Have a Beautiful Weekend Bloggers and Blogging Friends

Have a Beautiful Weekend Bloggers, and my Blogging Friends! Just dropping off a rainbow note to everyone visiting LilacsNDreams during the weekend to wish you all well. Have fun, enjoy, and be safe with all you do. Take care, and see you all again on Monday. 

     HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND ALL!!

Colors of Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer Seasons Changing

Colors of Fall.......

Colors of Winter.........

Colors of Spring.......

Colors of Summer........






Colors of Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer. Seasons are changing. Which do you favor?

Hello, and Welcome to LilacsNDreams everyone! Our weekend is almost here again, and time for me to stop by here, and share with you all something of interest.

Colors of Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. We see this happen all the time, and we just know when the seasons are changing again. With Fall we can relate to the colors of orange, yellows, brown, and of course Halloween. With Winter we associate white, red, green, and Christmas with it. In the Spring we see colors coming back to life with greens, pinks, blues, lilacs, etc. As for summer that is not too far off from spring. But, the colors of summer do take on just a bit different hue with them when that season visits with us. 

Right now Fall is upon us. We see the leaves changing, the grass is changing colors, for those states producing crops we are seeing the fields being pulled down. During this time of season we also will see a change with some of the animals. We are seeing more deer, seeing a few racoons, and the birds are also being sensitive to the seasons changing with the weather, and all too. 

Soon we will have Halloween to celebrate with. Next will be Thanksgiving, and then Christmas here we come. Depending where you live the weather will also change with your seasons. For Christmas some of us will have snow, and some of us will just have a cooler air to contend with. 

Many like when Fall is with us, enjoy the cool down from summer, and are excited for the holidays coming to us. Yes, it is a nice change of pace from summer. My favorite time of seasons changing is with spring. Things are coming back to life, colors are becoming vibrant again, and I adore the pastel colors of this time of year. Pink, Blue, Green, Aqua, and of course Lilacs too. I have also been known to implement colors of pink, and blue into my christmas themes too.

Notice how each change of colors, or change of seasons also changes a mood within us as well. So, what is your favorite Season. Maybe your favorite colors of the season?

Thanks for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams everyone. Always happy to have you visiting with me, and enjoy it as well too. Take care everyone, and see you again soon. Toodles....

Handmade Art Craft Changed by Using Technology

Handmade Art Craft Changed by Technology as things progress.

Hello, and Welcome to LilacsNDreams everyone! Hope ya'll had a great weekend. Today I would like to cover a topic that is often discussed with many opinions, and ideas to the subject as well. Handmade, and what is handmade? There has been many debates to this with many venues. According to Dictionary.com they give the definition to handmade as made by hand, rather than by machine. Yet, as time goes along, technology advances for us, and some are found using machines with help in some of their handmade items. Many of the popular items that are handmade for today are jewelry, cards, dolls, purses, crafts, gifts, sewing and quilting, and etc.

A question that many ask is at what point in technology should we consider that the item is no longer handmade, but machine made. Like with jewelry a program could be used to design the jewelry, and then a milling machine as it is called is used to produce it. Now, they could use hand graving, casting, and etc as some would see for handmade. Now, if a photo artist were to use one of millions of programs to edit would you still consider their work to be handmade? Sewing, and quilting has advanced from using the needles, and thimbles to machines. Keep in mind some of those machines are available with computer control. Many changes are advancing into the work load of a human to produce products. 

There is also issues, and questions of items that are repurposed, upcycled, recycled, reused, and etc if those should also be considered handmade. It use to be easier to find a line to draw with this, but as we have seen with technology advancing where is that line at now?

I thought that items done by one person, or a small group were handmade. Generally done in small numbers, and done with love and care. With the mass productions of things today it is hard for the handmade artisan to stand out. Some have learned to adapt with modern age with products of our own creations. Craftsman, and artists do use some tools to bring their ideas to life, and some of them tools have come a long way. I also feel that people who sit in a factory location producing items are not handmade, but massively produced for a cheaper market too. I do feel that using some machines, and gadgets is fine as times change. I think that if you can produce a one of a kind item by using technology, and designs it is handmade. Now, if that same design uses technology to make multiple copies of the item then it is machine made. Technology can make some high quality pieces, but it can also be used to mass produce cheaper items also seen as garbage too.

