Creating Watermarked Images Using Freeware

Awhile ago, I promised a tutorial on how to easily create watermarked images for your Etsy or other indie shop or website. It has taken me awhile to create a thorough instructional guide and I hope this helps you. If you have questions or I missed something important that you find you need or want to know, please write me a comment here and I will find the information and post it as soon as possible. Happy Sunday!

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How to Watermark Images Using FreeWare
[click here to download tutorial]

How to Create A Quilt From Ready Made Blankets

I was visiting the MixxMade forums this morning and responded to a request for help on how to turn to "ready made" blankets into a quilt. Here is my answer. I figured if one person is asking, others might want an answer as well .

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Wash and dry the 2 new fleece or other fabric blankets. Do so to make sure you're not going to go to all this work and have them fall apart on you. It will also take care of any shrinkage so make sure you dry them as you will once the quilt is made.

You can use batting or not depending on how "fluffy" you want the quilt to be and the type(s) of blankets being used. If so, layer as follows:

1. Top right side up
2. Batting
3. Back right side down

Pin around 3 sides leaving one of the sides open (leave the shortest side open). Stitch around all 3 sides pinned (seam allowance will depend on what measurements you want the completed item to be). Trim the edges. I find with fabics this thick it helps to stagger the width of the seam allowance which means trimming each layer's selvage separately. Clip the corners diagonally but first double stitch the corners. Turn the quilt, ironing the seams if necessary. I find it also is good to iron the entire quilt to flatten to tie. Just be careful to not stretch the fabric. Steam and lift the iron to move rather than sliding it. Turn in the edges of the open end, press, pin and sew closed either by hand on or by machine.

Finally find some colorful colorfast yard and using a yarn needle, tie the quilt using double square knots in several places to secure the batting and fabric together. You can create a design or follow the design on the quilt top. YouTube has several how to videos available to walk you through other types of knots and more specifics on how to hand tie a quilt. Voila!! You have a new quilt!!

Have a great Wednesday!
Hugs,
Diane

dpeagreendesigns.etsy.com
dpeagreendesigns.blogspot.com

A Heartfelt Thank You for Featuring My Design

I recently joined MixxMade, a new indie community for all of us who handcraft and either sell our wares or like to share how to and what we create with others. One of my first "friends" is pepper2 who has 2 shops of handmade at Etsy (aka Kathy). She complimented me on my cross-stitch designs and we began a discussion and a new friendship writing back and forth about how I might be of help and what I would need to create using my existing Chinese symbols to allow non-cross stitchers to use them for embroidery and other interesting projects.

There was a lot of hit and miss on my part. As wonderful as this electronic way of communication, there are limitations at times that nothing like a face to face and being able to share first hand in real life can compare. Even so, I continued to edit and change and send samples to Kathy for her review and critique. I finally got it, I think, and yesterday Kathy posted a blog with a photo of the embroidery project she is working on using the freedom digital stamp I created just for her. A different style is available in my Etsy shop.

I hope you enjoy this article from Pepper's Lunch Hour Creations and Improvisations and will also peruse and read others and subscribe! You can also see a preview of her Etsy shops offerings and I hope you visit and spend some time enjoying her work.

New Affiliation -- Beautiful & Unique Photographic Blank Greeting Cards

I'm still not working at my day job and waiting to see a spine specialist for consultation and evaluation. I know what my MRI showed and things don't look good for me working at a desk for long periods of time again. So this is being put together a few minutes at a time. One has to keep busy either mentally or physically to stay calm and in the present -- at least that's what I have to do .

In speaking with my dear friend and mentor, Darla Woodworth, the other day, we began talking about her camera and computer work and the beautiful and unique greeting cards she created a few years ago. I've been honored to receive a set as a thank you in the past and am too selfish to send any of them to someone else. Darla used to have a website of her own but demands of work and life in general took their toll, as they often do for all of us and she eventually pulled the site.

I asked her if she had any of the greeting cards left. She laughed and said "scads!" So I asked her about allowing me to list them in my Etsy shop and share them with others. We discussed it a bit and came to an agreement and ... ta da!!! ... today I've listed the four different sets she offers, shipping included in the price!



So, in the spirit of self-promotion, I hope you will go take a look and let me know what you think (by a comment here, a convo on Etsy or an email to me at dpeagreendesigns at gmail dot com). As well, if you can't resist or immediately think of someone who would love a set, either point them here or maybe it's time to buy a gift .

I Tweeted last week about free software with a link to how to use it to watermark photos and graphics before uploading. The online guide I found is missing some of the steps and I am still working on creating one of my own to share. I'm also having to take my time with this but I haven't forgotten it and will have it posted soon.

Thanks for visiting and reading. If you're praying person, please put me on your list. I need all the strength, patience and peace I can glean about now. Have a great Tuesday!

Much love,
Diane
http://dpeagreendesigns.etsy.com
http://dpeagreendesigns.blogspot.com

Sharing -- Article about Social Networking & How It Can Help Your Small Business

I'm still pretty much out of commission for now. I can't sit for long enough periods of time to write a decent length blog without too much pain. I had an MRI earlier this week and the results are lumbar disc degenerative disease and arthritis. My doctor is referring me to a spine specialist. Thank goodness for successful children. My son is setting up a wireless network for me and bringing me a laptop. Once I figure out if I can type and lay down at the same time, I will get back to regular blogging .

While reading I found this article in Costco Connection about social networking sites and how to use them for marketing during these tough economic times. I use Twitter and am planning setting up a FaceBook fan page. While this article is not an "in depth" study, it does discuss a lot of sites I have yet to explore. I hope you find something here of value to help you keep your business not only afloat, but successful, until the tides once again turn.

Look Inside >>  June 2009