Finding Support in Writing About Support Ribbons

Today I was having some trouble on what to blog about. I thought I had said everything there was to say about ribbon and felt a huge writers block in my path. What more could I say? How could I find a new direction? While a great deal of my friends are fellow artists and crafters, few of them are also bloggers. Even less of those were online to help me brainstorm. Luckily, at the peak of my panic, my friend Julie popped up online. After explaining my situation to her, she threw a number of ideas my way that I had never even considered before. (Just goes to show you how a fresh perspective can really go a long way, even if they don't have any knowledge of your field.) So now, with Julie's ideas in mind, I present to you a small list of common support/awareness ribbons we see all the time but may not know the significance of. The majority of these ribbons have more than one cause attached to the color. However, I chose the most popular cause for each. It is important to note that most of these ribbons hold a different meaning outside of the United States, Canada and the UK.

Jigsaw Puzzle Ribbon
Bringing Awareness to: Autism
Meaning: The puzzle pattern reflects the complexity of the autism spectrum while the colors represent the diversity of those affected, both those with autism and their families.

White Ribbon
Bringing Awareness to: Violence against women
Meaning: White is used to symbolize purity. This ribbon is also often worn by men against domestic violence and in support of women's rights.

Yellow Ribbon
In Support of: Soldiers
Meaning: The first officially recognized support ribbon in the US, the yellow ribbon was made so after a military marching song, "Round Her Neck She Wears a Yeller Ribbon". Yellow is also used to show hope.

Pink Ribbon
Bringing Awareness to: Breast cancer
Meaning: Though initially an orange ribbon, the pink ribbon we know today is meant to promote solidarity amongst women and represents traditional femininity and hope for the future.

Black Ribbon
Bringing Awareness to: Mourning victims after an attack or disaster
Meaning: In Western culture, black has come to symbolize death. Those seen wearing black do so out of respect for the deceased.

Red Ribbon
Bringing Awareness to: AIDS
Meaning: Created by the Visual AIDS Artist Caucus for the Red Ribbon Project, red was chosen for its "connection to blood and the idea of passion -- not only anger, but love, like a valentine."

Blue Ribbon
Bringing Awareness to: Child abuse
Meaning: The Blue Ribbon Campaign got its start in Virginia by a woman who tied a blue ribbon around her cat antenna in memory of her grandson, who died as a result of child abuse. There is no known official significance for the color blue.

Rainbow Ribbon
In Support of: LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer/questioning and more) people
Meaning: Similar to the autism awareness ribbon, the multiple colors represent and celebrate the many people and their differences under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Originally designed with 8 colors, each was assigned a meaning. Hot pink: sexuality, red: life, orange: healing, yellow: sunlight, green: nature, turquoise: magic and art, blue: serenity and harmony, purple: spirit. Purple has also come to form it's own significance in the LGBTQ+ community as a symbol of pride and against homophobic bullying.

Orange Ribbon
Bringing Awareness to: At-risk animals
Meaning: Registered as an official trademark, the Animal Guardian Ribbon brings visibility and awareness to animals suffering neglect and abuse whose lives may be in danger. It also promotes the notion of guardianship, as opposed to ownership, of animals. There is no stated reason for the color choice.

Lavender Ribbon
Bringing Awareness to: Cancer in general
Meaning: Though the exact origin of this ribbon is difficult to pinpoint, the color has been noted to reflect the courage and strength of cancer survivors and their families and well as to honor those lost to cancer.

To see more ribbons not listed, or other causes attached to these colors, check this list out. As we can see, ribbon has much more of a use than merely to decorate gifts or clothing. It has a long history of bringing to light support and awareness for a variety of issues.

Back to School Fun

School time is approaching for tons of college students. What better than to send your kids off with a kit of ribbon and other craft supplies to keep busy? We have a board on Pinterest dedicated entirely to crafts anyone can put together. Fortunately, our Sizzling Summer Sale is still going on over at our website too! Have some crafting ideas or projects of your own? Let us know so we can add them to our Pinterest board.

