A Cleaner, Clearer Look

I am giving my blog an overhaul too. I find that the previous look was very cluttered and as I keep adding widgets on the sides it gets more and more stuffed with things and colour.

It's time for a clean up, so my thoughts, writings and ideas could flow through a whole lot easier. De-clutter, make way for the sunshine!

New Banners - Roast

I recently found wonderful resource of some amazing color schemers by Adobe called Kuler.

Here are some new banners I created for Etsy or ArtFire sizes. Free re-size to blog and if you need the color code to coordinate other elements of your blog, just ask! Also if you like the design in your business card, post card or other marketing material, as long as I am capable, nothing is impossible!

Re-newing My Blog

Yes! It will be spanking new! First I've changed the way it looks. Now I will be changing it's contents too.

My old blog was too cluttered and too filled with things about others. My new blog will be kept simple and easy to read. I also want to share more about me, the things I've learned and experience, with hopes that it will help others.

I would not stop featuring other studios or online shops, I think that is still fun and it is still what I like to do. The frequency however and the delivery will be slightly different.

So I hope you are all ready for a bit of change!

Tutorial Tuesdays - Making an Etsy Banner with Excel and Paint

I've recently learned a simple way to make a banner with Microsoft Excel and Paint. Most people have these software, and I thought it would be a good idea to share this with everyone.

I hope this would give newbies some customizing capabilities and confidence with launching their shops.

Here it is in the most simple step-by-step (I am using Microsoft 2007)-
1) Open your Excel.
2) Draw a text box anywhere on the page, don't worry about the size just yet.
3) Type in your shop name and other detail you would like it to say.
4) Customize the fonts, and fill however you wish.
5) Re-size to 7.6" x 1". Don't worry about this, it is just ratio so that it would fit the 760 x 100 pixel requirement for your Etsy shop.
6) Selected the text box and right click choose copy (ctrl+ c). Now the text box is on your clipboard. If you used more than one text box, make sure you select all before you click copy
7) Open Paint. Right click choose paste (ctrl + v), you will see the banner. Move it around so that the top left corner fits to the top left of the page.
8) Adjust the image to fit, then save-as .jpg.

Ta-dah! You got your banner. I will continue to research this to come up with easy ways to add pictures and all. So stay tuned!

Here is one I made -
I plan to have Tutorial Tuesdays running weekly, if you like to share something please convo me on Etsy or leave a comment here with an address where I could contact you.

My photos as your banner

I love taking photos and would love to share them with you. Here's my latest listing on Etsy, blog banners with my photos.

I am currently working hard to have more blog wear at my shop and love to have some suggestions. So please leave a comment!

Hope you like them!

Hollie Lollie and Weaselle

Here are the next two lucky Etsy shops to get a free advertising button!


Hollie Lollie
This is a bright and colourful shop filled with jumbo paper clips, magnetic clip boards, funky bulldog clips and more! Great as a gift or if you simply want some colour in your life.






Weaselle
Get your custom pet portrait from this amazing self-thought artist and 10% of sales goes to Paw Parade of Hope fund. Drop by at her shop to experience her wonderful work!

Do you use Project Wonderful?

I just started my Project Wonderful account (right after I successfully created my blinkie) and found that I am totally hooked on it!

Firstly I have always been a computer games junky. Having a personal relationship with the computer was the first thing that got me going with the Etsy shop. I figured if I spent the amount of time on the computer for something that would benefit me in some ways, like learning new things and making some $$ on the side, I would feel like I wasted all this time.

Now come Project Wonderful and I feel totally glued to it! It's almost like a game with all the colourful charts and the goal is to get as many free advertising spots possible. And there is that sense of acheivement when that very free spot is found!

Urm... do you think something is wrong with me? Or are you somehow stuck in a similar situation?

If you have a Project Wonderful space on your blog, please comment so that I could come by and bid on your page!!!

Pink and Lilacs

The latest addition to my banner section will be these very pretty banners, only $3 and free resizing to blog banner! They would be wonderful for beauty and bath shops, maternity wear, pretty and cute things... etc!

On sale at my Etsy shop no later than this weekend, so keep an eye out!

Blinkies!

So this will be the new line at my shop coming in June - BLINKIES!

I will be launching a whole new line of advertising buttons and blinkies, so that my customers could better advertise their shops!

Like what you see? Be the first to get it. Please visit my Etsy shop and contact me through convo or simply comment here and I will get in touch with you!

The Night Writter!

Do you write at night?

My new banner, inspired by night time writing.

My Zazzle!

I have just up loaded a few new versatile designs at my Zazzle shop. Below is a preview, visit my shop for the complete design range!


make custom gifts at Zazzle

Why so cheap?!

When I realised that most of my customers are 'newbies' and just started their shops, I knew I had to make a line of products that they could buy with confidence and would not feel like it was too big an investment. So I started the $2 dollar bin at my shop.

A shop banner is starting to become a brand identity for most, so why shouldn't this be accessible to a newbie? I've been a newbie before and know exactly how it feels! I hope that this would help all newbie to have confidence in their shops or new found passion!

New Banners for Etsy Shop or Blog

Some of my latest banners designs, at my Etsy shop. Sold only for $4.50 each and free to resize to blog banners.