Talking about Crafts and the Business of Crafts

If it were Me

2010-02-09T09:38:00.000-08:00

If I was determined to find more buyers for my crafted products, using the internet, what would I do?

Personally, I'd build my own website and have it hosted at a cost of anywhere from $6 to $12 a month. Most of them have their own web page builders and if not, I'd use a free website builder I could find on tucows.com.

Then I'd join every possible community where crafter's gather. Those like the one I happen to have built at Crafter's Corner and many others where crafter's can talk about themselves and show off their goods.

Then I'd put my products into a selling platform online, places like Etsy, as long as the fee was taken out of the sale. There's also bonanzle.com and of course, ebay.com.

I would add my website address to all my outgoing emails in the signature and everywhere I went online, that would let me put in my web address, I'd add it.

Then I'd join facebook.com and twitter.com and just start posting. You can just do updates on the latest product added, stuff like that.

Since the idea is to attract buyers, I'd also snoop around and find forums and blogs just for people looking for a good time or the best restaurant or better than that, places where shop owners are looking for products.

I'd comment on other people's blogs, leaving behind my website address. Not spamming but actually getting in there and adding quality content.

If I did craft shows, I'd be sure to have business cards that included my website address. If I felt I could afford it for awhile, I'd get a google account and start running google ads for awhile.

Considering that I'd be busy producing my own products, I'd have to find cheap ways of riding someone else's tail, someone who's already out there doing all these things. And by the way, that's exactly what I do with our Crafter's Corner. Why more people have not joined and participated, I'll never know. Is crafting business dead?

The more places you have your name and website address, the more you become 'known' and the easier it is for people to find you through searches. Anybody interested, I can help with things like keywords, to help in search results turning up your site.

Now, this is just what I would do if I really wanted to sell.

How I Spread The Word About Us

2010-02-08T16:38:00.000-08:00

I realize there's no way for my readers to know how it is, I bring traffic to our sites. Here's a list of most of the places where I blog, network the sites or write articles with links back to the sites.

On this first one, you can see a list of pages I've built at Squidoo
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/red46

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Judy_Sims

http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/judy-sims/31717.htm

A whole list of blogs with links back My Blogger Profile

The Home and Family Site
My Trucking Blogs
The Christian Fellowship site

There's my facebook profile where I talk about us all the time.

And my twitter account
My Stumbles
My bookmarks
My Diggs
MySpace
My technorati page

One of my networks on Ning
My profile on Merchant Circle

That, believe me is not all there is but I'm tired. :)

This is what it takes to get known in the search engines. Networking the internet. So either you do it or I do it. If your information is listed on the Crafter's Corner you can take advantage of the traffic I work on. What comes to me, also comes to you.

All you have to do is submit an article with your website address included in it, or click on the link in the first paragraph for the Crafter's Sites and pick out a box and click it. Submit your information and I'll get it in there.

Promote and Sell Your Crafts on the Internet

2010-02-08T16:35:00.000-08:00

Don't let the heading fool you, I wrote this for WikiHow

How to Promote and Sell Crafts on the Internet

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Just like any other business online, you have to build your own market.

Steps

Once you know what products you want to sell, you first have to make a decision. Your own web site or selling on one of the many sales sites designed for crafter's. Either way, you will need to work on your own traffic.
Once you're products are up and listed, it's time to spread the word.
Join social sites like twitter and facebook and talk about yourself. Upload pictures of your products along with links leading back to your sales pages.
Be sure to include your links in your email signatures. Let your friends know.
Write articles. Yes, I said write. You can always find something to talk about when it comes to your craft and products. Talk about them. Start your own blogs and submit instructional articles to all those 'free article' sites and include your links and information about yourself and products.
If you're really feeling daring, open a google account and start using their adwords program. For a few cents a day, you can get your ads in front of buyers eyes. Check it out and learn all you can about the program.
Join forums on the crafts sites and include your information in your profile. Don't spam the forums, really get in there and become a part of the crowd.
All these things help to bring traffic to your web pages and the more traffic the better.

Tips

Remember that you care about your products, not the selling sites. They care about more members.

Warnings

What ever you do, open a separate email account just for your business and don't give it out,just anywhere.

Sources and Citations

The Crafter's Corner is loaded with information about marketing and selling your crafts. http://judysbookshop.com/blog and http://judysbookshop.com/nuke

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Promote and Sell Crafts on the Internet. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Keeping You Up To Date

2010-01-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

Although it seems I'm not around much these days, the fact is I'm very busy online. Most of my writing is at the Crafter'sCorner the Home Site Blog the Trucking blog and my Christian site blog

This in a addition to Squidoo pages and on Facebook

There's lots to read and join. Come by for a visit.

New Polymer Clay mold line

2009-12-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

For all you folks who are working in polymer clay, there's a new line out on the market. This particular line, I helped to produce.

It's not mine, I just helped in the designing and make the molds. This young man has a head full of ideas and he's running to implement them.

What's different about these molds? Glad you asked. ha Him being pretty much a novice, when we met, he ran into problems like getting the clay out of the mold,without disturbing or tearing the clay. So he had me design the molds into parts, so that instead of just pulling off half of the mold, one can pull off a quarter, keeping the clay intact.

