Miniature Fairy Furniture Tutorial

Get your fairy garden ready! The Fairies are moving in!

Check out this tutorial on how to make these adorable chairs and table.

This project is simple and will only take you about 30-60 minutes to complete!
Check it out!


ENJOY!
-Elegantly Haunted

New Tutorials... As Promised!

Learn to make a stunning wine glass using acrylic gems or “bling”. 

This is a simple project that will take you 30 to 60 minutes to complete. This video takes you through all the steps!

Here is what you will need:

• A clean wine glass
• Water proof adhesive (i.e. “Goop” or “Quick Grip”)
• Acrylic gems (various sizes and colors)
• Craft tweezers
• Blank paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Masking tape

Use your imagination and come up with your own design. I found that this simpler the design the better the result. Enjoy!

CHEERS!!

Find tutorials, recipes, and more on Confessions of Crafty Witches

***Project notes: This project is for decorative and/or novelty use. The adhesive is water proof but not dishwasher safe. I have found that the adhesive barely stand up to hand washing. So carefully wash your glass after use.***

Get ready for fall! From your friends at Elegantly Haunted

Our new website is A LIVE!!! www.ElegantlyHaunted.com  OH! It has been a long time coming, but our new website is fabulous! Its easy to use and lovely to look at! Come check out all the creatively captivating items we have in store! Halloween is only 77 days away!  We have several Fall and Halloween themed items ready.  Next we are adding Thanksgiving and soon Christmas!  Wow! Time flies!  We are adding new items every week. Are you preparing for the holiday season? We can help make the holidays a breeze.  We have a variety of beautiful items for you to browse,  and as always we welcome custom orders. This year's gift giving and decorating will be elegant and simple. YOU make the difference! Here is an update on our progress. Hooray!! We have 30 cards ready to go to Operation Write Home!!! Operation Write Homes is a wonderful organization started in 2007 for the purpose of sending handmade greeting cards to our deployed troops. These quality handmade cards help boost our troop’s morale and strengthen family relationships. Elegantly Haunted is donating one handmade greeting card for every card you purchase from our website, Etsy Shop, or at any of the locations where Elegantly Haunted cards are sold.   Our goal is 500 cards by the end of 2013!!! Your role is easy! Simply purchase your regular holiday and general occasion greeting cards from Elegantly Haunted and we do the rest! With your help we will reach 500 cards!   Fall Product Line Don't miss these fabulous fall products for your home and gift giving needs!  Schedule Your Elegantly Haunted Make and Take Retreat™ Spend quality time with your family and friends. Unwind and sample some of the best local fare your town has to offer!

Small Businesses Donate More...

independentwestand.org

I saw this photo on the Independent We Stand Fan Page and could not agree more with the statement.

Local small businesses really do donate more! I am a living example.

My name is Brandy Boswell, and I am the Artist and Owner of Elegantly Haunted. This is my blog about my business, my involvement in the community, and my place with you in society.

I often laugh when I see big signs at chain stores claiming that they give X-amount back to the community. In my head I ask, “Well, which community? Because, I don’t see any of your big money going back into this community.”

Yes! I talk to myself a lot. It’s how I get through the day.

I see more small business owners donating far more resources than I have ever witnessed from a large chain. Small businesses like me do more than just throw money at a cause; we also donate our time, and our energy. We ever go further than that.  When we are passionate about a cause our employees join in as well.

As small local & independent business owners we are able to clearly see what causes need our attention. After all, this is our community. We see what cracks need to be filled, and where resources lack. We are not dictated by a distant board of directors whose only concern is looking good in the media. We get to decide who, what, where, when, and why. When we are passionate about a cause, that passion is something we are freely able to support. Our passions become our focus, thus making our decisions to donate more fulfilling and effective in the community.

I love our freedom to donate. As small business owners we are able to determine exactly how we will donate. Being independent means we choose if we will donate monetarily, personally, or both. Of course, any factors play into these choices. These factors are as diverse as the individual business owners themselves.

Think of all the small businesses in your community, and think of how different they all are. Even if you compare two boutiques selling similar items, they will feel and look very different in every way. It’s like comparing two multi-faceted stones. Each will have a unique sparkle, hue, and look. If you can’t think of any small businesses in your area, I think you are in the right place. It’s time for you to start shopping local and independent.

I digress, what I was trying to say is that the different personality of each business will help determine which organizations get that businesses attention. This diversity is wonderful because it spreads the available resources around creating a balance that is much needed everywhere.

I just spent 8 days over the last two weeks donating my time, energy, and money to a cause I’m passionate about. When I saw the photo above on Facebook I was instantly inspired to write something about I, a small business owner, donates.

If you have been following me lately, you know I am passionate about Teen battle Chef. I have essentially taken two weeks off from my creative business to help lead and run the Teen Battle Chef Summer program at Spoutwood Farm. Since I call the shots I was able to do what I like and give as much as possible to a deserving cause.

I have to say this; it was very hot these past two weeks. The last three days being the hottest of the year. No one worked as hard as Liz Leiwand, and the kids participating in the program. Not one Chef complained about the heat. They all took our instructions with ease and did a phenomenal job presenting for their teams. This is a quote from Liz at the end of our program this year, I think she says it all, “…what an awesome end to our Teen Battle Chef program. The kids transformed into CHEFS right before our eyes.”

Salad Niçoise

 created by Teen Battle Chef participants 2013

Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits, Day 2 of the TCB Summer Program

Mussels Provecal, Day 6

It is because of the transformations we see in these kids, and the message we teach through this program, that I am passionate about donating to TCB and the CHEFS. I volunteer my time and donate financially to this cause without hesitation or regret. Above and beyond my efforts, are those of Rob and Lucy Wood, owners of Spoutwood Farm. Spoutwood is anchored in our community, giving so much support to all who participate with the farm.

Community is important to me. I value the lessons we learn together, the diversity we share, and the relationships we forge. It is only fitting that my values are reflected in my business practices. Community is essential to our strength. When we support one another, we create a community and economy that will weather any storm.

When small business is involved with the community, and vice versa, there a personal impact made.  Personal investment is what makes our community richer.

So get out there and support your community!

http://www.independentwestand.org/

http://spoutwood.org/

http://spoutwood.org/education/teen-battle-chef

http://www.elegantlyhaunted.com/

http://buylocalcoalition.com/

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?