I'm Re-inspired

Once again our store blog has had a long hiatus and once again I'm am determined to keep up with it!

I am currently changing the look of the website this month and I think everyone will like the new format. If not, feel free to leave me a comment! We are now selling our products on ArtFire and through them I have been been connected with a fantastic group of polymer clay players who, like myself, love showing off their work. They have re-inspired me to connect and share all of my new pieces with all of you and I encourage you to also check them out at http://polymerclaysmooshers.blogspot.com/. I promise you won't be disappointed!

In the meantime, I will continue to keep the website, store and blog updated with new crafts, ideas and anything else I can throw at you!

See you soon!

Encouraging Words for Discouraged Crafters

It isn't easy being a crafter. We haul our equipment and supplies to various craft shows and spend hours creating products in the hopes that someone will buy them. Most people start crafting as a hobby, just something to do in their spare time and expel their creative energy, but some people take it a step further and sell what they have made.

The first craft show is always a little wracking. I remember staying up all night making more inventory and only getting three hours sleep. I woke up early the next day, packed up my truck and drove to the gas station to fill up. At the time I had a partner and she needed to charge her phone, so she plugged it into the outlet in the dash. Little did we know that the wiring in my truck was malfunctioning and it ended up starting a fire. So here we are, next to a gas pump, with all of my newly made crafts stored in the truck and there's smoke billowing from the hood. Long story short, the fire department was called, I freaked out and cried, borrowed my husbands truck, composed myself and repacked my stuff. The truck was later towed and fixed.

Most first craft show adventures aren't quite as dramatic but it was one of the best learning experiences I ever had. After all the trouble from the beginning of that day and all the work I did to prepare for that first show, I only did "ok." I didn't sell nearly the amount of product that I thought I would and I found that my sales skills were lacking. But after a few more shows I learned about what crafts were popular, what my customers liked and how to talk to them. The more I applied what I learned, the better my sales got.

Crafters shouldn't be discouraged from selling their products just because they don't sell right away. It takes time and practice. Don't be afraid to take that step and introduce your product to the public. You should be proud of your creations. Ignore scrutiny, but not constructive criticism because you should never stop trying to improve your product.

Selling what you make is incredibly challenging but just as rewarding. Build a positive support system for yourself among other successful crafters and learn from their experiences. Research your competitors and know that as much work that you put into selling your craft is what you will win back in return.

Good luck and never stop trying!

Selling your crafts? Tips for picking the right venue, Part 2

Craft shows are a great place to sell handmade goods but are normally available only on the weekends. Traveling to shows also requires extra time to set up and break down the display, not to mention hauling it all around, plus the time to sit all weekend and sell. It’s a system that works for some, but not for all and that’s where selling at stores has its advantages. Stores offer more days of the week to sell, rather than just on weekends, and there is no need to constantly haul display equipment. There are a few things to consider before signing any contract with a consignment shop or store:

1. Just as with crafts shows, it is equally important to find out how long the store has been open. Shops that have just opened may have weak sales at first because it takes time for customers to find out that it is there, but monthly rental fees are usually inexpensive in order to entice new crafters to sign contracts.
2. Get to know the owner. Do they have any experience owning their own business? How familiar are they with the craft market in their area? How hard do they work to satisfy their customers? Businesses are a reflection of their owner so crafters need to be sure that the owner and any employees are the people they want representing and selling their creations.
3. Shop around. Compare rates, display areas, location, and the types of crafts that are sold. If the store sells items that are not handmade, be cautious about selling there. Mass produced items don’t always hold the same quality and craftsmanship that a handmade item does. Most crafters do not want their creations associated with a mass produced product. Depending on the item, it can de-value something that is handmade.
4. Avoid shops that let anybody sell anything. These types of stores can end up having a flea market type of environment, which can be a disadvantage to most crafters when it comes to pricing.

Whatever venue that a crafter chooses to sell at, the most important thing to consider is the comfort level. Crafters should be comfortable, no matter where they sell.

For more info on where to find craft shows in the Waukegan area, visit www.festivalnet.com

Selling your crafts? Tips for picking the right venue, Part 1

Crafting has a tendency to increase in popularity when the economy takes a downturn. People have limited funds and look for inexpensive activities to occupy their minds. While crafting usually starts off as an extracurricular activity to burn away excess creativity, it can often become a means of income through the sale of their wares; hence the inspiration for craft shows, stores, fairs and the like. Crafting can be an excellent source of income but selling it in the right venue is even more important. Crafters are easily discouraged when their products don’t sell but many times it’s because they have chosen the wrong venue. Here’s Part 1, on how to pick the right venue for selling crafts:

Selling at a craft show


1. The number one question to ask when selling at a craft fair is how long the show has been running. It’s important because the longer the show has been running, the more likely people are aware of it and will attend. Longer running shows have built a sizable and loyal clientele. That doesn’t mean that first year shows won’t be successful but there will most likely be more customers at a long running show.



