Wrapping Up Crafty April Website Launch with my Birthday Party!

"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why" - Mark Twain

I'm so excited to celebrate my birthday with all of you!

Mark Twain's quote describes my personal journey so well. The day I realized what I was meant to do here, in this life was truly important. Finding out that I can make people happy with art and inspiration was an uplifting Revelation I took very seriously. I feel so lucky and blessed I can share my inspiration with you and get so much love in return.

The greatest gift I can receive on my birthday is giving a gift to you!

One of you will receive a surprise goodie bag full of crafty goodness!

All you need to do is write me a birthday wish in the comments. 

I'll pick a random name and the winner will be announced on May 3rd.

Let's wrap this amazing Crafty April Website Launch with a bang!!

Website Trivia Answers

How fun was this game right? i almost played it myself :)

Here are all the website trivia answers:

How many social media buttons are on my home page?
There are 8 buttons: Facebook, Google+, Youtube, Pinterest, Etsy (which isnot exactly social media), Instagram, Flickr and Twiter.

What is my new professional name?
My new professional name is: Einat Kessler Creative Professional. When I thought on a new name I had lots of ideas but liked no one. A fellow designer Gen Goode suggested this name and it was a perfect fit! Thanks Gen.

What is the first question on the FAQ
The first question is: How do I subscribe to your blog?

What is your favorite product from the list of my favorite products?
That was an easy question...all answers are correct!

What is written on the blinkie in "spread the word"?
The blinkie reads: einat kessler Creative professional, Find your Inspiration.
Please grab it for your FB, blog or website :)

How many metal embellishments can you spot on the website's header?
That was a trick question...I admit. there are 7 metal embellishments: 2 washers, 1 metal piece under the header and 2 staples on each side.

What are the two major things we can do to save our money and still enjoy crafting?
1. Shop for crafting supplies in our own stash!
2. Find more affordable ways to buy supplies or get them IF we really need them!

What are the signature colors of the new website?
There are three main colors: teal, orange & brown

How many designers share tips are on the Frugal Crafting post?
There are 7 designers who contributed tips to the Frugal crafting post

What is the name of my new Etsy shop?My new Etsy shop is called: Cogwheels & Curls.

Which online class is coming soon?

The new online class which will be coming soon th the website is: Creating 101: Steampunk

The winner who answered ALL questions correctly will win a Unity Stamp set and will be announced on May 3rd!

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

NEW!! 3, 2, 1 Craft Recipe!

New Saturday MIXTRAVAGANZA series: 3, 2, 1 CRAFT RECIPE!!

We all want to maximize the supplies we have but sometimes we are lost as to how to do it. I'm here to help you with a new but familiar way: a recipe! When you want to use your kitchen supplies or create something yummy you look for an easy recipe right? Well...this is the same! An easy recipe to create a project with your supplies. Each craft recipe will have the 3, 2, 1 system so it'll be easy to remember and follow!
This recipe is:
3 Chipboard covering techniques
2 Colors
1 photo layout
How fun is that??

let's get cooking!!

Unlike some of my projects this is a rather minimalist project. Not too many layers or embellishments on the page. Sometimes we want to get ahead with scrapping our photos and we don't have a lot of time to invest in a complicated layout. So this one is fast!

3 Chipboard Techniques
I used three different techniques to cover a chipboard: painting with gesso, inking and embossing, three well known and used techniques. Here are a few tips:
* Painting with gesso has multiple effects like giving texture, sealing the chipboard and covering it with a color. If you want the chipboard to remain in the original color use clear gesso.
* When inking chipboard make sure to use pigment ink for a better color and less absorption.
* Emboss with different powder thickness and partial coverage. That will give you great effects and diversity.

2 Colors
This layout is about two brothers which are two opposites, so I used two colors which are striking but neutral at the same time: black and white. They also match the colors in the photo beautifully and give the layout the minimalist look I was going for.

1 Photo
I usually like to use more than one photo because if I'm scrappin' I might as well use as many photos as possible right? However this is such a great photo that says so much i didn't want to cloud it with more photos. Sometimes using only one photo can be intimidating because a lot of the page stays empty. don't be afraid of that this is what we call blank space and it's a good thing! It helps the eye focus on what's important.

