tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64683702024-03-13T12:32:52.770-06:00crafte-blog: Business Life and Really Cool CraftingTalking about crafts, small business, and how to manage it all while still having a life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger754125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-56332386461707215492013-09-02T06:33:00.004-06:002013-09-02T06:33:30.158-06:00Blog is moved!
It's up!
Please come follow me at the new site for my blog: www.crafte-blog.com
Hooray!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-9424862599726912922013-06-16T19:59:00.003-06:002013-06-16T19:59:48.603-06:00Moving this BlogI am working on moving this blog over to a wordpress site. Here's the URL:
http://www.crafte-blog.com
I'm hopeful you will join me there. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-84926422483941649832012-12-13T10:16:00.000-07:002012-12-13T10:16:18.147-07:00Vending SnobberyI don't vend outdoors in December.
Call me a snob if you want, but I'm absolutely DONE with vending in the potential cold. We are signed up for the whole season of our local farmer's market, which goes into the first weekend of November. Sometimes October and November weather can be unpredictable here in Denver, but this year we lucked out. I did a Saturday in October that was cold, but Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-34146071380137762242012-10-19T10:25:00.000-06:002012-10-19T10:25:29.529-06:00How Busy is "Too Busy?"In short, my husband told me he was sick of hearing it. He was sick of hearing how tired I am all the time. Sick of my constant complaint that I do everything and I'm so tired, and he just didn't want to hear it.
I could have picked a fight about it. Instead, I decided I was sick of it, too.
I'm sick of being too tired to work. Sick of doing every damned thing. Sick of being sick ofUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-42388086429463060552012-09-04T11:22:00.000-06:002012-09-04T11:22:17.705-06:00Vendor Tuesday: eBay and craigslistHave I done eBay yet? Well, don't forget it exists. Sometimes crafters are just done, and want to get rid of their stash. EBay is still around, selling all sorts of craft items at a discount.
Also, try your local craigslist. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-21936229334185063882012-09-04T11:17:00.002-06:002012-09-04T11:29:41.138-06:00On Creating ChangeSometimes we must make our own light at the end of the tunnel.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-64129869337006145182012-08-08T08:19:00.002-06:002012-08-08T08:19:50.877-06:00Custom OrdersDo you do custom orders for your items? If so, how much over standard retail price do you charge? Also, have you stopped doing custom orders?
What do you think are the biggest challenges of doing custom orders?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-81813802239633012072012-08-07T11:04:00.000-06:002012-08-07T11:04:06.009-06:00Fun with KeywordsPopular keyword searches that led people here within the last week:
"converse in okc"
"hard rock leather pants teen"
"absinthe sleep"
"fruts crotchert"
Good ol' Fruts Crotchert. Always there for us with a little booze and a dirty joke.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-47617848035989239182012-08-07T10:01:00.002-06:002012-08-07T10:01:52.067-06:00On Drudgery
As the next school year approaches, I am reminded of this simple fact:
You don't have to enjoy a task to be good at it.
Too often, when I encounter people who learn I am a teacher, they make comments regarding the "passion" I must have for the job, and that it must require a great bit of "dedication," etc. Passion and dedication most certainly do exist for some career teachers. Even Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-53935609363165073722012-08-06T08:56:00.001-06:002012-08-06T08:56:41.192-06:00Summer UpdateLet's see how I did on my list for summer:
I will continue to gain private label clients for my handmade soap business.
I have begun work with one client, and I'm still communicating with another.
I will rewrite my three books on soap making.
This has not yet happened.
I will ghost write a book on roller skate maintenance.
This is happening right now!
I willUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-56569437135676691662012-06-05T13:55:00.001-06:002012-06-05T13:55:22.897-06:00The best advertising you can do right now......is make a little video and put it on You Tube. In one year, 16,312 people have viewed my first liquid soap video. I know it's not the most people ever, but it's way more than I ever expected.
It has also generated 48 comments.
98.5% of the people who chose to click it, clicked the "like" button.
And that's just the first video! I made a total of four, to show the entire liquid Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-38083656297746236952012-05-22T13:02:00.000-06:002012-05-22T13:02:14.017-06:00Summer GoalsI am recommitted! This summer, I am going to transform my businesses. To wit:
I will continue to gain private label clients for my handmade soap business.
I will rewrite my three books on soap making.
I will ghost write a book on roller skate maintenance.
I will sell my roller derby necklaces at Rollercon and have the time of my life, for one week.
I will travel home to Iowa for 5 days, and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-4512164508810835192012-05-15T14:07:00.001-06:002012-05-15T14:29:08.289-06:00Small Craft Business: Emailing Potential VendorsI received an email today, from a person organizing a new "crafty-flea-market" thing. She had emailed me before, and I know who she is, because she met me when I was vending, and took my card.
She's soliciting everyone who she thought was cool at THAT market, to come work her market. This makes sense to me, as a businessperson.
However.
When she sent the email, she didn't blind-copy Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-71727931954781163422012-04-28T16:36:00.000-06:002012-04-28T16:36:52.121-06:00Small Craft Business: Using Facebook WiselyI experienced something that took me just a bit by surprise today. One of my Facebook friends posted something that made me think, and I realized I disagreed. So I commented, explaining why I disagreed.
