~Sunnyside Up Studios~

If you love the quirky, whimsical and just plain fun then this is the shop for you. Connie of Sunnyside Up Studio makes some of the cutest "spoolie" dolls I've ever seen along with "fairy doors". What a fantastic idea! I want to put one on every wall in my house, I just love them.
You can find her wonderful creations on etsy of course and I will post a link to her blog. Enjoy!




FG: Please give us a brief introduction about yourself.

SSU: Hi there! My name is Connie and I am the creative mind behind Sunnyside Up Studio. I am a mommy to two little girls and wife to a Federal Police Officer. I have a BA in dance, love reading, and am addicted to my blog and homemade Oreo Truffles!

FG:Walk us through Sunnyside Up Studios.

Sunnyside Up Studio was created to satisfy my overabundance of creative energy. It is an open-ended shop that flows with whatever craft I am into. I have discovered a lot of painting wood lately which is why you will find lots of dolls made from spools and wooden doors, but I also discovered I adore working with felt which is where all the hair things came from.

FG: I read that you actually started your etsy shop for graphic design, Your shop ,however is filled with felt accessories , Spoolie dolls, paper things as you call them , fairy doors and even a crayon wallet. (Which, as a mother, I think is an awesome idea by the way.)

Tell us how this transition came about.

SSU: I did start on Etsy creating banners, business cards, and blogs for other Etsians. I started creating posters, car magnets, and other promotional items. However, since I just made custom designs, it got to be too much going back and forth with customers and eventually led to a lot of frustration on my part. When you are trying to nail a design and can't actually talk to the customer graphic design is a very long and drawn out process. And even then there is no guarantee that you really got it right. So I closed up that shop, learned from the experience, and re-opened a shop where I wasn't restricted to just one genre of art.

FG: How long have you been creating these adorable little dolls and how do you decide on the character of each doll?

SSU: I have been creating dolls for my little girls for some time. I am not a huge fan of store bought dolls and they were really happy with the little wooden ones that I made to their specifics. With the Spoolie dolls I start out by looking at the ribbon I am going to use. Since I use mostly German sewn ribbon from a fellow Etsian there is a lot of detail and character to work with. And after the doll is painted and the ribbon pinned on I give the doll a name to fit his or her personality. It really is a fun process that takes a lot of thought to go from blank wood to a finished personality.

FG:Tell us about your Fairy doors, they are so cute and whimsical!

SSU: I read of a city that was known for having fairy doors all over, in businesses, schools, and homes. I was so fascinated with each little door and the possibilities that they represented that I knew I had to make one for my girls for Christmas. We are a very imaginative family who loves to read fairy tales so the thought of a fairy living with us was really neat and caught on with all of our friends. Before long I was making doors for all the little ones I knew so I decided to add them to my shop. But they are all one of a kind because every fairy is one of a kind!

FG:Do you have any special training in your craft?

SSU: I have always been involved in the arts! I went to a performing arts school in Buffalo where I was trained in voice and dance, but was also exposed to a large amount of visual arts. In high school I took every art class offered and even though I definitely wasn't the best, it was an outlet for me that I needed to have in my life. This trend continued on through college, but I am self taught in graphic design and sewing. Thank goodness for books and online tutorials! I know that all those other classes though gave me the basic blocks to craft, no matter what medium I decide to use that day!

FG:Is this your primary business, if not what else do you do?

SSU: Well, aside from painting and graphic designing, I teach dance at a local studio, sell Usborne books, and care for 2 awesome little girls who are my youngest daughter's age a couple days a week. (I was an insurance agent, but the lack of creativity in the field was just not a good match!) I am also the Daisy Troop Leader and hold an office on the PTO at my daughter's school. Whew! I am tired just listing all that! While I don't have a full time 9-5 job, all these other things more than take up that time.

FG:Where/how do you sell your items?

SSU: Outside of Etsy I sell mostly to friends and family by word of mouth. My daughter just attended a birthday party where she gave the birthday girl a Fairy Door and an Usborne book about Fairies. I must have handed out 10 business cards that afternoon because all of the other attendees were so in awe that a fairy was going to live with Miss Birthday!

FG:What things do you do to market your business?