Check out the step by step video for all the deets of how to create this recipe!

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Have fun creating! 

How it all began: My story

Everybody has a story about how it all began. That moment when they started crafting and set in motion a lifetime of fun and creativity. Today I want to share my story. It is a very personal and even emotional story for me because it is connected to some of my favorite people in the world. If you want the short version you can read it on my ABOUT page in the new website, but if you want a glimpse to where I'm coming from keep reading.

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." - Roald Dahl

It all started when I was a small girl, about six years old I was sitting in my grandparents living room with a huge scrapbook on my knees looking through the photos of faraway places my grandparents visited. As a master bookbinder, my grandfather built a nee scrapbook from scratch for every trip he and my grandma took. After the book was ready he filled it with photos, postcards, images he cut from magazines, tickets and lots more. I thought it was pure magic.

Years later when my first son was born my grandfather suggested I create a scrapbook for him. This was the first scrapbook I created. In those days there were no scrapbooking supplies in the stores here I had to be creative and create everything from scratch. One day while online I searched the word scrapbooking and BAM!! A whole new world just gushed into my life! I was completely hooked!

"What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from." - T. S. Eliot

I loved this hobby. Little did I know it was about to change my life and save me...literally. When my son was 4 years old he was diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). I was devastated. Not only because all my dreams for him shattered, only to be replaces with endless worrying and questions, but because I knew I had to quit my job and change my life. At that time I was working as a public servant and I knew how my life were going to look for the next 20 years or so. My job required living in other countries for long periods and I knew this is something I couldn't do with an autistic child who needs stability and continuation. I was lost. my life turned upside down. I didn't know what to do...

"Whisper words of wisdom, let it be." - The Beatles

I don't know how or why, some will say it was God others will say the universe, but something whispered softly "you are an artist your job in this world is to make people happy with your art". Suddenly everything clicked. I knew where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. I wanted to start my own creative business. My supportive husband backed me up every step of the way and I started on my way.

"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

I started with designing custom scrapbooks for people's weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, Anniversaries etc. it gave me so much joy to see their faces light up when they looked through the pages. Just like my face all those years ago on my grandparents' carpet. Slowly I branched out to other creative adventures like teaching. A few years ago I decided to go global and joined CHA as a designer member. I started venturing into working with manufacturers, applying for design teams, contributing to websites and getting paid in dollars...

"Things do not happen. Things are made to happen." - John F. Kennedy

I think most of you know the rest of the story. You were there when I started my blog, opened my facebook page and started my Youtube channel. In hindsight I know that creating saved me. it gave me a sense of purpose, a direction and a profession. It gave me strength and an outlet to face all the hardships of being a mother to a special needs child and it gave joy...so much joy. I know now this is what I was meant to do, this is my calling in life, this is the path I'm supposed to walk on. My story is a living proof that God works in mysterious ways and that everything happens for a reason even if we can't see it at first. If you just listen and trust your instincts you will find your way.

Thanks for reading...

Have fun creating! 

  

My Journey to a Website

A new website is like a new baby. Not as strenuous on the body but definitely a process, a journey. I wanted to share a few milestones in this journey with you.

Inception
A website might not seem necessary when you have a blog. After all you can show your projects and tutorials on the blog, share your DT work, have giveaways and contests. It is your virtual online home that you can edit, design and build any way you can. Well...it's all true, but I felt I needed more. I needed a bigger home if you will...
I wanted a hub for all my creative adventures and a blog was not enough anymore. A website was the logical leap forward and it seemed rather easy or is it?

Doubts
My new hub was supposed to host a few new endeavours which I knew I wanted to start but for some reason dragged my feet. The main thing I wanted to start were online classes. I knew people liked my Youtube tutorials and told me I was doing a good job. I also had experience in teaching classes both in Hebrew and English, but somehow online classes seemed much more complicated. I had two major dilemmas what to teach and where to teach.

Another doubt was how to find someone to create that website for me. A person that would accept my perfectionism and will be patient with me. Someone who will be willing to change things...a lot! Oh...and someone who knows how to build a google friendly website with a back office system I could understand. Just thinking about all this scared me...