I know it is a matter of perspective with handmade, but where do you feel the line should be drawn at?

Thanks so much for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams everyone! Take care, and see you again soon. 

Thrifting Junking Repurposing Homemade Creating Weekend

Thrifting Junking Repurposing Homemade Creating Weekend

Welcome to LilacsNDreams everyone! Wow! It is Friday, and it feels good to be here too. You have any big plans for the weekend? Nothing big here. Birthday celebrations with sister, and hopefully time to sleep, sleep, and even a little bit more sleep with the hectic schedules that have been here the past 2 weeks. 

Oh, yeah, I was kind of hoping to get some more pieces put together, and get more new things listed in the shops too. Can't jump ahead too far as my plans don't always work out. Day by day:)

Whatever your plans are for the weekend enjoy them, and have fun! WooHoo! It's Friday, and weekend here we come. Thanks for dropping by everyone to visit with LilacsNDreams, and see you again soon. Take care, and have a fabulous weekend with all you plan. Get in a little bit of shopping with Thrifting, and Junking if you can too. Till the next time. . . . 

Google Shopping Keywords and Selling on Ecrater

Google Shopping Keywords, and Selling on Ecrater is something to consider. 

Hi All, and Welcome to LilacsNDreams! I have been gone all day again on Wednesday. Busy busy busy. Each time I have a day like this I make sure to still stay up at night to read my emails, read messages to me, check my shops, and of course read what is being shared in all the forums I like to frequent, and roam through. 

Many of us who are sellers have many shops. Some of our shops are all in the same place, some of us use different venues to sell with, and some of us also have websites that we like to sell with as well. Some day I hope to be more active with my website, or maybe just do everything from my blog here too. Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself there a little bit.

One of the shops I have is with Ecrater. I have slowly...and I mean slowly been adding my inventory into this shop. My vintage collectibles, items found when thrifting, and I have also been adding in my items that I repurpose too. Ecrater is free to list, no final value fees, has been around for a while, and they do offer choices of paypal and google wallet as payment services to use too. As some of us, or many of us are aware soon Google Shopping will be completely different for use. In order for our products to show with Google Shopping you will have to pay to be a part of it. I have heard it can get quite spendy too. I have never really worried too much about Google Shopping as I am seen in Google Organic searches, found in yahoo searches, product images show at The Find, and etc. But, let's admit it, the more we can get seen by others, the more exposure, the better chances of sales, right? In the forums at Artfire tonight another seller there who also sells on Ecrater shared something interesting with all of us. TheLivesAndLovesOfMaggieTheCat shared this with us: 
                   "For all who are or are considering opening on eCRATER I just learned that the admin is paying Google for minimum key word bids so our items will still be picked up by Google Shopping. How is that for a totally free site?"

WOW! This is good news, and even more incentive for me to start working harder on those listings I have slowly been adding in there. With this kind of announcement it is time for me to step it up a bit more with the Holiday Shopping fast approaching for us too. 

So, for those who are sellers visiting with LilacsNDreams, and if you use Ecrater I hope you find satisfaction with this announcement as I did myself. I wish you all well, and many happy sales to you too!

Thanks for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams, and hope to see you again soon. Take care till the next time everyone. Toodle Ooohhh....

Halloween and DIY Dryer Vent Pumpkins Homemade

Halloween and DIY Dryer Vent Pumpkins Homemade is a fabulous idea!

Hello, and Welcome to LilacsNDreams everyone! Well, our summer is now gone, and the calender says that on the 22nd of September Autumn begins for us. Still nice weather, but the days are not so hot and humid, and the nights are cooling down as well. School has started, Homecoming events with schools, leaves are changing for the season, and our first holiday that we will soon have upon us is Halloween. 

How far ahead do you prepare for holidays at this time of year? Do you decorate a lot? Maybe you are like me, and like to decorate outside, and inside the home as well. Course the easier the project, the less expensive it is, the more I can make and create with too. Halloween as we know always shows us pumpkins everywhere. Some are used for decorating outside the home, some for inside the home, and just so many things we can do to make these as well. Don't take me wrong, I enjoy using the real pumpkins, and making things. But, I also enjoy crafting to make even a few more things, and sometimes those can also be stored to use for next year Halloween too. Some items can also carry over into the next upcoming season as well such as Autumn, Harvest, Thanksgiving, etc.

