It's Official

I did get the new and improved aliferousexpress.blogspot.com set up and running. From now on all business, freebie downloads and things of that nature will occur over there. I'll keep this blog here... it's my name and all. A personal blog or non-related businessy stuff... we'll see. At this point it's hard enough to keep one of them updated.

There was a time when I had to edit all the blog posts swirling through my head so if that need/habit/obsession should suddenly come back to me, I've got options on where to put it. :)

If you've gotten this far, then you're willing to go a little farther... for your efforts, there will be a free font, made by me, and personal/commercial use friendly just for becoming a new member of the new and improved Aliferous Express blog. Just leave a comment and message over there and it's yours. A fun, wintry, snowflake dingbat font.

A preview of the snowflake font can be found in the new wintry design of Aliferous Express and in a lot of my new holiday designs on Etsy.

Pin It

Packing Time

Well, after 6 long months, I can finally re-register aliferousexpress.blogspot.com.

As much as I love Google empire with all of its' free services, contacting them after you've made a boo boo isn't an option.

I had registered aliferousexpress on blogspot years ago and it has sat for a very long time. At that time I had it registered under another email address and when I set up my Etsy store, I also set up aliferousexpress as a gmail address so it would all go together. Then I decided I would delete the old email address and aliferousexpress.blogspot under that email address so I could add it to my new email address.

Still with me??? lol... it's hard to explain, but long story short, you can't delete a blog. I found this information out after I deleted my own domain I wanted and then tried to take it back right away. Google lets it sit out in cyberspace for a looooooong time before the name is finally up for grabs again.

So, if you ever have a blogspot address taken and want to put it under a new email address so you have everything you need when you log into one account, do not, seriously, DO NOT delete the old address.

You must add the desired email address as a contributor to your blog, accept the invite, and then make your changes.

I did not learn this information through all the emails I attempted to send Google to ask for my own blog address back. They don't respond. I guess they were all busy doing something important. Apparently there are other people and issues that needed attention. I don't know, I guess I was hoping there was a team of 1,327 people helping out those of us who don't read the instructions prior to picking up the hammer.

Once I get the new blog all decorated, and who knows, maybe I'll decorate it for the holidays... something wintry so I can leave it for a few months and not just one... everything will be getting a new home.

Because I needed to add another project to the list.... ayayayayay

At least my blog name will match my store name again. Pin It

Let It Snow

Well, fall is clearly over and winter has taken its' place... How does that keep happening??? Every year. Like clockwork.

I cannot prevent it no matter how hard I try so I may as well embrace what is ahead and so I've decorated a whole bunch of snowflakes that I created and saved them as .png with transparent backgrounds.

So many uses... so little time. :)

Enjoy.

17 Pre-decorated Snowflake Images on Etsy

These have been requested in white or black only and I'm going to pack them up that way tonight or tomorrow. However, these are as easily changed just the way they are and they are already pre-shimmered...

 Below is one of the Christmas Cards I made with them that I'll be sending out this year.

Pin It

If You Create It...

... they will come.

As I was listing new items in my Etsy shop, I noticed that my sales have hit 100!

I haven't completed and listed nearly as many items as I had originally planned, BUT I've hit 100 sales and that is a milestone and I'm thinking that deserves a freebie... it's been awhile since I've added anything to Freebie Friday, so, this Friday, I will be listing something holiday related.

Well, I really do have quite a few items in the works and it's one of those productive nights, so I'm going to see if I can put the final touches on some matching holiday goodies.

If you have any fall or Thanksgiving decorating needs/ideas, I've added a few printables to help out... Matching cards, invites, and tent/buffet images almost completed and should appear shortly.

Fall - Thanksgiving - Winter - Christmas Listings

8.5 x 11 Digital papers for scrapbook, stationary, cards, invites, etc.

