Disqus - Latest Comments for sometimescrafter

Re: Tortilla Española Bites with Manchego | Always Order Dessert

Christina — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 13:40:28 -0000

Could you tell me how much cheese 1/2 a package would be?

Re: 3 EASY HOLIDAY HAIRSTYLES

Christina — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 14:57:59 -0000

All three are beautiful! Thank you for the link (and discount code) to the wand. I've been wanting one of these for a few years and your review (along with the fantastic price) pushed me to do it. I get so frustrated with curls falling out, so I helps them hold even just a little bit.

Re: 6 reasons I love Quilting Happiness

Christina — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 12:54:19 -0000

Well you just put a huge smile on my face this morning! It makes me so happy to see the things that I love about the book and patterns are picked up on by others. Little details that get lost elsewhere, Diane and I worked hard to have a place for them in QH. I'm so glad they are noticed and appreciated! Thank you so much for taking the time to review the book and i'm so glad you liked it! (Most of the quilts were pieced during Doctor Who marathons, too!)

Re: http://www.cocoanuts.co/blog/mobile-itunes-pwned-yet-again/

Christina — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:50:52 -0000

Was having issues printing from Bluetooth, but got it to work. Not sure if it's a glitch, but if it happens again i'll be sure to comment.

Re: The Non-Monetary Benefits (and Consequences) of Free

Christina — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:57:29 -0000

At this point, my Free is sustainable. I offer a few free tutorials a year and in return that brings traffic to my blog and customers who purchase my patterns and goods from my Etsy shop, as well as clients for my quilting business. It's not enough to support my family, but it is enough to sustain my fabric habit and continue to provide more Free to the blog.

I love the Free that is out there and allows me to learn more and in return I offer free back for just that reason. But there is only so much i'm willing to offer for free. A project that takes more of my time and energy and product to produce becomes a pattern for the shop. But those things that are easy, and possibly supporting to the paid patterns, are what I offer for free.

I think it all boils down to being a personal decision and one that everyone needs to take a serious moment to ponder and evaluate. Blogging use to be about personal fulfillment and now it seems to have turned to more of a business aspect, so in that respect, a business plan/outline may need to be made for a blogger so that they can clearly define their goals for their blog and where to draw the line at Free. Free can be draining.

I feel like I have a good balance right now, but there are times the scales feel tipped and I step back and reevaluate. I love the opportunities that Free has lead me to, and I love that I feel balanced as well.

I think from the consumer aspect ways i'm willing to support blogs I love is through clicking on their advertisers and purchasing (making sure they know how I got there) as well as purchasing from the blogs own shop (assuming they are products I want to purchase, of course). I also make sure to share with others my enjoyment in a blog and in return that may bring more business to them as well. And if it's a blog that isn't in this for money, but still needs some sustainability, hopefully links and comments will be the fulfillment they need to continue to offer Free.

Re: How to Make a Tiny Gingerbread House Ornament (from Plastic Canvas!)

Christina — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 00:09:12 -0000

Great use of the plastic canvas!

Re: A little contest/giveaway thing about awesome coasters

Christina — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 14:25:48 -0000

I could see these being a huge hit with Portland! I think you nailed it with the 5 areas.

Re: A Little Silhouette Project (and some Silhouette answers)

Christina — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:27:04 -0000

I seriously need this machine just for this option! I'm glad you blogged about it.

Re: Blogging Lessons I Learned from My Mom

Christina — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:23:22 -0000

All very good points - and one's I've done myself when I was starting out. I feel an immense sense of guilt when I can't respond to all the comments on my posts - but I do try and address questions and specific comments and get to know my readers. I really have made great friends this way. If it seems like a new reader, I make the time to click over to their blog and see what they do and what their up to and find a way to strike up a conversation with them. I am kind of a broad topic craft blog, but the blog just started out as a way to share what I do with my friends and grew to much more than that...but it's funny how people always come back to my quilting (even though I don't feel like I post about it that much - I guess I do more than I think).

Re: …In Which I Start a Videoblog. (Really.)

Christina — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:51:10 -0000

Fantastic! Love it! I think it's great, and now i'll know what you look like if I happen to see you when i'm out and about! ;)

Re: If only I could get the theme from Love Boat out of my head…

Christina — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:45:28 -0000

Have fun! I hope you can get some signal, it would be fun to hear some updates along the way. I can never get signal on my cell on "out to sea" days. I've often thought a "quilters" cruise would be fun to do, so i'm anxious to hear about this!

Re: How to Ask a Blogger for Help

Christina — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:07:35 -0000

Well said! I always appreciate the personal notes - even if the form email is attached below it. I completely agree with contacting blogs that might have a smaller readership. I think those smaller blogs have a larger audience for interest in certain products. Plus, smaller blogs like to feel special, too.

I love Carina's idea of replying to the pitch emails with one of your own. :)

Re: Japanese Craft Books vs. US Craft Books: your thoughts?

