I often peruse Etsy. It's great to see the increase of Friendly Plastic items being offered for sale by different artists.
I just had to share this listing because it is so unique and contemporary. The artist is Marissa from the etsy store:
Livethechaos.
An adorable rendition of a hedgehog! Great job Marissa!
Since we're on the topic of etsy.....I wanted to share a few quick tips that I received from an Etsy newsletter. If you are not receiving Etsy's newsletter you should...there are tons of selling tips!!! These are great tips for all different venues of selling, not just for etsy! Below is an excerpt from one of those newsletters.
Read on my crafty friends:
I was very fortunate early on in my shop's existence to have people trust me and purchase items from my little shop, despite my newbie status. Because of this, I try to buy from newly opened shops or shops with few or no sales. My experience with newer or less experienced sellers has taught me a few valuable lessons about my own shop and how I handle customer service and my shop’s appearance.
1. No shop banner or even worse no avatar!
Would you walk into a store that didn’t have a sign out front? Unless you are going for the super exclusive VIP look, get on it! If you have trouble making one, Etsy provides free avatar templates and does the banner work for you with the Bannerator. (Or check out the graphic artists on Etsy who sell avatars and banners here.)
 2. Stay up to date.
Ever read a listing describing how an item would make a great Valentine's Day gift in the middle of July? Maybe you've come across a seller who was supposed to return from vacation a couple weeks ago. Make sure your announcements and listings are up to date and relevant. Need help with creative copy? Check out this article on Writing for an Online Audience.
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 3. Fill in the blanks.
Nothing says "I'm not paying attention" more than a missing item from the featured items row. If a featured item is purchased, make sure to replace it as soon as possible. Leaving these spots empty makes your shop look somewhat deserted. If you tend to be forgetful, mark a number of featured items and when one sells, you'll have a backup to fill the empty position. Learn more about featured shop items here.
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 4. Message in a bottle.
At checkout, customers can leave a message for you that you'll find at the bottom of your transaction page. Don't forget to look out for it!
If someone goes to the trouble to write a message to seller, it is usually important. Want more tips straight from the buyer's mouth? Check out this article, Service Tips for Sellers: The Buyers' Perspective.
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 5. Sell local.
People want to know specifically where an item will ship from, especially last minute shoppers who are looking for short shipping times. If you are concerned about your privacy, you don’t need to get specific with your city, but be sure to list the state, region or provence where you are from. Buying local is hot right now, so take advantage of it! Learn how to set your location in this helpful blog post, How-To: Sell Local.
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 6. Send a confirmation.
There isn't an online retailer out there that doesn't send a conformation email within minutes of making a purchase; shoppers expect it. Of course, not everyone can return an email within minutes, but try to do it as soon as possible. Thank them and include an estimated shipping lead time. Want more information on what happens after you sell an item? Check out this FAQ for answers to help you through your first sale.
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I hope these little tips help and feel free to contact me if you want to gather around the water cooler and talk shop or gossip about the hot delivery driver! Now go out and rock the party that rocks the party! Super great!
Allison Cecil aka MonkeysAlwaysLook 
Posted in Art of Selling 101, Etsy, livingthechaos, making money from your art, Plastic Industry News, selling your artwork | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
In an apparent landslide, voters in Seattle are rejecting a 20-cent-per-bag tax on plastic and paper grocery bags today.
The Seattle Times took a look at the early returns and pronounced that the referendum and pronounced that it "was being resoundingly defeated."
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer noted that as of 8:20 p.m. local time, the "no" votes were leading 58 percent to 42 percent.
The PI report also quotes pollster Stuart Elway saying that "Seattleites certainly have demonstrated a willingness to raise their own taxes for a variety of programs they deemed worthy. Plus, Seattle and the Northwest people generally want to do their part to help save the environment. So I think the question is whether voters think this measure is really going to do enough to help solve a real problem vs. the amount and impact of this tax."
Looks like a victory for the American Chemistry Council and its Progressive Bag Affiliates group, which lobbied hard against the bag tax. Posted in Materials, Packaging, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
Making maple syrup hasn't changed all that much in the past couple hundred years. But an injection molder in Williamstown, Vt., is making a new product that might revolutionize the process.
