Saturday, October 27, 2012

Halloween 2012



How could it be Halloween already?  Does that mean there are less than 2 months until Christmas? Urgh!
4 days until Halloween
59 Days until Christmas
 I've been so busy lately thanks to my eBay, Etsy, Artfire and Captive Decals website customers that Halloween kind of snuck up on me and I ran out of time to make costumes for the grandkids.  Trinity wanted to be Lady Gaga so she could wear super high stilettos.  I was afraid she would break her neck being only 8 years old and never wearing anything other than sneakers or 1/2" heels.  Plus, the outfit she wanted me to make was basically a futuristic bathing suit and the temperature at this time of year in Idaho runs around 45ยบ.  All year Skyler said he wanted to be Stewie from Family Guy, then a week ago he decided he wanted to be a Zombie instead.  Sonny said he wasn't going to be anything this year.  Just himself.  Well, lucky for me, when we pulled out our bins of Halloween decorations the grandkids found the Vampire costumes I made them last year and they all decided to be Vampires again...well, Trinity isn't just a Vampire.  In the bin of costumes she also found a witch costume she used a couple of years ago and a dress she wore when she was a flower girl at her Aunt Kara and Uncle Ti'm's wedding.  So...Trinity being Trinity...she dressed as a Witch Vampire Bride.

Halloween Cub Scout Party Pack 250 October 24, 2012

And here's a blast from the past . . . their Dad dug up this costume from years ago and dressed up in a kilt.  I don't even remember when I made that costume!  The grandkids got a kick out of their dad wearing a 'dress'.
Back to work for me.  Listing new decals on eBay and Etsy from a couple of companies in the United Kingdom that have awesome designers.  Here's a sample or two:


Hope you have a wonderful, safe Halloween!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!
              
   Captive Illusions            Captive Embroidery
              &                                  &
Grandma Cat's Attic            Crafty Family

Monday, September 24, 2012

Just sold 50,000th item on eBay as dream77catcher!

De'Anna (my daughter) and I started selling on eBay on September 6, 2004.  We came up with our eBay ID dream77catcher by using one of De'Anna's favorite things at the time (dreamcatchers) and her birth year (77), which was also her birth weight (7# 7oz).  When we sold our first item, eBay automatically set the invoice number as 1.  We started off selling 100% cotton fat quarter fabric for quilters after receiving several boxes of fabric from my sister-in-law, Sharrie (her Grandma Mabel's stash) and Christmas Stockings personalized with machine embroidery.  We've sold all kinds of things on eBay...my mother-in-law's soaps and lotions, my son's Dungeons and Dragons books, my sister's Avon steins...with our main focus on fabric, ceramic decals and machine embroidery.  
Two summers ago, my daughter moved to Colorado and I moved to Idaho.  It became necessary to divide the business.  De'Anna continues to do wonderful things with her Amaya Professional Embroidery Machine,  and does lots of other crafty things in her 'spare' time, which she sells on Artfire.
 I've gotten pretty deep into selling decals for ceramics and fused glass.  Periodically, I'll list some fat quarters that I'm ready to let go from my stash...or as this invoice shows for the 50,000th item I sold on eBay, Insul-Bright.  Insul-Bright is insulated lining/batting used for hot pads, oven mitts, casserole warmers, lunch bags, gloves, slippers, etc.  It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold.  This isn't meant as a sales pitch because I've only got 3 yards left out of a 70 yard roll!

Lunchbag for Jen lined with Insul-bright.
Lunchbag for Jan lined with Insul-Bright.













It is just surprising to me that with over 800 different decal listings and only 1 listing for Insul-Bright, that it isn't a decal that sold as the 50,000th item!

I'm looking forward to posting my 100,000th item blog in the not too distant future!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!
              
   Captive Illusions            Captive Embroidery
              &                                  &
Grandma Cat's Attic            Crafty Family

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Etsy

What is Etsy?

'Etsy is the world's most vibrant handmade marketplace. Etsy celebrates individual creativity in design and craftsmanship by connecting unique people, stories and items in a playful and meaningful way. Etsy provides a marketplace for crafters, artists and collectors to sell their handmade creations, vintage goods and crafting supplies.'

If you want a unique or personalized gift for someone, Etsy is the place to go.  Several of my customers have shops on Etsy.  Some of the things they create are jewelry, birdhouses, tart burners, crochet and knit items, wood signs, and so much more.  De'Anna and I had a shop on Etsy several years ago but with full time jobs, children/grandchildren and life in general, we did not have time to maintain our Etsy shop and closed it.

Well, I've opened another!  This time not as a crafter (since I just don't have time to do a lot of crafting), but as a supplier.  I've listed all our black enamel silk screen fused glass decal sheets here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CaptiveDecals

I've got so many links to Etsy in this blog that I could create my own chain link fence!

A girl's gotta keep her options open.  Plus I've got hungry mouths to feed so the more potential crafters that see my decals the more chances I have to sell them and use the proceeds to buy lottery tickets . . . I plan to retire someday and the lottery is my retirement plan.

Oh, gosh, a blog without a picture?  That will not do!  Um...quick, what can I pop in here?   One of the reasons I do not have time to make crafts for Etsy is that I make the Halloween costumes for my oldest son and his 3 little ones.  They were all vampires last year.  This year, let's see Trinity wants to be a Zombie Bride, Skyler wants to be Stewie from Family guy, Sonny wants to be a Super Hero.  Guess I better get busy on costumes soon!


Until next time, Happy Crafting!
              
   Captive Illusions            Captive Embroidery
              &                                  &
Grandma Cat's Attic            Crafty Family

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Wraps

New wraps coming soon!  

