We have been doing craft shows for more than twenty five years. In the past five years or so, craft shows have become overwhelmed with vendors selling imported, commercial merchandise. So much so that you can hardly find the handmade among the garbage that is being sold. There was a time when these "buy and sell" vendors would try to hide that what they were selling was commercial - they would take the stickers off that say "Made in China", they would remove the commercial packaging, and hide the shipping cartons that it all was delivered to them in from the factory. Not anymore. Now the imports are just put out on display with the packaging and the stickers of origin - and the cartons stacked behind the tables.
We recently did a craft show that we have been doing for twenty years. This is actually the only show that we have done for several years now since the commercial vendors overtook the other shows that we do. As we are sitting in on booth we are seeing people walking by with commercial holiday decorations and kids with plastic toys. One woman and daughter came up to look at my wife's collector teddy bears (which sell for all of $5) and the daughter was deciding which one she liked. There was a discussion and then the mother said, "Ok, if you would rather have the Webkin, we will go back to that booth and buy it now." And then they walked away. Webkin? Craft? Of course not. Webkins are commercial dolls. And they were being sold at this so-called "craft show". I then decided to walk around the show and see for myself. I walked up and down the first two aisles of this large show. On those first two aisles alone there were 28 booths selling commercial items (exclusively). This was the majority of booths in those aisles. Moving along to the rest of the show, the same was found. It was hard to find the crafts and easy to see who was getting business - the guys selling jewelery for $3 / 2 for $5. All of which was commercial. With this there is just no way to compete.
In the past at this particular show we would come away with a profit for the day of several hundred dollars. This year we barely sold over the entrance fee for the show - which means that we gave away all that we sold and then lost money.
We have been told - complain to the show promoter. We have done this several times - and each time we were not invited to come back to do the show while the buy and sell vendors returned. All of the shows that we have done, including this one, are juried to get in. Obviously, whoever is jurying the show does not know what they are looking at OR just does not care. And no one ever comes around to see that what you are actually selling at the show is what was juried. The people next to us were selling commercial candy - in the wrappers. Did someone jury Hershey bars?
This is not just a local problem. The professional craft trade magazines have noted this as well - and not just with local shows but with the large "exclusive" shows as well.
It is a disgrace when someone shopping at a craft show comes up and looks at your craft and says "Oh, is this handmade?" A polite, of course, is the answer, but they look astonished that anyone would actually make things to sell. And in essence, they really don't care. And they certainly do not appreciate the time and talent that goes into the items that need to sell for more than the imports.
No, I don't think I want to do craft shows anymore.
Showing posts with label craft show. Show all posts
Showing posts with label craft show. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Trying to Find a Real Craft Show
It is harder and harder to find a craft show that makes sure that all that is being offered for sale is actually handmade by the artist who is selling in the booth. We no longer will do a craft show that we have not seen in advance. We attend many shows - walk through the entire show and count how many people selling are selling commercial imports and the numbers are staggering.
We have stop doing most shows that we have done over the years. The few that we do have remained with a majority of real craft being sold but those shows have their growing share of commercial import vendors. One has to question why even call these craft shows at all. Some shows that had wonderful reputations for many years have now started to call themselves craft and gift show because the majority of vendors are selling commercially made items - known in the retail industry as "buy and sell".
Are there fewer craftspeople? Certainly not. What there are - are more people who are out of work who have decided that it is easy to wholesale purchase imports and sell them at craft shows. Some will be very open about what they are selling - offering them in their commercial packaging with the Made in China stickers in place on the items themselves. Some think they are pulling something on the public and when asked if they have made something say yes - and that something is what was seen on the infomercial the night before being sold for $19.99 and you get two plus all of these extras. Really - one guy insisted he made the pocketbooks with the insides that move from bag to bag - just ignore those packing cartons with the commercial name of the product on them under the table. These people think they are pulling something on the craft-buying public and I guess they are because they are there at the craft show selling and people are buying.
I have been asked why can't the two - real craft and buy and sell items go together at a show. The reason is very simple - there is no way to compete. I can purchase from a catalog at wholesale very attractive jewelery that I could sell and make a good profit for at two for ten dollars. And I have seen vendors at craft shows selling exactly this. Now, if it takes me an hour to make a handmade necklace and it costs me ten dollars in materials, how could I sell that necklace at two for $10 to compete with the import seller? There is no way.
I have been at craft shows - very prestigious craft shows - where a customer will come up and ask if I make what they are looking at in my booth. I have to say "of course" which is the truth - but just that someone is asking me and the rest of the real crafts people selling is an indication that something is really wrong. I have seen other legitimate crafts people put signs up that say, "We make everything that we sell." How sad to have to do that at a craft show.
There had been a problem in some states around what could be called a "flea market" and what should not be and some states passed laws about the use of the name "flea market". When the same has been proposed by the craft community about the name "craft show" it has been ignored.
I wish I had an answer. The best that you can do is let the promoters at a craft show know that the people who are selling are not selling crafts - but you know what has happened when I have done that - the response is " So?"
We have stop doing most shows that we have done over the years. The few that we do have remained with a majority of real craft being sold but those shows have their growing share of commercial import vendors. One has to question why even call these craft shows at all. Some shows that had wonderful reputations for many years have now started to call themselves craft and gift show because the majority of vendors are selling commercially made items - known in the retail industry as "buy and sell".
Are there fewer craftspeople? Certainly not. What there are - are more people who are out of work who have decided that it is easy to wholesale purchase imports and sell them at craft shows. Some will be very open about what they are selling - offering them in their commercial packaging with the Made in China stickers in place on the items themselves. Some think they are pulling something on the public and when asked if they have made something say yes - and that something is what was seen on the infomercial the night before being sold for $19.99 and you get two plus all of these extras. Really - one guy insisted he made the pocketbooks with the insides that move from bag to bag - just ignore those packing cartons with the commercial name of the product on them under the table. These people think they are pulling something on the craft-buying public and I guess they are because they are there at the craft show selling and people are buying.
I have been asked why can't the two - real craft and buy and sell items go together at a show. The reason is very simple - there is no way to compete. I can purchase from a catalog at wholesale very attractive jewelery that I could sell and make a good profit for at two for ten dollars. And I have seen vendors at craft shows selling exactly this. Now, if it takes me an hour to make a handmade necklace and it costs me ten dollars in materials, how could I sell that necklace at two for $10 to compete with the import seller? There is no way.
I have been at craft shows - very prestigious craft shows - where a customer will come up and ask if I make what they are looking at in my booth. I have to say "of course" which is the truth - but just that someone is asking me and the rest of the real crafts people selling is an indication that something is really wrong. I have seen other legitimate crafts people put signs up that say, "We make everything that we sell." How sad to have to do that at a craft show.
There had been a problem in some states around what could be called a "flea market" and what should not be and some states passed laws about the use of the name "flea market". When the same has been proposed by the craft community about the name "craft show" it has been ignored.
I wish I had an answer. The best that you can do is let the promoters at a craft show know that the people who are selling are not selling crafts - but you know what has happened when I have done that - the response is " So?"
Thursday, May 27, 2010
So Many Just Don't Know
I have written about CPSIA - the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 before. See this article. This law was passed almost two years ago in August and has been in full effect now for some time. This law effects every craftsperson and artist who works in children's themed craft or art. Anything made to be used of for a child under the age of 12 comes under this law.
