The Beach Cottage - Mini Challenge

I love color. My walls are saturated in bright colors: yellow, green, red and even pink. I lean towards rich and warm furnishings that are comfortable and inviting. But there is a part of me that longs for crisp white walls and windows framed with lengths of lightweight fabrics in soft hues of blue and grey, rippling with a salt scented breeze...furniture that is pale and simple with overstuffed cushions and low tables showcasing large vases overflowing with huge tropical blooms in oranges and pinks...ah, yes, the beach and all its exotic and intoxicating beauty.

The Beach Cottage is all about pretty things, a simple lifestyle, and a gentle attitude. With gifts, jewelry, art & home decor, made with love by happy hands (& supplies for yours) there is much to see. What I love most about this shop is the colors. Just browsing left me feeling refreshed and rested. Everything is soft and soothing, yet colorful...just like walking along the beach...blues and whites and greys with touches of pinks and yellows and greens. There is something new and slightly unexpected in each listing. This is an ecclectic shop done with a cohesiveness that is surprising and enticing. Be sure to checkout her other shop, Coconut Cafe for more fun supplies and vintage finds as well her blog to see what is swimming in her mind.

Q&A with The Beach Cottage
A Little About You:
What is your favorite morning beverage?
pineapple/orange juice

Do you prefer cats or dogs?
I like kitties, but I'm definitely a dog person, esp little ones.

What is next to your computer right now?
A small piece of driftwood shaped like a fish that I picked up on a beach in St. Croix, my checkbook & a diet coke.? Almost everything's electronic now, but I keep my checkbook handy in case I can talk someone into selling something they didn't intend to part with.

Do you like your handwriting?
It depends because it changes with my mood (literally looks like a different person wrote it). If I concentrate on my sweet mama, my handwriting looks almost like hers; ditto for several others close to me. My own script's a little backhanded (unusual for a right handeder; have been told it's because I'm introspective). Years ago I was very good at calligraphy & learned that the trick to good handwriting is to "don't write". The trick is drawing. If you draw each letter, your handwriting's nicer. These days I'm being feeling lazy & my writing's become scribbly & haphazard. Wow, I had a lot to say about handwriting, maybe it's more important to me than I realized?

Would you bungee jump?
No. Period. No.

If you could meet one historical figure, who would it be and what would ask him/her?
I'd like to meet Ginger Rogers ("Teach me to dance!") & John Wayne ("Can I just sit in your lap & hug you for awhile") If you meant someone who had a larger impact on the world, I definitely Ghandi. I'd ask for tips on self discipline.

A Little About Your Mini Scrapbook:
What prompted you to join the Mini Scrapbook Challenge?
The albums snagged me, they're so small & well made. But mostly because it was a nice thing for you to do & I'm drawn to nice. Also it intrigued me that you were willing to give up control, no rules. That's hard to do; most people, most of the time, want to be The Boss.

When you first saw the album, what did you think you would do with it?
Nothing, truly. It's so perfect & pretty I hated to mess with it.

3. What did you end up doing with it?
Since the challenge was "Scrappiest Scrapper", I decided to be true to that & use only scraps I already had. The little papers & shapes were already cut, the images already stamped & colored. Even the little word "notes" was sitting in my scrap box. I didn't buy anything or cut anything (except your business card). All I did was glue.

Is there a theme to your album? Why/why not?
I abandoned the 3 themes I had in mind & decided just to do a little book of backgrounds. I hope someone else will enjoy pasting their own words or pics in it.

Now that you have worked with one, would you want to do another one?
Sure! They'd make great gifts, wouldn't they? It's fun to see what the other participants did, what inspired them.

What would you do differently next time?
Technique, I don't know. But I'd like to do a little time machine. That's all I'm saying about that.

A Little About Your Art/Craft:
When did you first start crafting? Why?
Stringing buttons or making pine straw necklaces maybe I had a very creative grandmother & she kept my little mind busy & my hands out of trouble.

