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A crafting magazine designed for your inner artist.
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Cut+Paste
Instructions for
DIY Projects 10+
Getting Old is Hard...
Turn Your Crafts Into MoneyIncluding wire rings, glitter jars,
tulle pom-poms and headbands.
Knitting: Not Just for Grandmas Anymore
See how crafting is used to help elderly people
recover from illnesses associated with age.
Read about an entrepreneur who turned her art into a small
business and get some tips for starting one yourself.
Hill Country Weavers is helping to bring the arts of weaving and knitting
back into style in the Austin community.
Spring 2014
Inspiration for anything and everything you’re interested in
Find the perfect dress for any occasion
Table of ContentsCrafting Their Way to the Top
Just Tuelling Around
Trash is Treasure
An Old Craft Meets a New Generation
Build Your Own Bling
A Crafting Business In the Bag
Mason Jar Magic
A Look Into Elderly Care
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Phot
o by
Lill
y A
nder
sen
Letter From the Editors
Meet the Crafters Lilly Andersen
Lilly lives in a world of exclamation points; she gets excited about everything and loves to talk. You can usually find Lilly struggling to play lacrosse or hanging out with her friends that listen to country music, despite her complaints. She doesn’t know what she wants to do in the future, but whatever it is she hopes she gets to talk a lot. Her favorite Crayola crayon color is Cerulean.
“Can I put exclamation points on everything?!”
Caroline Varela
Caroline was born and raised in Texas. Over the summer you’ll find her playing lacrosse and blasting country music. Her favorite country artists are Luke Bryan, Hunter Hayes, Brad Paisley and Jason Aldean. Caroline dreams of living in Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Disneyland and she hopes to one day go to medical school and be a doctor. Caroline’s favorite Crayola crayon color is Orchid.
“I want a full sized wall poster of Luke Bryan.”
Dresden Timco
Dresden spends her time playing soccer and playing with her puppy, Polar. She enjoys cats and spends her ezine classes listening to country music with Caroline; her favorite country artists are Taylor Swift and Hunter Hayes. Dresden hopes to be an imagineer at Disneyland some day and her favorite Crayola crayon color is Robin’s Egg Blue.
“This would be much better with Starbucks.”
Sarah Edgar
Sarah thinks boys are stupid, yet she is fondly in love with Taylor Lautner and his perfect abs, despite Lilly’s protests. Sarah plays volleyball for Total City Sports, and when she is not getting hit in the face with the ball, she specializes in spiking. Sarah loves spending her afternoons perched on the arm of her couch with a fluffy purple blanket, writing. Her favorite Crayola crayon color is Scarlet.
“All I want for Christmas is Taylor Lautner. ”
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Photos by Jessica Gitre
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Crafting Their How Jennifer Hanson and Lance Timco turned their dreams into a reality.
From left to right- Timco collects some of his pottery to take to an art fair. Timco sets out some vases that are ready to be glazed. Timco displays a
few of his horsehair raku pieces outside.
This is a horse hair pot that Timco made. Horse hair pottery is made by firing the pot in a raku kiln and then is treated with iron and horse hair to get
the special effect.
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Lance Timco walked into college not knowing that soon he would find his lifelong passion. Little did he also know that his soon-to-be pottery partner
Jennifer Hanson was in the same position as he. Later in life they would both find each other and pottery as the two things that they would keep close to their hearts forever.
“I first got excited about working with clay as an undergraduate in college,” Timco said. “I knew I really wanted to be an artist/instructor about the time I entered graduate school.”
Hanson and Timco today own their own pottery businesses, Timco Art Pottery and Spinning Star Studio, respectively. They both work together in the same studio at Cottonwood Center for the Arts in Colorado Springs, Colo. and sell their pottery online and at art fairs around the state.
“Jennifer and [I] met in a ceramics studio,” Timco said. “She was in the next room and was having trouble throwing on
the wheel. I came in and helped her and we became friends. We ended up building some display shelves together. Prior to her birthday she let me know it was two days away. I asked her if she was doing anything on her birthday, she said no. I asked if she would like to be doing something, she said yes. We have been together ever since. Our first date was on her birthday, November 4, 2005.”
Timco is a natural at his craft now, but did not take a real interest in pottery until the time he was in college. “We all mainly rode our bikes around the neighborhood and played with our toys,” recalls Timco’s brother, Eric Timco. “I did not see Lance as any different than the rest of us. I don’t think we recognized that he had a craft’s skill/desire until college.”
Just like Timco, Hanson did not get serious about pottery until she was in college, but she did have earlier experience. “My first pottery experience was when I was about 10,” Hanson said. “I used to go to my aunt’s house and paint pottery there. I didn’t learn how to use a wheel until college. I started selling my pottery about 2001.”Timco and Hanson enjoying sharing their pottery with the world. With websites like Etsy it enables Timco and Hanson to sell their pottery anywhere.