Now, I am not going to write another article telling you about this law, but I am going to tell you about my amazement that no one still knows that this law even exists. With the exception of the craft artists that are active on the Internet, no one else knows. Crafts artists don't know. Consumers don't know. The media - newspapers, television, and radio - does not seem to know.
This past weekend we were at a very high class art show - visiting, not selling. The show featured fine art and also high end craft. One of the craftsmen there was selling children's furnishings, toys, etc. All handmade of wood and painted. Now the wood is not a problem under this law, as long as the wood is not finished or coated in any way. This wood was painted and therein lies the problem. The paint is not permitted under the law without extensive and expensive testing. And the testing process for the most part is prohibitive to those selling craft.
There is also a labeling requirement in this law. Every children's item must be labeled permanently in a certain way. Was any of this fine work for children labeled? No. Was this craft artist ignoring the law. No. He knew nothing at all about the law and neither did the people who were buying from him.
Even commercial items for children under 12 that are supposed to now all be labeled to be in compliance with the law are not. Many, many retail stores have new inventory on their shelves without the required and specific label. While large retailers may be very much aware of what they risk and have decided not to sell anything out of compliance, many small businesses, like everyone else, have no idea about CPSIA.
This is just amazing. Why is this law kept such a big secret? It is like saying that now everyone must stop at a red light but not tell anyone. What can be done about it? Frankly, I don't know. I do know that this law needs to be drastically changed and amended or at best repealed and rewritten to be responsible legislation. But that is not going to happen. But at least, while everyone that is involved with making or selling children's items must comply with this law, tell people about it.
Just my observations...
Now, I am not going to write another article telling you about this law, but I am going to tell you about my amazement that no one still knows that this law even exists. With the exception of the craft artists that are active on the Internet, no one else knows. Crafts artists don't know. Consumers don't know. The media - newspapers, television, and radio - does not seem to know.
This past weekend we were at a very high class art show - visiting, not selling. The show featured fine art and also high end craft. One of the craftsmen there was selling children's furnishings, toys, etc. All handmade of wood and painted. Now the wood is not a problem under this law, as long as the wood is not finished or coated in any way. This wood was painted and therein lies the problem. The paint is not permitted under the law without extensive and expensive testing. And the testing process for the most part is prohibitive to those selling craft.
There is also a labeling requirement in this law. Every children's item must be labeled permanently in a certain way. Was any of this fine work for children labeled? No. Was this craft artist ignoring the law. No. He knew nothing at all about the law and neither did the people who were buying from him.
Even commercial items for children under 12 that are supposed to now all be labeled to be in compliance with the law are not. Many, many retail stores have new inventory on their shelves without the required and specific label. While large retailers may be very much aware of what they risk and have decided not to sell anything out of compliance, many small businesses, like everyone else, have no idea about CPSIA.
This is just amazing. Why is this law kept such a big secret? It is like saying that now everyone must stop at a red light but not tell anyone. What can be done about it? Frankly, I don't know. I do know that this law needs to be drastically changed and amended or at best repealed and rewritten to be responsible legislation. But that is not going to happen. But at least, while everyone that is involved with making or selling children's items must comply with this law, tell people about it.
Just my observations...
Friday, August 21, 2009
Selling at Shelf Rental Stores
In the 1980's shelf rental craft shops were opening all over. It was a popular way to sell crafts as an alternative to craft shows and this was when the Internet was in its infancy and there were no sites like Etsy, etc. There are still shelf rental shops, but many fewer than there once were.
So what is a shelf rental craft shop? This is a store that will rent you space on a shelf - or the entire shelf - or several shelves - in the store to sell your crafts. The store handles all of the business transaction of the sale. Some retail stores set aside a part of their store and rent shelf space to craft artists or there are stores that are completely shelf rental.
Does this work for the craft artist? In our experience, No! We tried a number of shelf rental shops. We made very few sales in most. Only in one shelf rental location did we do well and this was in a large indoor flea market store. I will relate that disaster story later in this article.
The problem with shelf rental is that the shop owner has no advantage as to whether your work is selling or its not. Most shelf rental shops just charge a monthly fee for the shelf space with no commission on top of that. Some do tag on a commission - and actually, though it is more of an expense to the craft artist this is a good thing for the artist. The management (or owner) attitude we encountered at all of the shelf rental shops we were involved in was "if your work does not sell and you leave I can quickly rent your space to someone else". All these shops did was display your work and IF someone found the work and purchased it they would act as the cashier, hold your money, and settle up with you on a schedule. None had salespeople who would work at "selling" the various crafts on the variety of shelves. Now, in the shops that had a commission taken on each sale, the shop had a reason to work at selling what was on the shelves.
To want to try shelf rental you want to only rent at shops that are local to you. A number of shops will seek renters across the country. The problem with this is you must ship your items to that shop - at your expense. If you never walk into the shop, you will never really know if your items actually ever were put onto a shelf. I am not saying that all shelf rental shops are dishonest or unethical - but I have heard of this happening.
When you rent the shelf space, you go to the shop and put your items out on display. You need to check in regularly to see if work has sold and if items need to be replaced. You then come in - at a time arranged with the shop (to not be disruptive to business) and restock your inventory.
The shop is making the sale, collecting the money, and collecting the sales tax. If the shop is giving you the purchase price and the sales tax and you are sending that tax into your State, fine. If the shop is collecting the sales tax and submitting it to the State for the shop - which is what usually happens, you MUST get the shop to completer your state's sales tax resale form, signed with their number to collect state sales tax - just as if you were selling to them for a wholesale sale. The shop should not object to this. It is standard operating procedure for retail stores. If they make a fuss, move on because something is wrong there.
So what happened at that successful shelf rental shop. At the time we were selling baby quilts. We actually were renting a wall that had hooks that would hold bagged baby quilts with room at the side for display of what each looked like. These quilts sold well. They sold so well in fact that the shelf rental owner of this shop inside the indoor flea market decided that his wife could make these quilts too and he would then get all of the income from this hot selling item. He told us to leave. We were told that we took up too much space. I offered to pay him more for the space and he said no. About a month later we were walking through the flea market and and there on the same wall were a "variation" of our quilts, not quite as well made. Such is the problem with shelf rental.
Should you absolutely not do shelf rental to sell your work? Not necessarily. Visit the shop a few times to check it out before even talking to the manager/owner. When you are ready, don't agree to any long term commitments. Rent one month to see what happens. Make sure your work is on the shelf and stop by unexpectedly to see what is happening in the store. See what happens. If you make sales well above the amount of rent you are paying, then rent another month and go along from there. Remember, this rent is an expense that you need to cover in the prices of your items. If you don't you might as well be just giving your work away.
So what is a shelf rental craft shop? This is a store that will rent you space on a shelf - or the entire shelf - or several shelves - in the store to sell your crafts. The store handles all of the business transaction of the sale. Some retail stores set aside a part of their store and rent shelf space to craft artists or there are stores that are completely shelf rental.
Does this work for the craft artist? In our experience, No! We tried a number of shelf rental shops. We made very few sales in most. Only in one shelf rental location did we do well and this was in a large indoor flea market store. I will relate that disaster story later in this article.