What is your favorite material/technique?
That depends on when you ask me. I've dabbled in a lot of things over the years... probably not what you're looking for, but my answer is "composition". I like vignettes. I straighten pictures in waiting rooms & arrange the magazines, slightly move the chairs. It's not about perfection (I prefer imperfection), it's about creating visual interest.

What are your favorite colors to work with?
White. White is my favorite. I'm inspired by wispy, dreamy, light faded greys, creams & blues & caramels (for relaxing) & bright, tropicals in smaller amounts (for cheerfulness). I opted for the brights for this project.

Are you good with written instructions, or do you need pictures?
Instructions are usually too much or too little information OR from a perspective I can't grasp. I tend to get bored & scan them, leading to mistakes. (I'm also terrible at giving instructions, I use way too many words.) I'm very visual, learning better from pictures or better yet, from watching.

If you could learn one new technique, what would it be? Why?
Sewing! If I could do it well & have several sets of slipcovers for my furniture using pale, cotton quilts in pale prints & of course, lots of white. And I'd make simple tops & pants that slip on & off. Easy, breezy, beautiful.

If you could give one piece of advice to a young person first starting out, what would it be?
First starting out crafting: Color outside the lines. Squint your eyes. Look at the big picture AND the little one. Advice in general (not just crafting): laugh at yourself, step away from the computer & get lots of fresh air.

PurrPrints - Mini Challenge

One of the many wonderful benefits of belonging to a group such as Etsy is the opportunity to meet innovative and caring people. PurrPrints is another wonderful graphic artist (I so wish I could draw!). She loves animals and donotes 5% of her profits to the Shamrock Foundation, a local no-kill shelter. Additionally, she is a member of Etsy for Animals.

The nifty thing about PurrPrints art is that she has captured the quirky elegance of the cat without falling prey to the kitschy country look that so many cat artists succumb to. She works with simple silhouettes and balances them against intricate backgrounds or fill designs. But cats are not all she does! She also does some wonderful abstract work.















Q&A with PurrPrints:
A Little About You:
What is your favorite morning beverage?
Just plain cool filtered water, actually. I know, how terribly dull of me :)
Do you prefer cats or dogs?
Cats! (in case my book, shop, and profile pic didn't make that clear--though actually I do like dogs and draw them as well--I grew up in quite a menagerie)
What is next to your computer right now?
A whole bunch of art supplies and stuff for school that I'm supposed to be working on.
Do you like your handwriting?
When I focus, I do; I took calligraphy so I can make it look nice--but my everyday handwriting looks like a chicken grabbed a pen and ran across the page with it.
Would you bungee jump?
I ask myself this periodically, actually. It looks like fun, but I'm petrified of heights.
If you could meet one historical figure, who would it be and what would ask him/her?
Oh wow, the classic tough getting to know you question. It would be a toss up between Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), Moses, Mohammed, and Jesus; I'd like to know what any of them think about how people use their ideas today.

A Little About Your Mini Scrapbook:
What prompted you to join the Mini Scrapbook Challenge?
Great excuse to avoid schoolwork! No, just kidding--well, kinda. Really it's because I love miniatures and I hadn't ever done a book project before, so I thought it would be a fun way to push my boundaries.
When you first saw the album, what did you think you would do with it?
I knew I'd use some of my cat drawings in miniature, but I wasn't sure whether I'd put them on mini-collages or hand-drawn backgrounds.
What did you end up doing with it?
I went for the hand-drawn background idea, and as I was planning it out the theme of "chasing the blues" just kind of popped into my head, probably because I'd had a kind of tough week the week before. I was originally just going to have the ending be a picture of a piece of chocolate, but when I was talking about it with my husband he suggested something else. That's when it dawned on me that the book could either be a cheer-up gift (with an ending like chocolate) or a thank you kind of gift (with an ending like "you"), and I didn't want to limit the options so I decided to leave it open for the buyer to decide.
Is there a theme to your album? Why/why not?
Yep. I think I've covered that one in the previous question, so I'll refrain from repeating myself here (even though I'm exactly the kind of chatterbox who likes to repeat herself--lol)
Now that you have worked with one, would you want to do another one?
Maybe, though I think I'd like to try something slightly larger--say maybe in the 4x6 range--just to push myself to do new things. The books are adorable and really fun though, so I'll probably come back to them at some point.
What would you do differently next time?
Probably glue more and draw less, both to try something different and to use my time more efficiently.

