7 Dec 2011

What's all this Craft Business...



Great Post on the Crafty Network by a local (local to me - Chesire) Crafter, can't wait to follow the 'this crafty business' - sounds right up my street!
http://thecraftynetwork.wordpress.com/author/thecraftynetwork/?blogsub=confirming#blog_subscription-3
They also have some great tips and advice pages.

I'm still learning so much and things are going so quickly in the craft business world (it is Christmas after all), it's hard to get my head around it and keep it all in there. I would say this is one of those things that you have to do it to learn it! From setting up the blog to selling at the craft fairs so much has happened! The good things are the blog, which I am really enjoying writing, meeting people at the craft fairs and seeing people liking your work. The hard things so far have been selling online (how to get people to see your stuff over everyone else's) and picking the right craft fairs. And the bad things ...... there haven't been many of these I can think of thank goodness! Don't get me wrong I have made many, many mistakes but I have enjoyed almost everything I have done and definitely learned from everything.

There have been some things I would have done differently
1. I shouldn't have worried so much about which craft fairs to do- I should have just done as many as I could from the big to the small and then I could decide which ones were the best.
2. Selling online takes a lot of time and needs organisation - something I am lacking at the moment, I should stick to admin Monday and maybe add admin Saturday and Sunday too
3. Stop being shy, get out there!
4. When handing out business cards be ready to optimism the blog/folksy views I might get from this- I am kicking myself about this one

I must say though I am still enjoying it and that is what I love about this crafty business!!!!



6 Dec 2011

Croxteth Hall Christmas Fair

Polly Purl was at Croxteth Hall on Sunday but as there was little advertising and the weather was sooo bad there was not a large foot fall. It was a dissapointing and slightly dull day unfortunately but here is hoping this Sunday is better.
The hall itself was lovely- a bit of a grand house from the Victorian times and I meet some really nice stall holders that have given me a wealth of tips to investigate - some piccie's to help visualise



I did buy a little something though - 
My obsession with dolls is never ending at the moment - this is a cute tree decoration from a company called Jacqs hearts, but I think this will be all year round in my studio. Can't find them online - it was a lovely mother and daughter. The daughter had some really beautiful jewelry, which can be seen on her website - http://www.riajewelrytiaras.co.uk/
I think the fair was good for the Networking alone, as it was quiet it meant a lot of the stall holders had chance to look around and chat. 
I'm still on the search for more craft fairs but time is running out and I really need to spend some time on my Etsy and Folksy pages, but there is always tomorrow.......

2 Dec 2011

On the first day of Christmas.....

My knitting machine gave to me a Christmas Jumper!

'Oh I didn't see you there, yeah I'm just relaxing in my Christmas Jumper' -

Check out the jumper at this site - I love it, going to have to try to make it for my Christmas day!


This week I just can't help myself - it's Christmas time and I have no time to put up the decorations yet but I can still listen and dream of a white Christmas! 



I wonder if I can convience the family to all dress in red velvet and white fur this Christmas? 

PS- I have booked Polly Purl in for an extra weekend of the Craft Fair at Croxteth Hall - this Sunday the 4th. Come along if you're free, it's a Victorian themed day so we have to dress up, should be fun.
http://www.croxteth.co.uk/events/dec/index.asp
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