CorinnaCiera's Blog

Items of interest to an array of individuals.


Just Dance!

Published: 01-09-2012 12:25pm
Posted In: General Topics
 These days people today love to watch other people dance, especially on reality television shows like Dancing With the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance (my favorite). What many may not realize is that if you get off the couch and dance yourself, it's a great way to keep your body and mind healthy. Studies show that dancing can help you lose weight stay flexible, reduce stress, and make friends. Another added plus is that dancing is great aerobic exercise, just as helpful as cycling and jogging.According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, dancing may boost your memory and prevent you from developing dementia as you get old... » Read More

Note Cards You Can Customize Yourself!

Published: 11-22-2011 05:50pm
Posted In: New Products
This is a new concept for Corinna Ciera. Imagine! A handmade boxed note card set that includes 12 cards that you can customize to add your own personal touch. This is also a great gift for the person who wants to say "I designed it myself!"  You have a choice of 18 ready-made Sentiment Placards that can be placed on any card and in any position you prefer. These are flat note cards that have a matching gift box. Covered sticky tabs are already attached to the back of each placard to make placement simple and easy. Your Sentiment placard can be re-arrranged once or twice initially, if needed. This is a unique concept and allows you to ... » Read More

Can You Take Too Many Supplements?

Published: 11-22-2011 05:43pm
Posted In: Health
  It is a fact that the majority of adults in the United States take at least one dietary supplement every day. These supplements include vitamins D and E; minerals like calcium and iron; herbs such as Echinacea and garlic; and specialty products like glucosamine and fish oils.   If you don’t eat a balanced diet, some supplements might help you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients. However, supplements don’t take the place of the actual food that is needed to keep us healthy.   It’s important to check... » Read More

Do You Want to Sell Your Craft in 2012?

Published: 11-15-2011 11:12pm
Posted In: Crafts
The state of the economy is always in the news. But why let it dictate who you are and what you want to do in the future? Take action now and make those idle dreams come true. If you are good at making a craft and would like to sell it for profit, you need to do some easy research to get started. You need to see if your craft is in demand. Look for articles about your craft to see if it is marketable. Also look at your competition and the prices that are charged for the items. Is your product unique enough to be sought out by others despite your competition? You need an edge in your market. For instance, in my card making ente... » Read More

Give Your Brain a Workout and Make Yourself Smarter!

Published: 11-15-2011 11:06pm
Posted In: Health
Most of us know that exercise strengthens our muscles and increases our flexibility. Weight workouts add lean muscle to our bodies and help us retain more muscle in later years. Similarly, our brains need workouts to say healthy and fit as we age since, as we get older, our brains can atrophy making it more difficult to perform mental tasks. Researchers now believe that following a brain healthy lifestyle and performing regular brain exercises can also stimulate the brain.   This is of interest to me because I am a retired nurse, plus I have an aging mother who has short-ter... » Read More

Handmade Greeting Card Set with Matching Gift Box

Published: 11-13-2011 03:07pm
Posted In: New Products
A new category in the Corinna Ciera Studio is: Gift Boxed Handmade Cards. There are three different sets in this category at present. Each card set includes 6 cards with a different saying on the front such as: The Big Day, Miss You, Hello, Thinking of You, With Sympathy, Get Well Soon, Thank You, Many Thanks, or Thanks. The themes are Pastels, Earthtones, and Carnival. A handmade gift box, that coordinates with the card prints, encloses the 6 cards with envelopes.  The envelopes have inner top linings which match the various cardstock prints in the the set.  All of the items are totally handmade by me and, with pleasure,... » Read More

Hobo Style Fabric Purse, Beautiful with Jeans or a Dress

Published: 11-13-2011 03:06pm
Posted In: New Products
The fashion "in" trend for purses is the fabric hobo style. These purses are lightweight yet roomy and can be worn with jeans or a dainty dress or skirt. In keeping with this trending, Corinna Ciera has started a new line of modified hobo style purses. The fact that they are lightweight means comfort and less shoulder stress for those who have arthritis or who don't want a cumbersome purse to carry. The fabric is 100% cotton. Every seam is double stitched for sturdiness and durability. What is exciting about the new purses is the beautiful print lining in each one. The lining adds color and brilliance to each purse, and the "icing on the... » Read More

Can I Get Lead Poisoning From My Pencil?

