This Weeks Featured Seller Dana Laymon Photography and Design

I live in Wilmington, NC with my husband and have a full time job but do wedding and portrait photography on the side. This is my passion! I live at the beach and love it! It's so easy to find inspiration here. But we just had a our 1st snow last week and it was great! We usually don't get any. I have opened my Etsy shop to help make a little extra for the family since my husband is currently looking for a job. But i have found this great community and wealth of knowledge on this site and I love it! I haven't been successful like i was hoping but I know my big break is coming :) I really want to get into more of a photograph product line so keep a lookout for more of that in my shop! I have a Haiti picture in my shop where 100% of the money is going to Haiti: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39520727.

Some fun and Free Sewing Tutorial Links

I found out a few weeks ago that we are expecting a new family member coming in September!! So I have have been looking for some fun and easy tutorials for baby stuff as I have gotten rid of EVERYTHING!!! I would prefer to make things to buying them anyway. Hope you enjoy these links, I know I will!!

Rabbit ear babies beanie made from an old T-shirt. (sewing required) http://www.rookiemoms.com/sew-a-quick-newborn-hat-from-a-t-shirt/
Bunny Ear Beanie with a shirt sleeve (less sewing required)
http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/2008/10/quick-craft-t-shirt-sleeve-baby-hat.html
Wooden tile memory game set
http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/wood-toy-to-make.html
Baby Jumpsuit (looks more advanced) Pattern pieces available for printing
http://babypatterns.atspace.com/epatjumps.html
Baby Blanket (looks pretty simple)
http://www.make-your-own-baby-stuff.com/make-a-baby-blanket.html
Soft Baby Blocks. I love this one, but it looks a bit complicated
http://www.make-your-own-baby-stuff.com/baby-blocks.html
Baby Bib
http://chickpeastudio.typepad.com/chickpea_sewing_studio/2008/01/chickpea-infant.html
Burp Cloth using cloth diapers (fun and easy)
http://anewchelseamorning.blogspot.com/2007/03/such-mystery-not.html
Burp cloth NOT using cloth diapers
http://thelongestyear.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/06/easy-peasy-burp-cloth-tutorial.html

There are so many wonderful and free tuts on the web it's amazing, this list is only a few I found to be easy to follow. Good Luck and happy sewing!!

An Eco Friendly Craft Project Tutorial

This Weeks Featured Shop Katie Anne Creations

I totally fell in love with this shop, she makes some of the most interesting and cool items from things most of us would just throw away (hopefully in the recycler) :) So hope you enjoy this weeks featured shop, and will visit her.

I have been making things since I was a little girl playing with macaroni noodles. Over the years I have done everything from painting to soap making and am really into using anything recycled. My favorite craft that I have discovered is making jewelry from recycled cans and used gift cards. I am a soda addict and everyone who is around me knows it! So, this craft is perfect for me. My funniest experience with this craft is asking people for their cans. People look at me strangely sometimes but I explain to them what I do with the cans and they at least pretend to be ok with it :) I have to ask my rowdy male neighbors for their beer cans since I myself don't drink and they think it is awesome!Please check out all my handmade creations and let me know what you think. My favorite part of crafting is seeing people happy with my products. I love doing custom orders and am good at almost any craft project as I have taught crafting classes to both adults and children. I currently have my items for sale on my website http://www.katieanncreations.etsy.com/ and am in a few stores. I want to get my items out to more stores so if you know of any that may like my stuff, please let me know. If you yourself are a crafter...don't give up! Keep on crafting and eventually you will find what you like to do! I am convo friendly and love to chat!P.S.-We only have one planet so lets do our part to take care of it...please recycle :)Check out my other etsy store at CraftyCollegeGirls.etsy.com

A cool Eco Blog!!

I just came across this awesome blog today called Reduce Footprints. The owner is actually a member a handmade group I recently joined called Inspiration Ave. Anyways she does a blog post called change the world wed. and it's a challenge. I thought it was such a wonderful idea, that I wanted to share it. I am defintley going to give this weeks a try. Here is the link if you're interested on how you can change the world a little a time. http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/2010/01/change-world-wednesday_27.html

This Weeks Featured Seller Shabby Chic Boutique

I am totally all about hanmade, but I am also about recycling. So this weeks feature is a super great vintage shop.

Hi, my name is Kerri and I own a vintage shop on Etsy. I am a stay at home mom of two beautiful girl, 2 years and 7 months and wife to one hubby. I love going to thrift shops, the Salvation Army and yard sales. I love the prices and I enjoy knowing that I am living an eco-friendly lifestyle by reusing, reducing and recycling when I buy vintage.

My vintage style definitely varies. I would say kitchen items are my favorite, but there are a lot of things I love. I like Pyrex, melmac dishes and retro cannisters, but I also love shabbychic floral napkins, tablecloths and teacups. I love vintage jewelry too. I think my shop reflects my wide range of vintage taste.

I get my inspiration from a lot of places. Sometimes just walking into a shop, I fall in love with something immediately. I also get inspiration from some of the blogs I like to read: deardaisycottage, blondiensc and Rue's peanutbutterandjellylife to name a few.

I love all of the items in my shop, otherwise they would not be there. But a few of my favorites include the retro checkered apron, shabby chic floral teacups and the angel candleholders.

One item I bought the other day I am not selling in my shop (or at least not for now!) is a set of 8 pretty floral china dishes with a matching serving tray. It was half off that day, so I only spend a total of $8 on everything!

I hope you check out my shop. Everything is 10% off and includes a free gift with purchase until Valentine's Day.
If you would like to visit her shop please go here http://www.etsy.com/shop/shabbychic72

BE SWEET RETWEET

Recycle Those Plastic Bags & Make Something Useful!!

I absolutley hate the amount of plastic bags I have!! Luckily in here in Europe we have to buy them from the grocery store reminding us to bring our own, but we still get them when we buy clothing, or shoes or other goods. I saw this on TV a while back and thought it was a brilliant idea to use up those extra plastic bags and have a cool new item too, win win!!! I gave this a try the other day and gave it to my daughter use and she seems to like it.

Introducing the plastic bag pillow!!!!

You can make it any size or shape make a small travel pillow, or if you have tons of bags like me make a big one for your bed!! :)

1) Start out with 2 pieces of fabric the same size, if you're a novice sewer go for a square or rectangle.

2) With right sides together sew all the way around leaving a hole, you may want to around twice for extra durablity.

3) Turn the pillow right side out and stuff those bags in as many as you can!!!!

4) sew up the hole and voila you are done, now you have a brand new pillow and saved some plastic bags from a landfill somewhere!! Dosen't that feel good??

Be Sweet Retweet!!