“I sell pottery at art fairs, in galleries and online,” Timco said. The internet has made it much easier to sell and frees
up my time to make more. At one time I did 22 art fairs a year. Last year I only did three art fairs. Online sales are booming.”Lance and Hanson teach private lessons in a variety of areas, but they also teach classes at the Pike’s Peak Community College.
“I head the department, so I oversee everything that happens in the studio. I have one adjunct instructor. Together we have more than 120 students,” Timco said. “We teach students how to make objects out of clay. It is mostly like play, but there are many other things we teach too. Concepts, form, line and color are all discussed. We also include clay and glaze chemistry as well as various firing techniques. Basically, we teach students as many aspects of ceramics as possible, so they are free to create.”
Timco stands by a vase he just made before glazing the vase.
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“I first got excited about working with
clay as an undergraduate in college.”
Way to the TopStory by Dresden Timco Photos by Lance Timco
These are two horse hair pots Timco made. He is setting them up for a photo opt he will use to put on his website and Etsy.
From left to right- Timco and Hanson’s studio in Colorado Springs, Colo. Timco puts he’s high temp ash pottery over the fire to get the
special effect. A shelf in Timco’s studio holding his drying pottery.
The two raku bowls above were sold in the Spirits of the Wind Gallery located in Colo.
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Timco and Hanson have a support system back home, and are supported in their craft not just by family members but also by the community for their works of art.
Timco and Hanson have had a variety of success and praise for their pottery, one of which was getting one of Timco’s pieces into a book called “ 500 Raku.”
“I consider my biggest success when a student of mine does well,” Timco said. “I helped one student apply to other schools and she ended up getting into Corcoran School of Art and Design in Washington, DC. Just recently, she had a couple of her pieces in a well known magazine. I regularly have students who win awards in our college exhibitions.”
Hanson has also had all sorts of successes, but one choice back in college to become a potter is one of the best choices of Hanson’s life.
“If success means being satisfied with my decision to earn a living being a potter I would rate that very high,” Hanson said. “I also think I have been successful by teaching people pottery and passing on the passion for pottery.”
“I think its important that everyone do something that makes you excited every day.” E.Timco said. “Some people can do this as their main line of work, or do it as a hobby if you have another source of income.”
With over 1,000 Etsy sales Lance and Jennifer have found a true passion for each other, and pottery and have found a lifelong love.
“As far as my own success, I am happiest when others enjoy or benefit from what I do,” Timco said.
“I consider my biggest success when a
student of mine does well.”
This is one of Timco’s larger raku stripe bowl that was also sold at the Spirits in the Wind Gallery.
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Find the perfect color for ANY project!
For all your high end crafting needs
Just Tuelling Around Tulle Pom-Poms Tulle pom-poms are great craft that can be used
as party decorations or as room decorations. You can make them in any color and size you want to fit whatever you want to use them for!
Materials:• Spools of tulle• Scissors• Cardboard• Ribbon
Sources- http://www.thatcutelittlecake.com/2012/09/craft-tulle-pompoms-tutorial.
html
Photo Credit- http://thepartyevent.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/img_6743.jpg
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Story and Photos by Dresden Timco
2.
1. Cut 2 pieces of card-board into equal rings. The size you cut your rings will determine the size of your pom-poms. The larger the rings the larger the pom-pom.
2. Cut a piece of ribbon that will be long enough to hang your pom-pom when done.
3. Start wrapping the tulle around the cardboard part of the rings.
4. The more tulle you wrap around the cardboard rings the thicker your pom-pom will be.
5. When you are satisfied with the amount of tulle cut the tulle in between the 2 rings.
6. Tie the ribbon around
the tulle.7. Remove the cardboard rings.
4.3.
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5. 5.
6. 7.
Tulle GarlandTulle garland is a cute and easy craft that can add a playful tone to any room. They can also be perfectly complimented by the tulle pom-poms to create one-of-a kind room decor.
Materials:• Spools of tulle• Scissors• Embroidery Floss• String to hang up the garland• Ruler• Needle
1. Cut your tulle into 9” pieces.
2. Lay out one strip. Take the second strip and skew it. Take a third strip and skew it.
3. Grab all three strips of tulle and pinch them in
the middle so they are folded in half.
4. Fold the strips of tulle in half again so there is a point at the top.
5. Takeyourembroideryflossandtieitaroundthetip of the tulle leaving room at the top.
6. Repeat until you have the amount of tassels
wanted.
7. Take the thread you are using to hang the gar-land and thread it through the needle, not tying a knot at the end.
Sources-http://www.mysocalledcraftylife.com/2013/01/30/14-days-of-love-tutu-tassel-garland/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+mysocalledcraftylife/kXAm+(My+So+Called+Crafty+Life)
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2.