A little Faith
One day I simply boiled it down to one question...Do you want to grow or stay where you are? Once I knew the answer I decided to break down this ginormous task to small steps. I opened my excel and created a table. Each task was broken down to small steps and were arranged in the order they needed to be done. I knew I would need to work on all my tasks simultaneously. But my biggest weapon was believing in myself. Once I felt i could do it, I knew nothing will stop me. I also decided not to stress about the time...it will take as long as it takes!

Multitasking
I had main tasks: Building the website, finding where to host my classes, write the classes, prepare content for the website and plan a launch (which came much later).
Fortunately I found an amazing lady who is not only a website designer but an artist herself, so I was confident she was no stranger to perfectionism... We changed the website a lot...but she never once told me she couldn't do something. Thank you Michal!
Finding where to host my classes needed a little research. I finally decided how I wanted my classes to look and what they would offer which led me to the solution of Google sites. Now I had to figure out how to build a classroom, a forum and to enroll the students to the different classes. Again here I was fortunate to find an amazing lady who took me through all of it. Thanks Jeri Parks.
Creating online classes was a lot of work! Once I decided what to teach I had to write the content, create PDF files, film and edit videos, take photos, build a classroom, upload everything... This took a long time because I had to do that while doing all my DT work, Designing for companies and making a living...

The Final Step
When most of the content was ready and the website was on the air I started planning the launch. I wrote 30 blog posts!! one for each day of the launch month as well as a few anchor articles. I wrote all the pages of the website like the about, a page for the online classes and for each class separately. I designed all the blinkies and buttons as well took all the photos for the classes and posts.
Then I planned a month long schedule on my blog, facebook and other social sites. Thank god for programs which allow you to schedule posts in advance!

Time was passing quickly...
April 1st came quickly, but I was ready!
The website was born!
I want to thank you all for your support and love. You gave me a lot of strength with all the encouraging words, compliments and virtual hugs. I know I couldn't have done all this without all of you having my back out there!

So...Have fun creating!

 

Maximize Your Supplies - One Paper magic!

Creativity is magic! I think we can agree on that right?
But does this magic have to be packed with many supplies and embellishments?
Is creativity a direct result of how much stuff you use or how much money you spend?
let's challenge ourselves to create with less!
I say that we can create magic with ONE sheet of paper! Who's with me?

One Sheet of Paper Interactive Mini Album

Start with a 12x12 cardstock. I used a black one and covered it later but you can use a patterned double sided cardstock and then you can skip the covering part. Score it on the 4" and 8" marks, turn it a quarter of a turn and score again.

Continue according to the items:
First cut along all the lines (that are not dotted) and then fold:
A: fold top center to the right. apply adhesive to top and bottom edges of right square and attach to create a pocket.
B: fold down.
C: fold top left square down. Apply adhesive to right and bottom edges of center left square and attach to create a pocket. fold under center square.
D: fold to the right.
E: fold bottom right square to the left.
F: fold edge of square to the right on 1" mark. apply adhesive to flaps to create two pockets.
G: fold bottom left square to the right.
Fold up to close.

I'm Grateful Mini Envelope Box

A fun easy project you can create from only one sheet of paper to hold cards, notes or small photos. Just trace a bubble gum box and cut a double sided cardstock. Fold the same way and embellish!

flap mini album

Create a small but sturdy mini album that can fit in a purse or a bag. A few cuts and folds and a surprising binding are all the secrets you would need to know to create this project.

Use a double sided cardstock and a Bind-it-All to create the album's pages and the flaps. Check out the full photo tutorial here.

Folded mini album

Create a beautiful mini album by folding a 12X12 cardstock in different directions. Add a few embellishments and photos. Find the full tutorial here.

Three cards - One Paper

Create three different embellished cards from only one 12x12 double sided cardstock! Find out how far you can stretch one page and what embellishments can you create from just a piece of paper!

 

Go dig in your stash and find papers you can play with and create one sheet of paper projects!

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Have fun creating!

 

No Sew Fabric Mini Album

I love creating mini albums but not always use paper. I try to challenge myself to try new materials and see what kind of mini albums they would make. Today I played with fabric. And the best thing is that this mini album doesn't need any sewing at all. So if you don't have a sewing machine or don't know how to sew you can still create this mini album! All you need is some ink, acrylic paint and stamping objects to create this fun project! I'm sure there are some fabric pieces in your stash you can play with...right?

