Stationery

I ordered my first batch of my stationery from Zazzle to test out the quality, and I am IMPRESSED!

Isn't that just gorgeous?  But what you can't see in that picture is the quality of the paper.  The stationery above is on the thick 100lb textured felt paper.   I also ordered some of this speckled paper and linen paper (which I added a yellow background to).  It's a slightly lighter weight but also very high quality!    Here's some close-up of the different paper types:

 Left to right:  Linen, Speckled, Felt

(Note, a yellow background has been added to the linen)

The speckled paper is smooth, but contains flecks and fibers which 

unfortunately don't show up clearly in my photographs. 

Here is another picture of the linen and felted paper. 

 Linen - Felted

These look like they would make great paper for calligraphy, and I'm itching to 

dig out my calligraphy pens and try them out!

NOTES AND SUGGESTIONS

• Save 30% when you order 25 sheets*, 45% when you order 50 sheets, or 55% when you order 100!  
• Save money by making invitations on stationery!  The stationery on felt paper is actually thick enough to use for invitations, so if you are able to provide your own envelopes, you could use this for invitations.  If you would like a sample of the paper contact me at ecarian@yahoo.com. 
•  Customize stationery by adding your own text, changing the background color, or even adding photos. Simply click the customization button on the product page to get started.

ORDER STATIONERY
at links below or by contacting me at ecarian@yahoo.com

5.5" x 8.5" Stationery

8.5" x 11" Letterhead 

Invitations

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Thanks to the following sites for letting me link up!

Friday Fun Finds at Kojo Designs
I'm Lovin' It Friday at Tidy Moms
Favorite Things Friday
Simply Designing
Saturday is Crafty Day
It's So Very Creative

Print on Demand - A Short Explanation

Occasionally on this blog you might here me mention the shops I sell through.  Right now those are Zazzle and CafePress...though I sold through other similar venues in the past.  These are print on demand services (or PODs).  Unlike sites like Etsy or Ebay which only list the products sellers provide, print on demand services actually work in partnership with  the artists to make those products.  The artists provide the designs and the print on demand service creates digital mock-ups of how those designs will look on products, then when someone orders those products they print them and ship them to the customer.  Like Etsy and Ebay most PODS provide their artists with their own shop, and also list their products collectively in a general marketplace where customers can browse all the designs artists offer there.


You can find out more about the PODS I currently sell through and have sold through in the past here.

Glossy Stamps and Matte Labels

Earlier this year I purchased some postage from Zazzle with my designs. I expected them to be matte or semi-matte like most postage stamps, and was surprised to find they had a high quality glossy finish, like Zazzle's stickers do.

So, when I bought some of Zazzle's new address labels with my designs, I fully expected them to be glossy like Zazzle's stickers and stamps. But they were matte. Go figure! Can't say I'm not a little disappointed. I was wondering why the cost per sheet was less than the stickers, and that explains it.

Just Storing Graphics...Please Move Along

This is just a place to save some graphics I'm using on my sidebar.  Nothing really interesting to see here.  Amazed you found this, actully (you must be browsing deep in the "older posts section").  :-)

Free Fall Printable Coloring Pages

Time to remind everyone about the fun free fall coloring page I have to offer! Now doesn't that look fun to color? And they aren't just for kids! Grown-ups can have fun coloring too!

I also have one sectioned into smaller cut-apart boxes which would be fun for a classroom activity, party favors, trick-or-treat bags, or for a fun activity to keep the kids busy while waiting for Thanksgiving dinner.

Click on leaf for larger version to download.
(For non-commercial, personal use only.)

Here's how to turn this into a fun favor (or even something to give out to Trick-or-Treaters):

1. Click on the image above for a larger, printable version. 
2. Right click and save it on your computer.
3. Print it.
   
4. Cut out along the dotted lines.
5. Take a couple crayons and a small rubber band (like the little ones used for hair-braids), then wrap each coloring paper you just cut out around the crayons and secure with the rubber band.  
6. ALTERNATIVE IDEA:  Follow steps 1 - 4, but in stead of rolling it around crayons, cut out cardboard slightly larger than the picture (old cereal boxes work good for this), and using a glue stick glue a single leaf picture on the  front.  This gives the kiddos a solid surface to draw on.  Put these in a plastic or cello wrap baggie with crayons OR use a hole punch to make a hole, tie a ribbon to it, and tie a crayon or colored pencil on the other end. 
   

Wha-la! A fun party favor that costs next to nothing!

These are just a couple of the coloring pages you can print for free from my site. See more here.

