Talk Crafty To Me Dedicated to all things handmade

Let’s face we’re busy. We don’t always have time to make our own cards or gifts, but that doesn’t mean you have to give generic-store-bought stuff. You can still give handmade and help support other artists and crafters at the same time. Here’s a round up of fantastic holiday cards that you still have time to order.

1. Folk Pattern Christmas Cards: Inspired by a love of paper cuts and folk patterns along side the magic of Christmas.

2. Happy Merry Joy Collection: Set of 6 illustrated cards from Kathryn Whyte.

3. 3D Trees: This card is sure to stand out in a mailbox full of boring 2D cards!

4. Blissful Bears: I love how elegant this minimalist letterpress card is, classic and timeless.

5. Merry Fishmas Cards: Order online and customize the message inside these scuba inspired cards, perfect for the underwater enthusiast on your list.

6. Rudolph Card: This cute Rudolph is hand-drawn and printed on recycled kraft paper, for a natural and organic feel.

7. Letterpress Hedgehogs: This set of six bright and cheery holiday cards will bring a smile to any friend’s face!

8. Peace, Love & Cupcakes: This cute card has hand drawn calligraphy by Sarah Parrott, letterpressed into it.

9. Candy Cane Greetings: This modern candy cane pattern is printed on bamboo paper, and 1% of sales is donated to environmental causes via 1% For the Planet.

10. Favorite Things Card: Inspired by a few of Rifle Paper Co.’s favorite things… and Anna’s illustrations are definitely one of my favorite things.

11. Snarky Santa Card: A cheeky Christmas card from Sweet Perversion.

We’ve been talking lately about holiday cards, more specifically about making your own. While everyone loves receiving something handmade, lets face it, some of us just aren’t as handy with scissors and a glue gun as we might like. But that doesn’t mean you have to resort to cookie-cutter store-bought cards, you can still create your own unique and personal cards with the help of these great sites. Designing and sending greeting cards has never been easier! Here are my top pics for the best sites and apps to help you turn your family photo into a one-of-a-kind Christmas photo card.

1. Apple Cards: Create and mail custom letterpress cards with your own text and photos — right from your iPhone or iPod touch. Choose a recipient from your contacts list or you can type in a name and address from scratch. Apple will add the postage and mail the card for you.

2. Shutterfly: Most people know Shutterfly for the photo storage and print services, but they also do greeting cards. They have a huge selection of cards to choose from and will also stuff, address, stamp and mail your cards for you.

3. Tiny Prints: Tiny prints is all about customization. Start with your favorite design. Then choose from flat or folded cards, square or rectangular. Customize them from front to back with photos and text. You can even choose tri-fold cards, circle cards and rounded corners. Plus you can order matching gift tags and address labes, and just like Shutterfly they’ll even take card of mailing them for you.

4. Sincerely Ink: Send photo or illustrated cards directly from your iphone, ipad or android for as little as $1.69 each including postage.

5. Red Stamp: With Red Stamp, you can email, text, post, or send a paper card to your recipient.

6. Moo: I’ve ordered business cards and stickers from Moo in the past, and have always been super happy with them, but did you know they also do greeting cards? You can choose from one of their pre-designed cards, or if you have some design skills you can create your own to upload.

7. Vista Print: Do you have a long list of recipients for your holiday cards? Looking for a bargin? At Vista Print you can get 10 cards for a low as $3.99!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone. Hope you’re all wearing some green so you don’t get pinched! In honor of the day, I’ve got some St. Patrick’s Day printables for you. Perfect for last minute crafting, they’re all printable from your own computer, and the perfect way to bring a little festivity to your day!