A Little About Your Art/Craft:
When did you first start crafting? Why?
Forever ago. I really can't remember when I started. My grandmother was a painter, and I know I did a lot of arts and crafts with her, but I think I've been doing it too long to know the original "why." Now I do it because it prompts me to use completely different mental muscles than my work as a PhD student requires, and that's incredibly valuable for my sanity
What is your favorite material/technique?
Anything with ink--drawing, inkwashes, dipping oddly shaped or textured materials into ink bottles and laying/pulling them across a page to see what happens...
What are your favorite colors to work with?
Purple and blue. Unless you're counting black and white--in which case definitely black and white :)
Are you good with written instructions, or do you need pictures?
Depends on who wrote the instructions. Sometimes I can follow pictures better, sometimes words.
If you could learn one new technique, what would it be? Why?
Sewing. I'd really love to make some cool pillows and bags and other fun fabric stuff out of my designs.
If you could give one piece of advice to a young person first starting out, what would it be?
Art and crafting are too painstaking and underpaid to do for any reason other than sheer joy. If you're not loving what you're doing, try something else. And switch to new materials and/or subjects every time you start to get frustrated or bored.

TrapezoidArt - Mini Challenge

I love math and find myself using it all the time, most especially in my creative endeavors. But I believe that TrapezoidArt loves math even more than I do. Now you may wonder, as I did when I first saw the name, what is TrapezoidArt? The formula, according to the artist, is: ink + paper + drawing + cutting + glueing + lot of patience = Trapezoid Art.

I have a personal attraction for clean line drawings. I am completely unable to draw a straight line even with the help of a ruler. So I admire anyone who has that skill. TrapezoidArt's work is clean, concise and extremely beautiful. Her eye for proportion and scale is amazing. I love that her work is black and white as I believe it really lets the beauty of her drawings shine. The colored backgrounds further enhance the simple beauty of her work. Please take a few minutes to browse her gallery of artwork. I believe you will be as amazed as I am at her talent.















Q&A with TrapezoidArt:

A Little About You:

What is your favorite morning beverage?

A hot cup of tea with milk and sugar.

Do you prefer cats or dogs?

Hmmm....I will say dogs.

What is next to your computer right now?

plate of plastic corn and bell peppers, my four year old just served me saladfrom her kitchen.

Do you like your handwriting?

I do like my handwriting and use my writing instead of stamps.

Would you bungee jump?

No way.

If you could meet one historical figure, who would it be and what would ask him/her?

It will be Mahatma Gandhi and I will ask him if he regrets anything.

A Little About Your Mini Scrapbook:

What prompted you to join the Mini Scrapbook Challenge?

I happened to see the challenge forum at the right time and fell in love with the mini album.

When you first saw the album, what did you think you would do with it?

I was planning on creating an "Enchanted Garden".

What did you end up doing with it?

I created a book with some world wonders as some other contestant had picked a garden theme.

Is there a theme to your album? Why/why not?

I decided to go with my line of artwork and create a "Little Book of World Wonders".

Now that you have worked with one, would you want to do another one?

Oh sure, already made a few and they are much better than my initial one.

What would you do differently next time?

Keep it simple and avoid overdoing it.

A Little About Your Art/Craft:

When did you first start crafting? Why?

Must be from when I was little. My aunt was very creative and used to weave animals out of paper scrap and I tried to copy her.

What is your favorite material/technique?

Intricate ink drawings on paper and then cutting them out and glueing them onto a different ase.

What are your favorite colors to work with?

I seem to favor black and white.

Are you good with written instructions, or do you need pictures?

I do okay with written instructions. My memory is good and I always take a quick glance at instructions before starting anything even though the end product looks simple.

