I enter blog giveaways once in a while, but since I don’t “tweet”, I don’t “follow blogs” (it’s hard to do using WordPress.com), and I don’t blog regularly (thus I don’t blog about giveaways), it becomes very difficult to enter one without doing all those extra things to get “more entries.” Which is why I would declare, “But I can’t win a contest on a blog!”

Well, lo and behold, it can happen!

I found out about Le’s Treasure’s contest for suggesting a soap scent (back in March), somewhere in the Etsy forums. She created this cute pink soap shaped like a pig (her blog). Once again I thought, “Hmph, I probably won’t win, but it won’t hurt to enter, right?”. She wanted us to suggest the scent to produce the piggy soap in…I suggested “rose” because roses smell nice (duh) but also, people think of pigs as being filthy, smelly animals (the ones I’ve encountered, which have been few, usually are!). So I thought wouldn’t you want your pig to smell nice??

So I entered and then forgot about it, haha. I got a convo a few weeks later, and LesTreasure had informed me that I won the contest! For the prize, I won my own pig soap that smells like roses! That really made my day!

Hah…it’s little tail…

Now my little pig sits on my desk and helps keep my room smelling like roses. It’s adorable and maybe I’ll use it one day. It truly smells like roses. I love it’s cheeky smile! So, if you’re looking for cute shaped soaps paired with wonderful scents, I highly suggest LesTreasure‘s shop!

Anyhoo, so I also stumbled across this wonderful blog called The Bright Side Project, where each entry features a seller of handmade/vintage items (not necessarily from Etsy) and that person gets to discuss their favorite items/patterns/themes/interesting finds. AND each entry has a question that you can answer in order to win a set of items that’s been chosen by that featured person.

So for an entry by the blogger Ellie (of the Mint Design Blog) (this entry was written early May), the question was, “What is the last great book you read?” And I just finished reading The Art Instinct, which is about how evolution has determined our aesthetics in art/music, and how our art is derived from evolution…a really interesting read and I definitely suggest all artists/designers/musicians read this book!! The language isn’t overly complicated, and it really makes you wonder how aesthetics has played a role in our evolution…

So I answered that for the blog entry, and a week later I returned to the blog to enter another contest (they have one like everyday) and I saw my name on the winner’s list. At first I wasn’t sure if it was me, so I had to check…and yep, I had won! Wow!

I won a set of the Mint blogger’s favorite things, all sold on Etsy! I’ve received 3 of them so far…still waiting for one more (a $20 gift certificate to the Etsy store, Tortoise Loves Donkey)!

Here’s what I won…

This lovely set of 5 vintage glasses from Seesaw Vintage (which I received packaged securely in a box). I’ll be moving to a new house soon, so I’m looking forward to setting these up somewhere…what will I use them for??

A beautiful necklace, made of metal, by Laura Lombardi Jewelry. It’s definitely a piece that people will ask, “wow, where did you get that from?” (The necklace is called “Pastern“)

A “Grandpa” handkerchief from DownHome Amy…sent all the way from Canada! It’s so cute, and the image was silk-screened (I know how laborous that task is!). Not sure how I’ll use it yet.

So, see? You can win contests on blogs! I guess it’s a matter of luck, typing in the “right place” at the “right time” (I’d say “being at the right place, at the right time”, but that doesn’t quite make sense via the Internet). I also appreciate that these sellers put their items out there to be “won”, which works as great promotion for their efforts, as well as makes someone’s day really special.

I definitely still have a lot to improve on in making handmade books.

Here are some of my favorite handmade books and their sellers…

Winged Creature Cutout DAY PLANNER – Imoss
These planners actually have pages printed with lines, dates, months…The cover is made of bookcloth and a paper cut-out of the bird. Honestly in the photo, I thought it was all printed paper. WOW

chair. book. – paintedfishstudio
This chair reminds me of a chair from one of Van Gogh’s paintings…This book actually uses the accordion fold technique, where a long piece of paper is folded several times to literally create an accordion. It’s a great way to display whatever you’ve written/drawn on the pages because the covers are sturdy enough.

