Craft Fairs 2013

My own experience with craft fairs is limited, but I do talk to all of my friends who do them. My best advice this year is less is more. If you only sell one thing, then it is okay to have 50 choices, but if you have a variety, just show a few of each to make it easier for people to decide. The most successful booths I see allow the shopper to focus and choose quickly. Over the last 3 years, I have seen the average price of sold items at shows go down. To come up with something of an impulse buy at shows, find what you can make quickly with materials you already have. For me, that means these fabric coasters. I am using up my scraps and making sets to sell at the one show I will be doing. My pattern  ($2 on Craftsy) comes with the template for the packaging that you can customize and print on your printer. I think branded packaging makes your booth look more professional and gives your products a higher perceived value.  What do you make that seems to work as an impulse buy at shows? 

Throw a kids craft party this Summer

I was browsing Pinterest this morning and saw this awesome watermelon shark. As I pinned it to my DIY board, I realized all these ideas (on my board) were the ingredients for a fun kids party. I am so glad I have a girl. Click on the link to the board above to see the watermelon shark and some other fun ideas.

Introducing Creativity is Messy

Tera, the woman behind CreativityisMessy, makes so many wonderful treasuries, you will be glad to add her to your circle on Etsy and watch her favorites and treasuries. She has a great eye and is always delighting me with her fabulous finds. Here are some goodies from her shop:

Notice how Tera is on top of Etsy trends in her shop offerings too. I have had the pleasure of spending a little time with Tera in person. She is just as gracious, beautiful and smart as can be. What a treasure.

Crafting in Color Team

This team has such a variety of talents. It refreshes me to know that women all over the world are expressing themselves in these beautiful ways and (in some cases) supporting their families with their crafting talents.

Concrete Leaves

I should have brought Gabrielle with me when I made this leaf. That way one of us could have documented the process with photos. Next time we make leaves, I will. What you see here is a rhubarb leaf cast in concrete, the leaf removed, and paint applied. We did the painting at Kathleen Cavenders studio, which made us feel special. Check out her website and you will see why. The last photo is Kathleen's hand applying moss to her leaf. We gathered moss, mixed it with plain yogurt and water in a blender, then brushed it on and dabbed it with a wet rag. How to make the concrete leaves, several tutorials are posted here. Details of our painting process - 1st the magenta in acrylic (this had to go on first because it will not go over the spray paints we used over the top), then we sprayed the bottom of the leaves with a dark brown, darker in some spots than others. Third coat was copper spray paint on the bottom to finish. After the bottom was dry, we did the dark brown on the top - leaving some of the magenta untouched. Then copper, then a dark green, last was a light green. We also sprayed a sealer on top. I am not a painter, so Gabrielle and I just tried to copy Kathleen. I think we did really well. It is like our concrete leaf came back to life. I am amazed at what we did with spray paint! I will post again when our moss has grown.