Ribbon Words: Decoden Fake Nails

Tutorial Tuesday is upon us! This tutorial will be a little different. Since our last give-away on Facebook, we've been developing a new audience of young costumers and Eastern fashion enthusiasts. This how-to will be both for them and to expose our pre-existing audience to something new. I bring you decoden nails. What's decoden? Check out this article on Lovelyish and find out! Now, onto the tutorial.

Decoden Fake Nails

What You'll Need:

- Nail polish in desired color

- Clear nail polish top coat (with glitter, optional)

- Nail polish in desired color with thin brush for designs

- Fake nails

- Nail glue

- Accessories for decoration

Step 1.

If your nails aren't your ideal shape or length, you can cut and file them at this point. After, start by painting your fake nails with your desired polish color. I chose a pink champagne hue. Make sure to paint several coats to ensure that the clear nail isn't seen through the polish. Always let your nails dry for 10-15 minutes between each coat.

Step 2.

Next, add your top coat. I chose one with glitter to give it that extra sparkle. I recommend putting 2 layers on your nails, with 15 minutes or more of drying time.

Step 3.

Gather your nail accessories! The things you see above are polymer cane decorations for nails, which are very popular in Japan, and come in a huge array of shapes. These canes are very small and come as a long cylinder that you slice thinly to adhere to nails or whatever other items you're using them for. You can find them for very cheap on Etsy or eBay.

Once you have all your accessories (I used polymer cane slices, Swarovski Elements in SS9 and 1/16 inch white double-face ribbon), decorate away! Of course, you can use as many or few decorations as you choose. However, I always recommend to make sure the items you use are small enough for nails, preferably accessories that are specifically made for nails as they tend to hold to nail glue best. How I did my nails was I first did a little Google research on other decoden nails to get a feel for what I wanted. I then sketched out a general idea of how I wanted the nails to look. Finally, I started by doing the most complex nails first-- the middle finger, in my case. This is because it requires more drying time. I'll break down how I did each nail.

Middle Finger:

To make the drip, I used white nail art polish to outline the drip shape very roughly. It doesn't need to be exact-- that's what makes each drip unique! After outlining, I filled it in with the same polish and let it dry. As you can see in the first picture posted, it's a little bumpy. This is because when I was gluing the nail on, the design wasn't as dry as I thought! It smudged, so I had to quickly repair it. I recommend leaving nails with multiple layers to dry for several hours to a full day to make 100% sure that the entire nail is dry. Once dry, I dabbed a small drop of nail glue in the top corner of the nail and stuck a polymer bow on. Hold the polymer in place for 1 full minute and set aside to finish drying.

Pinky Finger:

I first took the white nail art polish and make tiny polkadots all over the nail. Make sure that you don't use too big of a glob. Even though the dot may look great, if it's too thick, it'll take an extremely long time to dry. The top layer may look dry after a half hour or so, but beneath that is likely very wet and will smudge if you try to put the nails on too early. With this, less is more. After being left to dry for a half hour to an hour (assuming you used a very thin, small layer to make each dot), put a small drop of nail glue at the edge of the nail and hold the ribbon in place for 1 minute, then set to dry.

Thumb:

Since nail glue dries so quickly, I put the Swarovski Elements jewels on first. I brushed the bottom edge of the nail with glue and quickly placed the gems on, starting with the middle gem and working outward. This is to make sure it looks centered. I recommend using a tweezer to put the gems on so that you don't end up smearing the glue everywhere. Plus, it makes it that much easier to place the gems exactly where you want them. Press the jewels down and hold for one minute to ensure its spot. After 5 minutes, I grabbed the white nail art polish and quickly drew 2 lines. Always make sure to clear the edges of the wand brush from excess polish. It's no big deal if you need to go back and fill it in more, but use too much and it becomes difficult remove excess paint while making sure it still looks neat. I find that it's easier to turn the nail upside down and start at the thickest part of the lines, sweeping out to create a tapered look. Doing this upside down allows you to be able to see the entire nail as you design, since doing this right side up with force your hand and the polish wand to cover most of the nail. Once complete, put it aside to dry for a few hours.