An example is a mold for the leg that is in 3 parts. The front half is all one mold piece, while the back of the leg is in 2 separate pieces.

In addition to that, he had me design the molds so that the torso and head is in one mold and each limb has its own mold. Each mold has little guide lines for the armatures, so the body parts match up.

He started out with a male angel named Gabriel, then had me add molds for goat legs for changing the figure. Then on top of that, he had me design the torso and legs for the Taurus so that Gabriels body can be attached to turn him into a Taurus. Then he added molds for wings and the wings are gorgeous. Then he added the merman, which is all in one mold, using Gabriels head design.

He's in the process, now, of having another designer come up with the female counterpart of the right proportions for Gabriel along with another set of wings and taurus body. He's planning to have the entire family including a little boy and little girl, all with additional molds for altering the original.

Along with these, he has tutorials on his site at http://www.natureboyzart.com

Right now, he has ebay listings for a few of the molds:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mold-Angel-fairy-fantasy-Sculpture-Christmas-Price_W0QQitemZ270492737403QQihZ017QQcategoryZ11692QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mold-Merman-fairy-fantasy-Sculpture-Christmas-Price_W0QQitemZ270492721188QQihZ017QQcategoryZ11692QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mold-Faun-legs-fairy-fantasy-Sculpture-Christmas-Price_W0QQitemZ270492741636QQihZ017QQcategoryZ11692QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I will try to keep you updated with the progress of this new line of molds. You'll love them because.....a novice can create works of art with these mold.

In a time of recession, how do you survive?

2009-11-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

I, personally survived working a ceramics production for almost 10 years. I always wondered about that because it didn't make sense.

How did it happen? I linked myself with a much larger manufacturer of jewelry and giftwares, that specialized in South Western design and sold to gift shops all over the world. I rode somebody else's skirts, so to speak.

Instead of insisting the world love my finished product, I went straight for the ground floor and began producing a product that somebody else finished.

My name was on nothing. I was nobody but I survived with my own hands. So there's an idea for you.

Snoop around and find out who might be running a large production, selling in mass and low prices. A sweat shop!

How could I work for such 'tiny' money? Simple...I cut my own costs and cut the time it took to produce, down to the bone. When I cranked up the kiln at night, it was so crammed full, it took twice the time to reach temp.

I broke down the cost of electricity, wear and tear on the kiln and my own labor cost, right to the penny. I knew exactly what I needed to be making a profit. Pride had nothing to do with business.

Could I turn out beautiful and useful things? Yes but it didn't pay. I did that in my spare time and took care of my wholesale customers.

I actually started out delivering green ware and my customer loaded it into the kilns along with their own products. I did this until I could afford my own kiln, then we made changes to the pricing for the bisque.

I continuously added new designs that I designed myself, to add to their variety. Some sold and some didn't. But I kept right on, designing and adding to the line.

I survived this way, paid my rent and supported myself for almost 10 years. Believe it or not, I got into trouble when I started expanding in size, which required more equipment and a bigger overhead. I was doing just fine, sticking to my little miniatures and selling to the bigger outfits.

Sometimes you have to get creative in your thinking. Reach out there and find others in your own category, who are profiting and expanding and latch onto them. Offer your services.

Possibly plaster figures to the craft shops for others to paint. Possibly supplying green ware or bisque to a manufacturer. Have you visited an auction house lately? Did you know that if you turn out pitcher and bowl sets, they just might buy them at a low price or even take them on consignment for the next auction?

Find factories making things that you could possibly supply the basic components for.

When times get tough, forget the knitting and crochet. Discover something else and quick. Something like cut out wood pieces, bisque or plaster objects. Expand your horizons.

Update on the new Connections site

2009-10-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

In the week since building the new site, I've had one crafter send me her information. We certainly need more than that.

The site is set up to make connections between U.S. crafter's in business and U.S. wholesale buyers. The buyers are coming but the products aren't. We have wholesale buyers looking for you and you are not there.

Of course, the buyers are also not sending in their search list, just signing up for membership. Most likely because they don't see much and certainly not what they are looking for.

We need the crafter's to get over to the site and send me the information of the products they produce. U.S.Connections

New Connections Website

2009-09-19T13:07:00.001-07:00

This site is strictly for connecting U.S.crafter's, small business manufacturers with U.S. wholesale buyers.
http://judysbookshop.com/biz2bizAmerica/
Drop by, fill out the contact form and give Judy your information. She will contact you to narrow down the details and search for a connection for you.

What is a Crafter

2009-08-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

The term ‘crafter’ is a more modern term but truly the same meaning as historical ‘craftsman’. Historically, it was said that what a man did for his livelihood, was his craft.

So what is a craft? Actually it’s anything that produces items of worth:buildings;vehicles;horse shoes or harnesses;clothing;shoes;hats;toys;plumbing, and so forth.

Today, we seem to have taken on the specialized term of crafter, to mean someone who creates with their own hands, as though only decorative items could possibly be a craft.