Vermont Public Radio has the story about the new injection molded maple taps, molded by Progressive Plastics Inc. in Williamstown for Leader Evaporator Co. Inc., a Swanton, Vt., supplier to the maple sugaring industry.
According to the story, Tim Perkins of the University of Vermont's Proctor Maple Research Center invented the spout. What makes it so special? The tap is fitted with a tiny plastic ball that prevents any sap from getting pulled back into the tree.
That's important because once sap gets back into the tree, the tree starts to heal, which eventually shuts off the tap.
"With a valve in here, sap can't move backwards. And by doing that it prevents the tap hole from getting infected with microorganisms, keeps the tap hole clean and allows the sap to run longer in the springtime," Perkins said.
Bruce Gillilan, vice president of Leader Evaporator, says the new tap "could be one of the biggest things that's happened with the maple industry, as big as when plastic tubing started and what it did for the maple industry then."
Based on University of Vermont testing, he believes sugarmakers will be able to collect 50-90 percent more sap.
Progressive Plastics is adding two weekend shifts to meet demand for the spounds, which will each last for one season and then be recycled. Posted in Design, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
Do you ever have a "What if???" day? That's a day where, you play...no real goal to finish a project...no concern about all the mistakes you might make - mostly because there are no real mistakes...a What IF I do this? What if I add that? What if I heat it? What if I stamp it? What if I Rub-N-Buff it? WHat if...what if...what if okay...you get the idea.. Well..this is an example of a recent What If day that I had in the studio. It was just after Jen Lowe left me to go home. She reminded me of all the Genesis Oil paints that I had here...and I had not used in a LONG LONG TIME! I wish you could see this razzle and dazzle in person! It glistens like sunshine on water.  Genesis Paints are oil based with a very exceptional property...they can be baked at the same temperature as polymer clay to dry. This also means that they can be used in conjuction with Friendly Plastic and a griddle....yum yum...the possibilities!!! I'm still keeping the technique a secret! Sorry but a girls just gotta have some secrets, ya know! But maybe I will share this technique at the winter CHA 2010 show. Hmmm...... Now I have just one question for you..... What will you make with Friendly Plastic on your "What if" day?  Posted in Amaco, Friendly Plastic, Friendly Plastic Jewelry, genesis oil paint, Linda Peterson, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »
Monday, August 17th, 2009
It is back to school time....and even though summer isn't over officially...summer break is over for the kids and it's time for them to go back to school. Autumn in the US is a beautiful time of year with lots and lots of colorful changes. It's really my favorite time of the year - the air is crisp, tree's changing into vibrant colors and Arts and Crafts festivals galore. Why not get a boost on accessorizing your autumn wardrobe with this beautiful project designed by Jana Ewy. Add your personal touch to this project to create a variety of variations!
Autumn Fires
 Carft Project - Autum Fires Jewelry
Friendly Plastic® Pendant, Necklace, and Earrings
Designed by: Jana Ewy
Materials Needed:
AMACO® Friendly Plastic® 7†sticks – Copper/Black, Red/Red, Indian Red/Black, Purple/Black, Royal Blue/Black, Swirl/Blue
Small dish of ice cold water with a few drops of olive oil in it.
Note: keep the cutter in this dish.
Non-stick baking sheet
Envirotex Lite® sealer or any high gloss acrylic sealer
Non stick cookie sheet
Jewelry Findings
o 3 Sizes of silver, oval link chain
o Silver pendant bail
o 2 Silver lobster claw clasps
o 2 Silver ear wires
o Silver head pins
o Silver eye pins
o Silver jump rings
o Silver and antiqued brass bead caps
o Silver spacer beads
o 8mm Swarovski crystals in assorted colors
o 3mm crystal and glass beads, bi-cone and square
Tools :
AMACO® Craft Marbling Comb
AMACO® Needle tool
AMACO® PolyRoller
AMACO® PolyBlade
Cutters – rectangles in three sizes
Cutting mat
Matte knife or utility knife
Scissors
Electric griddle set at 265°F (130 °C)
Heat tool
Round nose and needle nose jewelry pliers
Wire cutters
 Step 1
Using the cutting mat, ruler and matte knife, cut two 1/4†strips from each color of plastic. Now cut each strip in half with scissors.
Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 1
 Step 2
Pre heat the griddle to 265°F (130°C). Place the baking sheet onto the griddle. Place the plastic strips onto the baking sheet one at a time in the color pattern shown. Make sure each strip is stuck in place before adding the next strip. Try to press each strip tightly against the one before, to prevent any gaps. Allow the plastic to soften and seal together. If any gaps do appear, simply tap over them with your finger pressing the softened plastic together. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 2
 Step 3
When all the strips have softened and sealed together, place the teeth of the Marbling Comb against the baking sheet and draw the comb towards you in a wavy “S†pattern cutting through the plastic.
NOTE: It is very important that you keep the teeth of the comb against the pan while cutting through the plastic. If you only rake over the top, you only split the metallic finish and take the chance of exposing too much of the base plastic. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 3
 Step 4
Place the teeth of the marbling comb in between the lines you just cut. Now push the comb away following the same wavy pattern, bisecting the previous pass. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 4
 Step 5
Remove the pan from the griddle. While the plastic is still warm, cut two large rectangles (pendant, front and back), 4 medium rectangles (earrings, front and back) and 8 or 10 small rectangles (bracelet, front and back) by pressing the cutter into the softened plastic. Dip the cutter back into the cold water after each cut. This will help keep it from sticking to the plastic. Allow the plastic to cool. You may place the pan under cold running water to speed the cooling process along. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 5
Step 6
Use the Needle Tool to press under the edges of the cooled plastic and remove it from the pan. Pop out the rectangles. If needed, use the craft knife to cut around each one. Repeat steps 2 through 6 two more times. You need at least 10 marbled pieces.
 Step 7
Apply the Envirotex® Lite sealer following the manufacturers instructions. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 7 NOTE:Place pieces on a non stick cookie sheet. This way if there is any run off, it will be easy to remove later. If you are working with small pieces like in this the bracelet, place a strip of double sided tape across the cookie sheet and adhere the pieces onto the tape. This will help keep them from moving around. For the other pieces, just hold them in place with the needle tool. Once the Envirotex® Light sealer is mixed, pour it into a small squeeze bottle. The application will be more precise. Blow softly through a straw, in order to pop any bubbles that remain. Allow to dry, at least 12 hours. If there has been any run off, remove the piece from the pan by pressing the needle tool under it and lifting. You can cut the excess off with scissors. Envirotex® Light cures completely in 24 hours.
 Step 8
To create the components for the pendant, earrings and bracelet heat and soften the back of a marbled rectangle using the heat tool. You don’t want to soften the whole piece, just the surface, enough to press the jump ring with bail (pendant), jump rings (earrings), or eye pin (bracelet) into place. Be careful not to touch the softened plastic with your fingers. Once the jump rings eye pins or is in place, align the two pieces (front and back) one on top of the other and gently press the two together. Moisten your fingers with water and lightly rub around the edges of the component to smooth and secure the bond. Allow the components to cool completely. For the bracelet components trim the long end of the eye pin to approx. 5/16â€, use the round nose pliers to form a loop. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 8
Step 9
Assemble the jewelry pieces into a pleasing composition. The beaded components are created, by sliding the beads and bead caps onto the head pins and eye pins. Trim the long end of the pins to approx. 5/16â€, use the round nose pliers to form a loop. Use the jump rings to attach the beaded components to each other or to the chain. Try cutting and attaching different size chains together for a more updated and interesting look.
For more project ideas order Jana's Book:  Friendly Plastic 101Join Jana on her etsy site to get your very own one of a kind piece from the artist herself!