If you could learn one new technique, what would it be? Why?

It has to be Pyrography (woodburning). I am sure most people will like to learn to"writing with fire".

If you could give one piece of advice to a young person first starting out, what would it be?

Don't give up and if put your heart into it, your business will surely be successful.

So Called Mommy - Mini Challenge

SoCalledMommy is quite experienced designing with paper goods. Her shop is filled with beautiful hand made cards that make me want to grab a pen and spend a few hours in personal correspondence. She also has a very unique offering of mini albums herself, ready for your favorite photos.

She is participating in 'Mission Soldier Support' by donating cards to our soldiers to use in corresponding with their families. As a veteran, I am touched by her generosity. Please check out her shop for more information about this wonderful opportunity to offer support for our troops overseas.













Q&A With So Called Mommy:

A Little About You:
What is your favorite morning beverage?
Orange Juice
Do you prefer cats or dogs?
Dogs...we have one
What is next to your computer right now?
My digital camera and card reader
Do you like your handwriting?
Yes, I'm probably a little vain about it in fact
Would you bungee jump?
No way! I'm too much of a scaredy cat

A Little About Your Mini Scrapbook:
What prompted you to join the Mini Scrapbook Challenge?
Just the word "scrapbook" caught my attention. And I'm always up for a good challenge.
When you first saw the album, what did you think you would do with it?
I thought I would do some kind of holiday theme...July 4th, Halloween, something like that
What did you end up doing with it?
I ended up doing a colors theme. Each page has a different color, and a place for a tiny photo
Is there a theme to your album? Why/why not?
My general scrapbooks don't have themes. They're just chronological events in our family's life. So when I do mini albums, it's fun to have something more cohesive about them.
Now that you have worked with one, would you want to do another one?
You bet!
What would you do differently next time?
I might turn some of the pages into fold out pages to increase the number of photos that I (or someone else) could add.

A Little About Your Art/Craft:
When did you first start crafting? Why?
When I was little, just to keep myself busy. Throughout my school years I've tried all sorts of things including knitting, watercolor, pottery, origami and sewing.
What is your favorite material/technique?
My favorite material is paper of course, as I use it on all my scrapbooks and cards. And there are so many pretty designs! One of my favorite techniques is using my sewing machine to stitch on paper.
What are your favorite colors to work with?
My favorite color is pink, and I love putting brown with almost any color.
Are you good with written instructions, or do you need pictures?
I'm better with pictures, but I can at least follow a written recipe in the kitchen!
If you could learn one new technique, what would it be? Why?
I've seen some pretty cool work done with both wet and dry embossing, but I've never tried it.
If you could give one piece of advice to a young person first starting out, what would it be?
Realize that you have your own style, and since it's a part of you, it's important! I often look at other projects or designs, and mine always turn out a little differently, because whether I realize it or not, I'm putting my own spin on it.

JMKoontz - Mini Challenge

We had one gentleman join the challenge. I often forget how truly creative and artistic men are. I know that makes me sound a bit prejudiced, but as a special occasion seamstress, I do not run across many men in my own artistic arena. It was a great pleasure to see what JMKoontz did with his mini album and completely erased that half-formed idea in the back of my head that men are not as creative as women in all the arts.

He introduces his shop as "arts and artifacts from days that never were" and offers costume accessories for sci-fi and fantasy as well as fine art prints. Should you ever need a set of horns to round out a costume, you must see his collection first! I am really loving the Pretty Pink Shimmer set.















Q&A with JMKoontz:

A Little About You:
What is your favorite morning beverage?
Milk – I cannot stand coffee in any form except as a bean coated with chocolate

Do you prefer cats or dogs?
Dogs – I know where I stand with dogs, and typically if they claw you it was intentional

What is next to your computer right now?
Cell phone, Graphics Tablet, Mt Dew can … oh and off a bit are a few random scripts for upcoming graphic novel pages and my scanner.

