Paper Sundaes challenge...

Well, I thought I'd submit a card for a challenge from Paper Sundaes since they are looking for bows (ahem!  that would be me!) on cards.  So I thought I'd pop this little card in that will be offered in My Creative Classroom's online class starting January 14, 2012 (stay tuned!).  This is just one of several cards that I created in that classroom using the Craft-Dee BowZ.  So be sure and check out My Creative Classroom to see what's going on over there!

I've used non traditional colors for this holiday card and you'll find out exactly how it's done using the Craft-Dee BowZ as well as some other great projects.

Donna

And yet another way to make your bows...

While playing around one day with my Craft-Dee BowZ I wound up creating another method of making bows for your cards.   It sort of surprised me when I did it and then I decided to put it to the test.  Here's the result of my fiddling:

I'm referring to the row of bows at the bottom of the card specifically.  I discovered that by stringing a continuous series of bows together on the same length of ribbon resulted in this.  I thought it was kind of cute!  Note that I also added bows to her hair as well as making a lace bow for the heart.  Lot's of Craft-Dee BowZ going on here!  I had originally created the card for a challenge over at Memory Making Crafts and, well, I won the challenge!  I guess it surprised me because this type of stamp is out of my genre and I wanted to challenge myself with it.  I never expected all these bows to work the way they did -- all on one card?

Donna

It's a miracle!

Well, sort of a miracle.  Do you remember in my last post (oh so long ago) I mentioned that my daughter and friend were playing with the Craft-Dee BowZ and trying new "tricks" with it for bow making?  I indicated that they had devised a way to make even bigger bows than the 4-1/4" bow.  Well, yesterday that came to fruition and I felt it NEEDED to be shared.

My daughter is an event planner for a hotel on Cape Cod and was asked to participate in the decorating for a huge function coming up.  (She is an incredible card maker in her own right and sells her cards in several locations on the Cape.)  I had invited her up for the day to help do some photography work using the Craft-Dee BowZ and since God did not see fit to bequeath me with a third arm or hand, I needed someone to take photos while I tied the bows for some projects. (Stay tuned for some classroom training at My Creative Classroom using the Craft-Dee BowZ.)  While chatting, she mentioned her participation in the upcoming event and that the hotel had purchased another bow making tool (name withheld) which became the curse of Frankenstein.  She said it was impossible to follow the instructions in a logical manner, but being the bright girl she is, she figured it out.  The end result was pure torture and an ugly bow.  She remembered her light bulb moment from the trade show and asked if we could give it a try.  She needs to make 9" bows for 36 light fixtures at the hotel.

Have I got your attention yet?  You will laugh when you figure out how it's done.  We placed two Craft-Dee BowZ end to end (plugs facing outward on each bow maker) and put the dowels in the furthest holes from one another (one dowel in one Craft-Dee BowZ and the other dowel in the second Craft-Dee BowZ).  Using the SAME method of making multiple loop bows, this is what we created (and it only took 45 seconds by the time we fluffed out the loops!):

You can just about make out the 9" mark on the scoring board.  This bow is gorgeous in person (click on the picture for a larger view)!  So my daughter borrowed an extra Craft-Dee BowZ from me and went home a happy girl.  She's now very excited about making 36 of these!  This particular one requires 9 feet of ribbon.  I believe Dina is making her bows with an additional loop and will need 12 feet of ribbon for each.

Well I hope you enjoyed this post and that it creates more turmoil for those creative juices!

Thanks for stopping by and I'd love to hear from you!  Leave a comment!

Donna

Back from Troy (again)...

Hello bow makers!  Well, we're back from the NY Women's Expo in Troy, NY.  And no disasters befell us such as tornadoes or hurricanes.  Gee, maybe my luck is changing!  This could be a long post, so bear with me.

In any case, I'd first like to say that the promoters of this event were par excellence.  They outdid themselves with the set-up, venue, and advertising.  They were there on the spot if you needed them for anything and couldn't do enough to help this event be a success.  Well, we did have one little glitch in the three day show -- on day 2 the promoters entered to find no electricity in the building!  They made a mad scramble to contact the building's manager who told them they don't have an electrician on  retainer, so the promoter had to get her own electrician and have the work done.  We were up and running within an hour of the show's opening.   The promoter (Suzette Anthony) spent over $40,000 in advertising alone for this show -- now that's a promoter!

