Thursday, February 23, 2006
Hello!
How are you? We hope you're well. We know a lot of our friends are down in the dumps lately, worried about things, or just having bad luck. We wanted to email you to let you know that right now, in these times, it's extra important to take some time for yourself to make some art, give back to people that you care about, and do something nice for someone.
Why not combine all of those ideas, and take on a secret project? Create a little piece of art and leave it for someone, a friend or stranger, to brighten their day? It'll make you feel very good, we promise. Plus, it'll really put a smile on someone's face. Everyone loves a surprise present! No matter how crabby and cranky they are, their hearts will lighten and it will all be a little better for them.
I have a friend who used to leave small trading cards (before they were official "Artist Trading Cards") on the bus. Another friend used to leave art postcards. I've been known to leave mini photocopied books where an unsuspecting person can find them. And, I very well remember the joy at getting a little surprise sticker, bookmark, or miniature letter from my mother in my lunch sack. Remember how it feels to get mail art or a special letter in the mail from a friend? It only takes a few minutes, but doing little bits of good in the world will reward you in uncountable ways.
To get you started, we want to offer you a special treat with your order this week. Each order of $25 or more will earn a free sampler pack of Artist Trading Cards, in sized 2.5 x 3.5 inches. A Dozen Different colors of fun recycled paper cards, all ready for you to art up and trade or pass on to unsuspecting recipients! Be sure to order before March 1st to get your present!
Alphabet Brads
Anything alphabet can't be resisted among us obsessive journal keepers- can YOU resist any new way to add text to your art? Didn't think so. :)
Around the Block has come up with these wonderful new brads and we're excited to bring them to you. Alphabet Soft Brads are soft on top, a brad on the bottom. They are squares featuring a letter of the alphabet ad a word, perfect for your own alphabet inspired journal entries, of course, or to use as drop caps on any paper arts project. For example, the letter "i" is pink and yellow, and the word "incredible" runs up the right side. Very Cool. Preorder to get yours first; we'll be shipping these out in March.
You can see Alphabet Brads and a bunch of other new word art tools on our Language Arts Page
NEW! Trading Card Paper Collage Packs!
Our own Trading Card Sized Paper Collage Packs are just right for miniature collages! Our Rummage Pack contains 60 2.5 x 3.5 inch vintage recycled paper bits, most double sided, in various texty patterns. No reproductions here! Our Decorative Pack contains 60 stationery weight paper bits, in various handmade and decorative papers. Use these for backgrounds to your miniature art, or cut and paste to create larger collages. Each pack contains 60 pieces and is $5.00.
Go look and see.
and NEW from Zazzle
We'd been working on our Zazzle store, too!
Do you like? We thought you would.
Turtle Arts Outpost on eBay
Don't forget to check our eBay store every week for some new deals and closeout goodies. Kerrie's thinking of adding some small artworks there later this week too.
Always know what's new...
You can always go see what's new, and get gossip to, at our new blog, right here. If you use Bloglines, be sure to subscribe.
OK, go get to work. Make some art and make someone smile!
Kerrie
How are you? We hope you're well. We know a lot of our friends are down in the dumps lately, worried about things, or just having bad luck. We wanted to email you to let you know that right now, in these times, it's extra important to take some time for yourself to make some art, give back to people that you care about, and do something nice for someone.
Why not combine all of those ideas, and take on a secret project? Create a little piece of art and leave it for someone, a friend or stranger, to brighten their day? It'll make you feel very good, we promise. Plus, it'll really put a smile on someone's face. Everyone loves a surprise present! No matter how crabby and cranky they are, their hearts will lighten and it will all be a little better for them.
I have a friend who used to leave small trading cards (before they were official "Artist Trading Cards") on the bus. Another friend used to leave art postcards. I've been known to leave mini photocopied books where an unsuspecting person can find them. And, I very well remember the joy at getting a little surprise sticker, bookmark, or miniature letter from my mother in my lunch sack. Remember how it feels to get mail art or a special letter in the mail from a friend? It only takes a few minutes, but doing little bits of good in the world will reward you in uncountable ways.
To get you started, we want to offer you a special treat with your order this week. Each order of $25 or more will earn a free sampler pack of Artist Trading Cards, in sized 2.5 x 3.5 inches. A Dozen Different colors of fun recycled paper cards, all ready for you to art up and trade or pass on to unsuspecting recipients! Be sure to order before March 1st to get your present!
Anything alphabet can't be resisted among us obsessive journal keepers- can YOU resist any new way to add text to your art? Didn't think so. :)
Around the Block has come up with these wonderful new brads and we're excited to bring them to you. Alphabet Soft Brads are soft on top, a brad on the bottom. They are squares featuring a letter of the alphabet ad a word, perfect for your own alphabet inspired journal entries, of course, or to use as drop caps on any paper arts project. For example, the letter "i" is pink and yellow, and the word "incredible" runs up the right side. Very Cool. Preorder to get yours first; we'll be shipping these out in March.
You can see Alphabet Brads and a bunch of other new word art tools on our Language Arts Page
NEW! Trading Card Paper Collage Packs!
Our own Trading Card Sized Paper Collage Packs are just right for miniature collages! Our Rummage Pack contains 60 2.5 x 3.5 inch vintage recycled paper bits, most double sided, in various texty patterns. No reproductions here! Our Decorative Pack contains 60 stationery weight paper bits, in various handmade and decorative papers. Use these for backgrounds to your miniature art, or cut and paste to create larger collages. Each pack contains 60 pieces and is $5.00.
Go look and see.
