Etsy that

So a couple of weeks ago I posted about making your own gifts, crocheting, jewelry-making, etc. as potential gifts for the holidays and other occasions. However, if you are an avid craft maker who has a lot of spare time, I suggest giving a look at Etsy.com to sell your items and make some cash! Etsy is a great website where you can create your own "shop" and sell your handmade items. Or, if you like handmade stuff, check it out yourself and get an original piece of art. There are thousands of beautiful items for sale that can make great gifts or treats for yourself. This site is a lot of fun to browse with the unbelievable amount of things you never knew could exist. If you are looking to buy or sell some lovely handmade items, give etsy.com a try!

Bring out that creative side

So for those of you who might know me personally, you know I like to make stuff. I have been crocheting for years and have begun to use my projects as Christmas and birthday presents. Its a great way to personalize a gift, plus its definately not a gift you would throw away. I know I still have all of the blankets ever made for me. They are quite a bit cheaper than buying a regular gift, especially if you are making something smaller than the blanket. There are plenty of books and magazines out there on crocheting and knitting, and it is fairly easy to learn. Craft stores like Michael's may also offer classes on the subject, and there are also plenty of how to videos on the web if you are a more visual person. After you learn a repetitive pattern, you can just sit in front of the TV while you go at it. Project ideas are endless with different colors, yarn, patterns, etc. In addition, there are also "green" yarns out there, unfortunately you will be paying top dollar for them. Lion Brand makes Nature's Choice organic yarn, and there are also yarns that are derived from corn, bamboo, and recycled yarn.

This is my current project in the picture above, an "ocean wave" blanket, and of course my dog always have to be the center of attention, so he is here too. Close to being done! In addition to crocheting, I am also beginning jewelry making, (see photo on the side). Again, there are many books out there that provide instruction, and I plan on taking a class at the local arts center in the fall if it is offered. So far, all I really make is earrings, and am slowly working on a necklace. They also can be quite fun to make, picking out the beads, colors, textures, etc. You can make a lot of earrings (or any type of jewelry, for that matter) for a very decent price. The hooks cost no more than $2, and thats for a large amount of them, the beads will vary in price, wire is also cheap, and all you need is the pliers. Be careful with the bead sales, I was at Hobby Lobby and the beads were 50% off so I bought a decent amount. Making can be fun, easy, and a lot quicker than crocheting/knitting something. Plus there are very advanced forms of jewelry making should you ever need a consistent challenge, I know I have a friend who even makes her own glass beads and runs a small business online with her jewelry. So in sum, check out the craft section of your local bookstore and see if anything sparks your fancy, and try making gifts rather than buying them. Have fun!