AmyFOX

• Get there early for the best selection
• Get there near closing for the best deals
• Take a walk around before buying anything - you may find something similar you like more at another booth. Or, you might find it cheaper!
• Be prepared to pay cash. While many vendors will accept checks, most prefer you to pay in cash. And don't expect all vendors will accept credit cards. If this is more of a hobby than a business for them, they will likely not have the resources to offer that kind of payment option.
• If you see something you like, but would like it a lot better if it was a different color or size, just ask! Most vendors are more than happy to take custom orders!
• Ask for business cards or contact information. That way, if you like the items you bought, you can contact the seller for more.
  

If you’re not crafty or don’t feel like venturing out this winter, you can do all of your handmade shopping online! There are a number of sites out there with literally thousands (if not millions) of members worldwide.

The first, and most well-known, is Etsy. Etsy brands itself as “Your place to buy and sell all things handmade.” I have bought many items on Etsy… and even some supplies for my craft projects. You can search by keyword, tags and category – or, just browse through the thousands of listings and treasuries.

Then there’s ArtFire. ArtFire is new to the handmade market, but certainly making a huge splash. According to www.artfire.com, ArtFire is the “Premier online marketplace for handmade products designed by artisans around the globe. Our free community is designed for artisans to buy and sell their works, while celebrating unique handmade items and designs.” Like Etsy, you can search by categories, tags or keywords. I have also bought items on ArtFire and found the checkout process to be quite easy.

I will be sharing more online vendors for buying handmade before Christmas, but now it’s time to share a DIY holiday gift idea.

Holiday Gift Frame

It doesn’t cost much (less than $10 to make) and would be a great gift for a parent, grandparent, teacher or friend. These frames are also fun projects for kids to make.

Supplies:

- Small Craft Frame (see below)

- Paint and Sponge Brush or other paint brushes

AND/OR

- Fun little papers, stickers and craft items and some glue

First, you’ll want to go to Michael’s or another craft/hobby store. Go to the area with wood and look for the frames. You can get a plain, basic pine frame for $1.00. I’ve used both the square and rectangle sized ones. Here’s a cute little one that you could use: Tyler Frame by Provo Craft.

Now, there are a couple options for decorating these frames. You can 1) paint them 2) glue stuff on them or 3) paint them then glue stuff on them.

The easiest thing, if you are not very crafty, would be to paint the frames. You can get cheap acrylic paint for $.50 - $2. And, if you keep an eye on the sales flyers, you might even find it cheaper. The paint you’ll want to use you can find in the aisle near spray paint. They are in little bottles and the common brands are FolkArt Acrylic Paints and Apple Barrel Colors.

To do a solid all-over color for the base, get a small, cheap sponge brush (you can get these for about a quarter) and use to apply the paint to the frame.

When it has dried, add more color or a fun design using a smaller craft brush.

Now, if you would like to make your frame a little more three-dimensional, grab your favorite adhesive (glue) or, for fast drying, use a cool glue gun. Add your little embellishments, such as ribbon, flowers, chipboard, gems, shells or other found objects and let dry.

Once you are satisfied with your frame, add a special photo and wrap it up!

Here are some examples of frames I've made using some of my scrapbooking supplies:

A while back, I told y’all about my ICanHasCheeseburger.com therapy and I’ve found another site for all you animal lovers… CuteOverload.com! I’m pretty sure this site could make even the most grumpy, angry person smile. You can’t help but get a little smile on your face when scrolling through the different photos and videos.

While I like to pride myself on my cooking skills (sans recipe of course)… I think CookingByNumbers.com is a very interesting idea. Basically, you log on, check the boxes corresponding to what you have in your fridge and/or pantry… and voila – a recipe for dinner! I haven’t tried any recipes yet, but it’s a very interesting concept. If you try it, let me know how it goes!

I came across this item while perusing various craft sites/forums. Not only is it perfect for a TV web producer (such as me), it’s also handmade! I love handmade items! ArtSchoolDropOut.com is selling it for $15. *Ahem* Christmas in April anyone?

Thanks for checking out the first HOT on the Web blog! Look for the next installment April 16. And, if you have a link you think I should check out, post a comment below!

UPDATE #1: I mistakenly left one fantastic item off this week's Hot on the Web -- You won't want to miss this killer YouTube Video! And by killer, I mean "Thriller."