Valentine's Day Make 'n Take

I'm super excited to host a make 'n take this weekend at the Fishers Library. I've been doing these in my home for several years, but this will be a great new venue to branch out to as well. Here's a sneak peek at some of the cards that participants can make:

Make 'n Take FAQs:  

• When?  Where?  How much?  
• I typically offer make 'n takes January-August when I'm not busy with craft shows.  The cost is $10 which covers the materials for up to 5 cards.  
• Do I have to be "crafty"? 
• Nope!  I provide everything-- including step by step instructions.  Seriously, all you have to do is glue.  But... if you are "crafty," I always include options for you to customize your cards and materials for you to design your own!  
• Would you do a private make 'n take for a special group?  
• Yep!  I'd love to customize a make 'n take for your moms group, Bible Study, Girl Scout Troop, or just a girls night with friends.  The best group size is between 4-8.  

A Heart for Adoption

I was so excited when I heard a few months ago that my sweet friends Tim and Anya are planning to adopt! If you've adopted (or know anyone that has), you know what a financial strain it can be. Tim and Anya have asked their "village" of friends and family to help bring this sweet child home to their family.

I decided that I wanted to create a special card just for them. For each card purchased, $1 will go to their adoption fund. (The other $1 barely covers my materials and Paypal fees, so this isn't a get rich quick scheme for me, but truly a way to help them.)

Here's a peek at the card:


Why "Blessed?" Well, for one, it's versatile. This would be a great birthday card, baby card, thinking of you card, missing you card, or thank you card. Two, I feel blessed that I can use my gifts to help my friends. Three, (and most importantly) this little one will be so blessed to be part of their family.

If you'd like to help support them (and get a great card you can use!), here's how:

1. Visit Cards by Jessica on Facebook.
2. Click on "Shop Now" on the left side.
3. You should see two options. If you are local to me or Tim and Anya, you can choose this option with Free Shipping. If you will need your card shipped to you, choose this option.
4. Continue to check out.

To learn more about Tim and Anya's heart for adoption, be sure to visit their blog. And, if you have questions about any of this, please let me know. You can always contact me via email at cardsbyjessica@gmail.com.

Let's bring this baby home!!

I Need Your Help!

I'm super frustrated right now, and I need your help!

Here's the situation: I've got lots of great cards, tags, and now gift tins to sell. So, I need a place to sell them. I do several craft shows throughout the year, and that works out pretty well. I've done some in-home card parties, and those are a blast! I tried an Etsy shop for a while, and it was... okay. I tried a free store on Facebook, and it's been a pain! (As of right now, my store seems to have disappeared. I'm working on trying to find it.) I'm looking for some sort of venue to showcase my products, but not pay an arm and a leg to promote them.

I've thought about going back to Etsy, but with the fees, I'd have to mark my cards up 50 cents each to stay on top. I've never had issues with the site, and it's pretty user-friendly from both ends.

I've thought about just posting my products in Facebook albums. To purchase, you'd just comment on the photo, and then I'd receive the notification. This would obviously be free, so I'd be able to keep my prices where they are. The downside- no shopping cart attached. After the buyer would comment, I'd have to write up and send an invoice. (Which really isn't all that difficult, but it does prolong the process.)

So, what are your thoughts? What would be the easiest way for you to shop? Would you be willing to pay more if I went back to Etsy? Is it too complicated to comment on the photos? Do you know of any other affordable (ideally free) storefronts that you've had good success with?

I'm anxious to hear your suggestions. I'll let you know what I come up with!

PS- I'll do a random drawing from the comments I receive (on topic and helpful, please) and give away a pack of cards for your help.

Max on Life

I recently had the opportunity to read Max on Life by Max Lucado. Different from his many other books, this book tackled many questions about God, prayer, faith, Heaven, and even day to day topics like parenting and relationships. Some of the content is quoted from his previous works, and some is new to this book. Divided into sections (Hope, Hurt, Help, Him/Her, Home, Haves/Have-Nots, Hereafter), each page listed the question as well as Lucado’s response.

