End of Zippster?

For a while now I've been thinking of getting out of the 'making crafts for profit' business, because quite honestly, it was only ever meant to be a hobby with a very small chance of making a profit. Which I don't. After purchasing supplies, making prototypes, photography and creating listings, paying for the listings, and fees for sales I'm lucky if I break even. And that's not counting my time. I have a pretty busy and fulfilling life, and any sewing I do is to sell and I don't seem to have the time to enjoy sewing for myself, and that's what I'd rather be doing.

So, I'm selling most of my purse making supplies. 

I still have some items for sale at Artisans at Work but won't be restocking. And I'm not quite sure yet to do with my Etsy shop - most of what I sell there is buttons, anything larger and the high cost of shipping is a deterrent.

I have some new fabric and patterns picked out for new projects, which I'm looking forward to working on - it's been a while since I've made something for myself!

New magnet sets

New magnet sets in my Etsy store! I really enjoy making these sets; coming up with the theme and choosing a coordinating paper to line the tin with is a lot of fun. They are a great gift idea if you need something small and inexpensive.

Craft show = failure?

Ok, so it wasn't a complete failure, but it was disappointingly unsuccessful. The show was at a large community centre and featured over 50 vendors, so I assumed it would be well attended. It wasn't. I did not make enough to cover my table fee, which fortunately was very reasonable. However, I received lots of nice compliments on my work, and met some great sellers. I'm taking a break over the summer, but will apply for the pre-Christmas shows.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be adding listings for my new pin-back buttons and magnets - I'm going to focus on sets because it's not worth selling them one at a time. My plan for the summer is to create some sort of business plan and marketing strategy with my partner for bulk and custom orders for the pins and magnets. And I do need to make more Blythe clothes - my inventory is getting low.

The art of self-promotion

Admittedly, I'm a rather private person and do not enjoy talking about myself, nor do I feel the need to share the minutia of my life with others, whether in person or virtually. (Who are these people who have such interesting lives? Not I!) I would rather express myself through creative means, which, when lacking confidence (not to mention time, self-esteem, momentum, support, the skills or tools to do so), can be challenging.

My little sewing hobby is starting to become more than just a hobby, and I take great pleasure in knowing that people actually like what I make. My daydreams consist of being able to sustain myself financially with a part-time librarian job, and dedicating the remaining hours of the day to creating wonderful things in my (currently non-existing) little studio. In my fantasy world, what I sell in my online shops or at craft sales would supplement my part-time income. But to get to that point would take a lot of work. To achieve such a dream, one must be prepared and able to take care of the business aspects, which can be daunting and overwhelming. There are so many tools available, many of them free, but how do you know which ones are worthwhile?

As a way to promote my two online shops, I currently have this blog, a Flickr account to showcase my creations (one must be careful with Flickr though, in not linking to commercial sites), and Facebook fan page. I have a print business card to hand out in person and at craft shows. I also participate in online forums and groups, and am a member of several guilds or teams. All of this takes time and effort, but is necessary. Google Analytics helps in deciding where I should be investing my time and effort, but I know I need to do more. (Although, one bandwagon I have yet to jump on is Twitter, and I don't plan on using it). I know I need to 'sell' myself to other bloggers and to make better use of my own blog; what I need to do is devise a marketing plan. And time to implement it!

Since Christmas I've been in a bit of a slump and haven't done anything crafty. But I'm starting to get restless and it's time to start making stuff again. I have lots of ideas and supplies, now I just need to do something with them. My list of things to do includes learning basic bookbinding and making a garment for myself.

Oddly, despite all the grumblings of slow sales from other Etsy sellers, mine have increased. My inventory is well stocked, so I would like to focus on making unique items that aren't available in other shops for Blythe. My saris sell very well and that's one thing I need to make more of. I'm actually thinking of opening a second shop for non-Blythe items, for which I already have purses and pouches. Last year I took a class in fabric design and was able to produce what I think are really interesting pieces, which I could use for new items.

Perhaps after viewing Handmade Nation, screening next week, I'll feel motivated and inspired.