The problem with shelf rental is that the shop owner has no advantage as to whether your work is selling or its not. Most shelf rental shops just charge a monthly fee for the shelf space with no commission on top of that. Some do tag on a commission - and actually, though it is more of an expense to the craft artist this is a good thing for the artist. The management (or owner) attitude we encountered at all of the shelf rental shops we were involved in was "if your work does not sell and you leave I can quickly rent your space to someone else". All these shops did was display your work and IF someone found the work and purchased it they would act as the cashier, hold your money, and settle up with you on a schedule. None had salespeople who would work at "selling" the various crafts on the variety of shelves. Now, in the shops that had a commission taken on each sale, the shop had a reason to work at selling what was on the shelves.
To want to try shelf rental you want to only rent at shops that are local to you. A number of shops will seek renters across the country. The problem with this is you must ship your items to that shop - at your expense. If you never walk into the shop, you will never really know if your items actually ever were put onto a shelf. I am not saying that all shelf rental shops are dishonest or unethical - but I have heard of this happening.
When you rent the shelf space, you go to the shop and put your items out on display. You need to check in regularly to see if work has sold and if items need to be replaced. You then come in - at a time arranged with the shop (to not be disruptive to business) and restock your inventory.
The shop is making the sale, collecting the money, and collecting the sales tax. If the shop is giving you the purchase price and the sales tax and you are sending that tax into your State, fine. If the shop is collecting the sales tax and submitting it to the State for the shop - which is what usually happens, you MUST get the shop to completer your state's sales tax resale form, signed with their number to collect state sales tax - just as if you were selling to them for a wholesale sale. The shop should not object to this. It is standard operating procedure for retail stores. If they make a fuss, move on because something is wrong there.
So what happened at that successful shelf rental shop. At the time we were selling baby quilts. We actually were renting a wall that had hooks that would hold bagged baby quilts with room at the side for display of what each looked like. These quilts sold well. They sold so well in fact that the shelf rental owner of this shop inside the indoor flea market decided that his wife could make these quilts too and he would then get all of the income from this hot selling item. He told us to leave. We were told that we took up too much space. I offered to pay him more for the space and he said no. About a month later we were walking through the flea market and and there on the same wall were a "variation" of our quilts, not quite as well made. Such is the problem with shelf rental.
Should you absolutely not do shelf rental to sell your work? Not necessarily. Visit the shop a few times to check it out before even talking to the manager/owner. When you are ready, don't agree to any long term commitments. Rent one month to see what happens. Make sure your work is on the shelf and stop by unexpectedly to see what is happening in the store. See what happens. If you make sales well above the amount of rent you are paying, then rent another month and go along from there. Remember, this rent is an expense that you need to cover in the prices of your items. If you don't you might as well be just giving your work away.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
ETSY
There are a number of internet sales sites and I have tried several of them. The best that I have found so far is ETSY. This is a site that you list your work of art or handcraft and it is offered for sale to the thousands and thousands of buyers who know and visit Etsy regularly.
Setting up a shop on Etsy is easy. You register first as a buyer and then convert your account to a selling account. There is no fee to register and it is free to have a shop on the site. You pay a 20 cent fee for each listing you create. The listing will remain for four months for that one 20 cents fee. When the item sells you pay Etsy a very small percentage. Buyers may pay through your Paypal merchants account or you could just accept checks or money orders. Etsy is an international site but all sales are transacted as US Dollars.
This is not an auction site such as Ebay. You set a price for your item, list how much the shipping will cost for that item and it sells for the amount that you have specified.
Of course, the greatest question is do shops make sales on Etsy? The answer is yes. I cannot say that for other sites that I have tried that are similar. Are sales guaranteed? Of course not! But if you make an effort to get your shop and your items noticed you have a very good chance of making sales.
On Etsy promotion is key to success. You can open a shop, list items, and walk away and wait and you will not make any sales. If you work at getting found you will make sales. The simplest and free way to do this is to use the forums that Etsy provides to both buyers and sellers. The promotions forum is the place to start with forum threads calling attention to what is in shops for sale. The promo forum can move fast on some days and at certain times. The secret to using this fforum successfully is to start a thread with a title that will not only get buyers to look but that will also get other sellers to add thier listings to that thread. This is OK because that thread will stick around for a while on the first forum page and each time someone clicks on that thread YUOR item is at the top and is the first thing that is seen.
Other Etsy forums will bring you attention as well. Answering questions, adding your opinions, aksing questions will get those on the site to notice you, look in your shop and maybe make a sale. Participating in the forums is FREE advertising!
Of course, as with all sites and venues, Etsy has its drawbacks. There are not only thousands of buyers, but there are hundreds of thousands of sellers. Now, often sellers are buyers too so that is ok, but with that many sellers you can figure out how many things for sale there are at any given moment. Shop design is very limited to one standard Etsy template with no way to modify that.There is no way to rearrange the order of your items in your shop - they remain visible in the order they were listed. This is something that has been requested over and over again, but the Etsy administration has yet to change that. The checkout process on Etsy is lacking in that it reaures two buttons to be found and clicked to complete a purchase all the way to payment through Paypal. This is a stumbling block for many first time and even experienced buyers and will result in lack of payment that requires the seller to contact the buyer and explain the remaining process so that the item is acutally paid for. Etsy claims to be working on this.
Does Etsy work? Yes! Have I made sales? Yes! I cannot say that for other sales sites that I have used.
If you would like to see two different examples of Etsy shops come and take a look at
Past Perfect and Q Branch Ltd.
Setting up a shop on Etsy is easy. You register first as a buyer and then convert your account to a selling account. There is no fee to register and it is free to have a shop on the site. You pay a 20 cent fee for each listing you create. The listing will remain for four months for that one 20 cents fee. When the item sells you pay Etsy a very small percentage. Buyers may pay through your Paypal merchants account or you could just accept checks or money orders. Etsy is an international site but all sales are transacted as US Dollars.
This is not an auction site such as Ebay. You set a price for your item, list how much the shipping will cost for that item and it sells for the amount that you have specified.
Of course, the greatest question is do shops make sales on Etsy? The answer is yes. I cannot say that for other sites that I have tried that are similar. Are sales guaranteed? Of course not! But if you make an effort to get your shop and your items noticed you have a very good chance of making sales.
On Etsy promotion is key to success. You can open a shop, list items, and walk away and wait and you will not make any sales. If you work at getting found you will make sales. The simplest and free way to do this is to use the forums that Etsy provides to both buyers and sellers. The promotions forum is the place to start with forum threads calling attention to what is in shops for sale. The promo forum can move fast on some days and at certain times. The secret to using this fforum successfully is to start a thread with a title that will not only get buyers to look but that will also get other sellers to add thier listings to that thread. This is OK because that thread will stick around for a while on the first forum page and each time someone clicks on that thread YUOR item is at the top and is the first thing that is seen.
Other Etsy forums will bring you attention as well. Answering questions, adding your opinions, aksing questions will get those on the site to notice you, look in your shop and maybe make a sale. Participating in the forums is FREE advertising!
