March 8, 2013

Behind the Scenes: My Photography Setup

As a crafty small business owner, I often get creative in the way I make and display my products. Usually just to try to save money and time (even though I tend to spend more time trying to save time, but that’s a different post, ha!).I’m all about using the tools and components I have on hand to try to make something work. One time I was at a photography workshop where we were going over using just a regular point-and-shoot style camera to take good photos of products. I cringed when the photographer made the statement that if you’re using the camera on your phone as your main source for product photography, he kinda felt bad and didn’t know what he could do to help better your photography.Sure that was about 2 years ago and phone technology has vastly advanced in the short time frame, but I just can’t shake the statement. Alas, all the pretty lovelies I photograph and post through my businesses are used with my awesome camera phone. Yes, I know my screen is sad. Once again, working with what I got.. And, I’m kind of cheap.. Err.. Crafty. Renee recommends: Phone covers.My photo setup is rather simple. It consists of my phone, a business card holder, an eraser (to hold the phone up at the right height), a white sheet of paper and a window with indirect sunlight. And the product I’m photographing, of course. As far as camera settings go, I only change the Exposure setting. When I upload the image to my computer, I only have to change the brightness of the image and crop to make sure they’re uniform. Could you tell the difference?

How have you gotten creative to make something work for you?

Posted by Renee Justus & filed under Busted Trumpet, Life. This post has one comment.

March 5, 2013

Weekend Recap: The Felt Bird, Girls Night and a Yummy Pizza Recipe

The past weekend was one of the best I’ve had in a really long time. I had the opportunity to get out-of-town for a night, partook in a fabulous massage followed by a wonderful girls night where we made delicious pizza! I saved the pizza recipes for you, so follow along on my adventure and I’ll share them at the end. Storefront Friday, Josh and I made the trek to The Felt Bird in Enid, Oklahoma for their Grand Re-Opening (they moved down the street and around the corner to a lovely new space). You may be aware that The Felt Bird carries earrings from my company, Busted Trumpet. Beyond that though, Stela has had a piece of my heart for quite some time now. When she moved to Tulsa after graduating in 2008 to pursue an internship, she also became a member of the craft group that evolved in to what is now make:Tulsa. At the time, her crafty business, Stelabird, was growing and she was on the path to bigger and better things. Just a year later she was packing up and moving to Enid to open The Felt Bird, with soon-to-be hubby, Riley. She still creates products for her crafty business, Stelabird, but The Felt Bird has grown and along with Stela and Riley’s hard work, kick-started the downtown area of Enid (in my biased opinion, of course). The new store looks great and their grand opening was booming all night long. Congrats, Stela and Riley! Watching you guys grow over the years has been such an inspiration. People Next up, on Saturday I joined in my normal Saturday morning Zumba Fitness class and followed it up with lunch with a few classmates. Delightful. It was then on to start Girls Night with three of my most favorite ladies! No Girls Night would be complete without a massage, so we started out the night with a massage at Aquarian Age. It’s been so long since my last massage and boy was it needed and enjoyed. In case you’re also in need of a good massage, Kristen Overton was amazing! Aquarian+Age+Massage Following the massage, we took our mushy bodies to our friend’s house where we drank water (priority!), made pizzas, enjoyed other refreshing beverages, chatted and mainly just relaxed. It’s not very often that I hang out and do nothing whilst enjoying the accompaniment of friends, as there is always something to do or somewhere to go, but this night was so much fun and cherished. Here, my mom and I about to enjoy the delicious pizzas we helped make! Check out the recipes below.The pizza recipes were found via Yumly. First up, the Spicy Thai Chicken Pizza. The peanut butter made it really filling, but was still light at the same time. It had a spicy kick to it, but not overwhelming at all.