Ring Finger:

Like the thumb, I started out brushing the nail diagonally with nail glue and placing the middle jewel first (to make sure it's centered and even). Using a tweezer or your fingers, quickly stick the remaining gems on. When finished, hold the gems in place for a full minute before leaving it to dry.

Index Finger:

By far the easiest! I put a small dab of nail glue in the middle of my nail and stuck a jewel to it. Again, you will need to hold it in place for a minute, then set to dry.

Step 4.

Leave your nails to dry for at least half a day (but up to two days for those who are painting on more layers or adding more accessories) and admire your hard work!

Step 5.

Now to put them on! I set my out in order from thumb to pinky to make sure I'm putting the correct nail on each finger.Coat your nail in a layer of nail glue and stick on the appropriate nail. Press and hold in place for 1 minute. Do this for each nail. This is why it's extremely important to let your nails dry for a long period of time. If it's not completely dry, the design will smudge and all your hard work will have gone to waste. (This is what happened to me! That paint under the top layer is so tricky.)

Step 6.

Enjoy! Always carry a small tube or bottle of nail glue with you in the event one falls off.

Social Media

Lately we've been really trying to develop a presence on various social media platforms. Our Facebook page, easily the most successful, has a mere 223 fans. Our Twitter and Pinterest have much left to develop. When using social media, what do you find that engages you and makes you want to be involved with a business' page?

Our newest idea is to offer a give-away, which will hopefully expose us to a wider audience as well as allow us to give something back to our loyal fan base. We'll be giving away several spools of ribbon and hopefully some other fun surprises too!

Want to find us online? Become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or follow us on Pinterest!

Ribbon Works: Cat Toy / Ribbon Streamer Tutorial

Welcome to our second crafting tutorial! Today's how-to is especially for cat lovers and companions. Creating this cat toy took less than an hour and was really simple to put together. For those of you with a cat (or those who have a friend that does) and want to finally put all that scrap ribbon to use, this is the tutorial for you. If you don't have a cat or know one, this can also double as a ribbon streamer! Great for keeping kids busy.

Cat Toy / Ribbon Streamer

What You'll Need:

- Glue

- Scissors

- Stick or dowel

- Wide (1" or wider) ribbon

- Thin (3/4" or thinner) assortment of ribbon

Step 1.

Start by wrapping your stick with ribbon from top to bottom. I happened to have adhesive ribbon on hand, which makes this process much easier. If you don't have this, you can coat your stick with glue and achieve the same results. I recommend coating half with glue, wrapping, then coating the other half with glue and repeating. This way it lets you have something to hold onto while you wrap the ribbon around instead of ending up with glue all over your hand. While you wrap the ribbon around, make sure you go in a slanted direction. This will make it easier for you to get it all the way around. If you are using the glue method, set this aside to dry.

Step 2.

Grab your thinner ribbon and tie a knot at the end. There's no rule as to how many or few ribbons you should use for this, but make sure it's not too thick so you're able to tie a knot! Once this is done, you can cut the ribbons to different lengths.

Step 3.

First, make sure the stick is done drying! When you've made sure it is, coat the top of the stick with a thick later of glue. Though we used crazy glue, Elmer's works just as good-- if not better. Press the knot of ribbons to the glue and hold it in place until it's dry. I recommend holding it with a good deal of pressure for 5 - 10 minutes, just to make sure it stays in place.

That's it! Feel free to adorn your toy with rhinestones or other decorations. Just make sure they're stuck on there tight. Wouldn't want them to fall off and have the cat eat them!

Crafting for Pets

I don't know if you're a pet lover or owner, but I'm very much both. Recently, I just added two Nebelung cats to the ever growing family of my 3 pet fancy rats, 1 beta fish, boyfriend and I. We bought them a few toys but having been sick lately, I needed something to pass the time! What better than to craft some items for your pets? I began working on a hammock for the rats with ribbon. (My first time knitting with ribbon!) Now I'm in the process of creating a cat toy with just ribbon, glue and a stick. I'll be posting a tutorial for it tomorrow. For those of you with cats (or just any pet who likes to bat at swinging strings), this is just for you. It's super easy and takes care of all that scrap ribbon you've been holding on to, waiting to get rid of. While I'm working on it, what other pet items would you like to see in the future?

