Get Your Veterans Day Craft ON!!!

A holiday is always the perfect time for Craft Time!!!!! OK everyday is perfect for craft time so here are some fun Veterans Day craft ideas. I am partial to the Statue of Liberty crafts.

Statue of Liberty Torches

Use old newspapers and roll them in a large cone shape. Let the children paint the cones. When dry, stuff with red and yellow tissue paper to be the flame of the torch.

Statue of Liberty Crowns

Cut crowns from stiff paper to fit around the child's head. Let them decorate them and then with their torches do a parade.

Stars and Stripes collage

Give each child blue construction paper(9x12) with strips of red and white paper cut 1x9. Have them glue the strips on and add silver star stickers. Cut the stars BIGGER for more fun and added effect.

Red, White, And Blue Puffy Paint Pictures

Materials:

Flour, Salt, Water, Red and blue food coloring, Empty mustard squeeze bottles or at least one with a pointy top like an old empty glue bottle, Cardboard

Directions:

1. Mix equal parts of flour, salt, and water to make the puffy paint.

2. Divide mixture into three different bowls and color one bowl of mixture blue, one bowl red, and leave the last one white.

3. Fill the mustard bottles with the mixture (one color per squeeze bottle).

4. Let the children squeeze the different colors onto the cardboard.

5. Allow the children's artwork to dry. When it is dry, the design will be raised and will sparkle!

Have Fun and Keep Craftin!!!!!!

Making the Next Sale

I had recently had the luck of 2 custom orders in a span of 3 weeks.  One was for book cloth and the other was for an 8"x10" box for a birthday party.  I was thrilled!! But afterwards I wondered.........

How to Make the Next Sale!!!

So I started thinking "OK what haven't I done? and what do I need to do?"  

Answer to Question #1, I have never bought an ad outside of Etsy.  I use Craftopolis a lot but I thought the people who go to Craftopolis are other Etsy sellers, not the browsing buyer.  I sent in an ad to run for 1 week for my hand dyed book cloth and linen thread.  I'm hoping Etsy sellers that use those kinds of supplies will be interested to fine my Esy store.  Now I am not hoping for a million sale from this but I am curious to see if it brings me anymore views/visits.

Answer to Question #2, I had don't have any uniformity with my photos.  I created these create wood backgrounds but have only been using them for new products.  The older products are wondering why they'll being left out. (yes I just refer to my products as humans with emotions)  I have monday off from work and I am going to sit a re-photograph all my products that are not with the lovely wood background.  

These are the types of things I read about on Etsy.  I am implementing them and am excited to see if there are any changes in views.  While I am unsure of pros and cons, I think the pros way out number the cons.  

Come join me on this Etsy experience and check back with me in a few weeks to see my results.

A Little Luck.....

Just when you think you're down and out someone makes a larger custom order.

My New Project: Furniture!

So i have fallen in love with taking old furniture and reworking it into brand new. I have found I am pretty good at it. I just finished a few wooden chairs and have moved on to a few metal chairs. What a difference. With metal I have to deal with rust but the paint has been coming off easy. The wooden chairs I have had sticky gooey paint and one had dry paint when I applied the paint remover. Home Depot is my toy store. Now i get to by all this fun stuff. I'm looking at learning how to recane chairs as well. Working with my hands is such a fun way to release crearive energy. I will keep you updated on the adventures.

You know you’re a crafter when……..

• You know the craft store better than the sales associate


• You direct other customers to the brads


• You enter the store with a list of 5 items and leave with 10, just cause you know you would need it later


• You buy Christmas decorations in July


• You go to 3 different stores to find the right black spray paint


• You buy sale items just because their on sale

Good Morning Baltimore!!!!!!!

I recently returned from a 2 week Johns Hopkins University seminar held in Baltimore, MD. I have been to Baltimore but no like this. We spent the main portion of our seminar at the Walters Art Museum which is a wonderful museum of a great variety of artworks collected by William and Henry Walters. I made some new friends which is always a plus. Had some super yummy food....mmmm crab cakes and italian cookies.

Probably known for the tv show The Wire but Baltimore is also home to the National Aquarium that currently has a jellyfish exhibit that was amazing. I never knew there were so many different kinds. One type looked like the Ood from Doctor Who but much cuter.

If you're visiting Baltimore you will want to stop at Old Dominion Ice Cream over by 3301 33rd St. They have the best cookies n' cream but they have vegetable flavors....Yes you heard me veggies, like, sweet potato, beet, spinach and cucumber. I stuck with the cookies n' cream but from what I heard the veggie ice cream was really good.

Baltimore may not be your first choice for traveling but if you're around the Inner Harbor (picture above) you will find a wonderful mix of people and places.

Now that is all said and done it is time to get the business goods flowin! I have missed you blogging world.

Happy Memorial Day! Mr Ralph Galluzzo

Happy Memorial Day to all those who have served our country.

My Poppy (Grandpa) Ralph Galluzzo served in WWII and the Korean War. During WWII he worked on the Yorktown, which when it was bombed had a significant impact on the War. The Yorktown was an aircraft carrier where he maintained planes and loaded bombs.

My parents and I were fortunate to have him live with us for a couple of years before his passing a little over a year ago. To me he was my little old Italian Poppy, bald and so New York Italian. During those couple years he opened up about his time during WWII where we were riveted with his tales of his jobs and the day the Yorktown was hit. We have 2 of his service trunks in our basement. When we opened them there are badges, a couple pictures and a long ribbon with "GALLUZZO" printed on it for his uniform jacket. The rest are a mish-mash of magazines and family memories. Even a handmade card from me when I was a little kid. My dad told me while he was growing up the trunks were not to be opened or talked about. Being present when they were opened was a touching feeling.

I got to know my Poppy pretty well and enjoyed spending time with him. When I worked close by we would have lunch everyday. I share my Poppy's love for construction and tools. As I strip the furniture I bought I miss him greatly because it would be a project for us to work on together. It's interesting to me as I get older how much my dad tells me my Poppy "would have done that" when I do these construction projects.

Like an retired elder, he and my Ma (grandma) lived in Florida where no matter which time of night we showed up they would be ready with Naval oranges in hand, like any Italian family, ready to fed us. My Poppy had a small but quick sense of humor where he would interject something totally out of nowhere. One night my Ma ran out of serving dishes and apologized for using a tupperware container where my Poppy quickly replied "it's the best looking tupperware container I have ever seen." That one still makes me laugh.

I sit here with a tear in my eye not for missing my Poppy but for the love I feel when I think of him.

And to all the other service men, women and children involved and effected, I give a Thank You to all of you for the freedom and life you have given me the privilege of having.