The truth is a flooring man is a crafter (or craftsman), as is a plumber. This is their craft.

There is the modern day argument about what is art and what is craft. Art has nothing to do with life necessities. It does not produce utilitarian products. Art is appealing to the eye and can be applied to just about anything, including a craft. Art is entertainment, while craft produces something of need.

To answer the modern day argument, if you make a quilt or ceramics or even wooden toys, you are both a crafter and an artist, simply because you apply eye appealing design. An artist can enhance your craft but cannot produce a self sustaining useful product.

I can produce a water pitcher but until I also apply art, there is nothing unique about it. If you were not both a craftsman and an artist, you would not be sitting at craft shows. If you did not also apply art to your woodwork, what would you be offering that didn’t look just like everyone else’s?

To view yourself as any sort of crafter, aside from other needful crafts, is to think yourself a hobbiest. This, you are not, because you craft with the intent to sell.

So to know whether you are a ‘crafter’ or an ‘artist’, simply ask yourself if you produce a necessity in life. Do you produce pretty shelf sitters? That’s an art. Do you produce quilts? That a craft.

Utilitarian is the dividing line. The shoes are utilitarian, the color is not. The bowl is utilitarian, the painted design is not. The wooden wall hanging is not.

Anything produced only for the decorative value, is art. Anything produced for utilitarian purposes is a craft.

Art:
pictures of any sort
wall hangings
garden decor
theater
sculpture
jewelry
applied decoration
crochet as in doilies
tatting unless to be worn
macrame’

Craft:
quilting
sewing
crochet (to be worn)
knit
woodwork
utilitarian ceramics
weaving (rugs and clothing)
and
homes
flooring
plumbing
shoe maker
clothing manufacturer
and so forth

I'd like to take this opportunity to invite my followers to follow me over to http://judysbookshop.com/blog

This is where I spend the majority of my time, these days and this blog is where you will stay up to date.

Updating my Readers

2009-08-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

To keep up with the latest that Judy is blogging about, I suggest you visit http://judysbookshop.com/blog and subscribe there.

Although I do still blog here, I spend most of my time at the other site, since it's connected with our Crafter's Corner.

Test the Market

2009-07-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

Have a new idea but not sure about the market? Create a few prototypes (samples) in what ever variety can be offered. If it can come in different colors, sample those colors. If it can come in different sizes, create a couple different sizes.

Shop around and find the store you think your product might find it’s best opportunity. Now the good part.

You can get your foot in the door, so fast, by explaining to the shop owner, that you want to test the market on a new product. If they wouldn’t mind, giving it a trial run, you’d be willing to offer an exclusive, in thanks.

It goes like this. You leave the product, free gratis. Get a receipt, showing what products you left there, you can use your own receipt pad. Tell the owner, you’ll be back in a week, to see how it went. Go ahead and give the product a wholesale price, so that the owner will know how to price the items.

If the product sells, in that week, you then make out a receipt for the wholesale sale, and collect the money. If it does not, this is your opportunity to chat with the owner and get his/her input. What do they think will be the chances for this product. Is there a change, they see that might help.

If it’s just a no-go, there is still a huge opportunity. Find out what does sell. Would they like to work with you, in creating a new product. What have they been looking for, and can’t find. Who knows, you just might be able to fill the bill.

Remember always, especially on that first visit, never stand between the shop keeper and the customers. Know your place. Put yourself in the same position as the shop owner-main concern, keeping and eye on shoppers, being available. When a customer walks up to the cash register, you step aside immediately. This lets the shop keeper know, you know what the score is.

I met the music box shop owner, for the first time, by simply snooping around the shop. When I saw a nightlight much like one I made, I piped up and said, “I make one almost identical except for one thing…mine is much more realistic to style and has a little more color sparkle to it. AND I wholesale mine much less than this one, I’m sure”. Nabbed. On the spot. She wanted to see mine. Our friendship and business dealings lasted over 2 years, before she sold her shop.

Be gabby but not butting in on any dealings with customers. Make sure the shop owner is out of ear shot of customers. They don’t need customers, knowing where he/she buys their goods.

“You know…this looks almost identical to one I turn out for about $6. Is this made locally?” :) Believe me, it works.

Your Name in the Local Paper

2009-07-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

Small towns and cities, all across the nation, have their own small newspapers. You usually find stories about local folks, especially historical and new stores opening, etc.

But did you know, the writers for those small papers are always digging for anything newsy? Sometimes those reporter/writers have to dig hard, to keep those pages filled with interesting stories.

You’re not imposing, when you suggest they do a write up on you or your product. It’s a helping hand. It’s also a great way to meet new friends.

Our local editor was thrilled to come out to the house and do a story on my new instructional e-books, a success online story and an interview with pictures of my most recent projects.

You’d be surprised at the newsy little ‘bit’ she did on me. It filled her pages and brought me at least 2 new restoration jobs from locals, reading the local paper.

Don’t discount your little local paper or those writers and editors, so hungry for more to fill those pages. And don’t discount the value it will bring back to you.