2. The next important question to ask is if vendors will be allowed to the show or if only crafts are allowed. Depending on what a crafter is selling will determine whether this matters or not. Vendors are usually at-home businesses like Mary Kay, Avon and Homemade Gourmet, all reputable companies but they are not crafters. If there is a candle catalog vendor selling their product next to a crafter that makes their own candle, it can make a difference.


3. Find out if the show is juried. A juried show will ensure that there are no duplicates, and therefore very little competition among the crafters. Shows that are not juried end up having too many of one type of craft, usually jewelry, and do not give customers a variety of products to browse through. When customers don’t have a variety of products to browse, they get bored and leave early.


4. Ask about advertising. How is the show being advertised? Where is it being advertised? Are there street signs? Be sure that the show promoters have made some effort to publicize the craft show because it will make a difference in the outcome of the overall sales. More advertising means more customers.


Stay tuned for Part 2, for tips on picking the right store to sell crafts.

Top 5 classic crafts that are here to stay

There are endless types of crafts that creative people from all over the world have produced. Some are created for the home, some are made for kids, and others are made for no other reason than to just exist, and just like any mass produced merchandise, there are some crafts that are just a fad, while others have the staying power to be passed on from generation to generation. Here’s a list of top 5 classis crafts that are here to stay:

5. Crochet Blankets: Baby blankets especially. It makes the perfect gift for a new baby and it can come in a full rainbow of colors, but they are not cheap. It takes time and plenty of material to whip up a crochet blanket.

4. Candles: Soy has slowly begun to replace the paraffin waxes used in candle making. It’s easier to use, burns cleaner and is better all around for the environment. The fragrances come in an assortment of selections like Grandma’s Apple Pie, Lemon Meringue, and Downy April Fresh.

3. Greeting Cards: People need cards to say the things that they cannot say themselves, therefore, card makers exist. A handmade card is much more special than receiving one off the shelf at Walgreens.

2. Flower arrangements: It’s not just a matter to sticking some fake flowers in a vase. It takes a creative eye to turn an arrangement into something that a customer can take home and use as a centerpiece.

1. Jewelry: Jewelry isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and people, women especially, have too many outfits to accessorize!

Visit any local craft show and these items are sure to be found. In the Lake County area, Parkside Summer Arts and Crafts Festival is being held June 26th and Long Gove’s Strawberry Festival is being held on June 25th-27th. Both shows are within 30 minutes of the Waukegan area.


Have your own top 5 list? Leave a comment and share it with the rest of us!

Crafts for the Non-Crafter, Part 1: Cheer up that Boring Livingroom!

With Spring here and summer right around the corner, your living room deserves a little change! If you're anything like me you don't repaint your rooms every Spring or change the curtains for every season or holiday. I just try and pick the colors and patterns that my husband won't find too "girly" and put up something that looks good all year long. We chose blue and tan for our colors, tan walls, blue trim. The tan is a neutral color so that gives us the flexibility to work with a wide array of colors and patterns and the blue is just an added color bonus.

So whether your walls are white, pink, blue, orange or any other color there are a ton of easy projects that you can put together to add that "something different" to your living room, without having to be a crafter and without it costing you an arm and a leg.

So here's my quick list of easy projects for the livingroom. If you have any more ideas, please feel free to share with us!

1. Get your pictures out of the closet or off your camera! My walls are completely uneven and I just had to cover them up with something so I bought some really inexpensive picture frames and decided that I was going to cover my entire wall with family and vacation photos. I'm not done yet but so far, so good...


















2. Put up some embroidered towels. If you don't like any of the patterns you find, all you have to do is ask the right crafter and I'm sure they will find what you're looking for (*hint hint*). Towels make the perfect accent to any space and don't just have to be used to wipe off your hands. I used mine to put on our side table and under our fish tank because the tank kept scratching the wood.

























