New Twist On An Old Item

Dictionary Book Page Giclee Prints

I have been selling Dictionary Book Page Collages on Etsy since 2010 but recently had a customer who wanted to string hers across her window like a banner or bunting but the printing on the back side of the book page could be seen when the light shown through and ruined the image.  

Of course I had to come up with a solution. And not only did I come up with a solution but I made the decision to make this solution available to others. 

I had been wondering if maybe I should branch out on eBay and list more than the select few Dishwasher Magnets I have been listing there for a good while.  I sold extensively on eBay before I went to Etsy in 2006 about a year after they opened.  And with all the changes at Etsy and the sudden crash in sales that happens with no known reason I had gotten that nervous twitch that come from having all my eggs in one basket! Or most of my eggs at least. So I found myself thinking maybe I'll try a couple of these new dictionary book page prints. 

These are not the same as what I sell on Etsy. On Etsy the picture is printed on an original dictionary page for the customer. These are images of those collages that are printed on medium heavy card sock. These look wonderful strung across the window or above the couch. They are, unlike the book page collages, sturdy enough to hold up and not tear up. And there is not any back print to clutter the image when lit from behind.  Also I was able to adjust sizing so ready made mats and frames will work with ease. 

And another little perk. They can be purchased on a slightly vintage motley color cardstock or purchased on white cardstock giving you a glorious black and white piece of artwork.

Dictionary Book Page Giclee Print Bears by Txalteredart 

Call Me Optimistic

Not that anyone who has ever known me would, but I am betting a quarter pound of Butter that the hot hot hot of summer is over. I put the quarter pound of Butter in my butter dish that sits on my kitchen counter. Last time I did that I found the dish swimming in the butter that was melted all over the counter.  That was about the end of June. My butter has had to stay in the fridge since then cold and hard as, well as hard as cold butter. It might be great for making biscuits. But who the heck wants to make biscuits in a kitchen that is so hot it melts your butter!

Of Course I Love These New Business Card/Credit Card Cases!

Tropical Floweres Business Card Credit Card Holder

 

 Early Morn Business Credit Card Case

Batik Business Credit Card Case

More of the Story This Coming Week End

Just enough time to show off my listings!

My Alteredart on Etsy

and here my Mini Night Light Boxes all lite up

Couldn't get the flickering to show of course but they are really so so cute!

Mini Night Light Boxes

I never thought there would be so many little problems pop up!

I had decided I would start off with just a few Christmas themed mini light boxes. 

Early on after I had been left with a couple of unsuccessful holiday product lines, I swore off sinking any time or resources into such time limited products. But the idea of these cute little light boxes adding just a bit of Christmas cheer was more than I could resist.

I designed three that would go very well together. Matter of fact a trio always linked at Christmas. 

I have stated before and do state often, I can not design anything on paper and have it work out as I wanted. Or work out at all. So my creating is often a long process (and my favorite part of the process). I have to make something to find all the problems. Too be able to see what I need to adjust. To see what won't work. And to see what does work! 

Well I needed to add a bit wider border here and the flap was just too short there and that fabric just did not look good. 

Those were easily conquered. But the next three were not so easy. 

Number one, I ran out of stiff enough chipboard. I live in a area with very little shopping options so my first impulse was to check online. After all how much could chipboard cost. Cost was not the only problem I ran right into. Weight of chipboard was a total mystery to me. Online I could not touch to see if it was strong enough but not too stiff to cut and fold. I found lots of light weight, medium weight, and thick rigid chipboard. What is .022 or 22 pt? How different is .030 from .022? Online was not going to work till I had answers!

Since I don't have money or a good enough car to go wandering around West Texas hitting the larger towns that have shopping options galore, I went to Brownwood. I went to every place I could think of in Brownwood. I found no .022 chipboard, nor .030, nor thick rigid for sale.  I came home dejected. I stopped even thinking about my cute little mini night light boxes. 

But ha ha! What popped into my mind? My Stay Flat mailers I had purchased from Uline. They would be perfect. And cheap but I found out there was a lot of waste. And if I used them all up what would I ship my Dictionary Book Page Prints or Vintage New Yorker Magazine Covers in?  Bet you are ahead of me. A simple check of my invoice to get the item number and off to Uline online to see their description. I now know what .028 chipboard is and that it is perfect. 

This is the first of the three hurdle. Later on the next hurdle.

Back To An Old Favorite Of Mine

Button Earrings

I just got distracted when I was suppose to be cleaning and organizing my work room. And I love buttons! I love button earrings! (button magnets too you can see them in my shop) So I made a few. Some are fabric covered buttons and some are just buttons. 

Check them out. Even if you are not into wearing button earrings. They are so cute you really should look. And your looking will help me fell better about getting so distracted and still having a messy unorganized work room!

Button Earrings by Txalteredart

It's Almost Halloween!

And I found this wonderful vintage art work from an old children's book that for me is just perfect. Had to collage it with a Halloweeny background, add a bit of flame to the pumpkin and Voila! My new Halloween Magnet!

Halloween Cat and Pumpkin Magnet

She looks a bit surprised that she is sitting there with a 

pumpkin!

Mixed Media Scenes 

Altered Diorama Ornament Shadow Box 

Deer Fawn Grazing in the woods

Ornament

Mixed Media Little Scenes 

My Next  Creations

I love doing sneak peeks!

A Bit of Bragging

So Far The Favorite 

Vintage Image Night Light Box is...

 

 

Playing at Cowboys and Cowgirl

You might think that maybe these people are cowboys and cowgirl. It's a vintage photo. Maybe they are cowboys and a cowgirl totally decked out in their fancy duds. At the time this picture was taken there were many a cowboy and cowgirl living that life. Uh but no. Not only was this taken at one of those photo booths with the fake backgrounds popular at that time at fairs and holiday destinations that supplied "costumes", but if you remember I said they are family photos. Take my word for it. They are playing at cowboys and cowgirl.

Finally Design Complete Photos Good Enough

and 

My Vintage Photo Light Boxes 

are for Sale!

The leap over the last hurdle was yesterday when, after trying this and trying that, I got listing pictures that I think are OK. Pictures are not, shall we say, easy for me. Most of my items are listed with either digital image or scanned images. I'm just not good at photos. Never the right place. Never the right light.

And to boot I had the "new" phone. Like many my phone is my only camera now. The new phone had to charge up. Then had to download all the new updates. Then had to be charge up again. Then it wanted to do more updates! Not only that it is a replacement Galaxy 5. You would think it would be just like my broken Galaxy 5. But no. I have spent two days trying to figure it out. Still baffled. Enough rant about smart phones!

Back to my new items!

Sisters Night Light Box

 Love this image of sisters from early 1900s. You might not be able to see that they are both barefooted. But they have their big beautiful bows in their hair!