Trivial Pursuit Recycled Journal – goodbyecitylife
This journal uses the board from a Trivial Pursuit game. Recycled covers are awesome because buying regular bookbinding board can get expensive. I love that she uses recycled paper for the inside as well. The color scheme is consistent.

Flourish Book No. 1 – SeaLemon
This book uses the Japanese stab stitch, so the front cover only opens to a 90 degree angle…without tearing the paper of course. It’s a good stitch to keep all the paper together, and it’s called a “stab stitch” because you literally stab the needle through the pages. I like to use an awl if I need to make a hole through several pieces of paper. The colors and design for the cover are awesome.

Smitten – Blank beaded journal pink with dots – BookgirlsStudio
I’m very intrigued with this type of binding…It looks like the seller threaded beads through the thread when it was being bound. It uses the long stitch which is a very good method to sew sections of paper together. The thread is being sewn in and out of the paper, so by using the beads, it looks like it stops the thread from cutting into the paper (which I have done by accident, because if you pull the thread too hard and the paper is too thin, you can rip the thread right through).

Handbound Notebook – Elephants and Owls - paperlion
My favorite stitch…the coptic stitch. I think it’s a really fun stitch, and it leaves the spine visible so you can really see the skill of the bookbinder. Coptic stitching also lets you lie the book flat, however it does make it a little more fragile than a regular bound book. But really, if you’re going to buy a handmade book, it would make senses to take care of it.

Recycle Bin Book – erinzam
This tiny book also uses the coptic stitch, but as you can see, it doesn’t need many holes. The previous book used 4-5 holes, while this one only needs 2. I think the ribbon is a lovely idea, and I think this would be great to carry in your purse. It’s the perfect “list-making” size! And recyclable paper is always good to use.

As you can tell, the combinations of stitching, colors, papers, materials are endless. Which means there’s always something new to try!

What’s really cool is these “suggested shops” will update itself sometimes. No idea how often, but this is a definitely a neat way to find new shops. What I secretly hope, and I bet most sellers would agree with this, is that my shop somehow ends up on someone’s “suggested shops” list and that viewer discovers it. Definitely could mean more exposure.

I don’t know the technology behind this new feature, but it’s something I think Etsy should’ve installed a long time ago. So if you haven’t looked at this yet, go do it!

I’m showing off some of the items I discovered in my “suggested shops”…

Lunch Plate in Outfit Pattern (these would look beautiful in a kitchen)

Blackbird fabric pin

La Feuille rouge necklace (if only I had the money….)

Bicycle in the rain pendant (I love the transparency!)

Orion embroidered constellation

Graphic Deer Canvas Belt (I am sooo going to buy one of these!!)

Handmade Pudgy Bird

Stars Ring (there are many other rings in this shop! sooo awesome!)

In Stitches…a handmade yarn wreath. (this is just pure brilliant)

These paintings, as well as my others works, can be found on my website: CLJart

“Dum spiro spero” (While I breathe, I hope), acrylic on canvas, 14″ x 14″, $175

I was first inspired by a print of flowers on one of my pieces of clothing, and after simplifying it, I used it sparingly in a painting of colored stripes first. (I gave this one to my dad.)

I then decided to try it on a smaller canvas but having the flowers and stems much more condensed.

“Ordo ab chao” (Out of chaos, comes order), acrylic on canvas, 14″ x 14″, $175

“Fluctuant mergitur” (She wavers and is not immersed), acrylic on canvas, 14″ x 14″, $175

I had a lot of fun creating these flower and stripe paintings because the combinations of colors are endless. I tried altering the organization of the flowers as well. I also changed from having the flower petals striped, to all white instead. I like how the colors vibrant with the black and white.

“Carpe diem” (Seize the day), acrylic on canvas, 14″ x 14″, sold

One of my friends loved the red painting so much, she asked if I could paint a couple more for her! And I just finished the last one. I really enjoyed taking on a commission…I always see it as a challenge to try something new!!

part of the Carpe diem (Seize the day) series, acrylic on canvas, 14″ x 14″, sold

part of the Carpe diem (Seize the day) series, acrylic on canvas, 14″ x 14″, sold
(and a random fact about this one…I recorded how long it took for me to paint this, and it totaled 7 hours and 49 minutes!)

and all three of the Carpe diem (Seize the day) series together.