And here's some examples of them colored by my readers...

 Beeb colored the following.  She didn't have crayons ready, so she used a 

purple sharpie and a pink hi-lighter to make her Psychedelic Leaves. 

Petra's son colored this leaf.  Love it!

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Thanks to the following blogs that let me link this post up in their linky parties!












Fabulous Friday
It's All About Fall
Autumn Inspired Art
Categorically Crafting 4 Fall


More Fall Blog Events

New Address Labels!

I now sell labels!  Zazzle added them this month and I'm so excited because it's something I've been wanting for the longest time.  The first of my labels are already up on the shop.   See below:




These labels would also be great for name stickers, registry stickers, and stickers with your URL (something I plan to use them for!)  They also offer larger labels which I will be doing some fun things with soon:  I'm thinking bookplates and canning labels!  I'd love suggestions too!

A Prayer on 9/11

I would like to repost something that an online friend shared with me after the tragedy of September 11, 2001.  This was not a forward (although, with her permission I forwarded it to many), but a story she told about her own young son and his response to the events. 

Jonah's Prayer 

_________ 

Trying to explain today's tragedies to my 6 year old son, I said, "Jonah, we need to pray to Jesus, because bad people have crashed airplanes into big buildings, and lots of people have had one of their family members die today."


Jonah said, "O.k. Mommy" and he folded his hands, then on his own initiative, he began to pray outloud. He prayed a prayer that both surprised me and humbled me.

Jonah said, "Dear Jesus, show those bad men your goodness. Blast the devil from their hearts Jesus, and blast it full of your goodness."

I was shocked. I had not asked Jonah to pray for the "bad men", in fact, it had not even crossed my mind to pray for the terrorists behind these awful events.

Just a few weeks ago in Children's Church, Jonah's memory verse had been "Love your enemy". Jonah had been very impressed by this particular verse, because he talked about it with me and his Daddy, and his prayer today proved that he took that verse to heart.

Today God used my son to show me that we are truly to be "as little children", and to put our trust in Him, our Father. In such a fearful time, He is the only one we can turn to who can bring comfort and healing to our hearts, and to the hearts of those grieving.

Only God can bring change to a heart, and God desires that we pray FOR ALL who have been effected by todays tragedies, the innocent hearts, as well as the guilty hearts.

___________

Sleep Deprived Parent Shirts ON SALE FOR CHARITY!

I am selling some of my Sleep Deprived Parent shirts (and a few other misc. things) through Ebay Giving Works to earn money for Mercy Corps, an organization which is helping with the rebuilding efforts in Haiti, relief efforts in the Pakistan floods, and working around the world to help people affected by disaster, disease, poverty and oppression. 

• More than 50% goes to charity.*
• Auction starts at $9 plus shipping (less than in my shop)
• The image is somewhat larger on these shirts than the ones sold through my CafePress and Zazzle Shops, and a slightly different shade of yellow. 

SHOP HERE

*I am donating 60% of the sale price of these shirts, but Giving Works takes a 7% processing fee, so the total which goes to Mercy Corps is 53% of the ending bid price.  The 7% is less than the final value fee Ebay usually takes, but waves for Ebay Giving Works. I am not affiliated in any way with Mercy Corps.  On some other items I'm selling the percentage to Mercy Corps is less.

Letting Go of Printfection

You may have noticed that I've removed the links to my Printfection shop from my sidebar.  I've decided to let that shop go.  I haven't made any sales through it, and it's one more place I had to update when I had new designs, so I decided it wasn't worth it to keep it running.

If there is an item you would like to purchase that was offered on Printfection (or any other printing company I don't currently have a shop through) let me know and we will work out a way for you to purchase it through me.

September Giveaways

Every month I go out searching for blog giveaways CafePress and Zazzle is sponsoring.  I like to share it because, hey...if you win you might choose something of mine (which you can find at Zazzle at http://www.zazzle.com/scribbleprints* or in the CafePress marketplace by searching under galesgiggles or galesgifts - *grin*).  Here's what I've found so far this month (organized by end date)!

Weekly
Weddingbee - Zazzle Avery Binder

September 1
$25 Zazzle Gift Card* 

September 4
One Bored Mommy - A CafePress T-Shirt

September 6
A Mom's Balancing Act - CafePress T-shirt
3 Princes and a Princess - CafePress Tote

September 11
Adventures of a Domesticated Mama - CafePress Tote

September 16
Moms Wear Your Tees - CafePress Sigg Bottle

September 22
The Review Stew - CafcPress Tote Bag

*I got extra entried for posting this giveaway