Month: June 2016

magazines

Are Newsletters useful?

uniquelyyourscards

Dear Fellow Crafters,

Before Pinterest and Facebook came along, there were newsletters and blogs. Most craft magazines offered subscriptions to their newsletters and still do. I subscribe to several myself. It is easy to enroll. You just use your email address and specify when you want to receive the content (immediately, weekly or monthly).

It’s interesting to see what people like to read and how many newsletters there are on the web. One day, just out of curiosity, I typed in “Craft newsletters’ on the search line of my browser and behold over 3,240,000 results popped up!

I like to view newsletters for much of the same reasons why I like Pinterest. Techniques, tips and galleries are all found in newsletters. Depending on the theme, you can find a magazine, newsletter or blog that will enhance your particular hobby.

Here are some favorite newsletters that I subscribe to:

Mod Podge Rocks

Betty Crocker

Country Chic Cottage

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Cardmaker

Hero Arts

 

‘Til next time,

~Sallie

Perspectives

Why I “love” Pinterest

uniquelyyourscards1 Comment

Dear Fellow Crafters,

If you’re a crafter, you know about Pinterest. Launched in 2010, this social networking site is a visual bulletin board that connects people from all over the world. The “pins” or visual pictures allow you to share the interesting, beautiful, and inspiring things you find on the web. Remember when you had a binder full of magazine articles or card making ideas that you hauled down from its shelf every time you either needed inspiration or found another article? Well, Pinterest is like your binder only digital.

Say you’re surfing the web one night and you see a great idea or recipe. If there is a “P” icon at the bottom of the page you can “pin it” to your pin board (virtual scrapbook). It’s easy to categorize and organize your various interests by creating specialized boards. You can also follow your friend’s boards and/or re-pin some one else’s pins.   While some people are “browsers”, some people spend hours searching for ideas, recipes, home décor, quotes, virtually anything they enjoy.

An article written by David Pogue entitled “A Scrapbook on the web catches fire” was published in the New York Times in February 2012. The author wrote the following: “Pinterest is personal. You create Pinterest boards for your own use; your own memory-jogging; your own inspiration.”

Pinterest users (and yes, I’m a user) share some of the following: pictures, books read, recipes, motivational quotes, home décor ideas, craft room suggestions, places, resturants, shops, wedding plans, tutorials, craft projects, Christmas ornaments, clothes, humor, causes, and social sites.

Pinterest introduced “Buyable Pins” last year. It’s an easy way to buy a product without leaving a site. A blue pin means the product is buyable. If you are a vendor, Pinterest does not charge a fee like Etsy and you are in charge of shipping and handling.

I strongly recommend that you research Pinterest before you sign up and start creating your boards. There are many books on the market that explain Pinterest and help the reader with step by step instructions.

I personally use Pinterest to garner ideas for my Uniquely Yours Cards business and my 2 blogs. I also use the site for personal inspiration. You can find my cards on lovesstamps

Used wisely, Pinterest can help you find your next project, vacation site, or solve the age-old question “what’s for dinner?” Be careful though, hours can slip away from you and the time you set aside for “me time” (see previous post “Finding Time to Craft” ) will be spent surfing instead. Set a timer so you don’t get sucked in!

‘Til next time,

~Sallie

P.S. Coincidently, while writing this post, one of the newsletters I subscribe to Real as the Streets, published a post you should check it out!