3.
4.
8. Poke the needle through the point of the tulle tassels. You can also take your scissors and cut a hole through the tip of the tulle and thread the string through that.
9. Hang up the garland!
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5.
6. 8.
9.
Trash is TreasureNo-Sew T-Shirt Headbands
story and photos by Lilly Andersen
1. Cut two one-inch strips of fab-ric from the bottom of old t-shirt (for a multi-color headband, make them different colors).
Materials:• Old T-shirt(s)• Hot Glue Gun• Scissors• RulerTurn any old T-shirt into super cute and trendy headbands using this easy no-sew method.
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2. Stretch the strips out so that the sides curl up on themselves. You will have two loops of T-shirt fabric to work with.
3. Laythefirststripdowninaloop so that the tails extend below the loop with the right side on top of the left side.
4. Lay second strip on top of the firststripina“U”shapewiththetails at the top.
5. Put the right side of the second strip under the right side of the firststrip.
6. Put the left side of the second strip under the loop formed by the firststrip.
13. Flip the headband around and repeat steps 11 and 12 on the other set of loose ends. Afterwards the strips can be cut to adjust the size of the headband. To wear it, just put it on your head and tie the ends together.
12. Put hot glue on the opposite side of the headband and wrap one inch by three inch piece of fabric around the place where you just glued the other two pieces.
11. Put hot glue on the ends of the piece of headband that was just cut and place one of the one inch by ten inch pieces on the glue.
10. Cut two pieces of fabric that are one inch by three inches and two that are one inch by ten inches from the t-shirt (not loops like the lastones,justflatpieces).
9. Cut the ends so that all four strips on each side are the same length (the shorter they are cut thesmallerthefinishedheadbandwill be).
8. Gently pull on the ends until knot is tight. Pull with even pres-sure on all four ends so that they are all around the same length.
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7. Put the right side of the second stripovertheloopofthefirst,passing under the left side of the second strip and then over the other side of the loop.
Instructions adapted from:• http://www.lovestitched.com/my-tutorial/knotted-jersey-headband-tutorial/
Jewelry Organizing Frame
Materials:• Old picture frame• Hardware“Mesh”• Wire Cutters• Staple Gun• Small S-hooks
Multi-Color Recycled Crayon Shapes
1. Remove any glass or pictures left in old frame.
2. Trim the hardware mesh to the size of the inside of the frame using wire cutters.
3. Starting in a corner of the frame, use staple gun to secure the mesh to the frame.
4. Slowly work your way around the entire frame, making sure that the mesh is pulled tight to all the edges.
5. Hang or place frame in desired place.
6. Put S-hooks through the squares of the mesh where you want to hang necklaces or brace-lets and earrings can be hung directly through the grid.
Jewelry can be very difficult to keep organized. This craft makes organizing your jewelry easy and can be made with any old picture frames you have.
Every crafter has a pile of old, melted or broken crayons laying around somewhere. Recycle those crayons into new ones that are more colorful and more fun to use. The final product is a perfect for gift for young children and toddlers or just to use yourself!
7. Remove the shapes after they have cooled. If they stick, place tray in the freezer for 30 minutes, and the crayons will pop out.
1. Remove wrappers from the crayons.
2. Usetheknifetochopcrayonsinto pea-size pieces (It’s helpful to organize the pieces by color).
3. Preheat oven to 150 degrees.
4. Spray tin with non-stick spray or vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
5. Fill the tin with crayon pieces, arranging them in interesting de-signsortomakespecificcolors.
6. Bake just until the waxes have melted, usually 15 to 20 minutes.
Materials:• Kitchenknife• Cuttingboard• Oldcrayons• Muffinormini-caketins• Non-sticksprayor
vegetableoil• Oven
Instructions adapted from:• http://www.julieannart.com/2011/04/jewelry-holder-tutorial.html• http://www.marthastewart.com/267304/crazy-crayons
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Escape this summer
An Old Craft Meets a New GenerationThe lost art of knitting and weaving is making a come back in a local Austin craft store.
Hill Country Weavers is located on South Congress, a popular street in Austin. The neon colors of the one-room home stand out between the crowds of tourists visiting Austin.
Employees and owners often attend road shows where they can find and trade new types of yarn.
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The original sign has been standing since Hill Country Weavers opened.
An Old Craft Meets a New GenerationAidan Henderson’s car rolls into
the dirt parking lot at 9:30 a.m., just in time for another
day of teaching classes at Hill Country Weavers. The door chimes ring as she opens the door. Greeted by the familiar faces at Hill Country Weavers, Henderson drops her belongings and begins today’s projects. She picks up right where she left off last night, weaving a scarf. While Henderson weaves, children walk through the door ready to learn. Henderson is ready to begin her classes, hoping her students will fall in love with knitting or weaving.
