Printable Christmas Gift tags

It's middle of December now, and probably, all Christmas gifts are ready. So what about a small finish touch to make them perfect? :) I'm talking about gift tags that will be nice element of embellishment...

Free cross stitch design for Christmas

December has began, and it means that it's time to get ready for Christmas holiday season. People a rushing for Christmas gifts, decorations, and other essential for this holiday things. But not all prefer something from stores. A lot of people make all those things by their hands :) One of my friends Tatyana from AGardenCottage on Etsy is a real crafty lady. She crafts almost everything in her house :) And today, I 'd like to show a cross stitch Christmas tree ornament that she made... and share the free cross stitch pattern :)

Christmas gift exchange

Do you like to receive gifts? :) Well... who doesn't... It's third time in Russian team on Etsy when we have Secret Santa gift exchange. Initially, it was Albina's idea to play that game, and this year, it's third time we are playing the game.

Every time it's a little bit challenging for me. :) What to gift? What the person like? How my gift would suit the addressee life style? Also, I'd like to gift something hand made to share a piece of my warmth.

This year, I'm a secret Santa for one lady, and I'm not sharing her name. :) It'll be surprise for her. I made two small gifts for her: a calendar and a necklace. Well... Ladies like jewelry, and I hope that this part of the gift will fit her lifestyle :). I made it of pearls and clear crystals, that's why it should be OK with any outfit because I don't know her preferences in colors.

Thanksgiving printable placement cards collage

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? :) Probably, you already have in mind what are you going to cook for the feast. More likely, you already have home and table decoration... And would you like to have something small as final touch on your holiday table? :) Let me share cute placement cards that will be great for Thanksgiving or just fall-themed party.

Halloween printable tags for wine glasses

Halloween is on its way, and there is a time to think about home decoration, candies, and other essentials things that makes the holiday the way it should be :)

If you are going to have a party in your home, you'll definitely need to decorate a table with decors that fit the theme of Halloween. And I believe it's exciting to make some decors with your own hands :) So... let me share something today... It's wine glass tags... or paper charms :) They are especially perfect for standing dinner where people moving around socializing and can forget where they put their glasses. Having the tags will help them do not loose their wine glasses :)

Artistic tea sets by Yury Tarler

Unfortunately, I haven't met Yury Tarler in person, but I know him virtually as a member of Russian team on Etsy.


Looking at Yury's art works in his Etsy shop, I always knew he is a talented artist. But I was impressed after reading this article on Russian team blog. Yury had painted many portraits of famous people like Pope John Paul II, Nelson Rockefeller, and others.

Free digital collage - July 4-th

If you are looking for some inexpensive gifts for July 4-th, why don't make them on your own?

Napa trip with friends

Have you ever been in Napa? :) In this gorgeous wine country in California... I've been there several times but this time, I guess, was the special one. Why?..

Berry muffins recipe

Look at the yummy muffin! :) You can bake them with any berries you want: blubbery, cranberry, raisins... they are all will be good!


For the recipe, we will need:
2 cups (1 up is 240 ml) of all purpose flour
2/3 cup of sugar
2 tea spoon of backing powder
1 cup of fat reduced sour cream (I used fat free Greek style yogurt)
1/4 cup of canola oil (or any other oil with no scent)
1 egg
1 tea spoon of vanilla extract
2 cups of butter milk or kefir

Resins, walnuts, cranberries... 1/2 cup of each. You can use or just resins, or nuts, etc. I like to mix all of them. Also, 1 cup of blueberries will be fine. Well... any your favorite berries :) Around 1 - 1 1/2 cups...


Preheat oven to 390 F (200 C)

Mix in a bowl flour, sugar, and backing powder


In separate bowl, mix sour cream, oil, egg,and vanilla. Mix them until smooth.

Add dry ingredients to the batter and mix well. The mixture will be dry. So mix in butter milk or kefir little by little. The finish mixture should be thick but liquid. If it's too thick, just add more butter milk. Add berries and nuts.


Spray or brush muffins caps with oil and place them in muffin pan.


Spoon the batter in the caps. Fill around 2/3 of a cap.


Put the muffin pan in the oven and bake the muffins until golden brown. Try them with wooden tooth pic. Depends on oven, it may take 20-30 minutes.