I might end up creating some more of these types of paintings, though I want to use a larger canvas. However, I’m glad I got this out of my system. Now off to paint something else!!

(Here’s a photo of one of the paintings before I drew the black lines. I’m considering making some works like that as well…)

As a teacher, I have to recognize that not all my students may have a mother…so, I can’t assume that they’ll all be celebrating Mother’s Day. Here are some of my finds that I think would be perfect Mother’s Day gifts, or a gift for any special lady in your family. (I’m trying to show a variety of items.)

These Flower Frenzy Coasters are perfect for spring and they look really durable. -ArtsyCraftsy2

I love this pillow, The 2nd Cutest Sheep Ever Pillow, because it’s not overly feminine, but is still really cute and could be used in different parts of a home. -OIive

Blue Porcelain Flowers earrings are so simple and it’s such a beautiful blue hue, I could see this working for many occasions. They don’t even look heavy. -tashamck

Fill in the blank pack of four notelets, now this is genius!! Anything that the buyer can personalize is always a good thing, plus these could be used, or even placed in a shadowbox or framed for display. They’re so cute. -dearcolleen

This PodPillow iPod/Mobile Device Stand doesn’t necessarily have to be for an iPod/iPhone, because my mom has an iPod Nano, but this could work for a cellphone as well. The design is awesome and it doesn’t take away visually from it’s purpose. -dognamedbanjo

This Hooks Rack – Silhouette Flowers, is contemporary but not overly cute, which I think some women prefer. This would be great for holding keys, light-weight bags, brushes, even jewelry or chimes. -BululuStudio

Of course I had to include something directly related to the Mom-theme…I think this Personalized Mom necklace would be great for any mom because they can put the year their first child was born. I also like the idea of the birthstones because it could either have the birthstone of the mom, or birthstones of the children. -craftyaddictions

This is cute for any lady…I would love to see this Ceramic Bird Figurine on a desk, great for a working mom that wants something adorable on their desk that’s small enough to not take up too much room. -iktomi

So hopefully that inspires you to go find something for your mom or special lady-relative.

littleblackdress’s blog showcases very intriguing finds…so go check out the other entries too. I don’t know if being mentioned on a blog necessarily means more viewers to your shop, but at least it gets your items out into the world “outside Etsy.”

See? It’s the one in the right-hand corner.

She also has a few other ads for Etsy shops as well. It definitely inspires me to consider redoing the banner for my shop…it needs an update. However I lost my access to Photoshop after my laptop died about 4 months ago, so I’ll need to figure out another method.

So go check out MadeJustForYou’s blog and her Etsy shop (she creates and sells jewelry, those cute origami paper stars, cards, and little paper die cuts which are perfect for scrapbooking, collaging, etc.).

Sparkly Silvery Bird Pendant – I love the sparkly detail on the bird. I would definitely use this both as a brooch and a necklace. I think this looks awesome in detail, as well as from far away.

Metallic Gold Silver and Copper Paper Covered Wood Cubes with White Die Cut Flowers Necklace – If I had the money, I would totally buy this!! So simple yet it can really match with many colors of clothing.

Sterling silver paper bead necklace- large beads - I’ve bought from this seller (papermode) before, very personable and friendly. And her new designs cease to amaze me…This is such a cute necklace, especially if I wore this to a teaching job.

Polar Bear -Brooch – Such an adorable brooch…I wonder how heavy it is. I know this would get comments from viewers.

Triple strand retro print cuff bracelet red and aqua - This one is sold, but I do keep meaning to buy one of these cuffs from her!! They look so well-made and the choice of fabrics is wonderful.

Mini Goals Chalkboard – Perfect Day – This one is already sold, but I would totally use one of these…

Feathers And Lace – Tatted Hair Comb – Purple - I thought this looked so fun, I wish I could wore this without feeling silly…My hair is thin anyway, so it might have trouble staying in.