SSU: I make sure that people know who I am and what I can do by popping in the forums (but never taking part in anything negative), chatting with other sellers, and doing treasuries. While these activities seem more social, the positive impact that they have on your business is awesome! Anytime that you compliment another crafter, sincerely, that person will take notice and remember you. Outside of Etsy I blog which is probably the biggest thing that I do. People can shop right from my blog, see what is new, and also maybe learn a thing or two. I do Twitter and Facebook a little as well, but those aren't nearly as effective for me.
　
FG:What do you love most about running your own craft business and what do you like least?

SSU: I love being able to sell whatever I want, when I want. No one tells me what I need to make and since I am not doing all custom work I can list as little or as much as I want. However, I hate pricing my work and the shipping part of it. I wish I had a helper to just set my prices and then handle the whole packaging and shipping part of the program!

FG:What advice would you give to newbies who want to start their own craft business?

SSU: I was tell them to really decide on a look before putting items in their store. For me, since I am a very visual person like most artists, if a store has awesome items but the look is unprofessional and sloppy it is a huge deterrent. Either make yourself a high quality banner and avatar or hire someone to do it for you. And if you are in doubt about it, ask in the forums because people will tell you the truth!
Once you have the look of your shop down, learn how to take photos of your products that show them off in their best light. If you sell smaller items invest in a light box, whether you make one or buy one. (I made mine out of a box and tissue paper, it rocks!!) Because you are selling in a virtual place, we can't see your items up close. Photos are the only thing that you can do the sell yourself so don't skimp on good photography skills. There are so many tutorials out there, use them!Finally, shop on Etsy yourself so you can receive good feedback and give back to the community. You will be amazed at how many people will remember you when you shop there and soon the Etsy Karma will come back!

~Sugary Sweet Creations~

This is my new creation, or rather, these are my new creations. CoLoR mE tWiRlY is a set of 3 unique hair pins made up of small silver hair pins and colorful glass beads. I don't have any little girls but I do have a curly haired 6 year old little boy and I was able to talk him into letting me try one on him and let me tell you they are adorable! Needless to say he refused to let me take a picture so I had to settle. I can't believe he let me put it in his hair! So let me know what you think if you don't mind.

~My day job~

Okay, so I've been slacking this week with my blog but I got a call Monday from my former boss asking if I was interested in going back to work. Of course my answer was yes so I've been a little busy. I plan to have my featured artist up soon and I'm going to do a give away as well, so stay tuned Sugarvillians !


Chrissy

~Sugary Sweet Digiscraps~

Good morning from Sugarville! I'm hoping it will be as pretty today as it has been the last 2 days. It's still dark out so I'm not sure yet. Today's post is suppose to be another featured artist but its spring break here in Sugarville and my 2 boys have me run ragged and I dropped the ball on getting the questions out to my featuree. -Is that even a word?- Anyway, as long as I'm not in a straitjacket by Monday it should be up. Be sure to look for it because Sunny Side Up makes the cutest spoolies I've ever seen.
So, what am I going to post today you ask? Drum roll please.... Digiscrap websites and blogs! What your not as excited about this as I am? How can that be? Okay, It may not sound that interesting but if you are an avid Paintshop, photoshop, digital scrapbooker,cardmaker, graphic designer or even if you just like to make stuff in some random editing software then this is the post for you. I make jewelry as duly noted in this blog and I love to layer art (altered art) for my soldered glass pendants. Now you will need to read the TOU because some of the freebies are personal use only and therefore cannot be used in the making of a product that is to be sold. However, there are freebies that are commercial use and you can, of course, purchase scrap kits to use for what ever you like. So know that I'm finished with all of my rambling I will present to you a huge list of wonderful scrapbooking sites that will make your heart all aflutter.

Note: These sites have lots of freebies but you can also purchase their kits for a minimal amount.

http://caravan-gypsy.blogspot.com ~ Here there is a list of lots of digiscrap links
http://scraparoni.blogspot.com ~ again more links
http://addicted-2-scraps.blogspot.com
http://www.digitalchaos.net
http://darkmoonsdream.blogspot.com/
http://ellanoir.blogspot.com/
http://www.mygrafico.com/
http://www.digiscrapdepot.com/freebies/
http://www.shabbyprincess.com/downloads.asp
http://creationzbywitchysheart.blogspot.com
http://tootypupscraps.blogspot.com/search/label/Freebies

If you have any questions please feel free to comment !

Enjoy!


♥*¨)
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(¸.•´ (¸*´¨(♥ With love,
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥♥♥Chrissy

~Sugary Sweet Video ...To all the Twilight lovers.