1. Lucky Pillow Box – stuff with your favorite St. Paddy’s day Treats. Think lucky coins, green m&m’s, or irish cream truffles. {Free!}

2. Lucky You Cupcake Toppers – 4 styles for you to print. {Free!}

3. Favor Box and Candy wrapper kit – Wrap your fav candy bars with a little irish flare. {$5.00}

4. Modern Sham-rock Stationary Set – Why not write all your notes today on these fun note cards. {$6.00}

5. More Cupcake Toppers – cause I love cupcakes, but you can also use em as napkin rings, wine charms or pins. {Free!}

6. Leprechaun Treasure Hunt – follow clues from a leprechaun to his hidden treasure. {$3.99}

7. So Lucky Stickers – Print them out on sticker paper and have fun sticking them to your friends and family all day. {$5.00}

Awhile ago I posted about carving your own rubber stamps. Today I came across a really cute idea from Just Something I made. Cathe took a wallpaper seam roller and a rubber band, and made this fantastic rolling pendant stamp. What a great way to decorate cards, envelopes, packages, or any number of things.

Head on over and check out her tutorial so you can start rolling pendants on everything!

Not everyone has time to make their own Valentines, but that doesn’t mean you can’t support handmade. Here are some of my favorite Valentine cards on Etsy.com.

1. You know what I love more than Bacon? | 2. Like a fat kid love cake | 3. I love you more than Xbox | 4. Crazy bunnies in Love | 5. I love you so much… | 6. You’re the cheese to my macaroni

7. Octopus love | 8. I (blank) You. | 9. I ♥ you | 10. blank mini note cards

This Valentine’s Day instead of giving into the commercial craze of the holiday, show someone you really love them, by giving them something handmade. Here’s a few simple card ideas to get you inspired, they’re quick and easy, and feel extra special cause they’re handmade!

Stitched Hearts | Stars & Hearts | Paper Hearts | Button Heart | Puppy Love | Love

It’s been a little hard to snap back into the swing of things after the holidays. I had a fantastic couple of weeks off, but I could feel the impending work looming all weekend. Yesterday seemed to hit all at once, and I just couldn’t get organized enough to blog, and get everything else on the list done. After a couple weeks off, relaxing and chilling at the beach, it was hard to ramp up to full speed.

For those of you that are also having a slow start to the year and haven’t picked out your 2010 Calendar there’s still time. Here are some of my favs…

Leah Duncan, illustrated calendar – This is wall calendar features 12 original drawings and is printed on Mohawk recycled paper.

Letterpress with walnut base – This simple, modern calendar is made up of 12 individual cards. Each month stands in a slotted base, hand cut from walnut wood.

Die Cut Calendar – This six-page calendar (2 months per page) features beautiful die cut patterns, and is printed on natural colored, recycled and FSC certified paper.

Pillow Calendar – An alternative to your typical wall or desk calendar, this pillow calendar is printed on a 250 thread count cotton blend and has a Poly-fill insert.

Birch Wood Critter Calendar – This calendar is printed, double sided, on 6 pieces of Eco-friendly sustainably harvested yellow birch wood.

Hand-drawn and Printed Calendar – Printed on super duper heavy French cardstock, this calendar features 12 hand-drawn cards bound with a metal bulldog clip. (poster version also available)

With the holiday season fast approaching here’s a great little tutorial on how to create a bow from a magazine page. Cut strips of paper, twist them into loops and stack them together… Jessica show’s you just how easy it is.

Now you can make recycled bows for all your gifts.

Talented illustrator Anna Bond, has finally opened an online shop. Rifle Paper Co. is chalk full of goodies, from greeting cards, to personalized stationery, art prints to invitation templates. It’s brand new so they are still working out some of the kinks but definitely keep this one bookmarked!

Looking for some last minute Halloween decorations? Here’s a quick project I designed that you can download for free!

Print the pdf onto card stock, cut out the circles and thread them along a piece of ribbon or string. Feel free to use the pieces any way you like. Spell out “Happy Halloween” across your mantel, or sting individual circles from your ceiling. You could even shrink them down, attach them to toothpicks and use them as cupcake toppers! The sky’s the limit, so get creative.

- Download the Garland

The pdf contains 5 spooky illustrations, all the letters to spell “Happy Halloween”, and a few assorted patterns to break things up.

(p.s. feel free to send me photos of your finished garland!)