Below you will see pictures of some simple pumpkins that were made. These pictures were ones that have been shared on the internet, and if you search a little more sometimes you will find instructions for doing these as well. Something simple, and are adorable when done too. 

Depending how you want yours to be completed will determine how much of what supplies you will need. There is your glitter spray to consider, some spray paint coloring for the pumpkins, cinnamin sticks, cut piece of wood, stick from your own yard, maybe some moss for texture, leaves, vines, and etc. To start these pumpkins you will need some dryer vents. 

 

Cut these dryer vents to the sizes you wish your pumpkins to be. Once you have that done you just bring the ends together, and glue them making a round circle shape of the pumpkin. Next, get your spray paint out to add the colors that you want. There is the traditional orange, white has become popular, I have seen black pumpkins, and there is no rule to this. Choose what you desire to use with your home.

Once you have them painted you can then add a little bit of glitter if you would like. As for the center stems that is where you can choose to use cinnamin sticks, a cut piece of wood, maybe a stick from your yard, use the empty roll from toilet paper, and just whatever you choose is going to be good. Once you glue that in the center of the pumpkin you can add some filling of moss around it for texture. Maybe you would like to add some leaves, or maybe some kind of leaf vine too. Whatever you choose it will be wonderful. There is no right, or wrong to how you create these adorable simple pieces. Do what works for you, your family and friends, your home decor, and what your creative mood feels at the time too.

 

Now, I know I seem some dryer vents around here some where. Guess I will have to go digging for some of it, and if I don't find it I shall head to the store. You know you could also consider some of the black vents that are used outside the home too. Just a last minute thought, but also hoping to help you be inspired as well. 

Something simple, something cute, and something fun to do with little work makes for a really fun DIY craft doesn't it? Hope this helps some of you by showing you a little bit, and giving you some ideas to work with as well. Inspiration is everywhere, and I hope you have found some here. 

Thanks so much for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams, and hope to see you visit again soon. Enjoy, have fun, take care, and have a wonderful day everyone! Toodle Loo............

Reorganzing Your Home With More Ideas to Share

 Reorganzing Your Home With More Ideas to Share

Hello, and Good Day to all of you visiting with LilacsNDreams! Happy to have you here with all of us. I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend. Was very nice here, cooler at night, but gorgeous days yet. I am thankful for that because I am sorry, but I just am not a winter person. Fall I can handle, but that cold stuff.....Well, we don't get along too well. 

So, how many worked in their homes this weekend? Some might have crafted, some painted, some were gluing pieces, little bit of sanding, cutting wood, etc. If not crafting, did anyone get a chance to visit some Thrift Stores, and to go junking? I got 1 think glued, and other pieces are sitting together I have paired with each other, and that is all the further I got. I do plan on organizing more things around here, and am forever looking for other ideas of those who have done so to help inspire me into doing something. 

Below are a few more simple ideas to maybe help us with some of the smaller things. Great ideas, and some are inspiring too.

Here is another idea of how to use a 2 tier cake plate. Course I like it as it is something I enjoy making. This picture helps others see how versatile those pieces really are. Plate Glass Pedestal Stand repurposed.

This is one of them there simple things, and who would have guessed to do this, right? DIY Cable Organizer

This is a before..which we all can relate too. Then, here is the after. It was all organized with using binder clips. How neat is that? Another small thing from the office that can be used. Binder Clip Organization

This is a simple inexpensive thing to use. Actually my sister uses this, and it has done wonders for her in saving room, and knowing where some things are too. Pantry/Door Organizer  Many uses for this with snacks, packet seasonings, etc. Also, cut this down smaller to size to fit inside the cabinet doors as well. Neat, huh?

I always like that kind of rustic look with some things, and this idea is one of those times too. This is a wine bottle holder that is being used as a wrapped towel holder. How many times a towel is forgotten, and how things get messy getting out from shower to get one. If one of these was hanging by the shower, or near by anyway, would this not be a saver for all of us? Towel Holder  This came from another blogger at itsrusticliving.blogspot.com

Well, here you have it. A few more ideas of how to organize, and make things a little bit more simpler for you too. Hope you enjoyed this, and it was helpful to you as well. I know I got a few more ideas from this myself:) 

Hey, thanks for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams. Always a pleasure to have you here, and hope to see you again soon.