Hill Country Weavers is an Austin store dedicated to spreading the art of knitting and weaving. They offer a variety of classes to cater to every age and every level. As the only store in Austin that makes their own pattern books and sells their own yarn, Hill Country Weavers is hopping with yarn lovers all over Austin.
“[Hill Country Weavers] has the most knowledge and supplies for weaving in Austin. In addition, they have classes that range from needle felting
to knitting a beautiful shawl,” Aidan Henderson, a high school student with a passion for weaving, said.
The classes at Hill Country Weavers are in-depth to help the knitter learn the new skill or to help the weaver with a new pattern. The classes range from knitting different clothing items to classes about the basics of
needle felting or weaving. Class sizes are small so every student gets the individual attention they need with their project.
“I have taken two knitting classes there. We sat around in a circle and the instructor helped each person when they were having trouble.” Julie Pevehouse, an intermediate knitter that got her technique from
Hill Country Weavers, said. “The instructors were super helpful and patient and it was neat to meet the other people in the class while knitting.”
Not only does Hill Country Weavers offer classes for adults or more advanced knitters, they teach classes for younger children as well. Children’s classes include learning how to knit or weave as well as learning how to dye yarn. Hill Country Weavers includes children’s classes in hopes that the children will carry on the art of knitting and weaving.
“The first class I took when I was nine was about knitting, and we got to chose our different yarns in the store and then we got to go over and make a blanket or a hat or another beginner knitting project.” Finlay Scanlon, a freshman at LASA High School who shops often at Hill Country Weavers, said. “Because I am not a very advanced knitter, the teachers had to help me a lot. But they helped me and never got frustrated when I dropped stitches or needles.” According to Henderson, more
[Hill Country Weavers]
has the most knowledge
and supplies for weaving
in Austin.
By Caroline Varela Photos by Carla Varela
Hill Country Weavers repurposes old furniture, like these cabinets, to stack with loads of yarn. This small corner of the store was designed for the independent knitters.
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experienced knitters and weavers adore Hill Country Weavers’ selection of yarn. They sell high-quality, organic and natural yarn. They even stock some yarn that they make at the store.
“My Grandma’s a really big knitter so when she comes, we go and I help her pick out different types of yarn. They’re all organic and really pretty so she was very happy,” Scanlon said.
Yarn crafters all over Austin agree that a chain store doesn’t have the same experience as a local store, especially when it comes to craft stores. Craft stores, like Hill Country Weavers, tend to sell a greater variety of yarn.
“Local businesses are unique and provide the customer with a personal experience. Supporting a local business keeps profits in the local community and supports local entrepreneurs,” Pevehouse said.
Tourists often say that Austin is a very eclectic city. Austin has art sculptures all over the city, as well as a facilitator
to small businesses and local stores.
Henderson believes that Hill Country Weavers has a large Austin influence because it is located on South Congress, a popular tourist street.
“Austin is very inspiring, especially with all of the art all around the city,” Henderson said. “For example installation art is my favorite kind, and seeing that just makes me want to create my own piece to show off.”
According to customers and employees, the colors at Hill Country
Weavers are meant to engage crafters. The outside of the house is green with bright signs with the hope of attracting attention and bring customers in with a friendly mood.
“[Hill Country Weavers] has a great vibe. It is covered in color and texture which is inspiring and makes me happy,” Pevehouse said.
Henderson said that Hill Country Weavers is a staple in Austin and will be for many years to come. Although the future for Hill Country Weavers is undecided, yarn lovers are hoping the store will continue to keep up with yarn demands.
“I hope that [Hill Country Weavers] keeps on doing what they do because it is a really fun place.” Henderson said. “I think they will be able to hold strong and keep supplying the yarn crafters of Austin,” Henderson said.
[Hill Country
Weavers] has a great
vibe. It is covered in
color and texture which
is inspiring!
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The top left shelf shows skeins of the popular Vice Yarns Carnal Heavy Fingering Weight yarn. This type of yarn is usually used for knitting scarfs, shawls or other clothing items.
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Two mannequins stand outside the store wearing the latest woven scarfs.
The yarn is kept on shelves, sorted by color and type. The shelves were built tall to conserve space.
Aidan Henderson proudly shows off her new woven blanket with owner Suzanne Middlebrooks.
Photo Credit M
ary Henderson
The Outlet sells yarn that will be going out of stock for a discounted price.
The store is always getting yarn, so there’s always something to knit with.
Soda Tab Bracelet DIYThese simple do it yourself jewelry projects are perfect for gifts, party favors or just to fill up your jewelry box with unique pieces you created yourself. With each project’s low cost, these activities will fit any budget and look great with all kinds of clothes.
