Aug
27
2008
As the Gulf Coast region faces the possibility of another hurricane, I’m preparing for the worst. Do you know what papers you’d grab in an emergency? Here are some of the papers and business information I’m taking with me should I need to evacuate New Orleans.
All my insurance information is going into the magic folder of papers. This should include renter’s, house, car, life, health, dental etc. Tax I.D., business license, doing business as forms go in, too. Those little cards in your wallet might be enough to see you through an emergency, but I’m taking any paperwork I don’t want to reapply for if the worst happens.
Something many people forget to take is a list of usernames and passwords for various websites. Just like we forget phone numbers when we have speed dial, cookies have made it easy to forget passwords! If you can’t take your desktop, taking a list of this information may help you keep your business moving from a computer at your evacuation hidey-hole.
Jul
13
2008
I might be the last person in the world to hear about this site. Tinyurl.com will take a super long URL and make it, well, tiny. But why am I talking about this to a crafting blog?
Every see the length of a link to one of your eBay listings? Sometimes long links get broken, so if you just emailed your repeat customers with an update of your listings, they may never see them.
There are also some folks out there that can’t get the hang of copy & paste. I’m related to some of you, so I know you’re out there!
Why not shorten the link, and for free?
To use this, just go to http://www.tinyurl.com and copy your long link into the box. If you want to customize the newer, shorter link, type that info into the box below. Push the ‘enter’ key and PRESTO a tiny url.
I promise to go over those promotional materials as promised on Monday. I just had to share this now lol!
Jul
11
2008
In addition to a stand alone item photograph, take pictures of clothing being worn by a model if you can. If no model or dressmaker’s dummy is available, use hangers to display items against your backdrop on a wall. This looks more professional than a pic of clothes laid out on a bed or table.
Jewelry can be modeled, too, as long as it isn’t worn as a piercing. Many customers feel that earrings that have been worn, even by a model, are dirty, used goods, and unhygienic. I have to agree!
To display post style earrings, cover a small piece of cardboard with backdrop fabric. Carefully push the post into the cardboard and snap your pic. Hanging hook earrings from a glass or vase can make a nice display.
Jul
06
2008
Here are some tips for turning your piles of unused supplies into cash.
Sort Through It
Get a notebook and take an inventory. Write down what it is, the brand, how much there is, and what color. This list will come in handy when it’s time to split the stash into lots!
Don’t make a note of items that are broken, stained, smell funny, or are in amounts too small to be useful. Throw them into the garbage bin. Go ahead; you have my permission.
Grouping
Several related items seem to sell better than individual ones. Don’t get hung up on one category, though. Some interesting grouping ideas are color, texture, or seasonal.
Say Cheese
If you have a website or are on sites like etsy or eBay, you’ll need to take decent pictures. Use the same photography standards you’d use for finished projects. By paying attention to things like lighting and the backdrop, your stash will look like a professional offering instead of like an online garage sale.
Good luck!
Jul
05
2008
No, destash isn’t a fancy Italian design firm. It’s ‘de- stash‘, or getting rid of your stash of craft supplies.
You know, the ones you’ll never really get around to using, but can’t bear to toss out because they’re perfectly good materials? All crafters seem to have at least one of varying size.
Many of us inherit a stash. Friends ‘donate’ a pile of random supplies to help your business along. People find out you can knit, so they give you a box of yarn they found in the closet. If you can sew, you’ll attract entire bolts of fabric. Heaven help the poor beaders out there. These friends mean well, but it leaves us scratching our heads sometimes, huh?
Selling that clutter to another crafter is the least painful way I’ve found to ditch an unwanted stockpile. There’s a good chance that the buyer has a specific idea in mind for the items you’ve collected. If not, they probably have the same crafter’s guilt complex about tossing things in the trash.
What have you been holding onto for years? Did you inherit your stash or build it yourself?
Tomorrow, check back for some preparation tips for your big destashing day!
Jun
18
2008
One of the good things about mass produced merchandise is that it comes with care instructions.Do your handcrafted items include this important information?
Even if it seems like common sense to avoid drying a wool sweater in the dryer on high heat, many a sweater has been killed this way ::tears::
Help to stop the madness by typing up a little cleaning care instruction note. It doesn’t need to be a sewn in tag or fancy in any way, just informative. Here are some things you may want to include.
Is it dry clean only, or can you toss it into the washer with everyday clothes? Does it need special or gentle detergent?
What dryer setting is the best? I really recommend testing this yourself using a fabric or yarn swatch. Some yarn and fabric companies have told whoppers in the past!
Will a damp sponge take care of surface dust, or will it smear the paint you painstakingly applied?
Do you recommend turning a piece of clothing wrong side out to protect beads, sequins, paint, or other delicate work?
If your craft needs to be hand washed, don’t be scared to say so. Be sure to specify flat or hang dry if your creation requires it.
