Father's Day Card Tutorial

Nothing says "I love and appreciate you" more than a handmade item.

Give Dad a card made by you this year to celebrate his special day!

Father's Day is June 15, 2014




Enjoy!

Etsy Treasuries

When I started my shop on Etsy in 2011, I was not impressed with it. I felt lost in the huge variety of shops and artful handmade products. I was frustrated with the struggle to stand out! Recently I discovered I was looking at it all wrong!

Etsy is a wonderful place to shop, of course!!! But the community aspect adds a great deal of depth to the Etsy experience. There are so many people willing to help you with anything you need. It took me reading about this community in books for me to discover it!! Yep, I was CLUELESS!!

Got a question? Need clarification? Just post it or send a shop owner a message, and someone will answer you. Some forums, threads, and teams are a little less active than others, so if you don't get your answer in a few days try another one. I would actually be surprise if you did not get an answer within minutes!!  Don't get frustrated (like I did) because there are plenty of people actively helping newbies. I even see veterans posting questions on various subjects. We can't know it all when we first jump in. It takes time to learn the ins and outs of this vast community. So take your time and check out all the great things Etsy has to offer.

One of my favorite community aspects of Etsy are the Treasuries. This is a place where you can gather up to 16 of your favorite items (per treasury) from your favorite shops and display them proudly. You can share the link with friends and family. Think of it... your husband is usually clueless about what to get you for your birthday or anniversary... Email him your own treasury filled with ideas!!! He will have 16 items to choose from and you can still be surprised!!!

Another one of the best parts of these lists is that the more clicks your treasury gets the greater chance it has of being displayed on Etsy's front page! So if you share it enough, all the things you love will be there for others to love.

Something to remember about creating treasuries is to make it beautiful. You might also like to create specific themes like, Summer, the Sea, use your favorite color as a theme, etc.

Below are a few great treasuries you should check out. Some I made and some have been made by my team members.

Green is Keen!

Twilight Before the Storm 

Summer Fun

Just Because

For Dad...

These are only a few of the great treasuries you can explore. I hope you take some time to explore the other treasuries out there, and create your own.

Please remember the shops and owners who bring you these wonderful treasures. They work hard to create items for your enjoyment. Show your appreciation by keeping them in business. I know many of these items are one-of-a-kind and will not be available again. So when you find items you really like, act quickly in making them YOURS!!!

It's a Win-Win!!! You support the economy while shopping for and sharing the beautiful hand crafted items!

ENJOY!!

Father's Day! Finding that perfect gift means finding the right shop!

There is nothing better than finding a unique and memorable gift for a specific occasion!! Father's Day is just that occasion, and as it may be it is around the corner.

Telling Dad how much he means to you is important!

BUT... Where can you go to find amazingly distinctive gifts.

Easy!

Start with our Etsy shop... here is the link. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ElegantlyHaunted

Within the Elegantly Haunted Etsy shop you will find quality handmade, tastefully designed greeting cards!

Here is the best part, our greeting cards are more than just some card you grabbed while you were at your favorite Big-Box Store... You will be telling Dad that you really thought about him. When you purchase from a small local artisan, you are telling Dad that he wasn't a second thought while you bought laundry detergent. Instead you will be saying to him that he means the world to you!

The card you present to him will be frame quality and keepsake worthy! That speaks directly to the importance of your Dad in your life.

So take some time and think about your Dad. Think about all the special things he has done for you.

Visit the Elegantly Haunted Etsy shop and find your Dad something truly special for this Father's Day!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ElegantlyHaunted

Find inspiration with Family and Friends. Creative inspiration at a bead show.

Creating from inspiration is the best way to make precious keepsakes.  Creating from passion and heart makes your item(s) irreplaceable. In the end you put more into them than you would by simply copying a design from a magazine or book. You have to make it your own.

I often get asked, “How do you come up with all these great designs?” What I do, inspires others to share with their family and friends. I offer them something gorgeous for personal satisfaction and gift-giving! This is why I do what I do, and this is why I keep myself open to a range of ideas and inspirations.

I think it is only fitting that I share my inspirations with you. Creativity is something that comes to individuals, well individually. Most of my creative bursts come from my family, nature, other artists in other mediums, and life experiences.

This card I call “You are my ROCK!” came to me at a bead show I attended with my Mother-in-Law, and her friend. I didn’t expect to find anything there to use in my art, as I deal mainly with paper and glass… Stones and glass have never gone together well as we have heard, and I was not sure how I could use beads and paper. I was very new to the card making and scrap-booking scene, I had no clue!! Regardless, I never give up a chance to hang out with my Mother-in-Law.

As we browsed the heaps of beads strung on fishing line, we came upon a table with some beautiful multifaceted stones. My Mother-in-Law picks up a strand and says to me, “What about a card, with one of these stones mounted on it and the saying, You are my rock?” I looked at her and saw the excitement in her eyes, and it clicked. That’s A GREAT IDEA!!

She had every confidence in me that I would create a card layout that would be keepsake worthy featuring this beautiful stone and a message to match. So I did. We bought several strands. I brought them home and worked on my designs. I ended up with a couple of designs I found to be very pleasing!

As I said before, inspiration comes to individuals, individually. Look for your own inspirations in the most unlikely places. When the idea clicks run with it!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/151582476/you-are-my-rock-frameable-fathers-day?