Spicy Thai Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:
1 thin pizza crust (pre-baked crust works great)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ginger root, minced
5 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 orange bell peppers or 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup pre cooked chicken breast, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 carrot, finely chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 425°F; do not bake the crust yet.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, add garlic, ginger root, peanut butter, honey, vinegar, soy sauce and pepper flakes. Microwave until peanut butter is melted (about 1 minute). Mix well with a whisk.
3. Take pre-baked pizza crust out of the package and top with peanut sauce, cheese, bell pepper and cooked chicken. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
4. Meanwhile, prepare other vegetables.
5. Remove crust from oven and top with remaining vegetables, peanuts and cilantro.
6. Cut and serve immediately while the crust is still hot! Enjoy!

Next up we had Ginger Chicken Pizza. This one was my favorite, I think because it was more pizza-like. I loved the ginger!

Ginger Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons minced or pressed garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups finely chopped green onions (including tops)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 cups shredded boned, skinned cooked chicken $
3 firm-ripe Roma tomatoes (about 9 oz. total)
1 baked pizza crust (12 in. wide; 1 lb.)
1/2 cup purchased pizza or marinara sauce
1 cup (1/4 lb.) shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. In a 10- to 12-inch non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, stir garlic, ginger, green onions, and oil just until onions are limp, about 5 minutes.
2. In a bowl, mix soy sauce with chicken. Rinse and core tomatoes; cut crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices.
3. Place pizza crust in a 12-inch pizza pan or on a 14- by 17-inch baking sheet. Spread crust evenly with sauce, then scatter chicken mixture and onion mixture over sauce. Sprinkle pizza with cheese, and arrange tomato slices evenly over the surface.
4. Bake in a 350° oven until cheese is melted and pizza is hot in center, 12 to 15 minutes. Cut into wedges.

Definitely a Grade A weekend that I am so thankful for! Tons of inspiration and happiness. Thank you to my ladies for the good times. XO

Posted by Renee Justus & filed under Busted Trumpet, Recipe, Road Trip. This post has one comment.

February 27, 2013

Save the Date! June 1, 2013 – Indie Bridal Show in Tulsa, Ok

I’m very excited to announce my latest endeavor! A dear friend and I are partnering up to bring Tulsa an indie bridal show called Marry Me Indie. Marry Me Indie is geared to the modern, DIY bride. We’ll have a strong focus on handmade and whether the bride is looking for a local, handmade touch or wants to DIY her wedding, this is the perfect event!

The show will take place on June 1, 2013 at Living Arts of Tulsa, in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. We’ll have 30 handmade vendors, a fashion show featuring handmade pieces and a life-sized Pinterest board… Just to name a few of the awesome things we have to look forward to.

I’m ecstatic about the show and the opportunity! We launched our site and made the event public on Valentine’s Day and already have vendor apps received and sponsor offers. Eeee!! If you’re interested in vending or sponsoring, check out our website (click here!) for more information.

Hope to see you there!

Follow Marry Me Indie:
Twitter – Facebook – Instagram – Pinterest – Website

Posted by Renee Justus & filed under DIY, Marry Me Indie. This post has no comments yet.

February 22, 2013

DIY: Glitter Jars

Today’s craft is just too easy! With a surprising component to boot. Let me show you how to make your very own glitter jar!To start, gather the materials. You’ll need a clear glass jar, your favorite color of glitter (fine-cut glitter works best) and Pledge brand Floor Care. Why Pledge? It’s clear and allows the glitter to stick to your jar with minimal flaking. I’ve seen others use Modge Podge, but think this method works best. And, you can clean your floors when you’re done!Make sure your glass jar is clean and dry. Next, pour a bit of the Pledge inside your jar. Swirl it around and make sure to coat all parts of the inside glass, but be careful to not shake the jar as it will cause an excess of bubbles. Try and minimize the bubbles!Pour out the excess cleaner. Pour out as much as you can. If you have some bubbling, you should also be able to pour the bubbles out, too. Now, on to the fun part!This part can be a bit messy depending on the size of your jar. If needed, you can make a simple funnel out of paper to help. Grab your glitter and pour a bit into your jar. Cover the opening of your jar and give it a good shake! You really can’t mess this step up – if you pour too much in, simply pour the excess glitter out once your jar is coated – not enough? add more glitter to your jar and shake!These look gorgeous as part of a centerpiece at the dinner table, or in a window sill. Prop a few fake flowers in them for an added touch!

