CALL FOR ENTRIES: Valentine Contest

With all the new likes/followers on Facebook, 

I keep thinking of this quote from one of my very favorite authors.

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that but the really great make you feel that you too can become great. When you are seeking to bring big plans to fruition it is important with whom you regularly associate. Hang out with friends who are like-minded and who are also designing purpose-filled lives. Similarly be that kind of a friend for your friends.”  

-Mark Twain

Let me tell you a little story, or make a confession, actually.  I was afraid to start this style of marketing on Facebook where crafters "like" other crafters' pages and then share the new page. I thought this would water down my market and only help the really established pages in the long run.  I thought I would start to create things based on what other people are selling and not stay true to my own style. I thought there would be too much competition. I was wrong. Dead wrong. 

I've added new likes for sure, but more importantly, I've surrounded myself with people who are trying to do what I'm trying to do.  Build their own business from home. I see their posts, I learn what works, I share in their ups and downs but most of all

I'M INSPIRED!

It really does help to surround yourself with people moving in the same direction. It makes it easier to "go with the flow."  So, now that you've heard from me on my soap box, I'll tell you about the contest. Because I KNOW there are so many creatives out there who love a good challenge, here it is._

------------>Subscribe to my email list<----------- and get this FREE Downloadable PDF Valentine. It will print out to a half fold card. This is the front.  You can use all or part of it in the contest.

 

I want to see how YOU embellish the card or use it in a project!!
I'll let you all vote on facebook and on my blog for your favorite.
 The only rules are
1.You must use a recognizable portion of the PDF,
2. You must credit KH Kellum for the parts you use,
3.Don't share the PDF. It is for email subscribers only.

You can alter the Valentine in ANY way you see fit including but not limited to

 mixed media, journaling, decoupage, fiber arts,
sewing, whatever you can think of. I know I'm surrounded by so many creative people,
I just can't wait to see what you do!

Email a high quality photo of your entry so I can share it for voting and viewing in the contest photo album on the blog and  my Facebook page. Don't worry, you'll be credited for your entry as well, so be sure to give me your name and your business page to tag if you have one.  

 Due FEB 13th 12:00 midnight (Alaska Time)

 
I'll be creating a special prize for the winner!

       

 

 

 

HUGE Giveaway! 58 prizes!

Link here to a massive giveaway.  All the businesses featured in ReBlinged's Warm Your Heart Giveaway are work from home artisans or crafters.  Most of us are moms, sisters, wives, etc. building a dream and helping support our families.  For me building my business contacts is important because we are a military family and we are constantly moving. How wonderful is it that I could have the opportunity to take my job with me wherever I go?  Here's your chance to be inspired by 58 new businesses that offer things you aren't going to find in big box stores. Consider purchasing items for your home as well as gifts for all occasions.

Check it out, and be sure to thank Sue at ReBlinged for her hard work on putting this giveaway together.

Here's the link to her blog and the giveaway!  

First Annual ReBlinged Warm Your Heart GiveAway 

If you win my prize, you'll receive THREE hand colored Alice in Wonderland prints on vintage book paper!

View more prints on Facebook

View items for sale on Etsy

Did you make something beautiful today? I'd love to hear about it. Leave me a comment. : ) 

~Kim

COUPON CODE: Etsy!

Today I have a coupon for you. 

While you're clipping away from your Sunday news, start thinking about Christmas gifts. 

Here's 20% off your entire order.

Use the code FALL4FISH until October 1st, 2012

at this shop

Frozen Fish, Ink

You can get something like this....

or this

or this

 Everything is hand painted, of course and most items use recycled materials of some kind. I love doing this kind of work, and I try to promote the handmade industry as much as possible. In fact, if you don't find something you love in my shop, keep browsing Etsy and make a wish list of favorites from any of the thousands of craftsmen there. And don't worry, I'll keep posting tutorials here. Like I said, I love this stuff, and I love sharing it with you.

If you are a shop owner, feel free to post your shop link in the comments below. 

Don't forget your coupon code!

Wordless Wednesday: Discount Door Decor

I'm late posting Wordless Wednesday. Oops. Better late than...haha. Here it is. Easy peasy. Don't throw out everything you have because it looks old. This one combines some old and new. Takes about 15 minutes. The wreath is new to me. I got it on 90% off end of season clearance two years ago, but the other stuff is either scrap or already in one of my holiday boxes. Remember, this is WORDLESS, figure it out, experiment, don't be afraid to screw it up, just start over and try again, that's how you learn. :)

 There you go. Save some time, save some money, reuse something instead of throwing it away. All you need to do is rethink the way you're using things sometimes. All I did was fluff up the $2.00 wreath from last year and add some trendy items (burlap/zebra) that can be easily removed later. 

Wordless Wednesday (Maybe): Doormat Do Over

To introduce this post, I got the idea for Wordless Wednesdays from MrsMamaHen. She posts beautiful photographs of what's relevant right now. I need to post more frequently, and this may just be a way for me to do it. I have realized I use instagram about 9,572 times a day, so photos I have. Anyway, I'm going to try to "show" you a simple craft mostly through photos. WW #1  The Doormat Do Over. The victim, my two year old sisal doormat. It's been left out to "weather, patina, age with grace" for two years. Two ALASKAN winters. Anyway, I mostly ignore it except to wipe huge chunks of ice off my boots. I want to make my entryway sort of cute for the holidays this year. This thing's gotta go. Or does it?

