Crafting on a Budget

Good Morning!  It's time to set a new facebook goal and have a give away!  I've been sitting at 213 for some time now.  I would like to see that number grow to 250.  When we get to 250, I will have a give away!  I'm thinking the lighthouse, but I haven't made a definite decision on that.

June 14th is Sunday and that is Flag day.  That means you can get out all of your patriotic decor and enjoy it for almost a month!  

I feel inspired to make the lighthouse from SVG Cuts.  I think that will be my project this weekend.  I have the Graphic 45 paper By the Sea, so I should put it to good use.

I spent day 11 watching a video tutorial and then designing a word mini album.  Below is a picture of my prototype.

First, let me start today's blog with a customer service story.  Yesterday's project didn't turn out the way I had invisioned, and I want to make another cap, correctly.  One of the problems I encoutered was the shape I wanted to cut didn't maintain the score lines when I broke it apart and copied it to a different page.  This is something that is really easy to do, if you know what you're doing.  Clearly, yesterday I did not.  I had to hand score the tabs for the front panels.  I don't enjoy scoring by hand.  I knew that what I wanted to do could be done, I just didn't know how to go about it.  So, I sent an email to SVG Cuts.  They are the designers of the file I was using.  Within 2 hours I had a response and a link to the video I needed.  2 hours!   That's just the kind of service you can always expect from SVG Cuts.

Now on to todays challenge.  It was a double challenge, because my granddaughter is sick, and that always limits any time I have for anything!  This project is going to take two days.  I spent this evening cutting it out and will put it together tomorrow.  Here's a picture of my progress

It is day 2 and I do have another project to share.  Today it's from the SVG Cuts Box Cards file.

For my first day of the 30 day personal challenge I have completed the beer mug from the Feeling Lucky kit by SVG Cuts.

I have been very busy since the craft show making bunnies for Easter.  The total tally is 40!  But now I'm ready to move on.  I have decided to do a 30 personal challenge.  I'm going to make a new item each day for the month of April.  I will showcase each new project here and on my facebook page.  So, be sure to check in often and see what's crafting!

Well, I did it.  I committed to a craft show on February 7 at Explorer School in Goddard, KS.  I have been busy, busy, busy picking, and cutting and gluing lots of things to take with me.  I have a goal to take 100 crafty cre8tions with me to the event.  I admit, this takes a lot of planning and a person really has to dig in to get things done!  And, I'm proud to say that I'm not neglecting the rest of the house!  I have figured out that I can make 6 things each day to meet my goal.  So the most time consuming thing is picking the papers.

Pricing items has me a bit puzzled.  I had pretty much decided how to price my items, but then my husband said, "you're pricing them at wholesale, and this is retail!"  So now I need to involve a third party so I don't end up taking home all my stuff!

Anyway, I'm excited and glad I finally made the commitment!

Stay tuned for the rest of the adventure!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have decided I would try to sell some of my creations at a few craft shows this year in hopes that I can support my "habit" for crafting.  I want to start with smaller shows that are close to home.  I may find that it's not feasible for me to pursue the craft show business due to transportation and setup restrictions.

At any rate, I have had opportunities in the past, I just wasn't ready or able to commit.  But a big issue may just be fear.  Fear that I may not sell anything.  Fear that I won't have enough stuff to sell. Fear that I am over pricing items.  Fear I'm not asking for enough. Fear of failure.

I have made lots of items, and given them away.  The recipients are always in awe and thankful, but would anyone really pay me for these things?  These fears have been a little crippling up to now.

I have filled out a vendor form for a craft and vendor show close to home that is being held February 7th.  I just need to write a check and send it off.  Then I need to get busy making!   If I send in the check, then I have made a commitment, and will need to really kick myself into high gear.

I have a habit of letting things distract me from these types of goals.  Housework, kid activities, tv shows, sleep.   I'm really going to have to overcome these time snatchers to be successful at my first craft show.

I'll write another post once I have filled out the check, and it's in the U.S. Mail.  In the mean time, I have 10 clutch purses almost done, so there's a start.  Now to get more projects ready.  Wish me luck!

A new year is here and  I plan to share more projects with you while building up an inventory to take my crafting to a few shows this year.  I hope you will follow along while I share my experiences with you.

My first goal will be to create some easy to assemble items that I can make in quantities that won't take up a lot of storage, or table space.  With paper crafting, that is one of my biggest concerns; having the necessary space to display enough items to make the craft show circuit profitable, and keeping things from being crushed before they get there!  Displaying is also a concern.  Table tops alone won't allow for many items to be displayed.  I have been on a search for the folding type wire shelves that were very popular a few years ago.  I have found two so far.  I need display items that are light weight and easily portable.  I'll continue looking for the shelves while I start making a list of projects to work on.

I find that taking the time to select the paper and cut out the project is the big hurdle for me.  I love putting them together.  Assembly is something I can do while sitting with my granddaughter as she plays.  She can turn my craft room into a disaster area if she's allowed in there!  So cutting is something I have to do in the evenings, or during her nap time.  However, I find that time taken up by other things that have to get done.  That's something I need to overcome if I want to get this going!

Typing up my blog post is a way to keep me motivated.  I feel if I have posted that I'm going to do something, that someone out there will be checking back to see when or if I get it done!  So keep me honest blog readers!

As always, all the projects I will be creating are from SVG Cuts.  I have registered with SVG Cuts for commercial use of their files, so I am allowed to sell at craft shows or on my website.

If you are reading this, and have sold your creations at craft shows, please feel free to comment.  Perhaps you have some very useful advice for me and fellow readers!

As always, be sure to visit my Facebook page and like it.  I will be doing more give aways starting soon!