We'd been working on our Zazzle store, too!
Do you like? We thought you would.
Turtle Arts Outpost on eBay
Don't forget to check our eBay store every week for some new deals and closeout goodies. Kerrie's thinking of adding some small artworks there later this week too.
Always know what's new...
You can always go see what's new, and get gossip to, at our new blog, right here. If you use Bloglines, be sure to subscribe.
OK, go get to work. Make some art and make someone smile!
Kerrie
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
NRDC: A Shopper's Guide to Home Tissue Products Made with Recycled Paper
I'll bet you didn't know that if every U.S. household used just one roll of 100% post consumer waste recycled toilet paper instead of a roll made with virgin wood that it would save nearly 424,000 trees. Or that using one box off 100% PCW recycled facial tissue or a roll of paper towels would save 1.7 million trees. Heck I didn't. I know what you are probably thinking...recycled tissues will be scratchy or bad or expensive. Well they are a little bit more expensive, but we have been using paper products made by Seventh Generation and I can't tell the difference.
So how do you find recycled tissue and paper towels? Well they are probably in your grocery store right now. Look at the packaging, if a product has recycled content then it should say. Beware of items that just say "100% Recycled", because what you really want to buy are products with high Post Consumer Waste (PCW) recycled content. Some products that say they are recycled really contain 10% or less PCW.
Post consumer waste is the percentage of the product that came from the paper that you recycle at the curb or at work. The reason it is important to buy tissue with high PCW is that it encourages more consumer recycling which keeps paper trash of land fills and saves trees.
Check our the article I linked to above for more information or you can go here for a .PDF of a handy dandy wallet size card that will tell you the best brands of tissue and paper towels to look for when you on your next shopping trip.
I'll bet you didn't know that if every U.S. household used just one roll of 100% post consumer waste recycled toilet paper instead of a roll made with virgin wood that it would save nearly 424,000 trees. Or that using one box off 100% PCW recycled facial tissue or a roll of paper towels would save 1.7 million trees. Heck I didn't. I know what you are probably thinking...recycled tissues will be scratchy or bad or expensive. Well they are a little bit more expensive, but we have been using paper products made by Seventh Generation and I can't tell the difference.
So how do you find recycled tissue and paper towels? Well they are probably in your grocery store right now. Look at the packaging, if a product has recycled content then it should say. Beware of items that just say "100% Recycled", because what you really want to buy are products with high Post Consumer Waste (PCW) recycled content. Some products that say they are recycled really contain 10% or less PCW.
Post consumer waste is the percentage of the product that came from the paper that you recycle at the curb or at work. The reason it is important to buy tissue with high PCW is that it encourages more consumer recycling which keeps paper trash of land fills and saves trees.
Check our the article I linked to above for more information or you can go here for a .PDF of a handy dandy wallet size card that will tell you the best brands of tissue and paper towels to look for when you on your next shopping trip.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
We've just added a bunch of lovely new colors of Artist Trading Cards to our online store. Chocolate. Wine. And others that are just beautiful, even if they don't have anything to do with chocolate or wine. Check them out: 100% Recycled Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) and Decks
Friday, February 10, 2006
Greetings from Sunny Seattle! That's right, today is a nice sunny winter day here in Jet City. We don't get too many of these days so right after we send out this email we are heading out to go for a walk down to the Ballard Locks and do some birding. Normally we can see Great Blue Herons, Belted Kingfishers, Double Breasted Cormorants and a variety of ducks and sea gulls. If you ever get to Seattle I would highly recommend it for any of you birders out there.
Anyway...spurred on by the great reaction to Kerrie's collage sheets Scott has been working on his own alphabet collage sheets based on his Alphabutton designs. He's got 5 designs up (Bumble Bee, Tree Hugger, Jessie's Letter, Sketchbook, and Hot Stuff) with more to come soon. These are his first collage designs so be nice. ;)
Scott also has some 1 1/4" environmental, patriotic and logo button designs for sale on our Artbutton page. Look here to find out how you can get custom buttons made to order as well.
Plus, Rad Red Art Supplies!
Not to be outdone, Kerrie has assembled an array of RED and PINK coolness in honor of Valentine's Day. (BTW the Hot Stuff buttons and Collage sheets are great for Valentine's Day too.) If you need pens, paper, blank Artist Trading Cards, or other goodies... it's all here!
Click here to see Red.
Now, go make stuff, and happy Olympics Weekend!
Anyway...spurred on by the great reaction to Kerrie's collage sheets Scott has been working on his own alphabet collage sheets based on his Alphabutton designs. He's got 5 designs up (Bumble Bee, Tree Hugger, Jessie's Letter, Sketchbook, and Hot Stuff) with more to come soon. These are his first collage designs so be nice. ;)
Scott also has some 1 1/4" environmental, patriotic and logo button designs for sale on our Artbutton page. Look here to find out how you can get custom buttons made to order as well.
Plus, Rad Red Art Supplies!
Not to be outdone, Kerrie has assembled an array of RED and PINK coolness in honor of Valentine's Day. (BTW the Hot Stuff buttons and Collage sheets are great for Valentine's Day too.) If you need pens, paper, blank Artist Trading Cards, or other goodies... it's all here!
Click here to see Red.
Now, go make stuff, and happy Olympics Weekend!
Friday, February 03, 2006
We've had a lot of stuff going on, it's true, with closing our store and getting the next issue of dog eared magazine ready to go to the printer (soon, we promise!) But we're always here for you. Email us if you have any questions.
Looking for a bargain? Check out our new Outlet Store on eBay!