Of course, as with all sites and venues, Etsy has its drawbacks. There are not only thousands of buyers, but there are hundreds of thousands of sellers. Now, often sellers are buyers too so that is ok, but with that many sellers you can figure out how many things for sale there are at any given moment. Shop design is very limited to one standard Etsy template with no way to modify that.There is no way to rearrange the order of your items in your shop - they remain visible in the order they were listed. This is something that has been requested over and over again, but the Etsy administration has yet to change that. The checkout process on Etsy is lacking in that it reaures two buttons to be found and clicked to complete a purchase all the way to payment through Paypal. This is a stumbling block for many first time and even experienced buyers and will result in lack of payment that requires the seller to contact the buyer and explain the remaining process so that the item is acutally paid for. Etsy claims to be working on this.
Does Etsy work? Yes! Have I made sales? Yes! I cannot say that for other sales sites that I have used.
If you would like to see two different examples of Etsy shops come and take a look at
Past Perfect and Q Branch Ltd.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Pricing Your Work - Art or Craft
If you have read my articles on this site on Selling Wholesale, some of what you will read in this article will not be new to you (some of it will). But many who have no interest in selling wholesale, have many questions about how to price their crafts or artwork for sale.
Pricing is a difficult issue for many artists and craftspeople. They tend to devalue their work and place lower than market prices on their work. There is a whole psychology of this that we will not go into detail here, but it is important to understand the basics of pricing.
To price an item you need to take the costs of all materials, supplies, and expenses that make up an item and then add that to an hourly rate that you as the artist must determine that your labor and talent are worth. Start with the minimum wage and work up from there. You should certainly be paid the minimum wage. Of course, you should be paid more than the minimum wage. It is up to you to decide what you are worth per hour. Multiply the number or fraction of hours that it took to create your item. Add that item to your costs. The result is actually what should be your wholesale price and not your retail price.
You are not finished yet. To sell that item on your own you may have other expenses. If you are on an internet site that charges fees you now need to add those fees. If you sell at a craft show the table space will cost you money. You need to proportion that into your prices. If you take credit cards or use Paypal you must pay fees. Those fees need to be added into the price. Ideally when you are done you are at or near doubling that wholesale price that you came up with a few moments ago. (See why retailers double your wholesale price - they have these expenses too, only greater if they have a brick and mortar store.) Many craftspeople will feel that their item will not sell at double that initial price and feel uncomfortable about offering the doubled price when they try to sell the item on the internet or at a craft show. Eager to make sales they often offer their wholesale price to the public. This is a problem if you ever decide to sell wholesale. Retail shops do not want to compete with you and want to see that the price that they are paying wholesale is significantly less than your usual prices.
Put all of this together and we get a basic formula that anyone can follow to determine a price for a handmade item:
Cost of materials +
Cost of supplies +
Cost of Expenses (utilities consumed in creation) +
Self-determined Hourly Rate +
Fees to Sell (listing fees, show fees, credit card fees) =
PRICE
There is also a factor that many retailers consider and add or subtract from the price. It is the concept of "what will the market bear". This includes competition and demand. You may come up with a price of $5.00. Other similar items sell for $3.00. You may have to find a way to reduce your costs to be able to make your item for $3 to be able to sell. If you can't find a way to do this you may need to decide that this is not an item that will sell. If you can test market it for a time at the higher price you will be able to know for sure. The other thing to consider is that some things are just not worth the higher price that you want. There is just so much that people will pay for some things. On the opposite end of this, you may find that you can price an item at $20 but other similar items sell for $50.00. You could try to sell your item for $30 less with the idea that you will sell more because you have a better price. But - some buyers will look at your less expensive item and start questioning why is it so much less. They may conclude that it is "not as good" as the similar item selling for more. In this instance you may want to raise your price to keep it in line with similar items.
All of this is not as hard as it may read. Follow the formula and you will get solid prices. Compare your prices to similar items on the sites you are selling on or at the craft shows that you participate in and make adjustments if necessary.
Pricing is a difficult issue for many artists and craftspeople. They tend to devalue their work and place lower than market prices on their work. There is a whole psychology of this that we will not go into detail here, but it is important to understand the basics of pricing.
To price an item you need to take the costs of all materials, supplies, and expenses that make up an item and then add that to an hourly rate that you as the artist must determine that your labor and talent are worth. Start with the minimum wage and work up from there. You should certainly be paid the minimum wage. Of course, you should be paid more than the minimum wage. It is up to you to decide what you are worth per hour. Multiply the number or fraction of hours that it took to create your item. Add that item to your costs. The result is actually what should be your wholesale price and not your retail price.
You are not finished yet. To sell that item on your own you may have other expenses. If you are on an internet site that charges fees you now need to add those fees. If you sell at a craft show the table space will cost you money. You need to proportion that into your prices. If you take credit cards or use Paypal you must pay fees. Those fees need to be added into the price. Ideally when you are done you are at or near doubling that wholesale price that you came up with a few moments ago. (See why retailers double your wholesale price - they have these expenses too, only greater if they have a brick and mortar store.) Many craftspeople will feel that their item will not sell at double that initial price and feel uncomfortable about offering the doubled price when they try to sell the item on the internet or at a craft show. Eager to make sales they often offer their wholesale price to the public. This is a problem if you ever decide to sell wholesale. Retail shops do not want to compete with you and want to see that the price that they are paying wholesale is significantly less than your usual prices.
Put all of this together and we get a basic formula that anyone can follow to determine a price for a handmade item:
Cost of materials +
Cost of supplies +
Cost of Expenses (utilities consumed in creation) +
Self-determined Hourly Rate +
Fees to Sell (listing fees, show fees, credit card fees) =
PRICE
There is also a factor that many retailers consider and add or subtract from the price. It is the concept of "what will the market bear". This includes competition and demand. You may come up with a price of $5.00. Other similar items sell for $3.00. You may have to find a way to reduce your costs to be able to make your item for $3 to be able to sell. If you can't find a way to do this you may need to decide that this is not an item that will sell. If you can test market it for a time at the higher price you will be able to know for sure. The other thing to consider is that some things are just not worth the higher price that you want. There is just so much that people will pay for some things. On the opposite end of this, you may find that you can price an item at $20 but other similar items sell for $50.00. You could try to sell your item for $30 less with the idea that you will sell more because you have a better price. But - some buyers will look at your less expensive item and start questioning why is it so much less. They may conclude that it is "not as good" as the similar item selling for more. In this instance you may want to raise your price to keep it in line with similar items.
All of this is not as hard as it may read. Follow the formula and you will get solid prices. Compare your prices to similar items on the sites you are selling on or at the craft shows that you participate in and make adjustments if necessary.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
New CPSIA Law to Put an End to All Handmade Crafts for Children
A law unanimously passed by Congress with the intent to protect children from imported items containing lead was written in such a way that it will effectively end the sale all handmade for children. The law goes into full effect in February 2009.
The law requires that anyone - large business or home businesses making any item that can be used by a child under the age of 12 - that is ANY item - must be tested by an independent laboratory that has been approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This testing must be done on all components of the item. Testing will cost from $150 to $500 per item or component. Every time any component lot changes - that is - let's say you use a yard of fabric for an item - and then you need another yard and that yard comes from a different bolt of fabric - that item must be tested again. At the expense and the nature of handmade craft, it will be impossible for any home craftsman to sell any item that will be on the "children's list".