Posted by Renee Justus & filed under Crafts, DIY. This post has 2 comments.

February 5, 2013

Video Segment on Fox23 – Fringe Heart Valentine Card

Today I had the honor of demonstrating the Fringe Heart Valentine Card DIY on Fox23′s Great Day Green Country. I always have a blast on the show; KC, Lacey and the rest of the staff are very friendly and funny. See below for the video!

Posted by Renee Justus & filed under Crafts, DIY, Life, Video. This post has no comments yet.

February 5, 2013

DIY Fringe Heart Valentine Card

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s time to whip out your scissors and paper and get crafty! What possibly could make the nation’s day of love more special than a handmade Valentine?I ran across this idea over at Green Wedding Shoes, where they originally made it as a Save the Date. I thought the heart made of fringe-y goodness would also make for the most adorable Valentine. Let’s make one together!To get started, you’ll need to gather the following supplies:
- Tissue Paper (up to six colors, I’m using three). You can use new or used tissue.
- Scissors
- White glue (Elmer’s will work perfectly)
- Heart made out of card stock. I’m using a cookie cutter to trace and cut out a heart from card stock. You could also free-hand the heart. *Note, you’ll need a heart for every Valentine you intend to make!.
- Free Printable of the Valentine Card Template. Click here to download the template. (*Note, when you print this template, make sure your printer is set to print the Actual Size of the .pdf. The printed cards should be 5.5″ x 4.25″)First up, free hand or trace and cut out your heart. The cookie cutter I’m using is about 3″ x 3″. Also, go ahead and cut out the Valentine card (template available for download here).Now select one color from your tissue paper. It should be long enough lengthwise to cover the heart. Fold over the tissue, approximately 3/4″. Fold the tissue back and forth, accordion style, a total of five times.Next, trim off the strip you’ve made.You can now cut the “fringe”! Using your scissors, cut slits in the tissue paper that are about 2-3 mm apart. Make sure you don’t cut the tissue paper all the way off the strip! Complete the previous steps until you have six strips of fringe.Next, apply white glue to the tops of your fringe strips. Do this for five of the strips. Stack the fringe strips on top of each other, allowing the layer underneath to show. This will be the front of your heart.Once complete, flip your glued fringe over and apply your card stock heart.Carefully cut around the heart card stock.Viola! Fringe Heart! Glue your heart to the Valentine Card Template (download it here). Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day! I heart you guys!

Posted by Renee Justus & filed under Crafts, DIY, Free Printable. This post has 2 comments.

February 1, 2013

Friday Inspiration Video

I came across this video from a friend and it is just too good to not share. This guy is such an inspiration. I was holding back tears of awesome the whole time. If you’re in a rut and need a pick me up.. Or just want to be inspired, check out this video. It’s guaranteed to impress!

Posted by Renee Justus & filed under Inspiration, Life. This post has 4 comments.

January 31, 2013

This & That

Let me preface this post with a little thought that I constantly keep in head:
Go where you’re loved.

A little over a year ago I started a Zumba Fitness class thinking I would just get toned up for my wedding (hitched last May 2012!). My mom was/is on a weight loss journey, so this was something we could do together. Long story short, through this class we both have met the most amazing group of people, friends, really! For me, it fed in to my journey of working for myself full-time, inspired me to be more open, to love & appreciate the people around me more, and of course be more conscious about my health. I mean, who knew that walking into my first class, totally uncoordinated and hanging out in the back row, would be the same Renee that is a licensed Zumba Fitness instructor, quit my day job to be my own boss, married self that I am now? A lot can sure change in a year.

