Fabric Origami Workshop

Just a quick update to let you know about a cool site I stumbled upon. It's called the Fabric Origami Workshop, and it shows you how to do some VERY interesting boxes using fabric. For crafters, this may be a very unique way of packaging your products (if they are small), and would even make a great craft to sell to others looking for a unique package for a very special gift.

Happy Crafting!
Chuck

Technorati Tags: craft business, crafts, sell my crafts, small business, work at home, craft fair, craft show, origami

One Family's First Craft Show

I found a really great article by a crafting family from Maine who endured their first craft show. It talks a lot about what crafters who are aspiring to start a crafting business can expect from their first craft show. I found it to be a good read and very informative.

Check it out!

Happy Crafting!
Chuck

Technorati Tags: craft business, crafts, sell my crafts, small business, work at home, craft fair, craft show

Craft Business Movie Trailer

I came across this movie trailer for a documentary about people making a living on the craft show circuit - basically travelling around and selling their crafts. This is one option for people who want to make a living with their crafting, and can be a very exciting way to live (especially if you don't have any children or your children are older).

You can find out more about the filmmaker at her YouTube profile page.

WARNING: There is a bit of salty language in this trailer. You want to make sure that your little ones, or people who are offended by a small amount of cursing, are not within earshot. I don't condone the language, but the content was good so I thought it would be a shame not to share.



Happy Crafting!

Chuck

Technorati Tags: craft business, crafts, sell my crafts, small business, work at home, publicity

Local woman turning briefs into business

A Fitchburg, MA woman is using her crafting skills not only for a growing crafting business, but to help a local Fitchburg man who was injured in a car crash. And her choice of crafts - turning men's brief underwear into halter tops for women. You can find more on the story at the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise - Local woman turning briefs into business.

This is a very unique idea, and helping out with a charity will do wonders for your new craft business (as seen by this story in the local newspaper). And remember - any free publicity you get (of course, as long as it is positive) saves you money on advertising. A coordinated marketing plan will help you drive customers to your new business, instead of having to constantly work the craft fair circuit.

Happy Crafting!

Chuck

Technorati Tags: craft business, crafts, sell my crafts, small business, work at home, crafting charity, publicity

Customer Service Lesson

I recently ran across this article in the Miami Herald about one crafter's experience with another vendor at a small church-sponsored craft show. Basically, she purchased an item from another vendor at the show, who then cashed her check and did not deliver the item.

There are some great customer service tips you should take to heart in your own crafts business. The name of the story is: One bad vendor can ruin a bazaar.

Check it out!

Chuck

Technorati Tags: craft business, crafts, sell my crafts, scrapbooking, quilting, small business, work at home

An Online Craft Fair

I'm just writing a quick post before I head out to golf...

I just stumbled onto an online craft fair that will allow you to sell you crafts in an online environment designed to invoke the wide-ranging array of products available at a crafts fair. Called artsEfest.com, this new site offers very reasonable pricing for displaying your crafts for sale. Created by Brian Appell from Holyoke, MA, artsEfest.com could be a wonderful way to create an initial online prescence for your fledgeling crafts business.

Check it out!
Chuck

Technorati Tags: craft business, craft fair, small business, crafts, sell crafts online, sell on eBay, eBay

Michaels Stores Reports Second Quarter Earnings: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Michaels Stores, the world's largest retailer of arts and crafts supplies, announced that their net income for their second quarter (ended July 29th) was $20.3 million, up from $16.5 million in the first quarter of the year. In addition, total sales for the second quarter were $768.3 million, a 3.1% increase over last year's second quarter sales.

What was interesting was that the company's strongest category performances were in General Crafts, primarily driven by Jewelry and Beads, Apparel Crafts, Impulse and Kids Crafts businesses.

What does this mean? To me, it means that interest in crafting is at an all-time high! And, this is the perfect time to create your own successful craft business.

To see the full press release, just click on this link: Michaels Stores, Inc. Reports Second Quarter Earnings: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Happy Crafting!

Chuck Smith

Technorati Tags: craft business, crafts, jewelry and beads, paper crafts, scrapbooking