1. Take ½ inch ribbon and fold in half on itself and lay so the strands are flat parallel to each other
2. Take loose ends and weave one through top hole and one through bottom hole of first tab.
3. Flip ends of the ribbon over, to reveal the holes in the soda tab, and lay a second tab on top
4. Thread the ribbon through both holes and pull it though, then flip the bracelet over
5. Repeat until all tabs are used and bracelet is wrist length, and there are two loose ends
Materials:• 15 soda tabs• 1/2 inch ribbon
Optional:• 2 safety pins
(To attach to the ends of the ribbon for easy threading though the soda tab holes.)
Build Your Own Bling
6. Wrap bracelet into a circle and pull loose ends through the loop, tying a bow
Estimated Cost of Each Activity
Soda Tab Bracelet
Wire Ring
Pearl Bracelet
Craft Materials Cost Total Estimated Cost
Want to find out how much these do it yourself’s cost? Find the estimated price here to see what
fits your budget.
Recycled Soda tabs= $0.00, Ribbon= $0.10Wire= $1.26
Pearls= $0.23 Ribbon=$0.10
$0.10 per bracelet
$1.26 per roll of wire (15 rings)
$0.33 per bracelet
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Story and Photos by Sarah Edgar
Wire Ring DIY1. With the pliers, bend wire into a circular, finger size loop with two inches of loose wire on both ends
2. Bend one end into the loop of the bow by bending the wire over the plier head. Take caution not to pinch the metal hard enough that it is imprinted
3. Repeat action on other loose end, creating another loop. Wrap one end around center of bow
4. Center the bow and straighten the two loose ends. Tighten the wrapped end, to the desired tightness.
5. Cut loose ends to the desired length and make sure the ring is finger size. To enlarge the ring, use the pliers to pull slack from the bow
Materials:• Wire (5 inches)• Wire cutters• Nose pliers
Ribbon Pearl Bracelet1. Take ½ in ribbon and fold in half on itself to create a loop about an inch tall and prepare the needle to thread the needle
2. Take your needle threaded with monofilament wire and thread it through the loop, thread a pearl and create another loop
3. Continue this action until the bracelet is a satisfactory length and then tie a bow with the two loose ends of the lace
Materials:• Mono filament wire
• ½ Inch pearl beads
• Ribbon of choice (½ in)
• Needle
By: Sarah Edgar
Optional Step:If your ring has sharp ends, using sandpaper to file down the edges can prevent scratching, along with using pliers to bend the two loose ends upwards, away from the wearer’s finger.
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A Crafting Business in the BagHow a dice bag craft was turned into a sensation among gamers. By Lilly Andersen
Stephanie Howsare sits behind a table, hunched over a sewing machine, completely focused
on her fabric. She pays no attention to the gamers all around her who are playing their war games, board games or are live action role playing. As they realize what she is doing, they swarm all around her, mesmerized by her machines and the personalized dice bags she is making. She has already gotten dozens of bag orders at this gaming convention and is hard at work filling them. Gamers go crazy over her bags; they would usually keep all their dice in reusable containers or any small cloth bags they could find.
“As a gamer, I asked my partner Stephanie to make a dice bag for me. It was just okay looking compared to the ones we make today, but another friend saw it and wanted one of his own. And then another one,” co-owner of the business, Matthew Webb, said. “Eventually, after making a half dozen
of them, we decided we could start doing it as a business.”
Since the business started, it has evolved from this simple craft that Howsare made for her boyfriend, Webb, into a successful little crafting business that the two of them run. The success of her business is not only due to her talent as a seamstress, but also the fact that she makes such a unique product that people love. Her bags are designed specifically for dice, are custom made when you order and can be customized to have any pattern or design on them.
“Stef’s business fills a niche that hasn’t been occupied,” Eli Lott, one of Howsare’s friends and first customers of the dice bag business said. “She’s provided not only a quality product, but one that becomes an attractive accessory and a statement of personality and individuality.”A lot of the dice that gamers use are
Howsare’s dice bags are able to hold hundreds of dice at a time.
unique for the game they are used in. There are all different types of dice, from the standard six-sided to ten-sided to twenty-sided and different games require different shapes of dice.
A look into the dice bag of one gamer reveals all the different types of dice they use for the games they play. Shown above is a collection of mainly six, ten and twenty-sided dice.
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Photos by Stephanie Howsare
Howsare has a wide variety of patterns available to be embroidered on any bag in addition to any custom designs. Above is a selection of some of the pre-made patterns.
Howsare’s embroidery machines can have any patterns uploaded to them and once Howsare sets up the fabric and thread the machine sews out the pattern all on its own.