Published: 11-13-2011 03:02pm
Posted In: General Topics
Many of us crafters use pencils for sketches, ideas, for drawing lines before making them permanent, etc.  How many of us have asked the question posed in this heading? Before that question is answered, let’s get a little history on this writing instrument. It starts with a chance discovery in rural England.   In the 16 century, a strange black substance was found in a valley in the Lake District of northern England. It looked like coal but didn’t burn like coal and it left a shiny, black, easily erased mark on a writing surface. The discovery was called black lead. Soon this black lead was mined and exported for usage b... » Read More

Fabric Purses, an Expansion Announcement by Corinna Ciera

Published: 11-13-2011 02:58pm
Posted In: New Products
Corinna Ciera, the Artfire artisan studio, is pleased to announce the expansion of its product line to include handmade, original design, fabric purses. These purses are strictly handmade by Corinna, who has sewn for over 35 years. They are made to be worn with jeans or a dress. Versatility is the aim. A woman loves choices, and she also loves her purse.   Corinna Ciera specializes in handmade greeting cards and other fine handmade paper products. This widening of its product line stimulates the interest of a wider mix of clientele who may be seeking original fashion accessories in addition to the beautiful assortment of c... » Read More

Handmade Bookmarks New to CorinnaCiera's Studio

Published: 11-13-2011 02:58pm
Posted In: New Products
If you haven't visited my studio recently, you have missed my newest creations. Handmade, glossy bookmarks are the latest addition to my studio. These are very useful. You can use them yourself or give them as gifts that don’t break your budget. My bookmarks are special because they are totally handmade to my quality standards.   ·         They are made with a triple layer of cardstock, thereby making them   extra sturdy to last a long, long, time.  ·         They have a glossy coating which hinders soiling.  ·         They are reversible, with a different print or color ... » Read More

Why Isn't the Garlic in my Kitchen Smelly?

Published: 11-13-2011 02:57pm
Posted In: General Topics
After a few hours crafting and making some new handmade cards or sewing my latest creation, I get really hungry. I think of gourmet foods, but I really don’t want to cook at that moment. I just want to eat. I look at my vegetable bin and notice there are bulbs of garlic that have been sitting there for a while, but there is no garlic smell.  However when I sit down to eat a tasty, aromatic meal, that hopefully someone else has prepared, my nose quickly alerts me if the food contains garlic. Why is that?   I thought I’d first get some background on garlic.  It has been long used in treating ailments. Many centuries ago the Greek... » Read More

Hang Tags for Gifts, Bridal and Baby Showers or Graduation Parties

Published: 11-11-2011 07:40pm
Posted In: New Products
Hang tags have been traditionally used for attaching to gifts but they can also be used at bridal showers, baby showers, graduation parties, or other gatherings where games will enhance the fun.   Here are some games that immediately come to my mind. I have played them and they really enliven the occasion. Words of Advice Game:  Write a brief phrase or nugget of advice on the back of the tag on how to have a happy marriage. Each tag is then given as a gift for the bride-to-be to keep. Draw the Baby Game:  Give each guest a tag and ask them to draw the baby on the back of the tag and sign their name underneath. ... » Read More

The World's Highest Hill

Published: 11-11-2011 07:39pm
Posted In: General Topics
My last blog was about Broken Bow, Oklahoma and surrounding areas. If you travel to Southeast Oklahoma, please do not neglect traveling north on Hwy 259 toward Poteau. The scenic vistas, the valleys and hills, plus the elevation itself is a visual treat. When you enter Poteau, you will see some surrounding hills. However, the "highest hill in the world", Cavanal, is noteworthy! It's called this because it is 1,999 ft high, based on the idea that it would be classified a mountain if it were 2,000 ft or higher. At the top, you have a breathtaking view of Eastern Oklahoma and Western Arkansas. Very beautiful! I must also say that l... » Read More

A Vacation Gem

Published: 11-11-2011 08:57am
Posted In: General Topics
 I found a gem of a place to travel to without breaking my pocketbook.    When I think of Oklahoma, I think of Oklahoma City and the plains or flatlands broken by scattered hilly areas such as the Wichita Mountains in the southwest and the Arbuckle Mountains in the south central. However, southeast Oklahoma has the Oauchita Mountains that extend from Oklahoma to western Arkansas. Within these mountains is a subrange, the Kiamichi Mountains, with peaks that rise as much as 2,000 feet above their base. They are absolutely stunning!    Broken Bow, Oklahoma is located... » Read More

Why Buy Handmade Cards?

