I am so excited

Have you ever woke up and could not wait to do what you loved to do? I am blessed to say that everything that I am doing right now in my life I feel that way about!
1. My Creative Corner Store-- I love getting into my studio and working on new and old designs, adding new categories to my shop
2. My day job being a Medical Coding Instructor- Yep I cannot wait to get to work and help young adults find their passion and become successful in the medical field
3. My Ruby Ribbon personal Stylist- I love playing dress up and helping women rediscover their confidence in clothing and redefine their closet
4. Church secretary- I didn't think I would ever be church secretary again but there was a need and I was able to help out-- I love helping out where I can for the Glory of God!!!
I hope that you can find happiness and joy in what you do

Week 43 Layout in my ECLP

I am a little late but as I always say better late than never right?
Man where has this year gone, as we get older it is true the days, weeks, months, and years just fly by, CRAZY!!!
This week I wanted to use my Lawn fawn stamp set "Sweet smiles"
I also used my CTMH alphabet stamp set to remark my days of the week
all my inks are  CTMH and staz-on I colored my images with copic markers
okay enough about my supplies lets get to my layout!!!

I used a masking technique by using post it notes and stamping the gumball machine on my sidebar the post-it notes allowed me to not stamp on the week space! 

 

 

 

 
 

Supplies used

stamps:

• CTMH alphabet stamps
• tiny stamps big plans
• atelier dreams stamps
• lawn fawn sweet smiles

Inks:

• CTMH lagoon, bubblegum, clover, black
• copic markers:
• White gel pen to write on the skinny washi

Washi

• scotch
• recollections: skinny washi and chevron

Made my own stickers by stamping a gumball machine and gumballs on white label paper

Until next week happy planning
check me out on Instagram @cupcake_planner

Danielle :)

I am a planner girl!!!

I have always loved planning, my friends call me the event planner:)
I plan everything from meals to parties and everything in between.  I had looked into getting an Erin Condren Life Planner for the past 5 years, but could never justify the price, didn't know if I would really use it(I was crazy) so I settled for the planners you find at Walmart, target, and Office Depot!  I was never truly satisfied with any of the planners but I made do.  Last year I ordered a planner kit from etsy, so cute but I never used it, too small.  June comes and I looked up Erin Condren again and I took the plunge and ordered my life planner, I anxiously awaited my planner to arrive.  While I waited for my planner to arrive I joined a couple of Facebook groups and started following planners on Instagram, I had so much fun looking at all the gorgeous planners out there I began making lists and shopping(keep in mind my planner had not even arrived) I went crazy and bought a ton of stickers, stamps, accessories, washi tape!

Most planners will tell you the same thing, that it is easy to go overboard on accessories for your planner and you really don't need all of it.

My advice for new planners is
1. Figure out what purpose your planner will serve(student, work, small business, home, personal, financial, fitness/health, memory journal, or maybe a combination)
2. Do you want to decorate your planner? If so do you want to only decorate with icons(functional) or do you want to fill every square with stickers and stamps
3. The first couple of weeks you have your planner I wouldn't decorate at all, use this time to figure out how you will use your planner(it has taken me 2 months to figure out how I want my planner to look)
4. Try to not go crazy on ETSY and craft stores before your planner arrives-- easier said than done, but I did go overboard and now that my planner is here and I am using it half of the stuff I bought I am not using
Essentials you will need
A. Washi tape of varying widths and patterns
B. Good quality pens(you don't need every pen, but you want something that you enjoy writing with and one that won't bleed through--trial and error, some pens that haven't bled through for others did on my planner and vice versa)
C. A few stickers or stamps (I personally like functional stamps from tiny stamps big plans, atelier. Dreams, decorative stamps from lawn fawn, Avery Elle, your next stamp, close to my heart, prima, sweet stamp shop, studio L2E, sticker packs from Darice(you can find at craft stores and some grocery stores)) ETSY has a wide variety of stickers but until you get the hang of it you may want to hold off on ETSY, for your wallets sake 😃
D. A good pair of scissors
E. Glue stick/tape runner
F. Post it notes to do all of your pre-planning
As you begin planning you will find certain things work for you and certain things don't, it's okay'

I would suggest to follow planners in instagram you can find them with the hashtag planner community a lot of inspiration comes from the planning community😀

Pricing your work

Probably the hardest thing about selling your handmade products is pricing them. You don't want your prices too high but you don't want them too low either. I have read several blogs, and articles on how to price your work, I just recently realized I am making nothing probably going in the hole actually:( this was very hard news for me to hear and see.

This time on ETSY I have made several sales both online and off, I began researching how to make my business official and begin keeping books, it was only then that I figured out I was not making as much as I thought I was

I want to give an example
For my scrabble tiles I had listed them for $5.95
Expenses to make the tile--$2.18
Fees to sell the tiles-- $1.50
Shipping fees--$2.82
Total cost to make --$6.50

Wow that brings me to negative 0.55

I found this formula to price your work

Labor cost+ materials+ expenses x 2.5= retail value

For my scrabble tiles it would be

3.50+ 6.50(I have already added the materials and expenses together) x2.5= $25.00

That is a little too steep but that is what it retails for I am selling the for $8.50 for a regular tile and 12.00 for a custom photo pendant

I really didn't want to increase my prices but in order to make a profit I have to. At 8.50 please realize I only bring in $2.00 per tile sold

Until next time
Happy Crafting
Danielle C

Staying busy

So I am amazed at how much Creative Corner has become so popular at the local salon and some local shops

I walked in to get my nails done and received 15 orders yeah that is right 15 orders I came straight home and began working on this massive order





When I dropped the order off I received 4 more orders and many requested my cards! Wow I cannot hardly believe it

I am now looking at some e-commerce options to gain a bigger customer base, stay tuned for some exciting things at creative corner


Until next time
Happy crafting
Danielle

Chloe Collection Spring 2013

I am going to start to list some new jewelry for Pure Eden jewelry designs for Spring(I wish it was spring outside instead of winter but oh well)

I am going to start with a line called Chloe, these necklaces are meant to layer with each other gorgeous bright colors green, pink, black, and a little blingy(is that a word?, well if not I will make it one)

Every woman deserves to have a whole wardrobe of jewelry and accessories!  Pure Eden strives to provide a wide range of jewelry and accessories at an affordable price!

Be on the lookout for these and more pieces to appear on ETSY in the shop for sale!
until next time 
happy Crafting!
Danielle C.

Out of the studio

Notice: I will be out of the studio from 3/16/2013-3/21/2013
I will still be working on listings and checking e-mails, convos...
I will not be able to ship items purchased until 3/23/2013
Thanks
Happy Crafting
Danielle