For this mini album you can use any type of cotton fabric or cheesecloth. It needs to be flexible and thin enough to be folded and its texture needs to be the kind you can paint on because it will be covered with gesso to prime it. felt, for example will not work here. This is basically the same process as creating a canvas for the wall only without the frame. We will prime the fabric with the gesso so it will seal the fabric and prevent any absorption of the mediums we will be adding.

Once all the fabric pages have been primed and thoroughly dried we can start adding the patterns, words and colors to the pages. I used Ann Butler's pigment ink by Clearsnap that is suitable for fabric and is permanent after a heat set with a heat tool or an iron. The color scheme I chose was teal, purple and black. I also used black acrylic paint. As usual, I didn't have a plan, so I started adding colors and shapes. The important thing in creating this type of project is layering. Layer colors, words and shapes to create an interesting page with a message. I didn't add photos but it is definitely something you can add. Just make sure everything is completely dry so the photos will not be stained or wet.

To create the different patterns on the page I used Ann Butler's 2" Faux Quilting Acrylic Stamps and found objects like TP roll and an old credit card. You can use whatever objects you have to create stamps in any shape or size. I also used the really cool martha Stewart brushes to add all kinds of lines. Make sure to dry each page before turning it over to work on the other side.

Here are some of the supplies you'll need for this project. Some of these are affiliate links which means if you click the link and make a purchase, I get paid a few coins. This helps me keep on blogging and sharing different projects with you. Thanks in advance for your support, dear friends!

White Canvas Fabric

Fabric Ink

Martha Stewart Brushes

White Gesso

Letter Stamps

Fabric Tac

For all the tips, tricks and a full process check out the video.

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Have fun creating!

Giveaway No.2!!

Crafty April Website Launch month is so much fun right?!

Well...let's pump up the fun with another giveaway!!

This giveaway is all about tools! This is not your regular giveaway with a bunch of supplies that run out after awhile...NO, this is a giveaway of inspiration!

You will get an assortment of tools that can be used again and again and again! 

It will boost your crafty inspiration and put you in the right mood to create!

So which tools are you getting?

* Rhinestone & Crystal Pick Up Tool with a special mat.
* Clay Tool Set
* Quickie Glue Pen
* Crafting Pouch : a multi purpose tool for crafters
* Music Note Punch
* Clear Stamps Set

To get this GREAT giveaway you need to:

1. share the website with a link on your social media sites 

like Facebook, twitter, google+, blog, instagram etc. 

2. Leave a comment with the link to what you shared.

Have fun sharing!

New Online Classes

One of my great passions is teaching. Being able to share my knowledge with others, inspire them and help them create fills my life with joy. For awhile I've been searching for a way to teach beyond the weekly Saturday MIXTRAVAGANZA video tutorials which are limited in time and content volume and I'm happy I found a way.

My new online classes are all hosted on a private classroom that gives me, as a teacher, the option to teach in a variety of tools like PDF files, links, video tutorials and more as well as interact with my students. Each class has a class forum that is dedicated to the class subject only and allows the student to ask me questions, interact with each other and upload their projects.

Each online class is self paced and can be watched as many times as needed. You get a life long access to all the content in the class.

There are many online classes out there some of them teaching the same subject I do. However, my aim is not just teaching a subject or a project. I want to share my knowledge in a way that will inspire you, motivate you and make you happy. I want to give you the tools, techniques and secrets to create with no fear and freely.

All classes have logic behind them. I didn't just create a class for the sake of earning money (that too inter-ACTIVES was created when I realized although many interactive projects can be found online there is no one comprehensive, step by step method that takes you from A to B in a progressive process and teaches you how to construct an interactive paper mechanism. So I designed this class starting from the easiest mechanism to the most complicated in order to create a mini album "catalog" of interactive designs you can refer to whenever you want to create an interactive project.

of course) but there is a reason why I created these classes and not others. For example:

The Creating 101 series was designed to help beginners start learning different crafting genres from the first step. You can find so many amazing art journal pages on line and tutorials but, again, no comprehensive one process class that takes you through EVERYTHING you need to know to start art journaling. Until now.