So you think that because all you do is crochet or knit that you don’t have anything to offer. Do you sometimes donate items you’ve made? Are you a wood worker, building toys for children? Are you about to launch a new website? Just about anything like this, is local newsworthy and you should give the editor a call and get on the ‘possibility’ list.

My Offical Blog Spot

2009-07-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

I try to keep both blogs up to date but to make sure, you might want to venture off to my main spot, to see what's happening.
http://judysbookshop.com/blog

Don't Do It!

2009-04-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Just don't do it. Unless you just happen to love spending money and time on others, don't take special orders without up front money.

I'm good at preaching and so lousy, sometimes, at taking my own advice or even listening to my own instincts.

Not long ago, I received a special request. It had to do with specially designed drawer pulls. I decided this would be a good project for my grown daughter. If not for that thought, I would not have done this at all. I gave up, a long time ago, and went to writing instructions, instead of working my back off for nothing. I vowed never to put myself in the position of victim, again.

Well, obviously I did. Running on trust (this person sounded so desperate and earnest), I designed 3 separate drawer pulls, according to the pictures he/she sent me and the dimensions I was given.

Right off the bat, the paws weren't right. I was directed to other pictures, online, that looked nothing like the first I was sent.

I was already getting aggrivated, but went ahead and spent the time to redesign. In the meantime, I ordered in enough inserts that fit into the back, for a bolt through a drawer front. I paid almost $50, considering shipping. Then I also invested in the glazes, after this person selected the colors from an online catalog. Naturally, there were 12 colors. So, there was another $30 plus for glazes.

At his/her earnest pushing, I finished a dozen samples, which this person approved from pictures. So there was the consideration for electricity and wear and tear on the kiln, for 2 firings.

What do you suppose the outcome was? He/She vanished. No contact, not even a 'go to hell'. I've tried numerous times, to contact him/her by email, which seemed fine until now.

I'm out around $100 and performed designing work and mold making that would have amounted to a charge of $100 and the customer.....poof...gone...

I could get nasty, considering they even have a website online but I imagine, by now, the web host has also discovered the disappearing customer.

So it's time to preach to myself, all over again, decide what to do with unreturnable supplies and go on to better things.

So the upshot? Don't do it. Do as I say, don't do as I do.

I don't have a job, then why am I so busy?

2009-02-07T07:40:00.000-08:00

The thought crossed my mind, the other day, "if I don't have a job, then how come I'm so busy?"

Right now, I don't know how I'd ever find the time to do the things I do, every day, and hold down a job, a the same time.

I guess I'm my own job. The pay hasn't been so bad and is actually about to get better. The only problem is.....benefits. Need to think about that one.

For the past few years, I've been doing just about nothing more than driving a truck across the 48 contiguous states. Out of necessity, of course.

Now I find myself at home, at retirement age, and can't find a single day of doing nothing.

I started taking on custom mold making jobs. That has turned into a full time job, all by itself.

Having retrieved all my ceramics equipment and supplies, out of storage and into a double garage, my thoughts turned to one of my heart's greatest desires-teaching. Now, I'm lined up to do hand building pottery classes and there seems to also be a desire to learn more about mold pouring.

When I list the things I could teach, I find there isn't enough of a lifetime left, to cover it all. I'll sure try.

All this reminds me of something my grandmother told me, many years ago. I was just a child, at the time. Grandmother had a little Christian Supply shop and craft supply store. She said, "Judy, if you ever want to go into business, the way to start is by teaching. You teach a technique that requires the supplies you have in your store, and sell your students those supplies. That's how to start."

From time to time, I think about her words. So today, I pass on that little bit of wisdom, to you.

If you find yourself pulling on those rope ends and not quite making it, from month to month - teach.

You don't have to have a special license to teach something you know. If you're willing to teach and you have students willing to pay you for them to learn, you have a class. Either have a good supply of the materials needed for the projects, or cover the costs of those materials in the tuition. Don't forget your knowledge is worth money. :)

I'm about to start teaching hand built pottery. Next, in the plans, is to get my equipment up and running, a supply of clay slip and start yet another class in pouring ceramic molds. I just may go on to teaching mold making.

I have a knitting machine, I haven't had time to touch since 1987 and boy, would I love to get back at it. Once upon a time, I was very good with the knitting machine, designing my own clothes and making custom fit. I'd have to spend some time alone, to remember all these things but then look at all the more classes, I could host.

I could teach sewing and knitting and crochet and all sorts of time honored crafts. Right now, I'm giving my own grandson lessons with the scroll saw and plan to graduate him into the whole aspect of wood working and furniture building. Even if I have to learn it myself, as we go along. :)

You, too, probably have a world of knowledge in you. Sit down and make a list. Then start asking around. "What would you think of me starting classes in ???" You might be surprised.

If you can't sell them your end product, maybe they want to learn how to make it themselves.

Look at this list of classes. You might be surprised.
Cooking
Baking
Running a household
Organizing your home
How to make money, cleaning out the garage
Canning
Gardening

and now for the crafts:
knitting
crochet
sewing
quilting
macrame
jewelry making
clay work
wood working

and a whole slew of simple projects like
embroidery
rug hooking
and more that you've already thought of.