Fall Leaves - Digital Scrapbooking Elements

Matching Fall Gift Tags

Industrial Strength Digital Paper Pack in Fall Colors

Pin It

Bringing Fonts Back

I've recently begun to update some dingbat fonts I made waaaaaaay back in the '90s/early '00s. I was unable to do it for some time because I started out with Macromedia's Fontographer, which stopped working on newer Windows Versions ages ago. The company stopped putting out updates as well. Up until around 2002, I kept an ancient computer set up in my office just so I could still use Fontographer. Well, that computer finally died around 2007... So now I'm left with a dead computer and expensive software that no longer worked. I had a lot of dingbats in the making (my guess is around 12 from the ones I actually remember).

I purchased new font making software about that time (Fontlab) but I was never able to find or have the time to learn it... life kind of changed and got a lot crazy in 2008. Now that I'm able to sit and concentrate at my computer and get back to doing what I love, I also find that Fontographer has now been updated by Fontlab.

YAY!! I can still use Fontographer, which I know and love, while also learning to use Fontlab in my spare time.

I still secretly (or not so much now) harbor hope that the old hard drive from that ancient computer can be recovered somehow and I will have the ability to resurrect my partially completed fonts that never got finalized. There's a lot of hours there and having them available once again would make me a very happy girl!

I'm too afraid to find out for sure though...

But hey, I'm fonting again. :D

Pin It

September Goodness

Well, admittedly, the social media attention has been lacking in September, BUT, store sales and custom orders are definitely on the rise. :)

In my past craft explorations, I have done well this time of year through to Christmas. So... I'm already working on digital products for the 2012 Christmas season. I've already completed images for coasters, cards and some png files in case you wanted to make things 'yours'.

This weekend I'm also going to start working on gifts and products using my own designs. I'm going to do some flooring shopping on Saturday. I need tiles. I want to make coasters and at zazzle or cafe press I'm not paying $7.00 for ONE single coaster... I've decided it's time to make my own.

How hard can it be??? :)

So, I need some tiles, some cork backing and I've got glue and the images. I'm thinking I'm good to go. It'll be fun and HELLO... inexpensive, handmade gifts.

I also have been saving all kinds of glass jars, so I'll be printing some images to decorate and make fun and interesting pencil holders, candle holders, or whatever else I come up with.

I'm planning on posting the processes for all of these projects I have in the making starting with the shopping trip on Saturday... hopefully the shopping goes better than my most recent experience at a local A.C. Moore.

Talk about crappy customer service. Seriously. Craft store shopping should never. ever. ever. be that painful. Not one item was priced correctly at checkout and although mistakes happen, having a clueless cashier who responds blank-faced by pointing at the terminal screen and telling you the price after you've mentioned the item was marked differently is completely irritating. Yeah, I know what the screen said. That's why I mentioned the price I found it marked at on the shelf.

And then she continued to just stare blankly...

Uh... HELLO... ask, figure it out... do something. staring blankly is not an option...

AYAYAYAYAY.

But, I did prove all my items were the price I found them marked at (wait, was I supposed to have to prove that???) on the shelf and it did take a bit longer than anticipated and I was late to my next destination. Thanks A.C. Moore. I probably won't be back for awhile so I'm sure you won't hear me complain anytime soon. But thanks for the sales I did find. :)

Fortunately, everything else in life has been pretty great. My creative juices have been flowing, sales have been good and I have new and awesome ideas for the upcoming holiday season.

Life is good. Take care and be thankful for today.

XOXO Pin It

September Giveaway

 So, The Beaded Tail is giving away a free, custom bracelet. What a great way to begin adding to your gift stash... that is, if you can bring yourself to actually gift it. to someone. other than yourself. ;-)

She does some amazing work and her jewelry is so unique and pretty. A portion of all proceeds go to animal charities. Sharla's two cats help run The Beaded Tail Blog... I think the three of them make a great team and they always make me laugh. Who can resist animal cuteness and their daily shenanigans?


Head on over to the BBArtisans Blog to find out how to submit your entry.






Pin It