Crafting as Therapy

I opened up the June copy of  Whole Living magazine this weekend and stumbled upon an article that instantly connected with me called "Crafting Happiness."  The introduction read: Modern science tells us one of the best cures for depression is good old-fashioned handiwork (think of it as DYI therapy).

*Image courtesy of WholeLiving.com

I thought "Yes!" when I read this passage and then the full article because I often start crafting - whether it be making cards, scrapbooking or something else - when I am feeling stressed and need to let go for awhile.  As the article describes, immersing myself in the activities surrounding my hobbies helps me combat anxiety and reduce stress.  It even helps me wind down at night; rather than think about all of my worries or things I need to do the next days, I can brainstorm creative ideas.  It never fails to lull me into sleep.  Being crafting is also therapeutic because there are no rights or wrongs.  It is all about learning and stretching yourself.

The article suggests that the craft-challenged, particularly those who are "kind of uncoordinated" would enjoy rubber stamping and paper-punching, given that all you have to do it simply lower and lift your hand.  Whatever handiwork someone chooses to do, I agree with Whole Living that "hands-on projects are line mental-health vitamins."

Supply Spot: Paper Source

One of my favorite places to find supplies for my cards is Paper Source.  I discovered this store many years ago, but it is one that has always been a treat to visit.  In Minneapolis, it was tucked away in Uptown, far from where I lived.  Here in Atlanta, it is also in the middle of the city, so it requires a special trip to make it to the store.  So when I go, it is all about stocking up on colorful stickers, paper and other supplies.

Currently in our store, the Modern Thank You Card Set features Paper Source products.

Crocus Hill Cards' Mascot

If you've ventured over from our personal blog, Here & Now, or had a chance to check it out, you know that our Labrador Retriever puppy is one of our greatest joys.

Emma is definitely part of our inspiration when is comes to Crocus Hill Cards and, as such, we like to consider her our unofficial mascot.  She is always part of the actual crafting - she loves to sit in the office while we are in here, especially if she thinks she may get a chance to sneak a stray piece of paper.  At eight months old, she has never chewed on one shoe or sock of ours, but she will chew on paper scraps if she can get them.

Going forward, you will definitely see some of Emma from time to time - we just cannot resist!

Package to Minnesota

We are moving in early June.  It is a pretty straightforward deal - we are moving from buildings within our apartment complex.  Nonetheless, I am cleaning out our current place as much as possible before we pack up.  I usually fill my car full of items for Goodwill.  This time, however, I am trying something new: I'm selling some stuff on Amazon.

I sold my first item recently, an old scrapbooking idea book by Rebecca Sower.  As I packed up the book, I noticed the person who purchased it was from Minnesota - small world!  It prompted me to include a Crocus Hill card in the package, just to say hi.  John pointed out it was a good marketing opportunity, too.  Here's a look at what went out to Sally:

Our "Photography Studio"

Photographing our handmade cards has been one of the learnings we've had during our experience as small business owners so far.  Prior to opening Crocus Hill Cards, we heard that the photographs of the products were essential to Etsy success.  So when we finally got to the point where we were ready to create our visual inventory, we took careful measure to make sure we were getting good pictures.

In order to do so, we had to go outside, to our back patio.  Our apartment is terribly dim - I hate taking any photographs inside of it because everything turns out yellow.  When I'm forced to, I set my camera to Tungsten lighting in order to get rid of the gold glow.  I did not want to do that for the cards in order to show the colors accurately.  So John and I set up a little "studio" outside to capture some natural light.  We used a few props to create a nice background, and you can see a little bit of the trees and greenery in the background of our current card listings if you look closely. In reality, though, this is what things looked like during our first shoot:

While I am really happy with the results of photographing the cards outside, the downside was that a little wind made for a challenge.

Baby Card to Iowa

I have used (and therefore made) only few baby cards in my lifetime - I have only a handful of friends who have children at this point in our lives.  However, I got to create one this week, after learning that my friend Amber gave birth this last week to a healthy baby boy.

Supplies: Bazzill cardstock, SEI cardstock, SEI tag, Making Memories brad

Card Descriptions

It doesn't seem that difficult to create a description for a card listing in our shop. After all, the listing includes up to four photos and pictures speak louder than words, right? That was the case before Google. In order to generate more traffic to our shop, as well as make it easier for people to understand the cards, we need to include detailed descriptions when we create a listing.


John took a stab at writing our first description and here is what he came up with:


Each card is handcrafted with the same level of dedication and care a professional tobacconist uses while rolling a smooth, well-balanced cuban cigar. Like the smoke rising from the end of a Romeo y Julietta Churchill, your recipient's emotion and joy will waft upwards and slowly blanket the parlor where the card is opened. Each card is accompanied by an A2 envelope.


Needless to say, most of that description did not make it on to any part of our shop. If you take a look at a few cards, though, you'll see his last line did.