I was browsing the Internet as usually trolling for digiscraps and came upon something that I think most everyone ( girls at least) will be interested in. Now I have to say I'm not a huge Twilight fan, hang on before you start cursing and hexing me and let me explain. I have read all the books that have been released and I enjoyed them very much and that is the problem for me. I'm a reader and the movies that follow usually leave something to be desired. I don't care for Kristin Stewart for me she was not a good Bella, and I will leave my opinions on Robert and Taylor to myself I don't want anyone trying to hunt me down, lol. Note: The lol had an underlying tone nervousness with in it. 80)

Are you ready? First go click on Follow me and then scroll down. 80)



Okay, here you go...






♥*¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸*´¨(♥ With love,
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥♥♥Chrissy

Soul Song Creations by Dama Holder

I have had an Etsy shop for almost a year and in that time I have had the honor of meeting some wonderful and immensely talented artists. I enjoy browsing through their beautiful shops almost as much as like buying their items. The eclectic mix of talent is amazing and I wanted to share my findings with you. My first featured artisan is Dama Holder from Lima, Ohio. Her shop, Soul Song Creations on Etsy is fresh, charming and quite inspiring. As for her jewelry, well, it's truly a work of art.


Soul Song Creations by Dama Holder features unique, hand crafted jewelry that speaks to a woman’s various moods from relaxed to thoughtful to flirty.


FG: Please give us a brief introduction about yourself.

SSC: I’m single and in my late thirties. No children but I do have two dogs who are like kids to me. They are both pugs and will be 10 years old this summer. One of them, Simon has epilepsy which has been challenging but he’s doing well. In addition to creating jewelry I also paint, make my own aromatherapy products and sew amazing winter blankets (the softest fake fur and fleece, very warm!). I love to read and also am a total comic book nerd, just ask the guys at Alter Ego Comics! I do yoga and ride my bicycle when the weather is nice.
I consider myself a seeker spiritually. I love to learn about other religions and ways of belief.
My two favorite TV shows are (don’t laugh at me!) Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the re imagined Battlestar Galactica.
　

FG:How did the idea of Soul Song Creations manifest, what was your A-Ha! Moment?

SSC: I didn’t really have an epiphany but I basically ran out of friends and family members whom I could give jewelry to as gifts. The problem was that I couldn’t stop making pieces so I thought, well I’ll have to sell them then. My business name Soul Song Creations came about because my work is so much a part of who I am, it definitely does come from deep within and I wanted a name that would reflect that.

FG: Can you virtually walk us through Soul Song Creations, What do we see? What should we expect?

SSC: At the front door of my shop you’ll see that I have a kind of fantastical collage with Soul Song Creations inscribed. Browsing through my shop you’ll find mainly necklaces in a variety of looks. Rustic and earthy with a feminine sensibility is a favorite theme of mine. I also like to experiment with different materials like fabric, shrink plastic and clay. My collection of scroll necklaces are very unique and came into being from a desire to share my love of the written word. I think that my shop has a fresh, appealing look and feel that hopefully catches people’s attention and maybe even lightens their hearts a little.

FG: How long have you been creating jewelry?

SSC: I’ve been creating jewelry for 6 years now, it’s funny when I think back. I started with some beads and wire that my mother had in her craft room; I’ve come a long way since those first stumbling baby steps.

FG: Do you have any other special training?

SSC: I don’t have any formal training but I love to learn, I think that’s what keeps life interesting. I’d be a great Jeopardy contestant! I love to read but as far as making jewelry, nothing beats picking up the tools and trying, failing and trying again.

FG: What is your inspiration?

SSC: I find inspiration in nature, literature, and various jewelry making materials

FG: Is this your primary business, if not what else do you do?

SSC: I started Soul Song Creations after my corporate job was off-shored to another country. I am so glad that I decided to do this, although I wish I’d started earlier! I’ll have to go back to work in another couple of months but I’m planning on that just being part time. I was a payroll administrator in my previous life.

FG: What is the price range in the store?

SSC: My prices range from the low thirty dollars up to seventy-five, most pieces are in the forty to fifty dollar range.

FG: Where/how do you sell your items?

SSC: I sell on Etsy at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/soulsongcreations and I also sell locally through word of mouth and home jewelry parties.
　
FG: What things do you do to market your business?