Ribbon Works: What's Next?

Last week, we posted our first ever tutorial on working with ribbon. We plan on posting a new tutorial every other week. One of our Facebook fans has suggested that we post a tutorial on knitting with ribbon, which will be done next. But what about weeks following? Here are a few ideas of what we have in store:

• Swarovski stilettos
• Wedding veil
• Various necklaces
• Revamping old clothes
• Decorating fake eyelashes
• Hair bows
• Dog harness
• Yoga mat sling
• Lumbar support pillow

and much more! What do you think of our list? What should we add?

Ribbon Works: Umbrella Tutorial

Welcome to our first crafting tutorial! In this instructional, I'll be showing you how to use ribbon and other accessories to decorate an umbrella. Why an umbrella? Why not! Here in NYC, it gets very rainy and what better way to show off a little flair than while out and about? So let's begin...

What You'll Need:

1. Elmer's Glue

2. Crazy Glue or Gorilla Glue

3. Scissors

4. An umbrella

5. Your favorite ribbon

6. Accessories

7. Sewing thread and sewing needle (not pictured)

Step 1.

Take your ribbon and cut several even strips. They look a little long, I know, but this is because we'll be joining the ends together to make a bow. (I know that satin isn't the best choice for something meant to be in the rain-- grosgrain would stand up much better to the weather-- but this color was just so beautiful!)

Step 2.

Use glue to join the ends into a loop, with the shiny or patterned side facing out. To make sure the ribbon really won't come apart, you can also sew the ends together instead. Do this too all your ribbon strips.

Step 3.

After your ribbon loops are dry, take it and pinch the center in. Take your sewing needle and thread and jab it right through the pinched in section to secure the shape. Wrap the thread around the middle 2-5 times (depending on the thickness and stiffness of your thread) and tie a knot.

Step 4.

Take some more of your ribbon and fold it in half, with the shiny or patterned side facing out. Wrap it around the middle of your bow and sew the end shut. Do this to all your ribbon loops.

Step 5.

Admire your hard work. It's tedious... but look how cute these bows are!

Step 6.

Grab your umbrella, Gorilla Glue and your bows. Decide how you want to decorate your umbrella and get to work! With this kind of glue, I find that putting it on the bow instead of the umbrella helps to keep it from sliding around while drying helps. Press and hold your bow in place for 30 - 60 seconds. Do this for all your bows.

Step 7.

Lastly, add any accessories you'd like! I added pearls, but you can add whatever tickles your fancy. That's it!

We hope you enjoyed our first tutorial! Leave us a comment and let us know what kind of tutorials you'd like to see in the future.

Crafting with Crystals

Today I undertook a little project of my own. You see, we're going to be producing a mailer soon and we needed a mascot! Last week I spent some time drawing up a few designs and I didn't think it would feel complete without our signature bear. We ordered a bear and when I found it on my desk this morning, it was time to get to work! One of our staff, Lina, made the bow and as soon as she finished, I sat armed with nothing but a pin, paper, glue and Swarovski crystals to decorate it with. I plopped a glob of glue on paper and used the pin to carefully spread it on the back of each crystal. In 20 short minutes, my creation was complete! Now you might be thinking, Why is she telling me this? Well, to show you how easy it is to jazz up something as simple and classic as a teddy bear! It takes no time at all to make a gift to someone stand out.

Meet Our Staff: Nikki

Time for another Meet the Staff Monday! This week we're introducing me, Nikki, the Artistic Ribbon social media intern. I have been with Artistic Ribbon for about 1 month handling the Facebook, Twitter, and this blog as well as working on our Etsy and Pinterest.