Enjoy your muffins! :)

Spring note cards exchange

Did you know that March 8 is an International woman day? :) Probably not... or maybe had heard about it but forgot?... :)

In Russia and other post-Soviet countries, the day is a real holiday. We don't celebrate some socialist ideas... we just celebrate a Woman's day. All woman and girls get flowers... a lot of flowers and gifts. :) For us, this is a celebration of spring.


I'm a member of Etsy Russian team on Etsy, and we had note card exchange for the holiday. So... recently I got all of the cards that I supposed to receive... What amazed me, they are mostly hand made... Well, why I'm amazed... we are crafters! That's what we do! :)

So this gorgeous photo note card from Tonya (TonyaUtkina)


This amazing hand cross stitched note card from Natasha (Skrynka)



And this great note card from Tanya (SocksAndMittens)

Also, I got extra one from Mariya (LovelyTrifles) :) Mariya missed the gift exchange, and she was upset about it. To make her happy, we just sent to each other note cards...


Girls, they are amazing! :) Thank you very much!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I wish you a lot of luck! :)

I always love the idea to take a greeting image (digital or printed note card ) on my own. I like to challenge myself especially with occasions like Patrick's day because not much attributes I can find around in my home :) So... in this case, it's shamrock (or something looks like it... I really don't know) from my backyard and a mug of beer (which was consumed by my husband later :)... He was happy... )

Hope you like the idea I came up with :)

How to solve a problem with printing digital collages

I've noticed that my customers some times have difficulties with printing digital collages in JPG format. If you are facing the problem (usually, it's wrong size of the clip art images), please contact me to get your collages in PDF format.

I'd like to explain the way how clip arts may be printed from PDF file. This method usually works with no problem.

The steps and screen shots are for Windows operated computer.

First of all, PDF reader is needed. Please, navigate to Adobe website, download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader. This is free software, so you don't need any license. Run it.

Click on an image to get larger view. Go to File -> Open. Choose a file in popped up window and confirm.


After file with digital collage is open, go to File -> Print


Set scale as None or as Fit to printable area. Please, try both setting and choose which one fits your needs.


In most cases, this scenario works. But if it doesn't, please contact me!

Jewelry product photography. Albina's creations

Albina is my fellow team mate in Russians on Etsy team. Recently, she asked me to work on good pictures of her jewelries. You know why... her article is going to be issued in a magazine! I was excited to get this challenge - to take really good looking pictures for the magazine. :)


I hope I fulfilled the order :) Also, just a little secret... I'm really proud of myself because I really improved my skills in product photography. If you'd look at my first pictures, gosh... they are really unacceptable :( I know, that I need practice more and more to get them better, but I feel that I've made pretty much big step in this field :)


Look at the gorgeous jewelries! Albina is a great wire sculpture artist. Her creations are really unique.


Honestly, I'm not a big fan of copper jewelries. I prefer silver or gold, but these one make me to think about my preferences. :)



I wish I could make something like this... *sigh*

Russian style apple pie recipe

This apple pie is quite popular in Russia. It's really easy to make, and the taste is delicious. :)


For 8 inch round baking form, you will need:
1 cup of sugar,
1 cup of all purpose flour,
3 large eggs,
1 tea spoon of backing powder,
1 table spoon of vanilla,
3 large granny smith apples,
1 cup of walnut pieces (optional)


Put in a big bowl eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Mix with hand mixer until the mixture become foamy and pale yellow . Sugar should be almost dissolved.


Add there flour and backing powder. Mix it again until the butter is smooth.


Wash the apples, cut them into big chunks removing apple hearts.


Place the apple chunks in the batter, add walnuts pieces (optional), and mix the mixture with spoon or silicone spatula until all apples are covered with the butter.


Spray a little bit of vegetable oil on 8 inch backing dish and sprinkle flour. I usually use backing spray with flour. :) Put the mixture in the form, and bake it in oven heated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. It usually takes 40 minutes, but it really depends on an oven. I just try it with wooden toothpick... I prick the pie, and if the toothpick comes out clean, the pie is ready.

Enjoy and Bon Appétit!

How to Make Glass Tile Pendant

Look at this pretty glass tile pendant! Do you think it's difficult to make? :) No! It's easy as 1-2-3! :)


First of all, you need an image. If you'd like to make a pendant with hearts, you can download free digital collage which I'm happy to share.