Sadly, for whatever reason, the show did not generate much traffic -- do you believe my luck?  But we had a grand time for ourselves and were able to do our own shopping (pssst!  great Christmas gifts!) at the many (150) booths.  We met some terrific vendors and swapped lots of ideas and garnered tons of advice for future shows.

I brought hubby and daughter with me as well as our dear friend, Priscilla.  Priscilla got a little crazy and bought this adorable hat very first thing and proudly wore it the first day of the show.  She said it matched her shoes -- you'll just have to take my word for it, it did.  Here's our la-di-da Queen showing off her finery.

Here's a look at Dina and Priscilla practicing their bow making.  They actually came up with even more great ideas for the Craft-Dee BowZ that I hope to share with you very soon.  Mind you, Priscilla had never even seen the Craft-Dee BowZ, but that sharp little mind of hers was clicking away.  She and Dina came up with a very clever way of making even bigger bows -- stay tuned! 

Hubby got all dressed up for the occasion -- he had to look like part of the team, didn't he?  Since we girls were wearing our glittzy corsages, hubby needed to look the part as well, so I made him a bow tie (thanks for the suggestion, Regina!).  Here he is in all his glory.  He got more attention at the show than anyone!  Everyone loved his tie and  commented on it.  (Keep this in mind, bow makers!)  As we say, "the Craft-Dee BowZ ain't just for card making anymore!"

I do have to tell you this one other story.  An adorable young lady, Victoria, entered our booth and we demonstrated the Craft-Dee BowZ with her.  As we were talking, we were admiring some of her jewelry.  She told us she makes a lot of it herself.  She promptly set about making a bow into a ring.  Here are two examples of the new Craft-DeeBowZ ring.  Isn't this great?  I love it!  Hmmm, do I see Craft-Dee BowZ earrings in the near future?  I'm modelling the one Victoria made.

And here's one I made using the double loop bow.   Don't these give you great ideas - maybe for little girls' parties, a special nite out with a bit of dare and flair?

While at the show, my friend Carol from Albany dropped by the booth.  I hadn't seen Carol in about 10 years, so we caught up on family life and such.  She was telling me that she couldn't believe the amount of advertising that went into this show.  Hi Carol!  I hope it won't be another 10 years before we see one another!

So I left this show with ideas buzzing in my brain which I hope to pass on to all you bow makers.  Drop me a line - I'd love to hear from you.

Donna

Off to our next show...

Hi bow makers!  Well, I'm off to do another trade show the end of this week.  I carry mixed emotions on many levels, but foremost is the weather.  Many of you know that the first show I did was the day after the tornado in West Springfield, MA.  The next show I brought hurricane Irene WITH me which resulted in day two of the show being cancelled.  So to say I'm a bit unsettled about this next trip would be an understatement.  What's left?  earthquake? mud slides? blizzard?  Okay, I'm going to think positively -- I know there's a higher power with some great thing in mind for me.

So with that being said, I'd just like to let you know that the Craft-Dee BowZ and crew will be at the NY Women's Expo in Clifton Park, NY (on the outskirts of Troy) and the show runs from Friday, September 23 (from 12 to 7), Saturday (from 10 to 6) and Sunday (from 10 to 4).  Tell all your friends and please drop by.  This is a wonderful event with over 150 vendors generating about 5,000 attendees and offering a multitude of products such as fitness, home & decor, education & success, jewelry, crafts, fashion, food & dining and health & wellness and many others.  Part of the proceeds for this show go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Cure Foundation.

Craft-Dee BowZ will be offering raffle tickets on this pretty little package that I put together for this occasion.  I purchased an artists canvas frame, decorated the front and back with various designer papers (from Fight Like a Girl) then filled the opening in the back with an Craft-Dee BowZ and three spools of various pink ribbons and topped the whole thing off with some gorgeous bows made with, what else, the Craft-Dee BowZ!  Here are pics of the front and back of this package.

(the above shows our old name, so don't get confused)

My friends have all been asking if I had made up a bunch of these.  That answer would be "no, not right now".  I've been so crazy busy with my teaching job and the store closing where I work that I'm lucky I have time to even get ready for this show.  Wish me well and I'll be sure to have pictures upon my return.

Donna