Blog Party Sunday --- Show Off Your New Handmades

 It's blog party time again.  It's your time to share your handmades.  We would love to see what you have so don't hesitate to join us today.


The rules are simple:

1. Follow our blog

2. Handmade items only.

3. You may list up to 3 items.

4. Family friendly items only.

The success of this link party depends on the participants so spread the word to your friends, visit the shops, post about it on your blog, in a forum or on your favorite social networking site, grab the button and put it on your blog or website.

Just click on the Add Your Link button at the end of this post and add your items.

And if you would like to add a link to the party you can grab this button below.

<a href="http://www.byyourhands.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy110/ByYourHands/blogparty.jpg" /></a>

Time Saver Recipes - Easy Pizza Crust

Make a delicious homemade pizza instead of calling for delivery. Not only will you save some time, but you'll save some money too.

Easy Pizza Crust

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups white flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until dissolved and somewhat muddy looking, probably about 10 minutes.

Add flour, salt and oil. Stir until smooth and elastic. You may have to mix with your hands. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a circle.

Move crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baking stone.

Add your favorite sauce and toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving. (if you can)


Thanks for joining us today!
Deena Davis
www.byyourhands.blogspot.com

Handmade Spotlight - Feeling Lucky?

Feeling Lucky?

Curated By: ewenmeprintab...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Today's Featured Artist --- Baggaraggs

Today's featured artist is Robin Ridener from Baggaraggs.

Tell us a little about you? 

Thanks so much for this opportunity to let me tell you about the Baggaraggs. My name is Robin Ridener. I am 56 years old, married and have three semi-charming children, and two lovely grandchildren. I am by profession a Pyschiatric Nurse since 1978. I have worked inpatient with adolescents for 32 years, including 8 years at an adolescent sexual offender program in Bradenton, Florida.. I am currently working inpatient with adults
. My love of creating folkart and my need to "make a living" has led to a kind of split life, and interesting dichotomy, one foot in one world, one foot in another. Both seem at times somewhat fantasical.One dark at times and one light.  I also like to write, and have created what I call "story dolls." There is also an on going work of fiction on my blog about the creatures and people of the Baggaraggs, that all live inside my head. (Baggaraggs.blogspot.com)

How long have you been in business?
Some years back...I had a business with my sister called Poppets and Posies. I made folkart dolls and she did dried flower designs. My early work was really something (FOR THE TRASH) LOL  Lets see, that would have been in the early 90's I think. I started on Etsy at the encouragement of my daughter Friedel who lives in Los Angeles. I opened my Etsy shop in Aug of 2008.

How did you get started?
I began making dolls because I loved the look of Folk art dolls but simply could not afford to buy what I liked. I sewed my own clothing in High School, even went to school with straight pins in the hem, so I was a friend to my sewing machine. I kind of went from there. Practice makes improvement. (NOT perfection, my dolls are a celebration of IMperfection)

What is involved in making your craft?
I am not sure how to answer this question. Sewing, painting and unlikely uses for different objects of nature...I use moss for hair at times, and palm tree inflorences as wings. I suppose an ability to get out of my own way and hook up with the absurd. I also use paperclay to sculpt the dragonflies and insects, and heads for some of the dolls.

What is your favorite thing to make? 

I like making Bugs best. I love insects. Butterflies and dragonflies. Kadydids and leafhoppers. They don't sell too well though. LOL

Do you have set hours to work?

I try to be in the studio by 10:30 in the morning. or before. I work until my husband yells at me that its lunchtime and are we ever going to eat anything. Or is there GLUE on the chair?

What are your future plans for your business?

I confess to having ambition, but I don't think I am going to take over the whole doll world. As I am able, I would like to build my business by having happy, satisified customers who will come back, and buy a few things from time to time. I want to refine my "Brand," develop my style, wacko or zaney as it may be.
Although it is a dream, I would like to have a seperate studio away from the interruptions of my home, and create full time. (Dreaming is good.) This might not happen for the next 8 years or so but God Willing, I will get there with the assistance of my friends from the Baggaraggs. Right now I am grateful for having my studio in my home, where I paint and sew in my pajamas.

What does handcrafting mean to you?
  Handcrafting for me is like Praying. It is being present in the Now. I am part of a stream of creativity that carries away my thoughts of negativity, sadness or pain. Handcrafting is spiritual for me. It is a way of healing myself.

Where do you sell your crafts?
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Baggaraggs

  I  will have a shop on Artfire very soon.

Tuesday Tutorial ---- Scrap Fabric Crafting

 Welcome to tuesday's tutorial.  Well, ok,  if you want to get technical today is wednesday and I am a day late.  lol    Hope you enjoy these great ideas for using up scraps no matter what day it is.

 Make a cute plastic bag storage bag from co-ordinated scraps.   Saidos da Concha

Make some felt donuts with your scrap felt.    Craftster.org

Make some of these flowers for brooches or to add to all kinds of accesories.   Bilbified

This idea takes fabric and used CD's.    Mojo & Co

Now I have made these pinwheels for my dolls to hold before but I never would have thought to make them a hair ornament.    Lttle Jenny Wren

Thanks for visiting today and have fun sewing.
Bette