Beyond the effect on home craft, this law applies to the Toy Industry, the Children's Garment Industry, the Children's Furniture Industry, Children's Book Publishing, and on and on. Imagine what a child's shirt will cost in the next few months. Think about what that doll your little girl wants will cost.
This is a tragedy beyond belief. This may not have been the intention of Congress but it is the result.
The following news article relates the facts of this disaster better than I can.
http://www.patriotledger.com/opinions/opinions_columnists/x845827383/New-law-to-put-thousands-out-of-work
Please read and comment - there and here.
If you would like to be heard by the CPSC regarding this law you may comment at this link.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/newleg.aspx
The law requires that anyone - large business or home businesses making any item that can be used by a child under the age of 12 - that is ANY item - must be tested by an independent laboratory that has been approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This testing must be done on all components of the item. Testing will cost from $150 to $500 per item or component. Every time any component lot changes - that is - let's say you use a yard of fabric for an item - and then you need another yard and that yard comes from a different bolt of fabric - that item must be tested again. At the expense and the nature of handmade craft, it will be impossible for any home craftsman to sell any item that will be on the "children's list".
Beyond the effect on home craft, this law applies to the Toy Industry, the Children's Garment Industry, the Children's Furniture Industry, Children's Book Publishing, and on and on. Imagine what a child's shirt will cost in the next few months. Think about what that doll your little girl wants will cost.
This is a tragedy beyond belief. This may not have been the intention of Congress but it is the result.
The following news article relates the facts of this disaster better than I can.
http://www.patriotledger.com/opinions/opinions_columnists/x845827383/New-law-to-put-thousands-out-of-work
Please read and comment - there and here.
If you would like to be heard by the CPSC regarding this law you may comment at this link.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/newleg.aspx
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Selling Wholesale - Part I
The question often comes up from new craft artists. What do I do if I am asked to sell wholesale? This is the ultimate in craft sales. This is what every craft artist should want! At wholesale you will sell in quantity and you will have the potential for continued wholesale orders - if your item becomes popular at the retailer's shop.
I have had success at selling wholesale to shops and to catalogs. It is a wonderful feeling to know that your work is being sold in stores. To sell wholesale there are a few things that the craft artist must know.
In anticipation of any wholesale sales the craft artist needs to determine the wholesale pricing of their work. When a retailer sells an item the retailer generally doubles the price paid at wholesale for that item and that becomes the retail price. Some retailers triple their items. Amusement parks are known for tripling wholesale prices on souvenirs and other things that are sold in the park. When a retailer is looking to purchase items at wholesale the retailer is looking to see that your prices are able to be doubled (in the industry this is called "Keystoning") and that the wholesale price that you are offering is below the price that the item is currently selling for to the general public. Pricing is a difficult issue for many artists and craftspeople. They tend to devalue their work and place lower than market prices on their work. There is a whole psychology of this that we will not go into here, but it is important to understand the basics of pricing.
To price an item you need to take the costs of all materials, supplies, and expenses that make up an item and then add that to an hourly rate that you as the artist must determine that your labor and talent are worth. Start with the minimum wage and work up from there. You should certainly be paid the minimum wage. Of course, you should be paid more than the minimum wage. It is up to you to decide what you are worth per hour. Multiply the number or fraction of hours that it took to create your item. Add that item to your costs. Your wholesale price should be the result.
You are not finished yet. To sell that item on your own you may have other expenses. If you are on an internet site that charges fees you now need to add those fees. If you sell at a craft show the table space will cost you money. You need to proportion that into your prices. If you take credit cards or use Paypal you must pay fees. Those fees need to be added into the price. Ideally when you are done you are at or near doubling that wholesale price that you came up with a few moments ago. (See why retailers double your wholesale price - they have these expenses too, only greater if they have a brick and mortar store.) Many craftspeople will feel that their item will not sell at double that initial price and feel uncomfortable about offering the doubled price when they try to sell the item on the internet or at a craft show. Eager to make sales they often offer their wholesale price to the public. This is a problem when it comes to selling wholesale. As I said earlier, retail shops do not want to compete with you and want to see that the price that they are paying wholesale is significantly less than your usual prices.
TO BE CONTINUED!
I have had success at selling wholesale to shops and to catalogs. It is a wonderful feeling to know that your work is being sold in stores. To sell wholesale there are a few things that the craft artist must know.
In anticipation of any wholesale sales the craft artist needs to determine the wholesale pricing of their work. When a retailer sells an item the retailer generally doubles the price paid at wholesale for that item and that becomes the retail price. Some retailers triple their items. Amusement parks are known for tripling wholesale prices on souvenirs and other things that are sold in the park. When a retailer is looking to purchase items at wholesale the retailer is looking to see that your prices are able to be doubled (in the industry this is called "Keystoning") and that the wholesale price that you are offering is below the price that the item is currently selling for to the general public. Pricing is a difficult issue for many artists and craftspeople. They tend to devalue their work and place lower than market prices on their work. There is a whole psychology of this that we will not go into here, but it is important to understand the basics of pricing.
To price an item you need to take the costs of all materials, supplies, and expenses that make up an item and then add that to an hourly rate that you as the artist must determine that your labor and talent are worth. Start with the minimum wage and work up from there. You should certainly be paid the minimum wage. Of course, you should be paid more than the minimum wage. It is up to you to decide what you are worth per hour. Multiply the number or fraction of hours that it took to create your item. Add that item to your costs. Your wholesale price should be the result.
You are not finished yet. To sell that item on your own you may have other expenses. If you are on an internet site that charges fees you now need to add those fees. If you sell at a craft show the table space will cost you money. You need to proportion that into your prices. If you take credit cards or use Paypal you must pay fees. Those fees need to be added into the price. Ideally when you are done you are at or near doubling that wholesale price that you came up with a few moments ago. (See why retailers double your wholesale price - they have these expenses too, only greater if they have a brick and mortar store.) Many craftspeople will feel that their item will not sell at double that initial price and feel uncomfortable about offering the doubled price when they try to sell the item on the internet or at a craft show. Eager to make sales they often offer their wholesale price to the public. This is a problem when it comes to selling wholesale. As I said earlier, retail shops do not want to compete with you and want to see that the price that they are paying wholesale is significantly less than your usual prices.
TO BE CONTINUED!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Craft Show Wisdom
A question that we have heard often from those about to do their first craft show is how much inventory should I bring to the show. Our best advice is generally, if you can carry it bring everything that you have. In actuality the answer can be quite complex, because the underlying question is "how much do I need?".
How much do you need? This depends on the type of show that you are doing and the length of the show. A week long show at a mall or a week long festival is going to require you to bring much more than an afternoon church show. Many work for months to have inventory to make a week long show worth while. The answer to it all lies in the end of that last statement - "to make the show worthwhile". One of the questions that you must answer for yourself is how much do I need to sell for me to be satisfied at the conclusion of the show. If the show costs you $300 to enter, will you be satisfied if you sell $1000 total at the show? Would you be satisfied at $600 - doubling the show's entrance fee (which is quite a common occurrence if the show is good)? Now with that magic number in mind - the amount that you would be happy to make at the show - how many pieces do you have to sell to make that figure. If your average priced item is $10, you will need 100 items to make $1,000 - and it is highly unlikely that all of your items will sell - not everyone likes everything - so some of those 100 items will remain unsold - so perhaps a more realistic inventory for your $1000 goal is going to be 200 items. Also, the more variety that you have to choose from the more opportunity you will have to make a sale. Bottom Line - If you expect to make a certain amount of money at the show, you must have items to sell that will bring that amount in sales.