Just because it's 'old shoe' to you, doesn't mean it is to others. You have to remember that not everybody has your talents and just might desire to learn.

Banding Together

2009-01-14T20:42:00.000-08:00

That’s the way it works. That was the concept behind shopping centers. United into one unit, sharing a big parking lot, attracts more traffic to each individual shop. It works.

The meer size, carries with it, a physcological impression of superiority. Individual shops, that might have a hard time attracting the shoppers, would find themselves reaping the benefits by joining together with several others shops, in one spot. Have you ever wondered why a store would put out twice the rent, just to be included in a shopping center? There must be a good reason.

That is what Judy’s Corner is all about.

I’m familiar with the rail but the rail isn’t all that particular about who is linked, where. If you fit into a wide range called ‘art’, then you fit,in their opinion. The webring is much the same. Not only do they not care about specialized categories, they don’t control who your neighbor is.

Again, that’s what Judy’s Corner is all about. Not only is it important to me, that it be only hand made crafts, listing on our front page, I also care to keep the categories, within the category, separated in some way, so as not to provide ready made competition. The very least, I can do, is put two crafter’s alike, on oposite ends of the board. What’s more, I’m talking about tangible products, not website desiging. There is a huge difference.

The bigger the crowd, the better the traffic for all. I’m working on that but not getting much cooperation, as yet. Odd, considering I’m offering this for free, want to help out and I know there’s a massive world of crafter’s out there, needing more sales.

If anybody has any suggestions, I’d love to hear it.

Mixing Plaster

2009-01-14T20:39:00.001-08:00

(excerpt)
How to mix Plaster:

1. Always weigh out the amount of plaster you need, then look up the water by weight percentage. For example USG # 1 Pottery for making molds uses 70% water to plaster. So 10 lb. of plaster requires 7 lb. of water. First weigh out the plaster you need, take that amount and multiply it by .7,(point 7), (7/10) this gives you how much water to use.

2. Generally speaking the larger the percentage of water the softer and more absorbent the plaster will be. The harder the plaster the less water used.

3. Hot water will speed up the set time and cold water will slow it down.

4. Place the water in a suitable sized container. Always add plaster to water. Pour the plaster into the water and let slake for one minute. Mix by hand or with a Jiffy Mixer, being careful not to suck air into the plaster. When the mixture is lump free it is ready to pour; don’t wait for it to start to thicken.
(end excerpt)

This is a note from a supplier. In all my packed boxes from the ceramics shop, I have the complete charts for every variety of plasters and cements. I promise, as I continue to unpack and arrange, when I run across these charts, I’ll be back with the information.

After studying the formulas, years ago, I devised a shortcut which I describe in the ebook. I’ve never had a problem using my little shortcut.

Just a couple notes:
Hot water truly does speed up the setting time. I prefer room temperature, as then my timed activities are right on.
I have, due to interruptions, left plaster sitting for up to an hour, without the chemical reaction starting, simply because I had not begun to mix.
Plaster is not panicky stuff. :)
Always, after shaking in the plaster, let it sit (untouched) for at least 5 minutes before mixing. This is called slaking. It gives ever particle an opportunity to come into contact with water.
Mix for 3 minutes steady (5 minutes for hydrastone). Let sit for 3 minutes. Mix again for 3 minutes and pour.

If using plaster or hydrastone to pour into rubber molds, tap the sides of the mold to release trapped air bubbles.

Tax Headaches

2009-01-14T20:36:00.000-08:00

I’m still facing a mountain of receipts and math. Why? Well, I’m just full of excuses: a move from one state to another, retrieving all the ceramics equipment out of storage, pneumonia (dragging tail), and a whole slew of busy, busy.

What ever the reasons, I resorted to a box just to make sure I kept receipts all together. I can’t wait until this part is over, 2008 was tumultuous and I’m ready to settle down and get back into a routine.

Is it just me, or do crafter’s just always have a head full of ideas and lists of things to do? I’m never bored. My entire life seems to have been spent in shoving things to the back burner while I work on something else.

That other instruction book is almost ready, the one that discusses things like rubber molds, the variety of rubber and how to use them, the variety of mediums used in molds, all that. Pictures, were the hold back, and I’m just finishing a custom job involving both rubber and plaster molds.

If you’re like me, it’s not a matter of organization, it’s a matter of having way too much to do in just one life time. Do you think we’ll ever get a handle on it?

