Photo by Blue Lily Photo.
Living Locurto is published by Amy Locurto, a graphic designer and mom of two from Dallas, Texas.
Hi I’m Amy! What started in July 2008 as a blog about creative things I did at home with my children, Living Locurto has since turned into a popular craft and party blog with great resources for moms. Today, you will find my original ideas, designs, hundreds of free printables, recipes, party ideas and DIY crafts.
With a Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design, I also own a design firm Atomic Egg, specializing in corporate branding.
You can find fun designs and printable party collections in my shop, Printables by Amy.
In addition, I love photography and am co-founder of a popular photography website I Heart Faces, helping build a large photography community of women and a forum with over 15,000 members. We’re excited to be hosting The I Heart Faces Photography Conference for Women this October in Dallas.
Follow me on Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ & Facebook.
If you are interested in collaborating on a design project or booking Amy for an event, please visit the PR Inquiry page here.
Contact
Have a question? Please scroll down to see the FAQ’s before emailing.
FAQ’s
What printer do you use?
I love my Canon i9900. This is great for my design comps since it prints up to 13″x19″. I’ve had this for about 6 years and never had a problem. I also have 2 other printers… an HP Laserjet 5000 and a Canon MP 460.
What paper do you use?
My favorite paper is Red River Paper, they specialize in ink jet papers. The 60lb Polar Matte is awesome, it produces really bright images.
I also really like double sided matte paper for when I print on both sides. Epson and Staples brands are both good. You can always find several packages of sticker paper on my shelves as well.
What were you doing when you decided to create your own business?
I started my career as an Art Director for Fossil in the early ’90s. I was in charge of photography styling and design for the catalog, designed watches, belt buckles, key fobs, and packaging, and even worked on some design for the retail stores. Then the internet boom came, so I moved into a career focused mainly on internet design and marketing materials for large businesses.
Photo by Keli Hoskins.
How do you do all that you do?
I don’t sleep much! Seriously… I only get about 5 hours of shut eye a night. My husband helps out a lot too:-)
What is your favorite pastime besides arts and crafts?
I love photography, reading, tennis and traveling. Hip Hop dance class is a blast too.
How do you make your printables? Are they original drawings or stock? How can I do what you do myself?
All of my designs are original and usually hand drawn, then scanned and traced in Adobe Illustrator. I have gotten pretty good with drawing directly in Illustrator, so some designs I whip out pretty quickly.
Unless you’re a professional designer, you don’t need Illustrator. I’m on the hunt for affordable drawing programs because I get this question so much. Right now, I have been recommending Photoshop Elements. You can download free trials of Adobe programs at Adobe.com. You can also try these online programs… aviary.com and inkscape.org.
See my equipment and recommended products here.
How do you stay so organized?
I AM NOT an organized person! I have good intentions of staying organized, but never follow through:-) It’s the artist in me that works best in clutter I guess.
Consulting Services for Businesses and Creative Entrepreneurs
I want to thank you for all the helpful information! Our session was really beneficial. I have been working on the suggestions you gave me and am seeing some good results. Thanks again for all your advice!!
Tabitha Parker, A Thousand Words Photography
Talk to me about any of these subjects. I’d be happy to mentor or consult you if time allows.
- How to utilize Twitter and Facebook to gain customers.
- Simple SEO tips for new bloggers.
- Help with making money from blogging or ideas for gaining more traffic.
- Ideas on how to turn your handmade products into a thriving online business.
- Ideas for crafters and photographers. What’s hot now and what could make you stand out from the crowd.
- Ideas for working from home. (I’m full of them- just ask my friends!)
- How to get started in the graphic design business.
Initial consultation is $50 for a 30-40 minute phone conversation, plus a follow up email with a re-cap, links and assignments.
I mentioned your website on my website
http://www.wishesandwhimsy.com/blogs-i-love/
[Reply]
Hi,
I just bought the Mermaid party printables and I was wondering how to have the invites printed at Costco using their 6×7 photocards? The PDF file has 2 in one sheet and I’d like to know how to save it as JPG after editing? Please I need your help. Thanks in advance for your response. I can’t wait to use your work for my daughter’s 1st birthday!
Clarice
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I am planning my daughter a mermaid party next month. I love the mermaid tails you made for your daughter. Can you please give me instructions on how to make them? I printed out your drawing but I think I need a little more details if possible.