After you have been doing shows for a while you begin to know just how many of a certain item will sell at a show. We try to go into a show with at least six of each of the popular characters of Ma Bears (tm)(c) that we sell. Generally, this will cover us at a one or two day show. Other things we will make throughout the year and keep inventory up - just so that when we have a show we don't go into last minute panic making things.
A large folk festival in Pennsylvania lasts a week and features a lot of high quality craftspeople. One of the things that they have said to prospective applicants is to make sure you have enough inventory to bring to the show because many first timers have no idea how much they will really need - and most bring too little.
We did a mall show that ran a week and worked throughout the show making things at the show just to keep up with sales - some items were sold as they were coming off the sewing machine in our booth. We went into the show with a large inventory and it was not enough. Then again, we have been at shows where no one sells a thing.
So, the best advice is if you have it, bring it. Don't put it all out at once and crowd your display. Fill in as things are sold - but here is another tip - always make sure there are some empty spaces. Make it look like your items are selling. Don't give the customers the impression that if they walk away they can come back in an hour and know that an item will still be there.
How much do you need? This depends on the type of show that you are doing and the length of the show. A week long show at a mall or a week long festival is going to require you to bring much more than an afternoon church show. Many work for months to have inventory to make a week long show worth while. The answer to it all lies in the end of that last statement - "to make the show worthwhile". One of the questions that you must answer for yourself is how much do I need to sell for me to be satisfied at the conclusion of the show. If the show costs you $300 to enter, will you be satisfied if you sell $1000 total at the show? Would you be satisfied at $600 - doubling the show's entrance fee (which is quite a common occurrence if the show is good)? Now with that magic number in mind - the amount that you would be happy to make at the show - how many pieces do you have to sell to make that figure. If your average priced item is $10, you will need 100 items to make $1,000 - and it is highly unlikely that all of your items will sell - not everyone likes everything - so some of those 100 items will remain unsold - so perhaps a more realistic inventory for your $1000 goal is going to be 200 items. Also, the more variety that you have to choose from the more opportunity you will have to make a sale. Bottom Line - If you expect to make a certain amount of money at the show, you must have items to sell that will bring that amount in sales.
After you have been doing shows for a while you begin to know just how many of a certain item will sell at a show. We try to go into a show with at least six of each of the popular characters of Ma Bears (tm)(c) that we sell. Generally, this will cover us at a one or two day show. Other things we will make throughout the year and keep inventory up - just so that when we have a show we don't go into last minute panic making things.
A large folk festival in Pennsylvania lasts a week and features a lot of high quality craftspeople. One of the things that they have said to prospective applicants is to make sure you have enough inventory to bring to the show because many first timers have no idea how much they will really need - and most bring too little.
We did a mall show that ran a week and worked throughout the show making things at the show just to keep up with sales - some items were sold as they were coming off the sewing machine in our booth. We went into the show with a large inventory and it was not enough. Then again, we have been at shows where no one sells a thing.
So, the best advice is if you have it, bring it. Don't put it all out at once and crowd your display. Fill in as things are sold - but here is another tip - always make sure there are some empty spaces. Make it look like your items are selling. Don't give the customers the impression that if they walk away they can come back in an hour and know that an item will still be there.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Craft Show Wisdom
Politics and Craft Shows - odd topic? Well, not really. It has been our experience over many years of craft shows during several presidents' administrations that overall craft sales for the year have been higher in years with a Democratic president in Office than when a Republican president is in Office.
Now , this has no bearing on our personal political preferences - which I am keeping to myself. I make no implications or attempts to influence. I am not sure why this is the case, but it has been consistently true.
Now , this has no bearing on our personal political preferences - which I am keeping to myself. I make no implications or attempts to influence. I am not sure why this is the case, but it has been consistently true.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Craft Show Wisdom
It is a disgrace. Craft shows are becoming flea markets. There are more commercial "buy and sell" items at craft shows than there are crafts - it does not seem to matter to the promoters who are running the craft shows or the shoppers. So - what does it matter. The promoters are happy and the the shoppers don't mind. Who is it hurting?
IT IS HURTING THE CRAFT ARTISTS! We spend a lot of time creating the things that we make and sell. We express our feelings, our emotions, and our talent in what we create. It is art. It is art that we wish to share through sale to those who appreciate art. The traditional venues to sell art - and craft - is through a gallery or a craft show. The craft show has been the opportunity for the beginning crafts person to introduce his/her work to the world and seek buyers. As craft shows are being run now, that opportunity will soon be gone. There will be no more crafts at craft shows. The artists and the craftspeople will give up because we cannot compete with a guy selling imported merchandise that wholesales for two dollars and he is selling for $5.
At one time - and this is many years ago, it was hidden. The items would be placed out on display disguised as craft - if asked, they would even say "Oh, yes, I make these." One guy even told us that the same ones that you see in Macy's were made by him. (Right!) Now, it is blatent with no attempt at disguise. The import labels are clearly visible. The commercial packaging is right there with the item. The cartons are stacked under the table - all clearly and commercially marked.
We went to a show recently where only four out of the thirty so-called "crafts people" actually made the items that they were selling. There was a table with AVON. There was a table with Webkinz. There was a table with commercially made and packaged candles. There was a table with imported and still in the package scarves. There was a table with a commercial catalog out for you to pick jewelry from. There was a table with books. These, and many more tables of commercial jewelry. The sign outside said "CRAFT SHOW". The advertisement in the paper - which must have cost the promoter $1,000 - said "CRAFT SHOW". But where were the crafts.
What can be done? Not much. Here is why. This happened to me and I know others that it has happened to as well. Here is our story - we were at a craft show that had a good reputation for a community show. We saw many booths selling commercial items and we went to the people who were running the show to point this out to them. They told us that they did not know - what is not to know - the items are tagged "Made in China". They told us that they would go around and look. If they did or not, it does not matter. All of those booths continued to sell their imports for the rest of the day. Now, the kicker. The next year we sent an application to the show. We were not accepted. We went to see the show and what did we find - even more booths selling imports. If you complain, you are not wanted back. So it is better to keep your mouth shut if there is any chance that you might want to come back again next year. This has not just happened to us, but to others at other shows also!
The promoters get their money on the participation fees. Anyone's money is good to them. And calling it a craft show will bring in different and more people than calling it a flea market.
Why do people buy from these booths? They see something that they like and it does not matter who made it or where it came from - and besides it is a bargain.
If you are a shopping at a craft show and you see commercial items go up to the booth and tell the seller how talented she is and then ask how she make these lovely things. See what answer you get. If she (he) tries to bluff then point out the import tags. If it is admitted that they did not make any of it - ask why they are at a crafts show when they should be at a flea market. I am sure that they will say because no one stopped them.