Tax Time

2008-12-31T17:06:00.000-08:00

It’s rolling around again. So I thought I’d spend a little time and remind folks about those things that can save them taxes.
If you happen to hold down a job, as well as working your crafts, you can file 2 forms:your regular 1040 or 1040a as well as the schedule C for business. There is so much, you can deduct through the business, you might just as well see how it works out. Right? :)
If you’re working out of the home, and even if you don’t but you keep books at home, you have a deduction, right there, for the business portion of the home expenses.
Uncle Sam, specifies that the space you use for tax deductions, can’t be used for anything but the business. So quarter off a section that’s just for your crafting, measure that space and claim it for the business.
From outside, measure the house and get the square footage. Then determine the square footage of your workspace (claimed). Let’s say you have a home measuring 2000 square feet and you use a small room, measuring 12X12 = 144 Square feet. Divide the 144 by 2000 to get 7%. 7% of the total overhead, is used strictly for business.
Now let’s say you burn 2 lightbulbs for an average of 2 hours per day. This takes a lot of estimating. Estimate, what percentage of the total electricity, is being used by those 2 lightbulbs. If your 2 lightbulbs is only about 10% of the total light bulbs being used in the house, then determine what percentage your lights would be for the total electrical use. Let’s say you run the dishwasher once a day, the clothes washer and dryer once a day, the vacuum once a week, the TV and average of 4 hours a day and the computer and average of 2 hours a day. I’d say those 2 lightbulbs are running somewhere in the ballpark of 2% of the total electricity. I’d take that 2% of every electric bill and claim it as a deduction.
Keep receipts for everything you use in your crafts. Right down to the scotch tape, ball point pen, paper, computer use, the gas to go get these supplies, replacement light bulbs, cleaning supplies.
Now how much do you use your car for business? Break that down to wear and tear on the car, plus the gas. It takes some brain cells but it’s worth every penny.
Now how about that lamp you use. Are you using it for the household or strictly for your crafts? If you’re using a lamp strictly for your crafts (crafts you intend to sell in your business), sign it over to the business and then depreciate it on your taxes. The table? Has it been absorbed by the business? Turn it over to ownership by the business and depreciate it.
Every penny you spend, in the name of creating for profit, is a deduction. Postage stamps, postage,and every supply or material.
If you’ve had a bad year, and spent more than you made back, you have a huge tax deduction that will lower your taxes all the more, giving you a bigger refund.
If you give something away, in the name of advertising or promotion, it’s deductible for it’s full retail value.
Put on your thinking cap, before you approach the taxes. Make a list of every piece of equipment, that is used strictly for the business: table, chair, rug,computer,paper,lamps, clamps,bottles,jars (seriously) pens and pencils, any patterns or reading materials (used for education in your niche), webpage hosting, bandaids, magnifying glasses, every hand tool….if donated by you to the business, depreciate it on your taxes.
Did you put product in a shop, the shop went out of business and you lost out on your product or any money for it….it’s a loss…list the loss. A water leak ruined your velvet? It’s a loss, list it. You went to a show and somebody walked off with one of your products without paying for it? It’s a loss, list it. You provided a sales rep with samples and he flew the coop? It’s a loss. List the full retail price.
Are you a ceramist? Do you make your own molds? Those molds have value, even if you made it yourself. That mold is a tool. Depreciate it. Make your own master blocks? That master block is not only a tool, it’s a copyright. Depreciate it. Without it, you’d lose out on business.
The point is to think as a business, not a hobbiest. If you’re in the business of selling your crafts, you’re in business. Don’t miss out of saved money.

Do I have to have a business license to claim it on my taxes?

2008-12-31T17:04:00.000-08:00

For the sake of taxes, you don’t have to have a business license but you do need some sort of claim to business.
The first order of business, should be a separate bank account, strictly for your business. It doesn’t have to be a business account, you can also have a personal account for your business, by listing your name along with ‘dba Your business name’.
Keeping careful books for the business, is important. If the IRS ever comes to visit, they will be looking for the ‘business books’.
You don’t have to be formal, to be considered a business.

New Safety Law affecting Crafter's producing childrens Items

2008-12-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

There is a new safety law passed that needs your attention. If you produce any product for children under the age of 12, you need to pay attention to this new law.

You can read the content of the bill at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-4040

excerpt from cafemom

“We are doing everything we can to have it modified to include us, to be fair to us.. but at this point, we are being treated the same as big industry.. and while this will not affect them substantially, it WILL affect us. Hundreds, if not thousands, of crafters across our country will be put out of business. Those crafters are not only an intregal part of not only the local economy but they supply quality handmade goods as an alternative to mass produced and wasteful big box store goods. They will not be able to do what they do anymore if this law does not add an amendment for us. “

You can read the full article at http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1320853/H_R_4040_the_CPSIA_truth_

Sign a petition http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/

Another site for contacting elected officials and sending letters http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html

This is a costly law, for the small time manufacturer (crafters) and needs our attention.

True, this only affects those making items for children, but this should concern all crafter’s. In this law, we are included with huge manufacturers.

The Hardest Thing to do To Our Own Crafted Products

2008-12-26T11:20:00.000-08:00

There are times when we simply have to be business minded, especially when we look to our own crafting as a means of income.

I love my knitting machine and boy, can I design clothing to fit any body. I love designing for the knitting and I adore some of those yarns. But, there was just one problem with it, it didn’t sell. I haven’t been able to spend time with my knitting machine, since 1987. I miss it, you bet but there are other concerns on the front burner.

There are so many crafty subjects, I’ve had to leave behind, things I love doing, simply because they didn’t pay.

That’s the hardest thing, when it comes to making any kind of living off your crafts. If you can’t stand back and look at the overall picture, you doomed to playing with your hobbies instead of succeeding as a crafter.