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Just wanted to drop you a line and tell you how much I love your site! I found your adorable valentine’s cards on pinterest back in February to use. We used the rock n roll ones for my son and the adorable owl ones for my daughter since we are the Reed Owls it was perfect!! Your website is now my go to site for crafty ideas and printables!
I just discovered today that you are in the Dallas area!! I grew up in Dallas and now live in Allen!
Thank you again for sharing your fun and creative ideas with those of us that love the look but don’t have the talent!!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
April 15th, 2012 at 9:29 pm
@Tiffany Bell,
Thanks so much for stopping by to leave such a nice comment Tiffany! I’m glad you enjoy my blog:-)
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I love your free printables and especially got a kick out of the mustaches and smoochie lips. Is there any way I can download the smiling lips as well? Thanks!
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Hi Amy! I want to thank you for sharing all of your creativity, I feel like I’m always on your site! I do have a quick question for you, though. Are the Free Star Wars Graduation Tags still available, and if so, what is the password needed to access them? My nephew is a HUGE Star Wars fan, and will be graduating from kindergarten in the spring, so naturally when I saw those, I thought they’d be perfect! Thank you again for all that you do!
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Trying to find flip-flop/slipper ideas for BOYS. Any ideas?
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Hi Amy!
Just wanted to write in and tell you how much I ADORE your owl valentines! They are so adorable! I hope you don’t mind, but I just had to share with my friends on my blog, http://www.popheartpress.blogspot.com! I will definitely be using these for my sons’ first Valentine party!
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My sons’ high school graduation is coming. See all your great ideas for kids’ parties..anything for graduation?? thanks
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Hi
I purchased your printable and I am having a hard time opening the file.
In your FAQ it says to have acrobat reader, which I do have. However your file name has no program extension name. Please advice how I can open my purchased printable. Time is of the essence for my daughter’s birthday party.
Thank you
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Hello,
I love your lego party idea, my son is super excited for his party. I downloaded the printables for that, but I was wondering how to get that awesome t-shirt made? Thanks.
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Hi there,
I am trying to find the printables to download or buy that you did for your fantastic 40th birthday… in the delicious colors of pink, orange and purple! How fun. I would like to get these, and have searched, but to no avail.
Thank You!
[Reply]
Hello! I found your printable Star Wars mask and I tried to print them for my son who is a big Star Wars fan. Every time I clicked on the picture it send me to Star Wars.com and says that the requested page could not be found..
Thank you,
Nancy
[Reply]
Hello,
You have very beautiful blog(livinglocurto.com) and the content quality is great. I liked your blog and want to contribute to it by being a guest blogger if you can allow. I promise you that the content quality will be excellent else you can reject my articles.
It would be great if you give me an author login or else I can mail you my write-ups. It’s all up to you how you want?
Please think seriously, I am looking for a long term relationship.
Kindly respond, I am eager to hear you.
Thanks and regards,
Matt Walker
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Hey I was one of those FUN MOMS too! My house was the bane of the neighborhood and all the other Moms were mad because everyone came to my house to color on the walls! LOL!
The rooms were their bedrooms only, by the way, and in the huge old Victorian house, no one but the kids saw the upstairs, so who cares?
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i just wanted to share with you a little praise and tell you how I have enjoyed your little haven here. I do a lot of the same things you do from photography, design inside and out…commercial and residential….I also juggle writing children’s books and doing parent /teacher/kid themes and crafts. I used some of your ideas and shared them with a group I am a member of at colourlovers.com. This is a free online (can purchase a membership but don’t have to) color tool. You have the ability to match colors in palette 5 color display. Create Vector drawings, and color them. It might be something you really could find entertaining. But beware it’s addictive and I spend hours creating ideas and using their option of forums to host them at this time.
i use the screen name “glindathegoodwitch” and you should really play with it. I found it through twitter and the designs are featured on twitter through the app themelon (?). Many of the designs are featured as the backgrounds twitter folk use. I posted your napkin wreath idea and the snow man party theme just this week and wanted to let you know I did that and also that I linked them back to your page here. I figured that since they were in the free printable section it would be fine. I gave your site all the credit for it, of course. But thought you might like to see the links for reference.
both the snowman and the zebra wreath idea is posted here..posted by Glindathegoodwitch.
http://www.colourlovers.com/home/blog/2011/12/12/wreath-the-holiday-season-in-colors-galor#comment-17031
Really hope you don’t mind. Check it out …..i also think you will like the site if you have the time ever to just play with it.
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