Ten Tips to Get into the Holiday Crafting / Sales Mode!

For those of you who are looking to gear up for your holiday arts and crafting, here are some tips to keep you on track:

 1. Go through your holiday crafts now and organize what you have. This way you are less likely to buy what you don’t really need for your seasonal projects.

2. Create a Pinterest board with ideas that spark your imagination. You could include not only crafting ideas but color schemes and decorating ideas.

*Check out my Pinterest color board

3. Make a list of the projects you want to pursue (gifts, sales, shows, trades with fellow artists/crafters). You may be inclined to try 10 or 15 different things but if you narrow down your list, you will find yourself less pressured (and probably save money) during an already busy time. What are your deadlines? Work backwards on a schedule with a little cushion for the unexpected.


4. Try signing up for a small holiday show if there is something nearby. There’s nothing like preparing for a show to get yourself into full on creative mode! Plus you may make some extra cash for the holidays while doing something you love!

 5. If you sell your art/craft for a living, be sure to establish a seasonal marketing plan now if you haven’t already. It’s always better to be proactive rather than reactive.

  

 6. Do you have crafty friends? Consider doing a holiday home show and make it a party! Everyone invite a few people to shop your collection.

7. Are you looking to build your customer base? Offer a free or low cost holiday make and take project at a local coffee shop, art studio, gallery, boutique, or even at your own home.

 8. Organize your postage and shipping supplies. Take inventory of what you have and what you will need to ship all your amazing products to your holiday customers! Schedule postage runs into your daily schedule, avoiding peak times if possible. Better yet, schedule shipping from your home online or take advantage of pre-pay postage options.

 9. Use what you have whenever you can! I know I’m always inclined during the holidays to buy more ribbon, papers, bulbs, findings, etc. seasonal crafty project but this year, I’m going to try my hardest to create with what’s already here as there’s a lot here! Going back to point number one, now is the time to clean up your studio, not just your holiday crafts so you can be fully immersed in this upcoming busy season. Clutter distracts and stresses you out, or at least it does me and I’m on a mission to control it so it’s not controlling me.

 10. Invite friends over for a holiday craft making day or evening. Pick a few projects, assign supplies for your participants to bring, or use some of your de-stash, add a few snacks, perhaps a bottle of wine and you will not only be creating wonderful projects, you’ll be creating memories. After all, isn’t that what the holidays are about? 


 Do you have some great tips for preparing for the holiday creative season? Whether you are a hobbyist or a full time artist, we all thrive when we share best practices! Leave a comment on this post, we’d love to hear from you!

Be sure to stop by my Etsy shop to see what's new!!  ***Lots of great items that you can certainly give as gifts (to yourself or others..haha).

Taking a Well Crafted Break!

 

I have to admit, I have a couple of addictions lately  One being binging on Pinterest for several hours at a time when I should going to bed, searching for cute holiday projects, recipes, or ornaments.   I see so much it becomes overwhelming and instead of doing something, I do nothing. 

My other addiction is the show the Chew. There are are very few episodes that I've missed, there's just something about the hosts easy banter, fun projects and accessibility of recipes. I also have a chef crush on Michael Symone...and hope that one day I can watch the show in person! I just love their easy banter, accessible recipes, and fun that they have with each other. Sometimes I watch in person while working in my own studio, but most nights before I go to bed, I catch up with the dvr and just wind down...I know crazy, huh..lol

Okay, so back to my point. I'm just feeling crafty lately. I know in my head I should be making big brilliant paintings or at least attempting to, getting ready for an upcoming show, working on my classes, building my inventory for the summer back up again...but but...all I want to do is stay in my jammies, grab a cup of coffee and just experiment and play. You need that break from your normal routine every once in a while to refill the well and to generate new ideas in a relaxed, not rushed manner..  I still feel like I"m forever catching up.

I still feel like it's hard to take a day off even though I can count on one hand how many full days I've taken off in the last few months.

During my little self imposed break, I'm going to just experiment for a while so I can ease up on the demands..not every day but certainly make more time for playing on a week to week basis.

On Pinterest, I saw THIS project and loved it, the colors, the idea...everything but the hot glue

I put it on the backburner file as a might try, and then I saw "The Chew" and Clinton Kelly had a great idea about putting screw eyes in the pine cones as an ornament so what I did here, is a combination of both projects.  Pine cone ornaments on a woodland swag.  

I just 'winged' the directions, using jute string, pine cones, buff colored paint, and burlap along with wired ribbon.  The screw eyes aren't easy to put in but if you stick with it, they work perfectly. I also added strings on the screw eyes because I thought they may hang nicer . and so far so good..they haven't 'slid' one bit'. 

It's December 11th. If you haven't taken time out to do something holiday related, whether it be decorating, cooking, crafting, or sledding....what are you waiting for?  Time is ticking so quickly, Christmas will be here before you know it!

**Stay tuned this week...I have some fantastic giveaways planned starting on Friday which just happens to be my 45th birthday (what what????? can it be so???).  Anywhoosers, stop back and see what offers and giveaways I have planned!

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New items in the shop this week!