Do You Moo?

It's a funny name, but they sure do offer an amazing product. Moo is a printing company that has teamed up with Etsy to offer business cards and MiniCards with images uploaded directly from your Etsy site. The possibilities are literally endless....Moo lets you print a box of cards with a different image on each card. I have found that this is an amazing way to remind customers who might pick up your card at a craft show who you are and what you make. In addition to the option of uploading your very own product photos they also offer a wide selection of funky and unique designs to choose from if you prefer not to use your own images. While I love the standard size business card the MiniCards draw a lot of attention due to their unique and super cute mini size. They can be used as price tags, jewelry display cards, hang tags, bookmarks, gift tags, thank you cards.....the list goes on and on! Moo also offers greeting cards, post cards, mini stickers and business card holders. Easily my favorite discovery of the year!

Written By: Lola Miren

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is!

Wardrobe Refashion is a community which has had an online presence since early 2006. Based in Melbourne, Australia, owner Nichola Prested started up the site after deciding to quit buying new manufactured clothing in a bid to do her part for the planet, save money and improve her sewing skills.

Participants of the blog pledge to abstain from the purchase of new manufactured clothing for the period of 2, 4, 6 months or LIFE. They pledge to refashion, renovate, and recycle preloved items with their own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium or make their own from scratch.

Those who fall off the wagon must confess on the blog by displaying a ‘Get out of Refashionista Jail FREE’ card.



This refashionista turned a thrift store tablecloth into a very cute skirt!

The Pledge:

I __________________ pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 2 / 4 / 6 months. I pledge that i shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovoted, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftiness brings! Signed__________________.

The Rules

1. No buying new! (handmade is excepted; So this allows for Etsy purchases etc!!) All clothing must be Recycled, Renovated, Preloved or Thrifted, or Handmade only for the term. Employment related and special needs clothing (ie sports, school), shoes and undies are excepted from the rules, although you are encouraged to have a go at making these.

2. In extreme circumstances, maybe a special event, or the worlds greatest and most amazing never to be repeated sale that you simply can not pass up, you may use the Get out of Refashionista Jail Free card. You are able to use this card once during the 2 month part of your contract; ie 1 for 2 months, 2 for 4 months etc. Of course you need to fess up on the blog and display the button!

3. You must post on the blog at least once a week to let the community know what you've been up to. This will not only give you brag points, but inspire and encorouge others! Of course you need to display the button on your blog and have copied the pledge in at least one post, and provide a link to your pledge under the button.

4. You need to be honest and admit when you've fallen off the Refashionista Wagon! Go directly to Refashionista Jail, do not pass GO and do not collect $200! Apply for parole once there.

Nichola is taking new members after June 15th. I'm joining---anyone with me?!

Sites to See - Indie Craft Fair Guide

I can't believe it, but it's time to start thinking about spring craft shows. (It feels like we just finished with the holiday shows!) Well, whether you're applying for shows or just looking to do some crafty shopping, check out the new Indie Craft Fair Guide!

Finally--New Improved Evites and Ecards

Evites and ecards are a convenient way to connect with friends (I mean, who knows anyone's street address anymore!) But the same old formulaic images and templates can get pretty boring. I was so excited to find out about Pingg, which is an evite/ecard site that brings an indie flavor.

Along with the usual holiday and occasion scenes and templates, Pingg offers "designer" images by established and emerging artists (who are also Etsy sellers), and they are a refreshing change from the usual fare.

I am crazy about this retro image by artist and Etsy seller Leigh.



Or how about this cute graphic by Ashley Mills?



Pingg users can send their ecards or evites via email, SMS, Twitter, or even post them on the web or make them printable. There's even a link to upload your card directly to your Facebook page so all your friends can know what you're up to.

I just made a card on Pingg for my soon-to-be-sister-in law, using a gorgeous image by Jess Gonacha.




Check it out!

Sites to See - BuyHandmade.org

Why buy handmade?

Buying Handmade makes for better gift-giving.

The giver of a handmade gift has avoided the parking lots and long lines of the big chain stores in favor of something more meaningful. If the giver has purchased the gift, s/he feels the satisfaction of supporting an artist or crafter directly. The recipient of the handmade gift receives something that is one-of-a-kind, and made with care and attention that can
be seen and touched. It is the result of skill and craftsmanship that is absent in the world of large-scale manufacturing.

Buying handmade is better for people.

The ascendancy of chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us dressing, furnishing, and decorating alike. We are encouraged to be consumers, not producers, of our own culture. Our ties to the local and human sources of our goods have been lost. Buying handmade helps us reconnect.

Buying handmade is better for the environment.

The accumulating environmental effects of mass production are a major cause of global warming and the poisoning of our air, water and soil. Every item you make or purchase from a small-scale independent artist or crafter strikes a small blow to the forces of mass production.

Spend your money thoughtfully. Choose to buy handmade this year. Take the pledge here.

Must-See Sites - COLOURlovers

If you are a graphic designer, fashion designer, or anyone who works with color, COLOURlovers is a site you should know about. I personally haven't tapped all of the resources available on this huge site, but if I ever need a color wake-up, this is the first place I'll go.

COLOURlovers™ is a resource that monitors and influences color trends. COLOURlovers gives the people who use color - whether for ad campaigns, product design, or even in architectural specification - a place to check out a world of color, compare color palettes, submit news and comments, and read color related articles and interviews.

The COLOURlovers™ community is regularly updated with information and examples of the way colors are used in the real world -- along with news articles on color trends and interviews with top creative professionals. Here everyone who is interested in the practical applications of color can find an index of color trends as they are happening. Together, they create a color trend index for the entire world provided by users of color worldwide. It's a tool designers and artists of all kinds use to work with colors in new ways and quickly find out what's hot and what's not. This site allows anyone to find their inspiration for color by searching, sorting and filtering through keywords to a color scheme that interests them... or create and share your own!

I generally don't need this kind of inspiration for my own work, as I enjoy the experimenting a bit too much. But to think of the time it would save me when deciding what color to paint my living room? Now that, I love.