“I play both war games, the kind with model soldiers fighting each other, and role-playing games, like Dungeons and Dragons,” Webb said. “‘Very few of them actually require more than ten dice per player, but gamers tend to collect all sorts of dice over time.”
Once Howsare identified this need in the gaming community, all she had to do was actually start making and selling the bags.
“When I first started, all I was doing was putting bags that I had pre-made
up on Etsy...and I didn’t offer any choices, you know for customizing,” Howsare said. “Once we saw that there was a demand for people to design their own stuff, we went to a convention and we had our stuff set up with a computer, and Matt actually sits
Cut+Paste 29
“She’s provided not
only a quality product,
but one that becomes an
attractive accessory and
a statement of personality
and individuality.
down with the customer and designs a pattern if they want it.”
Howsare makes custom patterns and bags when she isn’t at gaming conventions, but the events give her the opportunity to sell a lot of bags and get the company name out to a lot of gamers quickly.
“When we went to our first convention, I kinda thought it was going to be boring and that nobody was going to want my bags and I would be there surfing the internet while Matt was off gaming,” Howsare said. “Matt didn’t do any gaming that weekend and I certainly wasn’t bored because I had just set up and people were just like ‘What are you do- Ohhh!’ and they were like ‘Can you do this, can you do that, can I have that? And can I have this color?’ and people were coming by and were like, ‘I like this fabric and I really like this symbol, but I want this instead.’ So it was just kinda like, boom, boom, boom. People were just all over the place.”
Since then, other conventions have also contacted Stephanie about setting up tables at their events.
“We’ve had other conventions say, you know ‘We’d really like you to come, we’ll give you a break on the table, but we’ll put you prominently where all the gamers are’ because it’s not
only just the fact that I’m selling bags, but it’s also an attraction,” Howsare said. “Everyone will just stand there and watch the machine and get mesmerized by the machine and the software and all that.”
The business doesn’t only get a lot of customers through going to conventions, but also at different
gaming stores, by recommendations from previous customers, and, of course, their website, CustomDiceBags.com.“I’m selling at two different game stores now,” Howsare said. “I just went in there and said, ‘Hey I have these, I make these bags. Do you wanna see them?’ and they were really receptive to it.”
Even when Howsare isn’t selling at different stores or conventions, she is acquiring new customers.
“Mostly, the bags advertise themselves. Gamers take the bags to their games and tell friends where they got them,” Webb said. “We frequently get contacted on the website by friends of previous customers who want their own bag.”
Howsare said that the business has grown a lot since opening, which Webb confirmed is due in large part to customers spreading the word as they use their bags at gaming tables. Lott, one of their first customers, said that he has referred a few friends to the business himself.
Most gamers only need ten or less dice for each game they play but most also play multiple games so the number of dice they want to carry around add up fast.
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”
“A lot of crafters go into
a very crowded area and
don’t succeed because
there is too much
competition.
“I’ve never gotten anything but compliments and inquiries,” Lott said. “Several of my friends have ordered and been very happy.”With a great idea and a large audience, there were just a few simple steps she and Webb had to go through to register as a business before officially starting operations.
“When I opened up the website, we had to check to make sure that that name wasn’t taken and that there was no one doing business as Custom Dice Bags,” Howsare said. “So, it’s not really hard, you just basically have to get a tax ID number and all that good stuff so you can pay taxes and get stuff wholesale.”
According to Howsare, the actual legal documentation and paperwork needed to start a business are not difficult, but finding a good product or service to sell can be.
“A lot of crafters go into a very
crowded area and don’t succeed because there is too much competition,” Webb said. “It is useful to find a niche market like we did instead of just trying to make a general product.” Before finding the market that she has now, Howsare tried to start a different crafting business but failed because there were simply too many people competing for the same customers.
“Don’t be afraid to say, ‘Okay, this isn’t working, I need to try something
else,’” Howsare said. “Because when I first started crafting to sell I was making jewelry-- me and about 50 million other people-- and everyone’s jewelry looked the same.”
Howsare also cautions other crafters to consider whether or not they actually want to spend all their time doing the one craft they try to market.
“Do what you are really good at and what you love doing because you might end up in the same situation where I was, where, if I really didn’t like sewing, and I didn’t like designing and doing the conversions and stuff, I would hate this. This would be such a chore,” Howsare said. “As long as you’re doing what you love, you do it to the best of your abilities, and you enjoy doing it, do whatever. Somebody out there will probably buy something.”
Customers have the option to put any pattern on their bags, but can also always just buy a blank one too.
Howsare’s embroidery machines can have any patterns uploaded to them and once Howsare sets up the fabric and thread in the machine, it does all the sewing for the pattern.
Howsare has a wide variety of patterns available to be embroidered on any bag in addition to any custom designs customers request. Above is a selection of some of those patterns. Fiasco has given Howsare rights to make their official dice bags as shown in the picture above.