Do you like your handwriting?
Really that depends on how much time (and patience) I care to devote to the task which requires my handwriting. I love my signature though ^_^

Would you bungee jump?
No, I do not like ‘open heights’ I do not care that there is a tether … my luck, it will fail at the wrong moment

If you could meet one historical figure, who would it be and what would ask him/her?
I like to talk … probably could come up with good questions and conversation for most known figures throughout history. I would like to know how Tolkien came up with his diverse cultures and especially his languages.

A Little About Your Mini Scrapbook:
What prompted you to join the Mini Scrapbook Challenge?
I love to create things and I really wanted a challenge. It never hurts that it is
a community event that also allows me to meet some cool and creative folks.

When you first saw the album, what did you think you would do with it?
When I first saw it, it was so tiny I really wasn’t sure what to do with it. I
knew I wanted to do something themed, however, and since by large fingers don’t handle small objects well, I knew it would have to be visual arts related.

What did you end up doing with it?
I created a series of Steampunk themed Fairy photo manipulations, printed then to tiny size and affixed them to the pages. Then I embellished the covers of the book with lace trim to add that hint of Victorian elegance and gilded the silver metal clasp with gold leaf while replacing the chain with a waxed thread clasp.

Is there a theme to your album? Why/why not?
Yes … Steamed Faeries; kinda like Pressed Fairies, only Steamier. I chose this theme because it works with my enjoyment of steampunk aesthetic combined with fantasy. The size of the book actually suggested the use of faeries as a main thematic subject as well.

Now that you have worked with one, would you want to do another one?
If I had an idea for another mini-theme, or if I saw another mini-book that gave me ideas, sure.

What would you do differently next time?
Hmm … honestly, that really all depends on the ideas I had for the individual book.


A Little About Your Art/Craft:
When did you first start crafting? Why?
Hmm … when I was 5? Seriously, probably 10 years ago while I was in high school. It is only very recently that I started trying to parlay crafting into something of a business however.

What is your favorite material/technique?
Leather, lace, watercolor, clay, acrylic, watch parts, computer, scanner, mechanical pencil … I’m all over the place when it comes to media and materials. Whatever tickles my fancy at the time is what I’ll use.

What are your favorite colors to work with?
Yes? As a classically trained artist, I work with whatever colors are in that which I am creating. I do have a soft spot for rich jewel tones and vibrant popping light (photography)

Are you good with written instructions, or do you need pictures?
I’m fairly good with written instructions, however if you want to be 100% sure, draw me a quick diagram.

If you could learn one new technique, what would it be? Why?
I want to know how to throw pottery. I have a fascination with ‘primitive’ instruments and while I love the sound of ceramic drums, I cannot seem to get a good body via hand-building techniques.

If you could give one piece of advice to a young person first starting out, what would it be?
Try Everything, even if you don’t think it is the right material, technique, media, what-have-you, for you, try it out anyway. Worst Case: you’ll have a better appreciation for someone else’s craft. Best Case: it turns out to be THE ONE THING you love above all other techniques.

EcoLogicallyWorn - Mini Challenge

The first album featured is by EcoLogicallyWorn. Her motto is: "Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do,or do Without"

Her shop is filled with vintage and upcycled gear. I especially love her bags! Be sure to check out her blog as well.











Q&A with EcoLogicallyWorn:

A Little About You:
What is your favorite morning beverage?
Coffee with a creamer

Do you prefer cats or dogs?
I have both (who ever is on my lap, or at my feet at the time!) love em’ equally!

What is next to your computer right now?
Above me is a shelf with a vase collection of hands, and funky angels thrown into the mix. Above the shelf is a stone heart with an angel, scroll work and a antique skeleton key in its keyhole…(love it), under the shelf is an vintage saucer with roses, scribed with ‘Friends’…on my computer brain, is a mannequin head with an antique hat, marbles (that I’ve lost & found) and a ‘Save Our Manatee’s’ mug with a vintage storybook doll in it, and laying next to that, is a sweet little stone manatee Statue.