Published: 11-10-2011 07:47pm
Posted In: Crafts
This is a good question. So, why buy handmade or handcrafted greeting cards when there are so many commercially made cards? Maybe that question is also the answer. There are so many commercial cards. Rather than having a mass produced item, the trend now is to have the unusual, unique, one-of-a-kind item that can be a conversation piece in the home and in the family. What better way to show that you care for someone than to send a truly handmade greeting card. And, what better way to show that someone really cares about you than to show-off your beautiful handmade greeting card on your mantle, buffet, or bookshelf along with ... » Read More

Simplify Your Life

Published: 11-10-2011 07:13pm
Posted In: General Topics
Our lives sometimes become very cluttered, crowded with things to do, and just plain stressful. We might come to the conclusion that we need to "cut out" some things in order to maintain our sanity. We have to find more time for the important things in life. What I'm writing here are things I have put into practice myself. I have a little place for everything. I always put my keys back into a slot in my purse so that I never have to hunt for them when I get ready to leave the house. I have a special mug where I store all the writing pens and highlighters I use on a daily basis. When I take off my shoes, I put t... » Read More

Why Does a Jewelry Crafter Use Precious Gold?

Published: 11-10-2011 06:49pm
Posted In: Crafts
Many artisans and jewelers use gold in their creations. It is a very expensive metal but invaluable, beautiful, and longed for by many. Its durability and luster makes it unique among metals. Why does it have an endearing appeal? Well, it has many uses. The primary usage of gold is jewelry. Special properties of gold make it perfect for manufacturing jewelry. These include: very high luster; desirable yellow color; tarnish resistance; ability to be drawn into wires, hammered into sheets or cast into shapes. Eighty percent of the gold mined each year is crafted into jewelry.                                 Â... » Read More

Seasonings and Food From a Creole Garden

Published: 11-10-2011 06:34pm
Posted In: General Topics
So, my husband likes to cook. He watches the food channel whenever the television is on and I do not stop him! He uses basic herbs and seasonings plus some exotic ones as well in culinary creations. During family gatherings, food is often the focal point. I did some research and found that many of our herbs, seasonings, and foods are grown in Creole gardens. While these gardens originated in the Caribbean islands, Guadelope being one of them, they can be found in other warm, temperate climates. The herbs and plants found in Creole gardens include basil, cinnamon, goatweed, bay leaves, lemon grass... » Read More

Bolivianita, a Different Kind of Jewel

Published: 11-10-2011 06:25pm
Posted In: Crafts
  I am not a jewelry crafter, but I read an interesting article about a beautiful gem, bolivianita! Additional research gave me the following information:   Quartz gems of amethyst and citrine, purple and yellow, combined in the same stone is called ametrine or bolivianita in Spanish. This gem is deep purple at first glance. But when you hold it up to light, you see the glimmer of gold.      Just how two colors come to be in the same crystal is not completely understood. It seems that as the quartz crystals were forming, some change occurred in the geochemical conditions, temperature, radiation, or pressure. Gemologists cut and poli... » Read More

Get More Friends for Better Health

Published: 11-10-2011 06:21pm
Posted In: Health
Believe it or not, there is a positive relationship between having good friends and having good physical and emotional health. Health studies show that good friendships have positive benefits on our well-being. One finding is that according to surveys, women who are socially involved and visit with family and friends regularly are happier as they age. Actually, having a circle of friends makes people happy, especially when they see themselves playing important roles in these relationships. Conversely, if they see themselves as outsiders, they are sadder. Happiness is contagious in your circle of friends. As this joyful feelin... » Read More