A Week in Review: Favors, Tie Dying, and Craft Night!

What a busy week! Check out these awesome things I did!!

RAINBOW CRAYON WEDDING FAVORS

On Monday and Tuesday, I finished up several Rainbow Crayon wedding favor orders. The colors for one wedding I was creating favors for were tangerine, magenta, and lime! How fun! Here is a photo of some of the Rainbow Crayons!

TIE DYE T-SHIRTS

Wednesday was full of art! I tied-dyed some t-shirts to try some new dyes. I have always used RIT dye, but it always fades and washes out. I went a different route this time and tried the Jacquard Tie Dye kit I bought at JoAnn Etc (see photo/link below).

This kit worked sooooo much better and the dye stayed in. We dyed the shirts, left them bundled (and rinsed the shirts till the water ran more clear), then washed them in the bundles in the washing machine with soap. I guess that is the correct way to do it. I did see where you should leave the dye in for 24 hours on other sites I searched, but I decided to follow the directions of the kit. We also pre-soaked the shirts in soda ash for 20 minutes before we tie dyed. What dyes or techniques have you used???

Here are some pictures together of the bundle, then how the shirts came out!

I was a little concerned that if I washed this shirts right away, that ALL the dye would come out. Nope! They turned out great!

Above: Other shirts we made...

Above: My first attempt ever at a V design and it worked.

Too bad I forgot to take a real picture of it!

Above: The Swirl

Above: Lines technique

CRAFT NIGHT

I have seen all these posts for Etsy Craft Parties, so I decided to start a Craft/Art Night! I figured, why do crafts just on one day of the year like Etsy is promoting?! It happens to be Etsy's Birthday on June 18th, the day they are suggesting others to throw a craft party, but I want to do it all summer!

I organized my first Craft Night, which met last Wednesday with a great turn out! The craft or theme for the first night was Lino-Cut Greeting Cards. I have so much fun carving stamps and art out of the soft-cut linoleum that I wanted my friends to try! Some of them were a little nervous to do this for the first time, but everyone had a blast! Here are some photos that show all the fun we had and the outcome!

Kelly has carved and is ready to print!

Melissa is carving away!

Some of the creations drying on the rack.

Monograms were a popular design for greeting cards. Artists had to remember to write/carve the letters backwards in order for the card to read correctly.

Kate applying ink to her tree design! This was one of my favorites!

Very cool flower design that Melissa made!

My first stamp carving of the night and the outcome... Pretty awesome birthday card I think!

More of my first card design...

My second carving/card design...

The aftermath...

Rainbow Crayon Feature in VivaLaModa

I have very exciting news to share today!

My Jumbo Heart Rainbow Crayons have been featured in VivaLaModa Fashion Magazine! The article is about eco-friendly Valentines gifts. They chose their top 15 picks and I was number 8!

I am very impressed with the zine overall and they have some really great articles. It is very catchy to look at and I am extremely flattered to be a part of this issue!

Check out the article (page 45 on the pink pages) at their site, www.vivalamoda.co.cc .

What do you think of their site or the article? Comment below for your chance to have your Etsy Mini posted on my blog!

My Wedding, Honeymoon, Birthday, Funeral, Wedding...

Hello everyone. It has been quite some time, but the craziness is over!

If you had not been reading up to this, I have been away with weddings, funerals, honeymoons, birthdays, and all kinds of eventful things over the past month. Thanks to those who have still been posting, commenting, purchasing, etc. during my absence. 

I figured I would update today with some pictures of what I have been up to!

First, on June 20th, I got married! The day was SO perfect and not a single things went wrong the entire day. We were so lucky for blue skies as well, because earlier in the week, it said rain. We had such an awesome photographer as well, Erin Hession, who takes the best photos. In fact, she even had 8 photos printed and ready for us to take home about an our into the reception!!! I am still very patiently waiting for her to post some on her popular blog, but seeing how it is summer, she is very busy and backed up. Still, at least there is something for me to look forward to this summer since all that is left really  is the start of school on August 6th-ish (husband starts on the 3rd... .isn't that nuts?!).

Here are some of the photos from the special day... I do not have much yet...

For our honeymoon, we went to Sanibel Island in Florida since the whole swine flu incidents in Mexico. The good/bad news is now we have 800 plane flights that we have to use up in the next 6 months to Mexico or we do not get any of the money back (they refunds did not go though June...). Now we will just take a second trip. I love to travel, so I do not mind spending the money, but I really should be saving now...

Here are some fun photos from the honeymoon including deep sea fishing, a 6 foot by 8 foot sand art of my own version of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night I made from things on the beach (seaweed, shells, sea plants, etc.) and took me 3 hours to make,... oh and fun food photos!

Two days ago, I also celebrated my 24th birthday. Eric takes me to Benihana every year and we always have a blast. 24 Was not too exciting, but I enjoyed spending time with him and I also got to visit my grandparents with my mom earlier that day.

Yesterday, we went to the memorial service for my grandfather, who passed away last March. Most of the family had to come from far, so we waited until now to have a service. It was bitter sweet, but nice to see all of the family together again. I do not think everyone will ever get together like that, since Grandpa Hanley was the one to bring us all together...

Ironically, the night ended with the wedding of a co-worker or Erics, which happened to be very close to the city we were already in for the service. Her dress was soooo pretty and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Eric and I did not stay long since we did not know a single person besides the bride and groom, plus we had a drive back.

That is all that has really been up lately... I had some large orders of Rainbow Crayons come in for some children's wedding favors for a wedding next week. Boy, if I had any children attend my reception, I would have been set with the perfect wedding favor for them and a way for the kids to stay entertained by coloring with a Rainbow Crayon!

Thanks to everyone who read this all the way though and find what I have done interesting or at least entertaining to read! I will be updating the blog more now and have new items coming to my shop soon!

Weekend Wedding Finds: Favors

Raku Ceramic Heart Ornament 

I am well overdue for another Weekend Wedding Finds post, so here are my picks for today (I snuck one of my listings is at the top)! Shout out to Chris and Melissa! Congrats on your engagement!

Fortune Cookie Soap Favors by dugshop

I DO-Custom Oathing Stone bysjengraving

7 Groomsmen Ties by ToyBreaker

Potted Love Photo Holder byDiamondtea