Crafting for Good

One of the things I'm most passionate about is crafting for good. What does that mean, exactly? To me, that means crafting with the purpose of giving the finished product to someone in need. I'm a big knitter and love using this skill to make hats and scarves for low-/no-income individuals and families in the winter. Sometimes I'll donate to established foundations, but other times I like giving it to people I come across when I'm out and about, often those without homes. Though I tend to create "useful" items (like hats, gloves, scarves, etc.), I also enjoy creating cute, decorative items to give away. Kids love them! I love knitting brooches to put on hats or jackets with little ribbon adornments. While it isn't anything particularly helpful, I understand what it means to be a kid who wants to look cool for their friends and have something new to show off. Believe me, even the small things matter.

Meet Our Staff: Steve

Good afternoon, everyone! This week we'd like to try something new. For the next while, we'll be introducing the faces behind our company. To start this off, please meet Steve, the driving force of Artistic Ribbon!

Tartan Ribbon

Once in a while, we all need to be reminded about the beauty and versatility of tartan ribbon.   You can use this plaid ribbon in fashion accessories, as garment trim, as accents in home furnishings, in floral decorations and as a distinctive packaging wrap.

A Simple Project

Kids love to twirl and whirl, and this is likely the easiest ribbon project you'll ever find.  Who knows... today's twirling child might well be our country's next Olympic rhythmic gymnastics gold medal winner...  Thanks to Mary LeBaron's post at makesandtakes.com for this inspirational idea.

Alligator Clips

One of the most popular components in the world of hair accessories is the alligator clip, and we thought you might enjoy a glance at some of the more novel ways that ribbon has been used on this clip.  Creativity certainly abounds.   

Making a Ribbon Rose

It's actually rather easy to make a ribbon rose (which might, in part, explain their popularity).  The trick is to wait for a rainy day when you won't be tending your flowers outside... then just find some quiet time to stitch the edge of a nice piece of ribbon and gently pull the thread until it gathers a bit.  Next, form the gathered ribbon into the shape of a rose starting with tight coils on the inside of the flower that gradually relax as you work your way to the outside edge.  Finish the rose with a few stitches to hold the shape in place -- and you're done!

Father's Day Ribbon

With Father's Day coming up soon, it's time to start thinking about a gift for Dad.  We recommend something under a nice ribbon bow.

Larger Flowers

We've noticed that artificial flowers are being offered in larger and larger sizes.  Is it a trend yet?  We can't be certain... but we do know that one supplier has taken the time to organize their flower collection by size.  Have a look at the offerings here.

Ribbon & Footwear

On our tour of ribbon usage from head to toe, today's stop takes us to the wonderful world of fashion footwear.  From ribbon shoelaces to shoe clips to ribbon leg-wraps to ribbon used as trim, fashion designers have long recognized the versatility that ribbon offers in footwear.  Here's a thought... why not take a moment and come up with some cute bows to attach to your kids shoelaces?  ...or better yet, turn it into a project for them to do!

Ribbon & Rings

Yet another foray into the world of costume jewelry to pick up on a classic summer ribbon trend -- the ornamentation of finger and toe rings.   The examples depicted here illustrate the use of dot, sheer, satin, and microcheck ribbon (although, as well all know, the ribbon choices are almost endless and most certainly are no more than a reflection of one's own personal style).  The styles are certainly easy to make... so go have some fun and spice up your look for the season.

The Beginning

We believe in crafting, in the Do It Yourself community, in the arts. Many of us began crafting as kids in school. I remember watching my mom put together the most elaborate invitations when she worked for a invitation and paper goods company as I was growing up. She taught me how to curl ribbon for birthday presents. To this day, out of all my friends, I still assemble the nicest looking gifts. She showed me how to create my own thoughtful, beautiful wrapping paper you couldn't find in stores. These little lessons have stuck with me throughout my life. How did you get into crafting?

Elegant Simplicity

Every so often, a ribbon creation really stands out... pictured here is an item found while browsing the web that came from the knottygbdesigns shop on Etsy.  The bracelet is described by its creator as sophisticated and cosmopolitan, and we agree.  The item is beautiful, elegant and inspired. 