IT IS HURTING THE CRAFT ARTISTS! We spend a lot of time creating the things that we make and sell. We express our feelings, our emotions, and our talent in what we create. It is art. It is art that we wish to share through sale to those who appreciate art. The traditional venues to sell art - and craft - is through a gallery or a craft show. The craft show has been the opportunity for the beginning crafts person to introduce his/her work to the world and seek buyers. As craft shows are being run now, that opportunity will soon be gone. There will be no more crafts at craft shows. The artists and the craftspeople will give up because we cannot compete with a guy selling imported merchandise that wholesales for two dollars and he is selling for $5.
At one time - and this is many years ago, it was hidden. The items would be placed out on display disguised as craft - if asked, they would even say "Oh, yes, I make these." One guy even told us that the same ones that you see in Macy's were made by him. (Right!) Now, it is blatent with no attempt at disguise. The import labels are clearly visible. The commercial packaging is right there with the item. The cartons are stacked under the table - all clearly and commercially marked.
We went to a show recently where only four out of the thirty so-called "crafts people" actually made the items that they were selling. There was a table with AVON. There was a table with Webkinz. There was a table with commercially made and packaged candles. There was a table with imported and still in the package scarves. There was a table with a commercial catalog out for you to pick jewelry from. There was a table with books. These, and many more tables of commercial jewelry. The sign outside said "CRAFT SHOW". The advertisement in the paper - which must have cost the promoter $1,000 - said "CRAFT SHOW". But where were the crafts.
What can be done? Not much. Here is why. This happened to me and I know others that it has happened to as well. Here is our story - we were at a craft show that had a good reputation for a community show. We saw many booths selling commercial items and we went to the people who were running the show to point this out to them. They told us that they did not know - what is not to know - the items are tagged "Made in China". They told us that they would go around and look. If they did or not, it does not matter. All of those booths continued to sell their imports for the rest of the day. Now, the kicker. The next year we sent an application to the show. We were not accepted. We went to see the show and what did we find - even more booths selling imports. If you complain, you are not wanted back. So it is better to keep your mouth shut if there is any chance that you might want to come back again next year. This has not just happened to us, but to others at other shows also!
The promoters get their money on the participation fees. Anyone's money is good to them. And calling it a craft show will bring in different and more people than calling it a flea market.
Why do people buy from these booths? They see something that they like and it does not matter who made it or where it came from - and besides it is a bargain.
If you are a shopping at a craft show and you see commercial items go up to the booth and tell the seller how talented she is and then ask how she make these lovely things. See what answer you get. If she (he) tries to bluff then point out the import tags. If it is admitted that they did not make any of it - ask why they are at a crafts show when they should be at a flea market. I am sure that they will say because no one stopped them.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Craft Show Wisdom
We are currently working on a book about selling crafts at crafts shows. A publication date has not been set yet, but keep an eye on this site for the announcement.
In the meantime we would be happy to answer questions about craft shows, what to expect, what is required, and so on. If you have any questions you would like answered just leave a comment and our answer will be incorporated into one of the Craft Show Wisdom articles!
In the meantime we would be happy to answer questions about craft shows, what to expect, what is required, and so on. If you have any questions you would like answered just leave a comment and our answer will be incorporated into one of the Craft Show Wisdom articles!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Craft Show Wisdom
I am changing the name of this regular feature from Craft Show Tip of the Week to Craft Show Wisdom. The articles will continue to be short and to the point and offer tips and knowledge for new craft show participants or those who would like to sell at craft shows.
So -
If I were titling these articles for each topic they cover, this article would be titled, "Having a Thick Skin". Craft shows are not for the sensitive. Why? Because you hear some of the most off hand and sometimes insulting comments from potential customers at craft shows. These comments are not directed at you directly, but happen in conversation between two or more people standing in front of your display of the work that you have poured your heart and talent into.
Here are a few examples -
"Oh look, Grandma made those in the nursing home!"
"Jimmy made those in sixth grade woodshop!"
"I could just make that at home."
and the most recent comment that I have heard -
"Any woodworker could make those!"
Now, I try to have a thick skin and I tell myself to ignore the comments, but with that last one I found myself saying out loud, "No, not just any woodworker can make these. It takes a woodworker with a lot of talent and skill to make them." The reaction that I got was a semi-apology.
They are not saying that your work is not good, but they are saying that your talent is meaningless - after all grandma, little Jimmy, and anyone could do what you have done.
Try to smile to yourself and let it pass, but expect to hear anything!
So -
If I were titling these articles for each topic they cover, this article would be titled, "Having a Thick Skin". Craft shows are not for the sensitive. Why? Because you hear some of the most off hand and sometimes insulting comments from potential customers at craft shows. These comments are not directed at you directly, but happen in conversation between two or more people standing in front of your display of the work that you have poured your heart and talent into.
Here are a few examples -
"Oh look, Grandma made those in the nursing home!"
"Jimmy made those in sixth grade woodshop!"
"I could just make that at home."
and the most recent comment that I have heard -
"Any woodworker could make those!"
Now, I try to have a thick skin and I tell myself to ignore the comments, but with that last one I found myself saying out loud, "No, not just any woodworker can make these. It takes a woodworker with a lot of talent and skill to make them." The reaction that I got was a semi-apology.
They are not saying that your work is not good, but they are saying that your talent is meaningless - after all grandma, little Jimmy, and anyone could do what you have done.
Try to smile to yourself and let it pass, but expect to hear anything!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Craft Show Tip of the Week
Talking to your customers - yes or no? This is a question that can be debated for weeks, but it has been our experience that the answer is let your customers look without talking TOO MUCH to them. Smile always. Greet your customer with a friendly hello and then let them look. At most tell them that you are there to answer any questions - and perhaps introduce your work - "I make everything that you see!" Then shut up. Let them look. If you talk more they will WALK AWAY. People like to look and not feel that they are being pressured. Talking to your customers - whether you intend it or not, will be interpreted as pressure to buy. So keep smiling, be friendly and welcoming, but keep your mouth shut. Once they have picked out their purchase and begin the payment process, you can talk all you like.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Featured Artist of the Week
This week's featured artist is a leatherworker, and as a leatherworker, myself, I can assure you that this artist does quality leather work.
RAVENSHOLD
Here is our interview with the artist -
Describe what you make?
I mainly make items out of leather and do leather tooling, although I also make beaded lanyards and string beads to make jewelry.
What mediums do you enjoy working in most?
Leather, particularly tooling leather. I love the effects I can create with a swivel knife and a few stamps and I'm carrying on a very old craft.
How long have you been creating craft?
I can remember making things when I was 5, but I'm sure Mom had me doing crafts before then though. She loved making things herself so she always had craft projects for my sister and I to make. I think she still has some of the salt dough Christmas ornaments we made back then.
How did you get started?
I started doing leatherwork when I started working at the local Tandy Leather store around 10 years ago. After I moved on to other jobs I did leatherwork off and on for friends and occasionally for myself but didn't too much with it. On the recommendation of a friend I had checked out Etsy and put a few little things out there and do much else. Then early this year it hit me that my store here was a good reason to make myself get back into doing leatherwork on a regular basis and I haven't looked back.
Where does the name of your shop come from?