Last week (deemed my “birthday week” by classmates) was unexpected and again an eye-mind-and heart-opener. After subbing for my instructor at the Zumba class I regularly attend (Check it out! Click Here!), I headed out to meet up with some of my classmates for lunch, as usual. Little did I know that I’d be walking into a birthday surprise with so many of my classmates!!! I couldn’t believe it. My favorite Zumba friends, cake (yum!), balloons, cards.. I do believe it’s the sweetest thing that has ever happened to me. I still can’t believe it happened!It was a tremendously positive week. I’m so fortunate to have so many wonderful people in my life. I love them! My happiness level has gone through the roof since I’ve taken steps to do what’s right for me (take care of #1, as mom would say) and do things to get me out of my comfort zone. So, my readers, I encourage you: Go where you’re loved! There are people out there hoping to cross paths with someone like you, they want to meet you and love you and inspire you and help you grow. It doesn’t matter where you are in life or your age. And for you it may not be an aerobics class.. It may take time and meeting new people and getting out of your comfort zone. By golly, they’re out there though. Be open to and receptive to the change and doors that open for you. Don’t be afraid to walk through those doors!

Speaking of comfort zones, I’ve been on the news rather frequently over the past month demonstrating different craft projects. (Me? On the news? So not what anxious Renee thought she’d be doing a year ago..) Last Tuesday, KTUL’s Good Day Tulsa aired the segment I filmed at made: The Indie Emporium Shop. Laura Moss and I demonstrated how to make Bird Seed Gift Favors. You could use these as wedding favors, or Valentines, or make them just for fun. They are very easy to make! Check out the ingredients you need as well as the video demo here.The following Saturday, made: The Indie Emporium Shop hosted an in-store event where people could come in and make their very own birdseed favor. We were delighted to have Amelia come in and make an Oklahoma-shaped favor! The event started at 2pm. Amelia and her mom waited around all afternoon until it was time to come to the shop, they were so excited! I found out today that Amelia loved the project so much that after they left the shop she made her mom stop at the store and buy all the ingredients to make her own favors. She made three batches and passed them out to neighbors, teachers and friends!!! I was so excited to hear this! Folks, we have one awesome, caring and crafty gal right here. Love it. Amelia When I quit my day job, I left with an invitation business under my belt but grand ideas to open other businesses. That was in September. Since then I have started leading Zumba Fitness classes, started this blog, and started a new company called Busted Trumpet. Right now, I’m working on filling our Etsy shop and our fine retailers with handmade jewelry goodness. Keep your eyes peeled Tulsa (and surrounding areas!), our new earrings and cufflinks will be at a store near you soon (or in our online store, if not near you).Mark your calendars now! I’ll be on Fox23′s Great Day Green Country on Tuesday, February 5th and will go on sometime between 10-11. We’re going to make cute, fringy Valentine’s day cards. Woot!

Alright y’all.. Get out there and go where you’re loved!

Posted by Renee Justus & filed under Busted Trumpet, Crafts, Life. This post has 4 comments.

January 23, 2013

DIY: Jewelry Catch All Bowl

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I put together an easy craft that would make the perfect gift for the lovely lady in your life. Whether it be a mom, teacher, friend or relative, most of us wear some sort of jewelry, yet storing the jewelry isn’t always easy. Here is an easy jewelry catch-all bowl you can make. Dad and the kids – this one is easy for you, too!

Get started by gathering your materials. You’ll need:
- 1 pkg. Fimo or Sculpey clay, really any kind of oven-bake sculpting clay will do.
- Lace fabric or a stamp
- A cookie cutter or cup
- Rolling Pin
- Wax Paper
- Oven-safe bowl
- An oven

The process is very similar to making cookies, only I wouldn’t advise you to eat this dough! Pre-heat your oven to 275 degrees (per directions on the sculpting clay package). Next, take your sculpting clay out of the package, knead it together with your hands until the clay becomes soft, then roll it out using your rolling-pin.

Next, place your lace over the clay. If you prefer, you can select a piece of lace that covers the entire piece of clay. You could even use a rubber ink stamp.

3_LaceOverClay
Using your rolling-pin, roll over the lace to it makes an impression in the clay.

Now, slowly peel the lace, removing it from the clay. You’ll see the lace impression is still in the clay!

Using a circle cookie cutter, or even an old candle, cut out a circle shape in your clay. Remove the excess clay while your circle cutter is still on the clay.