Later on, I saw someone else had commented. I went back to the thread, and the original poster had deleted my post, and had also removed me as a Facebook friend.
Really?
This personUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-4640498809518199562012-04-01T13:12:00.000-06:002012-04-01T13:13:43.685-06:00Small Craft Business: Keeping on top of ItIt's difficult to keep on top of things, but I did ok with my to-do list for last week. I still need to make face lotion, but it's not desperate.
And my day off. MY DAY OFF! What a delight. To wit:
Seven Falls, Colorado Springs
I love that we can see our shadows.
Just one of the seven.
The second staircase. You can see the landing at the bottom--the first staircase goes down to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-15282356761296762192012-03-27T07:38:00.000-06:002012-04-01T12:59:42.542-06:00Small Craft Business: Tuesday To-DoYou get my to-do list today simply because I forgot to do it yesterday. I'm on spring break!
market for roller derby soap fundraiser
place ads for books on groups
pack soap orders
make face lotion
DO TAXES
take Wednesday off
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-35571840666433705592012-03-20T10:53:00.002-06:002012-03-20T10:53:57.414-06:00Obsessed? Maybe a little.
I was talking with my husband the other day, you know, like you do, and was explaining or describing or whatever, something to do with roller derby.
He interrupted me, saying, "Do you think about roller derby all the time?"
Yes. Pretty much, yes.
Through roller derby, I have found joy.
I find a similar joy when I am creating the artwork for my roller derby necklaces. I Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-51893013704872819412012-03-14T07:18:00.001-06:002012-03-14T07:18:40.038-06:00FUNdraiser! Roller Derby! Brazilians!It’s time to support the spread of roller derby worldwide! The women of the Gray City Rebels in Sao Paulo, Brazil and 2x4 Roller Derby in Buenos Aires, Argentina want to improve their skills by hosting a Certifiable Derby Training camp. But these teams need a little help with funds. Let’s commit to the spread of roller derby around the world by helping these teams reach their financial goals, so Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-71326576454702356992012-03-13T13:13:00.002-06:002012-03-13T13:13:54.969-06:00Small Craft Business: Vendor Tuesday
Today's vendor is Staples! Seriously? Yes! My printer at home is just ok, and I have recently begun creating digital artwork for my new crafty project. I needed to print things out perfectly.
Enter Staples! They will print out one sheet on cardstock for a dollar. I can fit nearly 50 circles for my pendants on one sheet. That's a cost of $0.02 per circle. Take that, finances!
You might Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-29820940744741563502012-03-01T12:54:00.000-07:002012-03-01T12:54:00.932-07:00Small Craft Business: Time-on-Task Thursday--Roller Derby Edition
I'm giddy.
I have been very reflective this week. As many of you may know, I am not yet fully self-employed. I would love this, but it's just not in the cards yet. This week at work (public school), the cuts came through. At this time every year, schools get their budget projections for the next year, and that usually means positions will be cut.
Unsurprisingly, I had to interview Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-17877775197462865832012-02-29T09:42:00.000-07:002012-02-29T10:38:37.229-07:00Small Craft Business: Monday's To-Do List, on WednesdayI'm just so busy, I don't know what to do with myself. Here's this week's to-do:
finish necklace orders (paint on Monday, seal on Tuesday, glass on Wednesday, pendants Thursday, finish Friday, deliver/mail on Saturday)
figure out sponsorship for soapcrone.com with Rocky Mountain Rollergirls
find a cheap flight to Vegas for the end of July (!) [this is ongoing, as I hope is obvious
email authorUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-89998165380819209282012-02-20T08:14:00.001-07:002012-02-20T08:14:52.868-07:00Small Craft Business: Monday To-Do List
Print artwork for B's necklace
Make B's necklace
Do publishing retail taxes
Arrange necklaces in organza bags, etc.
Send emails re: wholesaling
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-35936311448107308402012-02-17T13:52:00.002-07:002012-02-20T08:12:11.220-07:00Small Craft Business Friday: To-Do List Update
Make necklace for Seek (order)
Make artwork for B's necklaces (order)
Print artwork for B's necklaces
Make B's necklaces (One is already done--and sold to her on Friday)
Gather things for vending on Friday
tablecloth
banner
necklaces
Squareup and money bag w/change
charged phone
receipt book
business cards
jewelry care slips
silver polishing cloth (p.s. Everything from necklaces on Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-43258592065949628272012-02-15T10:29:00.001-07:002012-02-15T10:29:37.747-07:00Small Craft Business: Wordless Wednesday--
From finegardening.com
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468370.post-43786128698955700372012-02-13T09:20:00.000-07:002012-02-13T09:20:09.302-07:00Small Craft Business: Monday To-Do List 13 FebruaryWeek of 13 February To Do
Make necklace for Seek (order)
Make artwork for B's necklaces (order)
Print artwork for B's necklaces
Make B's necklaces
Gather things for vending on Friday
tablecloth
banner
necklaces
Squareup and money bag w/change
charged phone
receipt book
business cards
jewelry care slips
silver polishing cloth (p.s. Everything from necklaces on down fits in one backpack.)
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1