Well, to be honest, Ravenshold was the name I used for my county on an online game. I had chosen it for the game because I like ravens and adding hold made it sound vaguely medieval. When I signed up on Etsy couldn't use my first choice because it was already taken so this was the first thing I thought of. Over time it has become Ravenshold Creations.
What would you most want people to know about your work?
Everything I do is by hand, including the sewing, so I work slow but I think it is definitely worth it because a well made leather item can last for years. (Even centuries if it is taken care of.) Also, leather tooling doesn't have to equal western style carving, there's a lot of other options out there, it can be hip or retro or trendy or whatever.
What words of advice do you have for other artists?
Stick with it, have fun with what you make, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Don't be afraid to ask for advice, but remember you don't have to follow all of it.
_________________________
This is a shop not to be missed. Take a look at Ravenshold.
And while you are at Etsy come visit with us
RAVENSHOLD
Here is our interview with the artist -
Describe what you make?
I mainly make items out of leather and do leather tooling, although I also make beaded lanyards and string beads to make jewelry.
What mediums do you enjoy working in most?
Leather, particularly tooling leather. I love the effects I can create with a swivel knife and a few stamps and I'm carrying on a very old craft.
How long have you been creating craft?
I can remember making things when I was 5, but I'm sure Mom had me doing crafts before then though. She loved making things herself so she always had craft projects for my sister and I to make. I think she still has some of the salt dough Christmas ornaments we made back then.
How did you get started?
I started doing leatherwork when I started working at the local Tandy Leather store around 10 years ago. After I moved on to other jobs I did leatherwork off and on for friends and occasionally for myself but didn't too much with it. On the recommendation of a friend I had checked out Etsy and put a few little things out there and do much else. Then early this year it hit me that my store here was a good reason to make myself get back into doing leatherwork on a regular basis and I haven't looked back.
Where does the name of your shop come from?
Well, to be honest, Ravenshold was the name I used for my county on an online game. I had chosen it for the game because I like ravens and adding hold made it sound vaguely medieval. When I signed up on Etsy couldn't use my first choice because it was already taken so this was the first thing I thought of. Over time it has become Ravenshold Creations.
What would you most want people to know about your work?
Everything I do is by hand, including the sewing, so I work slow but I think it is definitely worth it because a well made leather item can last for years. (Even centuries if it is taken care of.) Also, leather tooling doesn't have to equal western style carving, there's a lot of other options out there, it can be hip or retro or trendy or whatever.
What words of advice do you have for other artists?
Stick with it, have fun with what you make, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Don't be afraid to ask for advice, but remember you don't have to follow all of it.
_________________________
This is a shop not to be missed. Take a look at Ravenshold.
And while you are at Etsy come visit with us
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Craft Show Tip of the Week
Make a checklist! Before you go to a craft show to sell, make a checklist of everything that you will need to bring with you to the show. When you are packing for the show, use that list to check off each item as you pack it. This way you will have everything that you need and will not leave anything behind. You will be surprised how hectic packing your car or van for a craft show can be. It is easy to forget even the most important things.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Featured Artist of the Week
This week's artist of the week is a jewelry artist with a shop with an interesting and unusual name.
Here is our interview with the artist:
Describe what you make?
I make a variety of jewelry that I sell on etsy. I have a love affair with bright color and earrings in particular. I also sell supplies in a second shop.
What mediums do you enjoy working in most?
I love to work with just about anything. I'm always looking for something that gives me inspiration- Colors, shapes, textures. I spend my weekends quilting, and often translate inspiration from one medium to another.
How long have you been creating craft?
Since I can remember? Both my parents are crafty in their own ways and have their own workshops/studios. I always loved playing with bits and pieces of things when I was a child and reassembling them into something else.
How did you get started?
My parents and family in general were very inspirational in beginning to make things and be proud of the things I made. My grandmother was an artist and art teacher and was always willing to look at things for me. I started looking at my craft as more than a hobby when I moved to Providence a few years ago and working at a science museum wasn't paying the bills. I started working at a fabric store, and really enjoyed working with helping other people get started and making things.
Where does the name of your shop come from?
antelucandaisy means night blooming daisy and I chose it because I am a night owl at heart. I tried to choose whoops-a-daisy as a second shop name (the name of my blog) but couldn't so I chose shooting star because I'm fascinated with stars.
What would you most want people to know about your work?
That I love it all.
What words of advice do you have for other artists?
The most important things is to believe in what you do and enjoy it. I firmly believe that it shows in your work, and makes other people believe too.
_______________________
Her work is great. You must see it. Go to her shop right now! She also has a blog site that you may be interested in - http://antelucandaisy.blogspot.com
And while you are at Etsy, come by and visit with us too!
Here is our interview with the artist:
Describe what you make?
I make a variety of jewelry that I sell on etsy. I have a love affair with bright color and earrings in particular. I also sell supplies in a second shop.
What mediums do you enjoy working in most?
I love to work with just about anything. I'm always looking for something that gives me inspiration- Colors, shapes, textures. I spend my weekends quilting, and often translate inspiration from one medium to another.
How long have you been creating craft?
Since I can remember? Both my parents are crafty in their own ways and have their own workshops/studios. I always loved playing with bits and pieces of things when I was a child and reassembling them into something else.
How did you get started?
My parents and family in general were very inspirational in beginning to make things and be proud of the things I made. My grandmother was an artist and art teacher and was always willing to look at things for me. I started looking at my craft as more than a hobby when I moved to Providence a few years ago and working at a science museum wasn't paying the bills. I started working at a fabric store, and really enjoyed working with helping other people get started and making things.
Where does the name of your shop come from?
antelucandaisy means night blooming daisy and I chose it because I am a night owl at heart. I tried to choose whoops-a-daisy as a second shop name (the name of my blog) but couldn't so I chose shooting star because I'm fascinated with stars.
What would you most want people to know about your work?
That I love it all.
What words of advice do you have for other artists?
The most important things is to believe in what you do and enjoy it. I firmly believe that it shows in your work, and makes other people believe too.
_______________________
Her work is great. You must see it. Go to her shop right now! She also has a blog site that you may be interested in - http://antelucandaisy.blogspot.com
And while you are at Etsy, come by and visit with us too!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Craft Show Tip of the Week
When doing an indoor craft show try to visit the location before the show to see the access in and out of the building as well as what you may encounter once you are inside to get to your sales space. There have been occasions when we have arrived and found several staircases that needed to be climbed (with your display, tables, and inventory) to get to the sales area. If you cannot see the space, ask very specific questions about access before you apply. With handicapped access more common now this is not always a problem - BUT not all shows are run in accessible areas.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Craft Show Tip of the Week
When you arrive to do a craft show do not arrive so early that by mid-day you are already exhausted and just want to leave. Your space is reserved for you. You should know in advance how long it takes to set up and arrive with enough time to set up your booth and displays. For some reason many arrive at 6 am for an 11am starting show - by 1pm they are ready to leave complaining how tired they are.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Craft Show Tip of the Week
Bring change. You are going to need small bills and possibly coins (depending on the prices of your pieces). Stores often start with $40 in the cash register in ones and fives. That is the minimum that you will need at the start of the craft show day. If you sell high price tag craft you may need a lot more to start. You are better off with fives than tens and twenties. You can always use the fives to make change for anything larger. Never rely on getting change from the booths around you - they need their change for their sales!
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