Slowly peel the circle cutter away from the clay, and then the clay away from the parchment or wax paper. Grab your oven-safe bowl and place the clay in the bottom of the bowl, lightly pressing the clay into the bottom of the bowl so it takes on the bowl shape. Something else I decided to try while making my bowl, was to add on a ring holder. Using the excess clay, I made what I’ll call a *squiggle* hook. I scored the base of the hook so it will have a nice bond when we go to glue it on to the bowl later.

Place your bowl setup and *squiggle* hook separately on a baking pan. We’ll bake the bowl and *squiggle* hook separately and glue them together once everything is done baking. Your oven should be pre-heated now, so go ahead and stick your bowl setup and the *squiggle* hook in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, according to the sculpting clay package.

Once done baking, let your bowl and *squiggle* hook completely cool. Once cool, you can remove the clay bowl from the oven-safe bowl. If you have uneven edges on your bowl, you can sand it down with sand paper or even a nail file.

If you made a *squiggle* hook, you can attach it to the bowl with craft glue. My favorite glue is E-6000. It’s the most durable glue I’ve found.

When your glue is completely dry (24 hours, to be safe), you can use your bowl and ring holder! So cute and handy.

Another variation is to paint the lace impression. You can also seal the clay with varnish, to make sure it lasts. What’s cool about the sculpting clay is that it comes in a wide array of colors. So you can get creative and really make these bowls unique!

And there you have it folks! Your very own bowl.

Want to see the video for this project? I actually demonstrated how to make this bowl live on our local news station, KTUL’s Good Morning Oklahoma. Click here to see the video.

Enjoy! What will your bowl look like?

Posted by Renee Justus & filed under Crafts, DIY. This post has no comments yet.

January 21, 2013

An Introduction

Hello and Welcome! Renee here, blog creator and all-around craftiprenuer. I could not be more excited to start this new, long-awaited venture. Being that this is my first real post, I thought it would only be appropriate for me to introduce myself and share a bit about what this blog will entail.

I’ve been a crafter and have been around crafters all my life. Crafting and music, that’s pretty much what gives me the warm fuzzies when thinking about my past. My grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, extended family.. All crafty in their own right. So it’s only natural that I follow the path. Then there’s my constant interest in business.. You could find me on the playground selling gum for $0.25 a stick or $1 for a 5/pk. In grade & middle school I’d sell friendship bracelets and handmade stress balls (not necessarily a successful product.. flour + balloon.. there might have been a few instances that involved explosive poofs of flour..). In my free time I’d play pretend admin business and pretend restaurant (with full menu, of course). We’ll just say crafting and businesses has always been an interest.

My lifetime goal was to own my own business and work it full-time. I started my business, GreenerMe Invitations in May of 2007. In September of 2012 I was able to quit my day job to focus on GreenerMe. These past few months have given me more fulfillment than I could have ever imagined. Since quitting my job, I have started a new business, Busted Trumpet, I lead a couple of Zumba Fitness classes, am on the news rather frequently demonstrating various craft projects (never would have thought I’d be doing something like that!) and am now starting this blog, after sitting on the idea and goal to start it over a year! It has been amazing to make such progress in such a small amount of time. I’m ready to rock 2013 and glad you’ll be right there with me.

If you want, you can read more about me on my “About Me” page, because right now I’m really just excited to get on to the fun stuff and on to whole motto of this blog: Crafting! I’ll of course throw in a few tidbits of what’s going on behind-the-scenes from time to time, but on a weekly basis I’ll post DIY crafts that you and even the kids can do at home. I have an amazing love for sweets, so I plan to mix it up with a few recipes here and there, too. I really want to try making my own macarons.. Yum.

Feel free to share with me any crafts or projects you’d like me to cover. I love a good challenge and want to bring content that you’ll enjoy and keep coming back for. I’d love to learn more about you, too. So comment away my friends! Let me know what you’re thinking. My blog is your blog, so let’s have some fun!

Check back Wednesday for the first crafty tutorial.. Just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Thank you for stopping by. Until next time…!

Posted by Renee Justus & filed under Life. This post has no comments yet.