As a Christian of nearly 20 years, many of the questions were familiar ones to me. I’ve heard them asked in the church, in small group settings, and in casual conversations. However, some of these questions have no simple answer, and entire books have been written on the topic. If you are looking for in-depth answers to your tough questions, this is not the book for you. I certainly don’t feel that Lucado’s page-long attempt and scripture reference or two will suffice. On the other hand, if you want a great reference book that might provide a starting point (with scripture to back up his response in most cases), this will be a great resource. This book would also provide a great overview of what the Bible has to say about a range of topics for those that are new to Christianity or even exploring their faith.

If you’ve read Lucado before, you know that he’s a very readable writer. His book is full of clever stories and illustrations, not a bunch of religious jargon. I also appreciated the large amount of scripture used to support his responses. And, perhaps most helpful in this book is a topical index as well as a scripture index.

Overall, I’m not sure this was the book for me. I’d recommend it for a new believer or one seeking Christ if you want to read it cover to cover. For more mature Christians, it might be a great reference book to keep on the shelf.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Did You Know....?

Did you know that you can shop directly from my Facebook page? So easy. Click on the cards you like, add them to your cart, and pay with Paypal. Try it out here.

Did you know that ALL my Easter cards are on sale right now for only $1.50 each? What a deal! Plus, I have some adorable Easter tags that would be perfect to tie onto an Easter basket or little gift.

Did you know that I do custom orders? A personalized baby card- done! Notecards with your favorite colors- done! Thank you notes for your business- done! Tags for products you sell- done! A wedding card with the couple's monogram- done! What can I make for YOU?

Did you know that I offer special sales to Facebook fans? Be sure to "like" me on Facebook as well so you don't miss anything!

Did you know that I'm always open to suggestions? Is there something you'd love to see me carry? Have an idea for me to try? Feel free to email me at cardsbyjessica@gmail.com with your suggestions.

Did you know I'm thankful for all those that have supported me and shared my products with their loved ones? :)

Easter!

Since the sun is shining and I can see the tips of my daffodils blooming, it's time to think spring! Here are a few Easter cards for you to get you in the mood...

I hope to have more to post after Friday. I have a few more embellishments that just need created into cards. :) I'm also thinking about some Easter tags that could be tied onto baskets or little gifts. We'll see what some time to create on Friday brings!

To order, visit my facebook page. (www.facebook.com/cardsbyjessica) You can order all of these directly from my page. Look for the little shopping cart on the left. (PS- You get a nice little discount if you're a fan!)

Book Review: Finding Our Way Again by Brian McLaren

Side note: Another hobby! Reading! :)

I hope to post some Easter cards for you soon!

While this was not a book I would have normally chosen off the shelf, it turned out to be a very interesting read. As the introductory book to a series on spiritual practices, Brian McLaren speaks to how “we must rediscover our faith as a way of life, not simply as a system of belief.” He looks at how even ancient spiritual practices have a place today in modern religions as we seek to regain our focus and strengthen our faith. I was expecting a sort of summary of the practices, which it was not. He focused mainly on the need for these practices as a whole in our daily lives and what it means to be growing in our faith (and “finding our way again”).

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I am neither a religious scholar nor a history buff, but his explanations of Christian history were (mostly) clear enough that I was able to follow and have a very basic understanding of where he was coming from.

The one issue that I had with the book was that while McLaren clearly stated that he was a Christian and was writing from a Christian perspective, the book was written for “unreligious people as well as adherents of all three Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.” I did appreciate his explanations of the similarities among these faiths, but I also believe they are different enough to warrant not including them all in one book. For that reason, there were times that I felt he wasn’t as clear in making his statements as he would have been if it simply was directed toward a Christian audience.

I plan to keep this book on my bookshelf to refer back to at another time. I also hope to perhaps think through some of the spiritual exercises and study guide questions more thoroughly.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com http://BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”