Step 1:GOOGLE! I found BHG.s cute fall entryways, no more words. :)

Recycle Remix: Can the Counter Clutter

I LURRRRV going to the thrift store. You already know that, right? I really, really do. Before my allergies dropped acid, got in a tiedyed microbus and ran over my face about a month ago, I took some wadded up one dollar bills and a few quarters and a slightly unwilling Mr. and Little Possum to the Value Village and got some goodies. They have been sitting waiting for me to recover from the 1700 pollen count ever since. The craft supplies, that is. Not the slightly unwilling possums. They have been playing Minecraft. Well, guess what? I'm back, BEBE! I'm off to a slow start, so here's an easy one for ya!

When I get sick, I clean. I'm pretty sure in my twisted mind, that some form of dirt,dust, pollen has made me this way, so I'm going to clean it out of my house. haha ha ha ha. I laugh because, well, let's just not get into what a terrible project this can be for a possum with ADD. Anyway, one of the things I notice is how much stuff we keep on counters. Really. We have cabinets in this house, people!! oh well, I give up. You can keep your lotion, toothpaste, gel, soap, brush, comic book, life savings, rock collection, candy bar, bottle cap, thingamajig, whatever on the counter. UGH! No, it's easier to clean AROUND all that stuff. Seriously.

 So obviously, I'm not going to win the battle of keeping it in the cabinet, but maybe I can keep it in one big container? Then there's just one thing to work around and only one clutter. I have just the thing!  I got this big cookie tin thing for 69 cents!! Yep. I left it in the garage too long and the lid got smashed during an oil change, so I really didn't know what I was going to do with it because I originally planned to use it to store extra K-cups. No lid kinda made that moot. It was some ugly outdoorsy Christmas scene , so I covered it with some self stick shelf paper I had. (I picked up a couple of rolls on clearance for $2.97 at Jo-Ann) The Scotch tape you see in the picture is for taping down the edges of the paper inside the can and on the bottom. It needs a little help staying down on the edges.

Also, a helpful hint: when you are folding down around a curved edge it helps if you will cut the flap down to the edge every 2" so you are folding down smaller pieces. Otherwise you will get wrinkles.

Try to get a can with straight edges, not angled.  I have one that is bigger on the top than the bottom and that was much harder to cover, and I had to make a different design in the middle to cover it up. With straight edges you can just roll your paper right on.

                                         A little hot glue and some ribbon for embellishment

                            
                                                      Fill with clutter and clean the counter!!

See? It's too easy. Little Possum can still get to the soap and lotion pumps without taking them out of the bucket. We still have some shelf paper, so we could make a smaller matching one for Q-tips or something if we needed, but the point was to get stuff off the counter. Really inexpensive and you could use these in an office or kitchen, too. They would be good organizers for art supplies or kids toys...hmm...I might have to go get some more tins, now. Most Salvation Army stores sell these for 25 cents. Value Village is a little pricey for me, but it's what I have for now.  Happy crafting!  What did YOU reuse today?

Oh and don't forget to go like KHK Art on Facebook to be entered in this month's giveaway!!

Let's face it...I was never going to get the house ALL THE WAY CLEAN. 

I mean, I live here. With other people!!

Anyway, I am talking about that because there is a stack of prints sitting here beside me waiting to be painted. Or hand colored, whatever you want to call it. That's what I decided to do instead of clean house this week. I decided to start selling paintings again. Yep. I am now a licensed business owner in the state of Alaska. The funny thing is, I'm blogging. Why? Because I had to stop in the middle of learning how to screen print and set up a business and open an Etsy store, and so now obviously I have to stop and blog about it, gah. And that is why my house will never be clean. And that is why I will never be caught up on all my wonderful blog posts. 

Here is a link, though...

Frozen Fish, Ink.

That is my registered business name in Alaska. Me. I'm a fish. Pisces. Plus I like William Faulkner. (That is a reference to As I Lay Dying.) I live in Alaska, and I have become part of the permafrost, and this new line of prints I think is reflecting that new absurdity. (Well, really I'm sure it was always there, it just becomes harder to hide it with a good case of cabin fever and Army-wifitis.) Ink, because... there is INK involved in printing, slowness, and also because if you use INC or LLC or DBA in your business name then you have to do extra paperwork, so HA! Stick it to the man! I have not even had coffee today, people.  Midnight sun does things to you. Truly.  Just ask Super Husky.

Here she is featured in this original screen print

"Howling at the Midnight Sun"

although, if you ask me, she sort of looks like she's laughing. I think a couple of winters in the interior can do that to you.  I find myself waiting impatiently for the sun to return. I actually did this dance under the aurora borealis display we saw one night and called it my "break up dance."  No, not my "break up with my hubby dance".  Break up is what happens when all the snow and ice "break up" and go away. I really did look as crazy as the dog over there. No kidding.  All that silliness aside, it's been a little hard adjusting to life up here, but I know there are things I will really miss when our time here is done, so for now, my focus will be on capturing those wonderful things in my own crazy way while I still have them to enjoy. 

Don't forget to go check out 

Frozen Fish, Ink

The walls are a little bare right now, but I'm working as fast as I can to add more inventory.  Hopefully, I'll send some memories home with the tourists this summer, too.  I remember what it was like when we drove in the first time. I wrote long letters home about all of it. We mailed a set to ourselves, too. Thank goodness we didn't open them. I would have edited them after shoveling the driveway this past winter. Aww, FISHSTICKS!!