SSC: I have to admit that this is an area where I do need to improve. I’m not so much into the social networking sites as I find them to require more time than I have. I advertise by wearing my jewelry everywhere I go and locally I have friends who host jewelry parties for me. As a consequence I do better offline than through my Etsy store. I would like to do better selling online so improved online marketing is a goal for me this year.

FG: What things do you know now that you wish you knew from the beginning?

SSC: The only regret I have is not starting my Etsy store earlier. I put that down to a lower confidence level. Even though I was selling a lot locally I didn’t have the belief in myself that I needed to take that next step. Once I found my own artistic voice my confidence grew. I think that’s just a process that some artists go through…I’m my own worst critic!

She is one of my personel favorites and I wish her lots of luck in all her endevours.

♥*¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸*´¨(♥ With Love,
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥♥Chrissy

Here is a sample of Soul Song Creations, click it and it will take you to her shop.

~Sugary Sweet Friday~

It's a beautiful day here in Southeast Texas. It's been a while since we've seen the sun and I'm sitting here at my computer. Could one of you email me a life? That'd be great thanks. Okay so the reason I'm sitting here on this unusually glorious day is to let you know about the pages I will be adding. I have already added a page for poems and I plan on adding one for music, art, photography and books. So go check the poetry page out you know you want to.



♥*¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸*´¨(♥ With love,
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥♥♥Chrissy

~Sugary Sweet Blogs~

If you scroll down a bit and look to your left you will see several buttons. These are some of the blogs that I find inspiring. Some I have come across in my daily Internet surfing but many are my Etsy friends that have unbelievable creativity and talent. Every week I will interview one of them so we can get into those wonderful minds and maybe get a glimpse of how they see our everyday world. I'm going to guess its gonna to fun and colorful, sweet and cheery and a whooping good time!

♥*¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸*´¨(♥ With Love,
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥♥Chrissy

~Sugary Sweet Fonts~

I have realized that I am a Font-aholic. Yes, I know there is no support group so I must deal with this addiction the best I know how... Download more fonts!!! yay!
I'm sure your wondering, what does she do with the fonts once she has them? Well, I'll tell you, Pretty much everything. I use them in the text in my jewelry pieces, my son likes to use them in the papers he writes. and well, I just never know when an opportunity may presents itself and I like to be ready. This post is like the PSP download post...uuhh, only for fonts. I guess you could have figured that out. I like to state the obvious at least that's what the hubby tells me.
Okay, so here they are:

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/ - This is a craft blog that I ran across while looking for blogging templates. They have alot of cool stuff, Super cute fonts and awesome tutorials so check it out.

http://www.fontgarden.com/ - This is my absolute fav. She has awesome fonts to choose from along with tons of cute dingbats.

http://www.dafont.com/ - another good one with many choices along with dingbats.

Now I'm just gonna add the links to a few more because all you have to do is Google search free fonts.

http://www.urbanfonts.com/
http://www.abstractfonts.com/
http://simplythebest.net/fonts/


♥*¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸*´¨(♥ With Love,
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥♥Chrissy

~Paint Shop Pro ~ Sugary Sweet Downloads

Okay, I use Corel Paint Shop Pro XI for all of my editing needs. I know its not the wondrous program that is Photoshop but , well, damn it I love it!!! It has an easy interface its affordable and pretty much fulfills my needs in an editing program. Maybe my needs are at a lower standard than everyone else's but again... damn it, I love it. However, I have notice that Photoshop is the God of editing programs, therefore, finding brush, tubes and other downloads for PSP XI is a lot more difficult than for PhotoShop. So, ( deep breath, I do tend to be long winded. ) I have decided to dedicate this post to all the wonderful sites I have found that give me the items I need to make my PSP program the wonderful editing program I know and love.

Deviant art is awesome just search application resources then choose , in the left hand column, which program you are looking for. Voila! super easy.
http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/applications/pspbrushes/#order=9&q=application+resources

Freebrushes is also pretty good. You do have to download from fileshare site and it does take a while but if you love brushes as much as I do then it's no biggie.
http://free-brushes.com/paint-shop-pro/

Dawg's paint shop is a wealth of resources.
http://dawgwebdesignstx.tripod.com/PSPBrushes.htm



http://www.sharecg.com - Just ran across this site the other day it has free textures, patterns and scrapbook kits.



Well, that should keep you busy for a little while. I'll add more as I find ones worth mentioning.

Chrissy