Wraps?  What in the world are wraps and what do you do with them?  Wraps are ceramic decals that measure approximately 7 1/2" wide X 3 1/2 tall and are made to go around mugs like this:

And while they work wonderfully for that purpose, wraps can be used for so much more!  Birdland Paradise used them on the tart burners she makes beginning with liquid slip and a plaster mold.  You'll find the ones shown below in her Etsy store as well as some other absolutely fascinating creations.

Hedge Hogs to Melt Your Heart
Gorgeous Garden













I've ordered a wonderful selection of mug wraps which will be listed in my eBay store as soon as they arrive; hopefully, by the end of the week.  Here are some of the ones you'll be seeing soon:

These wraps come with  a small strip of roses, bees or butterflies to put along the handle of a mug plus one rose, bee or butterfly to put inside or on the bottom of the mug.  If you aren't making mugs, the extra bits can be used anywhere, anytime.

Wraps can be used on pillar candles, signs, wood boxes, borders, mirrors...what does your imagination see them on?
 
Until next time, Happy Crafting!
              
   Captive Illusions            Captive Embroidery
              &                                  &
Grandma Cat's Attic            Crafty Family

Friday, September 14, 2012

Wow!

Starting out to be a wonderful month to sell decals!  Just sold our 50th fused glass decal cards in the month of September and the month isn't even half over.  Here is a picture of the card that hit the 50 mark for this month:

Those two cards are tied as the top sellers for the month:










The funny thing is that the decals I thought would be top sellers, aren't:










Guess it goes to show that you can't outguess the artists out there!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!
              
   Captive Illusions            Captive Embroidery
              &                                  &
Grandma Cat's Attic            Crafty Family

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

New Fused Glass Decals


They are in stock finally!  18 new cards of decals for fused glass art . . . or whatever type of glass you would like to decorate.  To the left is our new dance card featuring ballet, jazz, waltz, jitterbug, rope, hula, belly and pole dancing.  Too Fun!







 With the nick name Grandma Cat, a card featuring cats had to be designs.  I tried to create a versatile card with some of the basic cat silhouettes that you would expect as well as some humorous ones and some rather frightening felines.






For all of you dog lovers out there, I've put together a card with 25 recognizable dog silhouettes along with some fun phrases.  The curved 'My Best Friend' fits nicely over the dogs and can be positioned at the angle that looks the best on the piece it is being applied to.





 
We've got all the new decal designs listed on EBay, Artfire and our website www.captivedecals.com.  Of course, due to the fees EBay and Artfire charge, you'll find the best price on our website.  No matter where you choose to purchase our decals, shipping will be $1.75 anywhere in the USA for any number of decals you select.


I hope you have as much fun using these decals as we had designing them.  I would love to see what you decide to do with them.  Pictures are always welcome!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!
              
   Captive Illusions            Captive Embroidery
                 &                                              &
   Captive Decals                 Crafty Family

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Back to School 2012




Here we are one full year later.  Grandkids went back to school today.  They are very excited to meet their teachers and hope to see friends from last year.  Grandma Cat hopes to get back on track.  Haven't 'blogged' for a full year because the connection from the Captive Illusions domain name wouldn't connect to the blog, which made the blog next to impossible to find.  My daughter, De'Anna, visited from Colorado a couple of weeks ago and straightened everything out for me.  Let's hear it for daughters...Hip Hip Hooray!







I've been helping said daughter, De'Anna, build inventory for a craft fair she will be doing in October in Colorado.  I used Simplicity pattern 1957 (shown below) to make these sweet miniature aprons.  I intended to make them for decorative purposes like it shows on the pattern below; however, the aprons fit Barbie dolls perfectly.



I've made 36 of the full aprons and intend to make a dozen or so out of Christmas fabric.  If I do not run out of time, I'll make a couple dozen or so of the 1/2 aprons as well.  These are fun and quick.  The first apron took about 30 minutes, but after tweaking the pattern a bit, I can now make them in 10 minutes.  They are fully lined and didn't cost a thing as I've got drawers of scrap fabric that I've saved for quilting.

Time to get this blog posted, get shipping done, finish the laundry, make some zucchini bread before the grandkids get home from school, get some accounting done, make a grocery list.....and so on and so forth!
 
Until next time, Happy Crafting!
              
   Captive Illusions            Captive Embroidery
              &                                  &
Grandma Cat's Attic            Crafty Family

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Back to School

Sonny, Trinity & Skyler

 Grandkids went back to school today.  First year they will all be taking the bus at 8:15am and returning at 3:45pm.  Not used to a quiet house; had  to put some music on.  Moody Blues.


Got Trinity to Smile!












All ready for the Post Office!


Time to get busy!  I've finished pulling, packaging and shipping all the orders that came in over the weekend.  Shipping to Canada, Norway, Australia, United Kingdom and at least 12 different states.  Amazing how much faster I can get the shipping done without interruptions of the grandkids.




Glass Votive with unfired decals

Next on today's agenda is to test fire regular ceramic decals on glass in my oven so that I can write an instructional blog about it.  I'm hoping the oven will set the decal enough so that the votive can be put in the dishwasher.  I pulled some butterflies and little bees from my stash and put them on this little glass votive that I got at the Dollar Store (the package actually had 2).  They've been drying for the required 24 hours.  Read all about the results tomorrow!



Okay, so putting the votive in the oven and taking it out after 10 minutes of baking isn't going to take much time, so I guess I'll have to clean house, or take inventory, or do some accounting, or something to fill the next 4 1/2 hours until the grandkids get home from school bringing paperwork to be filled out and homework to be done.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!
              
   Captive Illusions            Captive Embroidery
              &                                  &
      Captive Decals                 Crafty Family
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