Checking out the booths at craft shows, isn’t going to help you either. You don’t know how well, those folks are doing.

Sit back and think. Make a list of every craft you can do, including the ones you’re not very good with. Among all that talent, what projects could you work with, perfect, that could provide that ‘great excuse to buy’? Coat rack, jewelry containment,bathroom organization,dresser top organization,kitchen organization, warmth, bedding, durability, reminders, that sort of thing. Call this utilitarian.

Thinking utilitarian, what (of your talents or designs) can you apply to make an item also art?

Once you’ve decided what sort of item, and the design, start practicing and perfecting. What ever you do, strive to be the best in that field. Experiment with color combinations. Work for those ‘oohs and aahs’ from the neighbors and friends.

Any item, you can offer in small, medium and large, do so. There is always the buyer who truly desires to buy but can’t afford the large one. Bring your product down to fit the market, instead of asking the market to fit your product. In these trying times, is no time for outright experiments just to see if it will sell.

Sometimes, we have to leave our own desires behind, in exchange for success.

Times are getting tough

2008-12-26T09:53:00.000-08:00

Will it affect you?

As crafter's, we already know that Christmas to mid summer is pretty much dead. So how will you survive these months?

If you have the means to do it, I'd suggest checking out the national shows. If you happen to have a quality product, this is the place to make connections with wholesale buyers.

Some of us are ready for this step and some are not. For those who are not, this is the time to reflect.

First, lets deal with the small, at home worker, with no expansion money or with no desire to expand. The next couple of months is a good time to reflect. How well did your product move last year? Did you make profit, or did you barely cover your costs?

If your product was well received and you did make a profit, what can you do to offer more for the money, this year? What tweak, can you add to make your product more desirable? Is it possible to make your product more utilitarian? More polished, more finished looking? Is it possible to lower your costs? Is it possible to cut your man hours?

If your product was not well received, now is the time to ask why. Is it possible that your product is not 'necessary' enough? People are tightening the belt and it's time to think in that pattern.

If your product was not well received, it's time to think 'new product', but before you go off in that direction, examine what traits were appealing about your present product. Possibly the theme? Was it color?

Let's say your theme was a cute little pig and everybody just went nuts over the design but didn't buy. Now let's say your product was strictly decorative. What can you do with that same theme and make something utilitarian. Something so useful, it helps with clutter in the kitchen or bathroom. How about other ideas, like a 2 tiered trivet for the dining table or a toilet paper holder or a special rack for spices? Something that gives a better excuse to spend the money, by providing a solution to a need.

For those with the means to expand, the means to grow and push your business.

This is the time to investigate the national shows. Which ones can report to you; the gross sales, the number of vendors during that gross sales. Check out crafting boards, with chatter about those shows. Are there any complaints? If possible, contact one of the vendors and ask if the show was a success.

Once you've decided which show and signed up, get ready. Not only do you need a good showing of the variety of design or colors, that you offer (mass produced) but you also need to think carefully about your display.

Remember things like 'blue brings out the sheen of silver or crystal' and 'white is best for multicolor'. The slightest things, make a difference.

Get swatches of varying materials and see how they display your product, under vague lighting, like overhead florescent. What kind of light do you need, to set off your product. Work to make your product glow.

Remember, you may wind up in the middle of a row, surrounded by all sorts of colors and shapes and 'crowds'. Crowds (purses, bags, strollers, noise) hurts your sales. Bring them inside the booth.

Make your booth inviting, let your possible buyers come inside, out of the scramble. Present yourself and your product. Have brochures or large cards with your story, the story of your product, etc. Have handy price lists for the wholesale buyer. Offer individualized product, be willing to make small changes for large orders. Offer corporate gifts.(even in this economy, they still have those Hawaiian conventions)

Do not price your products for the retail market. Make your buyer ask. If an individual, buying retail, if they don't ask, they don't have the money anyway. If a wholesale buyer, they would prefer the retail market not see prices.

Be sure to price your products, with wholesale in mind, to cover your materials/labor/overhead/plus a profit. Don't cut off your nose and remember you will be offering bulk discounts.

If you have any of your product (which is being offered at the show), already in a shop somewhere, ask that shop owner for permission to take a couple photos of your product, sitting on their shelf. Use those photos to push the marketability of your product. Include those photos, in your brochure or a stand up display.

Stand up displays, sitting behind your product on your show table, is a great way to display varieties of use or settings, for your product, without having to build displays that show off these varying settings.

You have a lot of work, just getting ready for this show. It's your shot for the wholesale market and for expansion. Make the most of it. Be professional. Be proud of your product. Be ready with company headings on order forms, 3 copy so as to hand the customer his copy and still have 2, for yourself. Have plenty of business cards and copies of your large cards or brochures, with easy ways to make an order. Include all information, such as shipping costs and discounts. Qualify your buyers.

For special orders, you want a deposit to cover your costs, in the event something happens and the order fails. You never know.

Personally, I think it's better to wear quality clothing, than to 'dress the part', such as colonial dresses and bonnets. This is a wholesale market, you're after and they are business people. They are only interested in you, as a business minded person and not your personality. Of course, it's great to be friendly but not so friendly, you look like a patsy.