Christina — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:22:35 -0000

I almost never buy US craft books. When I do, I never follow the directions, but instead use the photos for visual inspiration and the measurements if I need them. I don't want to sit and read directions and figure out how to decipher them I have been buying Japanese craft books for two years now and they are worth every penny. I find that I spend about the same, with the same amount of projects and a lot of times less than the price of US craft books. I love how some of them are specifically targeted and how others have a variety that all mesh well (houses, hexagon, kitchen and living). What draws me to the Japanese craft books again and again is the visual diagrams with all of their measurements and the occasional photo walk through. I agree on the part of beginner instruction chapters - we don't need them in every book. There are books put out for just this purpose. I find that most of the projects in the Japanese books are simple, but because of the detailing it seems so much higher level. And not only that, the projects seem so new and fresh - like nothing we see here.

What I would love to see in craft books from US publishers in the future is more diagrams and photo instruction, less text. I love the paperback nature of the books - easy to flip through, scan patterns needed and store on my shelf.

Re: Review: Bend the Rules with Fabric

Christina — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:53:00 -0000

My friend and I are going to be doing the watercolor painting on fabric tomorrow. I was really glad I could make it to her book signing so I could hear all about the book, that is really what sold me on it. There were so many techniques in the book that I wanted to try, but wasn't sure where to start. She gave a great, simple explanation of everything that I felt like I could now take the plunge. :)

Re: One last craft-store question for you…

Christina — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:50:22 -0000

I like that indie stores offer a variety of options specific to the owner. Each store is something new and different. Even if its a few fabric stores with overlap of product, each will display it differently and give you different ideas. I would much rather spend a little more money and support a local favorite...but sometimes I do head for the big box for convenience. A trip across state lines in rush hour traffic is hard to stomach some days.

Re: Got Any Craft Store Awesome Stories?

Christina — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:23:42 -0000

I absolutely love that I can email Cool Cottons (Portland fabric shop) and find out if a fabric i'm looking for is in stock. They are always so prompt to answer emails and always offer to set aside the cut of fabric I need. Both owners are so friendly and always remember me (and my name!) when I visit. Another local shop (The Pine Needle) has one employee that ALWAYS remembers me and she always makes it a point to say "hi" and visit. I saw her at the Quilt Expo this year working the register, but she was busy with a customer so we were moving on, but she made it a point to finish the sale and come out of the booth to say hi to my son and I. I am always appreciative of employee's who make it their business to know the customers and make them always feel welcome in their shops.

Re: Got any Craft Store Horror Stories?

Christina — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:26:52 -0000

I know where that second photo was taken! It's a shop I know well. What a bummer about the yarn shop, I don't understand when businesses treat customers like that. It must not have been the owner if she was acting like that, although you never know.

I had a recent bad experience. I purchased fat quarters that were 3"+ off and emailed that night after I saw how short they were (I had a busy day the next day and wanted to make sure I was prompt about letting the owner know) and asked if I could bring them in for an exchange after explaining what happened. I was told "no refund" or exchanges. After she found my blog and read it (where I did not mention the name of the shop) she recanted and said maybe we could do something, although rather rudely. Because of how it was handled I do not patronize that store anymore nor do I recommend it to anyone. It's not like I was asking for my money back, just an exchange.

I do have to say that the employee who cut the fabric wrong did contact me separately later and offer to make it right. I did not take them up on it as I was already burned by the whole experience. My feeling is that is how it should have been handled in the first place. Customer service is a HUGE deal to me. Bad service = no business from me.

Re: Will we see you on Sunday?

Christina — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:32:22 -0000

I was so disappointed to not be able to make it yesterday, but i'm wondering
if you ladies have plans to do another talk anytime soon? I was really
hoping to hear what all of you had to say on the subject. I've heard Alicia
speak on the topic at her first book signing at Powell's and I've listened
to your Podcast on the topic and that was really helpful. I have SO many
ideas floating around my head, I actually talked with a publisher about an
idea and there was interest. I talked briefly with a literary agent as
well. But I go back and forth on whether an agent is the route to go right
now. The publisher I talked with doesn't require you to have an agent to
submit a proposal, but the publisher i'd like to have my proposal before
does. So basically i'm at the writing my proposal phase. Which I have
started, I just get discouraged sometimes because I see my ideas popping up
in new books our out there on the web and don't want to rehash the same old
stuff. Then there is the time commitment. With my 15 month old, I want to
make sure I can dedicate the time to work on the project should it be
accepted...but i'm pretty sure I can make that work. I don't honestly know
why i'm dragging my feet so much. Anyways, the point of all of that being
that hearing you talk about it would have been very helpful.

--
Christina | The Sometimes Crafter

Blog | www.sometimescrafter.blogsp...
Handmade | www.sometimescrafter.etsy.com
Photography | www.oephotography.etsy.com

Re: Will we see you on Sunday?

Christina — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:52:58 -0000

My friend and I have plans to leave the kids at home and try and make it over there. It would be great to hear everything you three have to say.

Re: My Powell’s Moment

Christina — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:13:55 -0000

I'm so upset I missed this! I need to be better about keeping up to date with my blog reading and should probably sign up for Powell's notices on author events. :)

Re: Help CraftyPod Turn 100!

Christina — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:11:59 -0000

Q. Favorite spots to get crafty inspiration around town and favorite spots to shop for all things crafty. Do you ever find yourself crafting in public, likes say a coffee shop or the such? Not for classes, but for "just because".