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Mason Jar Magic Glitter Calming Jars
1. Use a measuring cup to fill the jar with water. Pour this water into a microwave safe container. Be sure to count the number of cups you use, this will be important later.
story and photos by Caroline Varela
Glitter Calming Jars are a great way to relax after a stressful day of work or school. Just let your mind float away while watching the glitter float around the jar.
2. Microwave the water until the water is hot. The hot water will help break up the clumps of glitter glue.
Materials:• Mason Jar• Glitter Glue• Hot Water• Glitter• Glue• Spoon
3. Pour one tablespoon of glitter glue for each cup of hot water used to fill the jar.
4. Stir the glitter glue into the water until there are no more clumps. If there are clumps, the glitter won’t mix in properly.
5. Carefully pour the glitter glue and water mixture into the mason jar.
6. Fill the jar with the extra glitter.
7. Keep adding glitter to the jar. Stop when there is one inch of glitter at the bottom of the jar.
8. Glue the lid to the jar to prevent the jar from spilling. Apply the glue to the inside rim.
Sources:• http://www.raisingbean.com/2013/01/handling-toddler-tan-
trums-glitter-jar-diy.html• http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/raspberry-cupcakes-in-
a-jar-a-colorful-spring-treat/
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Cupcakes in a Mason Jar Cupcakes in a mason jar are a great way to make a portable treats for on-the-go. With tons of ways to customize the jars, they can match any party theme.
Materials:• Favorite Cupcake
Recipe • Frosting in two
colors• Mason Jar• Ribbon• Spoon
1. Bake at least two individual cupcakes. Any flavor and size will work.
2. While the cupcakes are cooling, make two or more colors of frosting. You can pick any color or flavor of frosting.
3. After the cupcakes are cool, use your hands to crumble them into a bowl. Crumble at least two cupcakes. You may need to make more depending on the size of your jar.
8. Screw the lid back on the jar. The lid helps keep the cupcakes fresh for up to a week. You can also leave the lid off if you’re planning to eat the cupcakes right away.
7. Top the frosting with sprinkles or a garnish of your choice. Add ribbon or string for extra decoration.
4. Pour one layer of the crumbled cupcakes into the bottom of your mason jar. Fill it to about an inch.
6. Continue repeating steps four and five until the jar is full, finish on a frosting layer.
5. Add one layer of your first color of frosting. Use your finger when spreading the frosting to avoid getting cake in the frosting.
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Crafting Medicine; a Look In Elderly CareAGE of central Texas provides family members with a way to keep their elderly relatives entertaines
Stephanie Hoffman pulls her car into the lot and walks into an ancient building, surrounded
by a garden rich with daisies, tulips and snapdragons, all brightly colored and dancing in the spring breeze. She pulls open the front door and a monotone sound alerts the nearby nurses of its opening; She smiles and waves. She walks past the cafeteria where elderly men and women, some in wheelchairs, play games with young volunteers, smiling and laughing.Down the hall she passes various paintings of puppies, flowers and the building. There are black and white portraits every so often on the wall, titled Burt Smith and Billy Kocourek, who founded the program. She stares into the eyes of an elderly
man in a picture, chuckling on a porch she recognizes from the second story of the building. Most of the pictures have backgrounds that she realizes are from the building. Turning, she realizes that her office door is behind her and moves to pull her keys from her purse and pushes the key in the keyhole to unlock it.
“The building itself is, its a goal, and they try to stay true to that,” Roberta Przybylski, a worker at AGE said. “It is for people as they age need help in a variety of manners.”
Austin Groups of the Elderly is an organization that assists people as they age during the day if their families
By Sarah Edgar
This is the beginning of the habitat steward garden with their blooming bluebonnets that are favored by the patients and their families. The garden continues around the back of the building.
The bluebonnets in the AGE garden were planted by clients and their families volunteering to better AGE.
Photo by Sarah EdgarPhoto by Sarah Edgar
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cannot. The building was bought in the late 1800s by Smith and Kocourek, (the men featured in portraits in the hallways) and since then non-profit organizations have been allowed to move into the building, but they all have the same mission: to aid those as they get older.
The programs at AGE range from educating in computer basics, to getting volunteers to play games with the clients. A very popular program however, is arts and crafts.
There are volunteer groups who come in regularly to do activities with the patients. AGE relies on volunteers such as a seventh grader, Ryan Carpenter to interact with the elders one-on-one. Carpenter visits them regularly in the summer. “When I volunteer I play games with them and help them solve puzzles” Carpenter said.