The collage sheet is 4x6 inches, 300 dpi. It can be download there. If the link doesn't work, please leave a comment and I'll fix it. Please, don't forget to come back and download it. :) Print it on heavy paper (80-100 lb) on laser printer.

NOTE: Please keep in mind, that the collage sheet can not be sold as a collage in digital or printed form.

To make the pendant, you will need an image, settings for glass tile, glaze, and super glue (I prefer gel super glue).



I usually buy supplies in SunAndMoonKits shop on Etsy. Gina who runs the shop is very nice and responsive. She always open for custom quantity of items. :) If you are planning to make just 1-2 pendants, you probably will need just sample size of glaze - not the big bottle.

So... lets make the pendant :)

First, cut of an image.


Then, apply a little bit of glaze on the back side of the glass tile. Well... maybe not a little bit but more :) So it shouldn't be a very thin layer.


Spread it evenly without air bubbles inside. Place the image with face side on the glaze and gently press it from center to the edges. Be sure, that there is no airy spots between glaze and paper. Also, paper should slide on the glaze when you touch it. It means that right amount of glaze applied. Be sure that edges of the paper are also with no air between glaze and the image.

Set aside the glass tile for a couple of hours while the glaze become firm. Then, just trim extra paper on the sides and remove extra glaze from the glass.


Put a little bit of super glue in the setting.


And place the glass tile with paper side down.


And your pendant is ready :)

If you'd like to make a personalized pendant, you can look in my blog for other free graphics , and also please have a look at my GraphicLand shop on Etsy for affordable great digital collages.

Enjoy! :)

Necklace made of wool???

I'm kinda classy girl... :) especially, if it's about jewelries. I always thought that jewelry should be made out of some firm materials: gemstones, glass beads, or plastic... But I've never thought it can be made of fabrics or wool... Well... I was wrong :)

Look at this great hand made felted necklace by Tonya Utkina.

I'm really surprised how gorgeous a felted necklace can be. Tonya, great job! ... and shame on me :) I need to be more open to new hand made ideas :)

Spring is on its way

It's still February, but trees are blooming in Northern California... Well... not everywhere, but at least in my place :)


I like to walk around and smell plum and almond flowers. This tart but yet sweet aroma really means for me that spring is coming. Also, I like the blooming flowers because they really well come out on pictures. It's pretty much difficult to take a good picture of them because they are very light and tender. But on the other hands, this challenge is good for me... I'm improving my skills :)

Also, this time I tried new style of photo editing - kinda cross processing. Well... I think it came not bad out for first time. :) What do you think?

You can find bigger size in my IrinaPhotography shop

Great offer for returning customers from GraphicLand shop

Hello!

Thank you for shopping in GraphicLand shop on Etsy or GraphicLand shop on Artfire. As appreciation for my customers, I'd like to offer

BUY THREE COLLAGES AND GET TWO FREE.

This offer is valid in 15 days after your purchase. Please don't buy all 5 collage sheets; buy just three and let me know numbers of two free ones in buyer's message. This offer is valid for your next order. The numbers of collages are in their titles. The offer is not valid for custom orders.

How it works...

If you are customer of GraphicLand on Etsy.
Go to Your Etsy. On the left, click Purchases link, and click the transaction link.

After transaction page is loaded, just copy the link

and place into buyer's note of your next purchase with number of bonus collages

If you are a customer of GraphicLand shop on Artfire (or my customer on some other market place... who knows... maybe, I'll open more stores :) ), you just go to your PayPal, find the last transaction, and let me know the number of the transaction with numbers of bonus collages.

Enjoy your 2 collages for free!

Warm things

Spring? No... ;) In my place it's still winter. I mean, it's winter as much as it can be in California. Days are warm, but night time... it's freezing! ;) Especially, my hands got cold... they are even shivering... Maybe, I need to have something warm? :)

I love the idea of wearing mittens. Hands are covered, but fingers are open, and I still can operate with them with no troubles. I really like these red hand made mittens that I found on Tanya's SocksAndMittens blog. They look warm and cozy, and yet elegant. ;) And I know... the mittens are made by Tanya's mom with love going from her heart! :)


They are gorgeous, aren't they? :)

So... my hands are completely frozen... I'm going to ask her to make me custom mittens for my poor hands. :)