Ribbon Sliders

Long used primarily by packaging specialists, ribbon sliders are an elegant way to enhance any presentation.  Most recently, however, we've come to notice the increased use of ribbon sliders in the scrapbooking world (in which the possibilities are almost endless).  If you'd like to learn more about how to use ribbon sliders in scrapbooking, have a look at this nice short instructional video here.

Crafting Communities

Crafting communities like Craftster are all around the web. You can find project ideas, tutorials, post your creations and make friends. We're working on a Craftster account and Etsy shop in the coming weeks. What online crafting communities do you like best? Why? We're always interested in finding the best online platforms!

Swarovski Pendants

The world's finest crystal pendants are, of course, manufactured by Swarovski, and they offer a world of design opportunities.  You can view a collection here.  Think about using these pendants with ribbon necklaces and bracelets for a very refined and upscale look.

Korkers

This morning we thought we'd take a quick look around the web to see what's new in the world of korkers.  Stylings seem to be favoring bright and nautical color combinations at the moment, although admittedly, we only took a short tour of the product range that's out there... is there some trend that we're missing?  Let us know.

A timely choice

In our never-ending search for different ways to creatively use ribbon, we came upon a timely approach -- designing ribbon wristbands for watches.  With a host of ribbon choices available, and almost all available in sizes to fit the timepiece of your choice, this is the perfect time to think about updating and personalizing this fashionable accessory.

Ribbon Rainbows

A rainbow appears on the horizon and everyone is delighted.  Perhaps that's why we see so many rainbow stripes around us in our daily lives.  Rainbows are the feel-good color combination that brings contentment to so many.  Perhaps you should try using the rainbow stripe ribbon in your next creation...

Getting to Know You

Hello everyone! For a long time, we've posted about the variety of projects you can use ribbon for and we'll continue to do that... but today we're going to shake things up a bit. We want to hear about you! Our customers have been a loyal support system to us for the past 84 years and we want to extend that same gratitude you've so kindly shown us. Tell us a little (or a lot!) about yourself. What kind of crafts do you like? How do you use ribbon? What projects do you have next? Where do you find inspiration for your crafts? Feel free to answer this and much more.

An Updated Picnic

As the days get warmer and the weekends beckon, what could be more fun than planning the perfect picnic?  Colors are brighter and we see a variety of ribbon being used for napkin rings and picnic baskets.

Memorable Prom Accessory

With the prom season upon us, it's no surprise that flowers and ribbon are on our minds.  Whether it's wrist corsages, pin-on or hand-held corsages, or boutonnieres, all are designed to match a dress or formal outfit with a beautiful blend of ribbon and flowers.  Wrist corsages are especially important these days -- proms typically involve dancing and keeping a traditional pin-on corsage in place can be difficult (and often impossible).  Solving that issue is the wrist corsage that allows girls to either wear their corsage or simply pull it off and place it in a safe place until they want to wear it again.

Ribbon & Ballet

As the school year comes to a close our thoughts turn to the summer camp season.  Before long kids will be attending summer dance camps, ballet camps and enjoying life as only kids can... which makes it time to start thinking about tulle, and netting and satin ribbon.

Sparkling Creations

The allure of crystal leads many to ask, "What's the easiest way to get started with Swarovski's Elements?  Can you show us some examples?"  The images shown here depict the crystals shown as accents... an accent on stationery, on a ribbon bracelet or as a few beads on a hair comb.  To get started, remind yourself that a little sparkle goes a long way.

Unity candles have become a recent addition to the traditional wedding ceremony, and they are so beautiful... but as beauty comes in many forms, it's not surprising to see creative and innovative uses of ribbon on candles in other settings.

Ribbon Dragonflies

Variations on a theme:  Ribbon dragonflies have always been a popular creation and we thought that it might be interesting to see what form some of the latest creative efforts have taken.  This year it appears that the dragonflies are being used mostly as a hair accessory motif.