In all that you do, it's not 'Me', it's 'My people'. It's nobody's business, if you work out of your garage. That garage is your 'studio', your 'warehouse', your 'workshop', your 'factory'.

Don't be afraid to go for the quality buyer. They are there, I promise. While it's true, most of the franchised shops are buying from company warehouses that buy from China, there are also high end shop owners, who look forward to certain shows each year. I'd say to look for that good buyer, who is that one out of each 100, passing by your booth. Don't worry about those 99. :)

If you're going to spend the entry fee, anyway, you might as well go for it 100% and arrange for your tables and lighting and display. All or nothing.

Drawing Your Attention to the New Group

2008-12-15T08:06:00.000-08:00

We have a new group for craft business discussions. Click on the title of this blog. :)

How to Start

2008-12-15T00:08:00.001-08:00

OK, so now the question is out there. How do I start?

Let's say you make a little doll. Let's get down to the nitty gritty and say 'clothespin dolls'.

There's hardly a market for something like a clothespin doll but that's what you make and you wonder if there is any possible way.

Actually, there is but you have to get even more creative. If you don't have the money to get someone to design and make you a heavy paper or cardboard display, maybe you can make the first one to get started. How about a heavy paper (something about half the thickness of cardboard. You've seen those displays.) Using the colored side, use a cookie cutter or any cylinder the right size, to use as a guide while you cut out holes with a Xacto blade. What you're creating is a display, to stand up your little dolls. Like those you see at the gas station, displaying cigarette lighters. You want to stand your little dolls, all in neat rows.

Fold the paper, so that it forms a shallow box, the sides and back folded down, to raise the display board up off the table. Then attach a back board that stands up behind the display. Just use solid colors to get you started.

Now you have a display. Fill that display with your best work then take a look at it. More impressive, isn't it.

Now let's say there is a gift shop nearby that can help you to sample out the product. That's exactly what you're going to ask, "Can we go at this more like consignment, long enough to test out this product. I need your help." There's bound to be at least one little shop that will give it a try. As long as they don't have to feel obligated, in case something happens, they will be more open to the idea.

Either that or a craft show, where you can set the display at the front of your table, to sample out the product.

You see, you just might have a product that nobody values, the way you do. If that's the case, you don't want to waste your time. Better to just make them as Christmas ornaments to give out, next year. If you're serious about wanting to make a living, using your own talents, don't invest in a dead product.

That, by the way, is my own terminology when designing a new product. Is it a 'go' or is it 'dead'? If it's a dead product from the get-go, I don't want to have anything to do with it. I'm not in the business of wasting money and time.

You literally have to be your own worst critic. At the same time, you have to give the product half a chance. Imagine it sitting on a shop shelf, along side other products similar. Will it look like junk or would it fit in nicely?

If you have a product that might sit in nicely, and compare with similar products, then run with it but don't bank on anything until you see that product perform for you.

One of the best ways to test out your product, is through friends, relatives and neighbors. Ask them, flat out, what would you pay for this item? Would it be desirable if you saw it in a shop? Would you ever want to collect them? Run this survey past as many people, as you can, before investing too much in it. Oh yeah, and be sure to tell your friends to be cruely honest.

So let's say you have a product that has come through scrutiny with flying colors but you don't have the money for things like shows. Can you make enough of the product, to make a nice display in a shop? Then go visiting to find the shop that will help you test out your product - sort of like partnership.

I've done it and with a very nice shop, in the bottom floor of an upscale hotel. All I had to do was talk with the owner. I let her know I was sampling the market. If she could handle just a few of a new design, and handle it like consignment (actually, we settled on handling it like an outright wholesale delivery BUT collection would happen after a few sales). This way, she didn't have to keep special books for me. I came back a couple weeks later, with more product, and to check on progress. She had sold everything I brought, I wrote out a receipt for her and she cut me a check on the spot. This way, she could handle it just like all her other buying.

Then one day, I took her a sampling of 2 sleep masks, for some folks across the country from me. I just told her, the folks wanted to test the market here and we could handle this the same way. That way, there was no problem with her tagging them and putting them out for sale. If they sold, she'd be buying them wholesale, when she saw me again and if not, I'd collect them and return them to the owners.

You have to be honest about what you're doing. It's not a sales pitch, it's a mini-partnership, to test the product. Most shop owners are willing to help, especially.....especially if you can promise them and exclusive, within a certain territory, in exchange for their help. They have competition and there's only so many ways to get out ahead. This is just one way to help them out, in exchange.

If you find yourself with a product that's moving, not only do you have your first wholesale outlet but you have testimony for the next shop. Go outside that promised exclusive territory, find a shop suitable for your product, and go visit. Tell them how well it's selling at 'so and so's shop'. Go from there and keep working it.

If you find that you can set up at a show, some day, make sure you aren't crossing your own customers. Don't sell the same product within that promised exclusive territory, right under their nose. If you do, you lose that outlet. Back scratching, all the way. Be friends with your customers and be on their side.