oh nuts!

i got another special etsy package in the mail today. it is an adorable mushroom stamp from florspacehome.etsy.com. i can't wait to put him to good use. thank you lyn!

i also listed another item in my etsy shop today. i'm so excited that i've already gotten a few people who added my shop to their favorites, and some really nice comments on my flick page. i lose all track of time looking through all the flickr groups devoted to handmade items. there are so many amazing things to look at, and the people are all so friendly and encouraging.

i also found this little porcelain peanut brooch today made by theautomaticcrystal.etsy.com. i will have to drop a few subtle hints to my special man friend that it would make the most perfect valentine present. i don't know what it is about nuts and acorns that make them so darn cute.

scientifantastic is now on etsy!

i have been hoarding lots of amy butler designer paper that i found on clearance in a craft store and finally found the perfect use for it. i spent the weekend making sweet little valentine cards to hand out to all my friends. i even made a few extra cards to sell on my new etsy site, and am so excited to add more items to my shop. i made myself an avatar yesterday, but am still working on the banner.

i was so excited to get my log vase in the mail today which i ordered from vindeelyndee.etsy.com. i really want to plant some wheat grass in my log. now that winter is here i miss mowing the lawn and the smell of freshly cut grass. maybe adding a little grass inside the house will help get me through the winter. be sure to check out vindeelyndee.etsy.com! she has an amazing variety of vintage items in her shop.

i also purchased this adorable little gnome postcard from cutesypoo.etsy.com. i was looking through the 'get off etsy and get to work support' group on flickr and i came across some of her adorable creations. i love gnomes, so i couldn't pass up the opportunity to add this little guy to my collection.

hello.

introduction:
hello everyone! welcome to scientifantastic where i am excited to share with you the process of starting my own handmade business. so far i have been doing lots of research on the steps involved in promoting my work and the venues available to sell and share photos of my handmade creations as well as places to make connections with others in the handmade community. i have found so much useful info in etsy's seller handbook and have become very inspired by the 'making it!' series on the hearthandmade blog.

i recently signed up for a flickr, and myspace and am working on a facebook account, and have registered to sell my work on etsy. i have also been working hard to create a studio space in my home where i can work on all my crafty experiments without any distractions.

one of my goals is to document the creative process involved in each of my projects, so today i will show you how to create your own hand stamped fabric ribbon trim.

materials:
2 - 3 yards of bright inexpesive fabric
scissors
iron
ironing board or towel
starch
empty toliet paper or paper towel roll
foam or rubber stamps
ink pad





step 1: cutting your fabric
use a scissor to make a few small snips at the end of the fabric about 1.5 - 2 inches apart, depending on how wide you want your ribbon to be. beggining at each snip, rip the fabric from beginning to end along the entire length of the fabric to create each length of ribbon. get rid of any loose hanging strings by seperating or pulling them along the entire length of the ribbon.

step 2: preparing the ribbon
iron the trim to get rid of any wrinkles or curled edges. i don't own an ironing board so i lay a towel down on my couch and iron it on top of the towel. while i'm ironing i like to roll the trim around a cardboard toliet paper roll to keep it from getting wrinkled or tangled. if you'd like to create a stiffer trim you can spray it with a little starch while ironing.

step 3: stamping on your design
prepare a smooth flat surface where you can lay out your ribbon. i like to lay a self healing cutting mat down on my dining room table to protect it in case any ink bleeds through, but you could also use cardboard or paper. once your surface is prepared, lay the ribbon down flat, coat your stamp with ink and press it firmly onto your fabric. repeat until you have covered the full length of your ribbon. now it's up to you to get creative with your pattern and colors.

step 4: setting the ink
once the ink is dry, you will need to iron the fabric once again to set the ink. i then like to roll it back onto the cardboard roll or sometimes i use a wooden spool to keep it wrinkle and tangle free. you are now ready to use your trim! i like to use mine to wrap packages, create garlands or applique onto different sewing projects. the possibilites are endless and fun!



if you decide to make your own, i would love to see pictures of your trim, or what you created with the finished ribbon.