When I acquire books now that will eventually be hollowed out, I try to look for covers that have interesting designs or images. I find it easier to use books without the book jacket, but usually that means the cover is very plain and blank.

I’ve noticed that the books that typically sell are the ones with appealing designs on the front cover. To try to give life to a few hollow books that haven’t been selling, I decided to paint silhouettes that hopefully relate to the title or topic of the book.

First I draw the silhouette on the cover in pencil, then I chose colors that relate to the cover. I want both the image and color to compliment the book but not take away from its’ purpose. I then carefully paint the silhouette in acrylic, erase any pencil marks, and then add a layer of matte medium for protection. Overall, I like the results. The acrylic takes very well to the material of the cover as well, since acrylic has plastic in it and dries very quickly.

A cowboy on his horse in Stepping Westward.

A mermaid floating in the water in Water Baby.

A young girl on the cover of Pamela. (This book has not sold for a long time…maybe because it’s a paperback? It’s still very sturdy)

A creeping fox in Night of the Fox. (I continued the blue motif)

Awesome tiger stripes on the cover of How to Compensate Executives. (You can decide how to interpret that…)

My goal isn’t to make an entirely new design of hollow book, nor raise the price of the item. I also don’t want the item to become too focused on a particular audience. I want to be able to add something personal, rather than just presenting an empty book.

I’ve also produced two hollow books that have cut paper glued to the cover…however I think acrylic paint will be more durable. (Not that I expect my buyers to be throwing around the hollow books, but you never know…) I’m also much more comfortable in painting than with cutting teeny, tiny pieces of paper.

I know the flock of birds has nothing to do with Love Life, but I liked the contrast of blue and yellow.

Again, this paper cut design doesn’t relate to Another Day in the Frontal Lobe…but maybe this will appeal to someone.

Keep a look out for more books with painted covers in my shop…

Sales of Apple’s iPad have hit stores recently, and it makes me wonder…what type of person is most likely to buy an iPad? (Let’s forget the name and how ridiculous it sounds, at least most women seem to be smirking at it.) I personally do not plan on buying an iPad…I have a still slightly new MacBook (my previous MacBook died because of a broken screen and something inside of the machine “burnt out”…thank goodness the harddrive was safe, but I still had to buy a new MacBook because it would’ve cost about the same price to have that all fixed). I also own an iPod Touch (received as a Xmas gift from my Dad…I didn’t request it, nor did I think about owning one…I still like my 1st-generation iPod Nano). The iPod Touch is like an iPhone without the camera, phone capabilities, and the “3G network”; I still don’t understand the meaning of 3G. I don’t use the iPod Touch that often…the only reason I turn it on once in a while is to check the status of my Words with Friends app games. (How funny that the word “app” has entered our speech pattern…I like pointing out those little things…odd, I know.)

While the potential for the iPad sounds appealing, I personally do not want to lug around a flat-screen computer with me all the time. We’re too constantly connected to technology as it is…It’s sad that we’ll go to the beach but sit on the sand to a computer screen. iPads are expensive too…especially if you want the accessories, 3G network, and all those apps. I mean, I like Apple…I like their ideas and the simple designs of their products…it’s appealing to most people, but I know if you’re going to buy an iPad, it’s a big investment.

I heard a radio talkshow host pose the question, “How are you going to carry around the iPad? Won’t that attract muggers?” Well, I think someone has already thought of a solution: A travel vest for your iPad

Hah, maybe I’m just cynical…Come on people! Is this all really necessary? And I’m from the generation of the Internet, so I’m not even supposed to be thinking this way.

I guess if I bought an iPad, I’d want to use it as a sketchbook…like one of those HP Smart laptops that let you draw on the screen. My biggest problem is, if you own an iPad, a laptop, and maybe an iPhone, they’ll all going to compete for your attention. You only have a pair of eyes and only so much time in the day.

I’m just going to wait until they make a product that’s like the iPad, but it’s also a tv, dvd player, video game console, phone, etc, all combined flawlessly. Then we wouldn’t need to have all these other electronic items all over the home.

But, what would that product be called? Hopefully not iPad…