bottlecap magnets. Upcycled from security envelopes, vintage books, and comics, they're a fun little addition to the booth that probably won't make it into the Etsy shop. I'm playing around with a bunch of different ideas, but I'm looking for something that's low-labor.<br />
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The pendant cards are a pain in the hind-end to make. Luckily, I'm in love with them, so they'll get made in spite of the fact that they're a great, big, ginormous bother.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-85303058385427704952014-11-25T13:16:00.002-08:002014-12-09T08:17:04.306-08:00Display DilemmasAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-54400605132050181702014-11-23T18:01:00.000-08:002015-01-02T18:53:09.847-08:00'Tis the Season...There is swearing. And blood. And crying, and fast food, and much unwarranted grumpiness. There's glue in my hair, spray paint under my nails, and a terrifying amount of overthinking going on in the wee smalls. <br />
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Yup, it's market season, and everything else has faded into a blur. How to card those magnets? Horizontal display, or vertical? Where can we add some color? Some height? Stickers or business cards? Free shipping, or a percent-off discount? This, people, is what keeps me up nights. And don't even get me started on the "what-ifs..."<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585792177905655783.post-21237882489124205312014-11-17T06:40:00.000-08:002015-01-02T19:14:12.010-08:00Back in the saddle again...Two years ago, I lost my blog mojo. I got out of the rhythm of putting my days into words, and I've been putting off getting back into that useful habit. So, if you were following me over at <a href="http://www.littlegreenbums.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">littlegreenbums,</a> you're going to feel like you've missed a few episodes. No worries. I'll fill you in.<br />
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If you've just tuned in, welcome! I'm Wendy---fangirl, thrifter, and <a href="http://www.fandomoniumdesigns.etsy.com/" target="_blank">maker of things</a>. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070968264073351004noreply@blogger.com0