 Posted in Craft Project, Friendly Plastic 101, friendly plastic free projects, Jana Ewy, Jewelry, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »
Sunday, August 16th, 2009
As the Fall Arts and Craft show season nears us, I will be sharing a few tips on selling your Friendly Plastic jewelry pieces and artwork...afterall, I know that it is so addicting that you can't just make ONE piece....you are addicted to creating more and more and more, aren't you? Be Honest! It's like trying to take a small bite of chocolate...just can't do it! So......what do you do with all those pieces of jewelry, earrings, bracelets, and such that you've made to satisfy your addiction? You "could" send them to me! (just kidding...) or give them as gifts to friends and family - which is a good choice (again...hope I'm a friend....send them to me...see the subliminal messages here?? - even I'm addicted to Friendly Plastic.) But...in this economy, the better option is to offer them for sale. There are many avenues available to you so sell your work such as etsy, ebay, retail stores and arts and craft shows and we will cover those in a future post. In this article, however, I want to talk briefly about presentation. Presentation says alot about your work and who you are as a person. It's those extra finishing touches that will make "YOU" stand out from all the other vendors looking to get the customers money. It's the finishing touches not only on your piece for sale...but how it's displayed......how it's packaged. This is where Mylene Hillam, one of our regular featured artists on the blog comes in to play with her latest blog post. Notice the "packaging" and how her earrings are displayed. She's even taken the time to rubber stamp a very elegant design on the card which displays her earrings. This really gives her work an upscale look and adds value to her piece. It also add's to her reputation as an artist. Just a little something to give consideration to when begining to sell your artwork. Remember...the more you sell...the more you can satisfy that incredible addiction you have to Friendly Plastic....it's an endless cycle...but it is a good one at that. Enjoy Mylene's Post: One of the wonderful things about working with Friendly Plastic is how such simple techniques can transform the foiled strips of Friendly Plastic into really eye catching pieces. Take these earrings for example - their striking appearance belies their simplicity.
 Both pairs are examples of marbling but using different tools to create the effect.
 The first pair was marbled with a marbling comb and the second pair with a needle tool to create two totally different looks.
You can use either a heat gun (as in the first pair) or the griddle method (used for the second pair) to melt the strips together and then slowly draw the tool of your choice through the surface. I used a cookie cutter to cut out the leaf shaped earrings but the chevron earrings are made by layering black and gold rectangles together which have been allowed to melt into each other before using the needle tool.
To finish off the earrings and to add extra bling I've added some Swarovski crystals because they work so well with Friendly Plastic.
Whether you're making your jewellery pieces for sale or as gifts for family and friends, it's worth giving presentation some thought. These earrings are part of a gift enemble so I've displayed them on black cardboard stamped with gold ink - it really makes them pop. You could then place the whole card in a plastic sleeve. But as these earrings are a special gift I've also decorated a coordinating tin to slip them into which apart from providing a beautiful case to store the earrings in, it also gives the whole gift a very professional look!
Head on over to my personal blog: http://www.lindapetersondesigns.blogspot.com/ I've been sharing additional tips on Making Money with your Art! Pick up some great tips and make lots of money this fall craft show season!
 Posted in Friendly Plastic, making money with your art, Mylene Hilam, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »
Saturday, August 15th, 2009
Meet Linda Elbourne! She lives in Cambridge England and say's she is always up for a challenge. As soon as she began working with Friendly Plastic, she also found herself demonstrating it to others! Way to go! Here is her Crafting Journey: I spent the day at the Ally Pally "Big Stamp Show" and what a good time was had by all! After getting over the initial upset of being 60 miles from home and not having a place to park, then walking up what seemed like Mount Everest to me ..... Well the day just improved. I am not sure if I can say this out loud on the Blogosphere ..... so I will whisper it quietly ...... I thought it was loads better than the NEC. Much less busy, much more relaxed and just a really good day! Now I have set the scene I shall tell you about my friendly plastic demo ..... Oh yes peeps ..... I kind of did a demo in front of a large group of people. I was coached by a very lovely man from Once upon a stamp, who taught me how to make a lovely brooch! Ta da! I am afraid my photo taking abilities have let me down a bit .... but boy am I chuffed. I learnt how to melt thin strips together and marble them with the comb. I made the face in a mould and the very nice man mounted it on a brooch pin for me. I kind of think that this is the start of a beautiful friendship. It may even be a new phase .... take me out of my tri-fold card phase maybe? 
Anyways the secret to good friendly plastic art is do not melt for longer than 45 seconds and wave the heat gun up and down and across slowly .... don't hold the heat on full pelt like I did last time!!! But that is a whole nuther story! Thank you very much to the very nice man and Thank you also to all my crafty buddies for such a good day! Speaking of a challenge...Are you up for a challenge?? Why not enter our Design Challenge - It's beachy!  Posted in a crafting journey, Friendly Plastic, linda elbourne, Plastic Industry News | No Comments »
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