I also wanted to offer one free mini class because I believe in sharing as much as possible. I initially created 4 Essentials thing you need to know about mixed media as a series of 4 blog posts. But I wanted you to have the option of re-accessing the content and ask questions so I added a few things and created a mini class.

I'm so excited about this new adventure and i hope you'll join me.
I can't wait to see you in class!

Oh... almost forgot. A few of you who will register for a (full price) online class will get a special surprise...

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Have fun creating!

Einat

Announcing my New Etsy Shop

I'm so happy and excited to announce the opening of 

my new Etsy shop: COGWHEELS and CURLS!

If you are new to Etsy then you should know it's an e-commerce website focused on handmade or vintage items and supplies. My shop has been running for awhile but I haven't shared it with anyone yet...until today.

The shop's name Cogwheels and Curls is supposed to describe me: a girl who has a special fascination with cogwheels and has curly hair. Plus it sounds good, kind of rolls on your tongue right?

I started this shop for two reasons: first, many of you have asked me how or where they can get steampunk supplies and other industrial things I use in my projects. So I decided to bring them to you and offer them in a comfortable, easy and reliable platform.
Second, I realized I have a LOT of finished products like canvases, mini albums and more that I don't know what to do with them. I have already spent the time and money to create them and they are just sitting in my studio. I have given many as gifts and donated a bunch too. Now you can get them too on the shop!

The shop is kind of small right now but I'm adding more stuff everyday. As of now you can find: Under Supplies: some ribbon assortments, scrapbooking supplies and mechanical embellishments. All the other items in the shop are original one of a kind art works I created that you can buy for really good prices!

Check out my little shop 

and enjoy my special opening sale of 10% off! 
for each purchase (from $15)! 
Enter the coupon code NEWSTORESALE.

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Have fun creating!

Use Your Stash! Using Forgotten & Unwanted Supplies

I love buying new craft supplies! Exciting, new products, new paper designs, new tools are introduced all the time and fill the shelves in the craft store. Who can resist it? So we buy...
But what about what we already have?
Those supplies suddenly look updated, old and that is if we even remember that we have them and can find them! Well...I think we have a TREASURE of supplies hidden in our stash and we can use it all! Even what looks old and we don't really want anymore.
Here are a few ideas I created over the years on how to use your supplies:

Use old letter stickers or chipboard letters

Use those leftover letters that we never use but don't have the heart to throw away as a background element. Look at the shape of the letter instead of its meaning. You'll find out that letters are beautiful and can be used as embellishments or texture elements. It doesn't matter what letters you have because you don't need to spell anything!

You can find a full tutorial on how to create this letters background here.

Create a Mini Album

If you're like me you probably have journaling tags, paper scraps, cut outs, tags that are just waiting in a box or a drawer. I decided to challenge myself to use them. The problem was that they didn't match. They had different design, color, shape and were all completely different. I couldn't use them on a layout because it would be too noisy and confusing for the eye. This was the perfect collection of supplies to create a mini album. Each tag or paper will stand alone as a page but as part of a larger project which is a mini album! It would be like a junk journal or a homemade smash book.

Check out the inner pages and the tutorial how to create this mini here.

Use supplies of the same theme

Another good way to use old supplies is to gather them according to a theme. This is what I did with this mini album. I used all the papers, stickers and supplies I had with a house/home theme and created an interactive mini album. You can do this with any theme you want: boy/girl, holidays, school, pets, love and the list can go on as long as your imagination can stretch it!

Photos of all the inner pages and ideas how to use scraps find here

Use supplies in a different way

Sometimes if you don't like supplies that you have try looking at them in a different way. I had some fabric that was too boring and not colorful enough. It was in my fabric drawer forever! Then I started thinking maybe I can use it in another way...like paper for example. So I cut it into squares and used the squares to create a 12x12 "paper"   for a layout. Another supply I had a lot of and didn't use was white buttons. I had so many of them so i used them as "fruit/leafs on the tree I added to the layout!

I hope these ideas sparked you imagination to use your stash.

Share your "use your stash" ideas in the comments.

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Have fun creating!