Carpenter has no ties to AGE besides the fact that is near where he lives. He volunteers to earn hours for his magnet school credit at Fulmore Middle School, and to be an example in his Boy Scout troop. He was introduced to the program by his mother, Carleen who is a wildlife steward. (A habitat steward is a person who dedicates time to ensure nature in her local area is native to Texas)
She volunteers to take care of the garden behind the AGE building, weeding, watering and making new flower beds for the patients to enjoy. Carpenter is not the only young person who has taken time to aid the elderly.
“We also have Teresa Lazny come in and [do] mobile arts and she’ll bring
in really high end crafts for them to do,” Hoffman said. “And she’ll come in twice a month and we have the Girl Scouts come in and do crafts with them.”
The clients particularly enjoy fine arts, such as painting and crafting things such as birdhouses and masks, which are requested often by the patients.
“We do digital fine arts, mobile art, and then visual art for those that
have disabilities,” Przybylski said. “So there’s three nonprofits in the building, in the center, that devote themselves to what I call the ‘creative aspects.’”
Involving creativity in programs is very prominent at AGE. Along with the daily crafting activities like collages and making jewelry, there are multiple non-profits working to make sure the patients are involved in art as much as possible. These programs focus on
“So the building itself
is, its goal and they try to
stay true to that
Photo by Sarah Edgar
This statue was donated by the family of a patient about 2 years ago.
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”
making sure the clients are able to create art without worrying about simple physical aspects that might be out of their ability, like being able to reach their canvas, or having the right size paintbrush or other tool.
Physical art, like painting and drawing, is not the only way creativity is used at AGE. In the computer lab educates clients not only on basic computer skills, but also on digital art and photography.
Photography is very popular, and the results are thoughtful, detailed images that each creator works on using the skills they learned from lessons in the computer lab.
The two programs work hand in hand to further benefit each other. As they learn more about the computer
programs to use, the more advanced their photography skills become.
“We teach creativity workshops that relate to your camera, to photography, to fine arts,” Przybylski said. “But it is
all done digitally.”
Though they might not be able
to physically take the pictures themselves, the patients at AGE use the skills they have learned in the computer classes taken in the lab to edit their images captured from farmiliar places to them.
Most of the final products feature places like the AGE building, their homes or other local locations. The garden behind the AGE building gives them an opportunity to capture nature, and the building’s antique design appears often in the pictures.
Each final product is totally different, though they are usually captured in the same environment. They all bring different experiences to them, making them all unique pieces.
“The Creative aspect is very prominent to AGE. Along with the daily crafting
“We have 120 students
a month, and the
average age is 70, and
we actually exhibit in
galleries
Photo by Sarah Edgar
These benches were donated to AGE. The clients spend time in this area of the garden during the spring and fall. This section of the garden is not tended to by stewards, but
by employees. This area is locatede by the front entrance to AGE and projects a friendly atmisphere to incoming clients
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activities like collages and making jewelry,” Przybylski said. “There are multiple non-profits working to make sure the patients are involved in art as much as possible. These programs focus on making sure the clients are able to make art without worrying about simple physical things that might be out of their reach, because of their disability.”
AGE has received feedback from the patient’s families saying they see improved results in their relative’s health since they joined the program. They have told employees like Roberta that their family members look forward to interacting with these programs and they are healthier and happier than before.
“They love it,” Hoffman said. “They love being creative.”
AGE of Central Texas has helped elderly people for over a hundred years. Its cause lives on through every generation, and with every generation volunteers help it grow. AGE is an organization that inspires other people to help the elderly, from artists to students.
The attention that creative programs bring has allowed the organization
AGE was founded in the early 1800s, and these bluebonnets have bloomed every spring since. The residents particularly enjoy these flowers because of their ties to Texas
This area of AGE’s garden is popular by the patients and has been featureed in an advertizement for AGE
Photo by Sarah Edgar
Photo by Sarah Edgar
to grow. Previously the number of people in the computer lab has grown. Last year the amount of customers per month was around fifty, but has grown to over twice its previous size. Currently they serve four to five hundred new clients a year and the publicity about AGE and their interest in the arts only expands with the new interest in the programs.
“We have 120 students a month,”
Przybylski said. “and the average age is 70, and we actually exhibit in galleries”
As AGE has grown, it has added departments to benefit different diseases or issues one might encounter as they get older. Currently the newest addition is a cneter for brain fitness, not however for memory loss. Clients may go to the brain fitness center to keep their brains active, with activities like reading and writing instead of only doing art and watching television. The center keeps the patients learning and on top of their mental game.
The value of the patients learning in the fitness center is greater than it may seem. Having their brain active improves overall health and can even aid in the aritistic products created by the clients. Their health is noted by their families.
The combination of education and creativty is a powerful recipe for their success in aiding the clients.
“Every person who went into the building as a renter,”Przybylski said “had to do with older people, or seniors”
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A fun bonding experince for the entire family
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