Do you like your handwriting?
My note taking is terribly messy, but when I want too, I have a fairly artsy script (at work, some of my teacher friends have me do all their awards and certificates), so yes!

Would you bungee jump?
Not today, not ‘EVER’ (Afraid of two things, heights & spiders)

If you could meet one historical figure, who would it be and what would ask him/her?
Wow, great question! Abraham Lincoln for one, I’d love to talk to him about ‘Freedom’, the underground railway, where he thought the country would be in a 100 years, regarding race issues. Would love to know what he’d think, of where we are today?

A Little About Your Mini Scrapbook:
What prompted you to join the Mini Scrapbook Challenge?
The minute I saw the thread posted, I thought it sounded like fun, I love making cards and I thought this would be a nice change!

When you first saw the album, what did you think you would do with it?
I had two ideas from the start and neither could work because the mini scrapbook was a bit too
tiny!!! Which just intrigued me more!!!

What did you end up doing with it?
I looked through all my paper scraps and treasures and decided I had a lot of items that were small and/or could be cut small, and could easily be adapted to the mini Scrapbook with a theme!

Is there a theme to your album? Why/why not?
This question goes with the one above for me, I started seeing a pattern of stuff I had, that would work on a tiny book. I wanted it to be some sort of theme, and one that I could relate too, and for some reason, I figured ‘Cats’ would be taken, so I went with my dog theme!

Now that you have worked with one, would you want to do another one?
Most definitely, it was fun to work on, and I think it turned out as cute as I had hoped! With a blank book this fantastic, how could a person go wrong??!!

What would you do differently next time?
I wouldn’t add a background paper (the book was good enough) or if I did, I’d make sure, it was started in the bend of the page (spine) so there wouldn’t be a raw end/edge of a page, (does that make sense)? If I were to teach a class using this mini scrapbook, that would be my only “what
not to do”!!!

A Little About Your Art/Craft:
When did you first start crafting? Why?
I started embroidering on my clothes as a kid, then learned to sew, and macramé. After that I was hooked, and started making most of my Christmas ornaments. From that point on, I always had a craft project to work on. I learned how to do wood carving, because I wanted my Santa collection to be different. Later I switched to painting on driftwood, I loved the earthy free form looking Santa‘s, I created using the flow of the wood, knots and branches to be a featured part of the jolly guy! Now, I’m into recycling what I can into my projects! I can hardly wait to see what’s around the bend of this never ending road, to creative crafting.

What is your favorite material/technique?
Whatever I’m working on at that particular moment.

What are your favorite colors to work with?
I go back and forth, between earthy tones to colorful bright and cheery colors!

Are you good with written instructions, or do you need pictures?
Both are ok, but it’s hands on for me!!!

If you could learn one new technique, what would it be? Why?
I never learned how to do tatting, knitting or Crochet, and I love watching people work, it’s as if their fingers had a mind and they’re just a willing participant. So it would be one of those!

If you could give one piece of advice to a young person first starting out, what would it be?
Go with your heart and don’t be afraid to try ‘ANYTHING NEW’, I’ve always been rather shy and afraid to take the big leap, for the fear of failing or sadly, what others may think.

Mini Scrapbook Challenge

Ever wonder what creative scrappers would do with the same basic materials? Well, I have and decided to put the oh so talented artists on Etsy to the test with a Mini Scrapbook Challenge!

It's easy to work with a large scrapbook album of 12"x12", but what would you do with a mini scrapbook album of only 2"x1.5."? The album itself is made from a single piece of 12" scrapbooking paper which has been folded to create a 5 page book with a self cover.


With the help of DesignsByLucinda, I got the contest rolling. I was really surprised by the enthusiastic response my challenge received. I had 20 people sign up within the first day of announcing the contest. The rules are very simple, take the Mini Album and scrap it however you want. I will post each finished album here for everyone to see. Each artist will have the opportunity to share a little bit about themselves, the vision for their album and their own artwork.

Each album has been carefully packaged in a handmade box to protect during shipping. Here are the albums all ready to mail out!


Keep checking back to see what develops with these Mini Albums!