3. Don't just update the look, make it smell better, too! I have two cats and two dogs in my house so I'm always afraid to have an open flame around. So while I love candles, I don't have too many in the house. But what I do have, thanks to Jody from Deja Vu K-9 Korner letting me borrow it, is a candle warmer. In my opinion, one of the best inventions ever. It makes the candle last sooooooo much longer. So instead of buring a candle I can use these wickless candles from my crafter Darlene, from FPO Candle Crafts. Her wicked candles and tarts are awesome too.

4. Flowers can change the look of any room and they don't even have to be real. I prefer fake myself, no watering and it lasts forever, or as another one of my crafters says "fauxever".

5. Another picture idea, one of my favorites. I always feel bad about throwing away glass jars, like there's something I should be able to do with them, so I save them for when an idea pops in my head. All you have to do is tape your picture, or pictures if the jar is big enough, to the inside of the jar and use is as a table decoration. It'll be gauranteed to be a great conversation piece.

That's all I have for now. I'm sure that as soon as I hit the publish button I'll think of something I should have added, but if there's something that you want to add please share it with the rest of us!

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Mother's Day

I actually thought about not posting this particular blog entry. I thought maybe that I should try to use this opportunity to showcase a few new crafts for Mother's Day, but as much as I want to do that, I couldn't stop thinking about my own mom and that it's really because of her that I started crafting in the first place. It all started off with project books and making ornaments for Christmas. She was into making dolls, wreaths and everything crochet. I always admired her for her crafting talent. Her crafting gene successfully passed to me and now I happily share my creations with others. So as a tribute to my own mother for this Mother's Day, I thought I would share with all of you why my mother is the greatest mother in the whole wide world!

Now Mother's Day is just a couple days away and I haven't thought about what to get my own Mother. I keep making and selling things for other people to give to their mothers yet I haven't really stopped to think what I was going to do for my own. She already has everything, and of course, I have to work on Mother's Day. So what do I do?

Admittedly, I'm not a great daughter. My mother and I fought when I was a kid...a lot. We never got along. Maybe it was just one of those mother-daughter things where we were just never meant to have peace among each other. I know that this fighting happens between parents and their kids quite often, but it hurts just the same. I'm not a parent, but from what I've witnessed from other parents out there, the job isn't easy. My mother and I would fight over things like my grades (I was an A student, by the way), my room, chores, painting my nails and wearing makeup. We would even fight over things like me wanting to quit ballet lessons when I was twelve and how much I wasn't practicing with my piano.

But when I got older, the fights became more about my friends, and what I was doing and where I was going, boys, driving, and all the other things that a parent would fight about with their teenager. The fights were that much worse as I got older and learned how to turn the tables on her. Instead of her always picking on me I realized that she had plenty of faults of her own that I could throw right back at her. What can I say, my mother was a great fighter and I learned from the best.

But my mother doesn't back down. She's was always ready for a good fight. I fought with her right up until the time I moved out of the house and got married. I always thought that she was just this horrible person who wanted nothing more than to make my life miserable.

Oh how wrong I was. I can feel the tears welling in my eyes as I think about all the horrible things I have done and said to my mother: the time when I realized I was too old to hold my mothers hand, ignoring her when she came to visit me at school, making faces behind her back, talking bad about her to my friends, calling her names, slamming the door in her face, hurting her feelings and just being a bratty daughter in general. Never once did I ever take the time to think about how I was making my mother feel when I would fight with her.

It has taken me until now, now that I am married and thinking about having children of my own, what my mother had to endure raising a little brat like me. She was only hard on my grades because she wanted me to do well and be smart, she wanted me to practice ballet and piano so I could have the opportunity to learn new things, and she wanted to know where I was because she cared about me and didn't want me hurt.

To this day, my relationship with my mother is far from perfect. We still have a little fight left in us, but I've learned to let most of it go. I figure it's easier loving her for who she is, rather than wasting time picking on all of her faults. She's still my greatest supporter. She sends customers over to my store every chance she gets and we've made it a point to have our nails done together once a month. I even suffer a Saturday night once in a while to play bingo with her. It may not sound like much but I try to take every opportunity I can to spend time with my mother. I appreciate my mother so much more now than I ever have and I love her very much.

So I may not know what I'm getting my mom this year, but I know that I would not trade her for anything. She's the best mom ever... that's right ever... and maybe for Mother's Day, that's exactly what I'll tell her. I can't see her arguing with me on that one :)

And as a reminder...while I'm going on about appreciating mom's and all, don't forget to remember grandmas, sisters, aunt's, godmothers, friends, in-laws and all the mother's out there. All mom's deserve a little extra love once in a while.


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