Memories

A very special cousin of my just celebrated her birthday and when I saw a picture of her cake it brought back some good memories of my favorite cake that my Gran used to make for me. It was a lemon sponge cake with lemon frosting. All homemade of course.
My cousin's cake was an angel food cake and I have memories of my Aunt making that one for me also.
Food can bring so many good and happy memories of birthdays, Christmas, holidays or just plain family parties.
Would like to know what some of your favorite food memories are.

Scented or Unsented.

Wildhorsefarms has been making soap and doing craft shows and is now going to sell her soap on etsy at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/WildHorseFarm,
We were wondering which type of soap would be the most popular. Scented or unsented.
Let us know which is your favorite choice.

Monsoon RC Airplanes

Want to say a welcome to Monsoon RC airplanes to his first blog. Ok, so he is my husband and I am proud of him and his company.
After many years of radio control flying, he is now designing and selling radio control electic airplanes.
I also sell his planes at craft shows since they are homemade and we may set up an Etsy account for him.
In the meantime check out his website and blog.
http://www.monsoonrc.com/
http://monsoonrc.blogspot.com/

Craft Applications

It is the middle of January and time to start sending in those craft show applications for this summer. Some of them give you a little price break if you send them in early enough.
That means that we really have to get all those craft projects done for the shows that we said we were going to do this winter.
My plan was to have at least 300 crocheted top towels ready for spring and I might not make it to quite that amount. The big problem is finding affordable towels to crochet.
I plan to book about 15 shows this year and hope that passing out business cards to all will send more people into my Etsy, my website and my Zibbet store.
Are you already booking shows and how many are you going to do this summer?

horseyone85204

This Etsy store has some very reasonably priced items in it and no sales so I thought maybe you might like to take a look at it.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/horseyone85204
She has some cute pincushions on sale at a really good price. A large one and a small one for $5.00 like this heart set
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32952327 She has many other sizes and colors also.
You might like to check out her pet placemats to keep you floor clean under your pets bowls.
Take a look at her shop and let us know what you think.
Would be glad to mention other stores on my blog also, just let me know you are intersted.

Morning

Love making my towels but now I am off to looking for new ideas to go with my towels. Making some crocheted dish cloths to go with them.
It is fun to google new craft ideas and look in craft magazines. I was lucky enough to get a new craft magazine subscription for Christmas from a special cousin and now look forward to new ideas from there.
Where do you go to get new ideas? Do you venture far out from what you normally do?
Would love to hear what inspires you to come up with new and creative and hopefully sellable ideas.

Straycatfarm

First let me tell you that Straycatfarm.com is a collection of local crafters who share a website and who sit next to each other at craft shows and support each other. We each have different skills which gives us a little variety.
Now http://www.etsy.com/shop/straycatfarm that is just me and my crocheted top towels. My husband used to make jewelry but he is now back into his radio control airplanes instead at
http://www.monsoonrc.com/.
You can find his jewelry on clearace at our Etsy store.
I also have a store at Zibbet which is still new and no sales yet but it is a free place to sell.
http://www.zibbet.com/straycatfarm.
Always looking for new friends at twitter too. http://twitter.com/straycatfarm and I can become your friend on twitter.
Stop by one of our stores and have fun looking.
If anyone would like me to do a blog about their store, let me know as i would be glad to.
Thanks

Thanks Mom

Today I want to tell you about my towels. For years, my Mom and I have done craft shows and one of our best selling items were our crocheted top towels. We have added and subtracted other items but that one is always a money maker for us.
One thing I have noticed is that online the single towels sell better and maybe that is because of the price, but at craft shows the doubles are our best selling ones
My Mom is no longer with us but I carry on in her memory and enjoy every minute of it.
If anyone needs a crocheted top towel and you don't see a pattern or color you like, as us as we may be able to get it for you.
While you are at the store, stop by and see my husbands jewelry. He is no longer going to make jewelry, so it is half price. He is now going to be selling his radio control airplanes instead.
Stop by our store at http://straycatfarm.com/ where you will not only find my items but some of the other local crafters.
Also stop by our Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/straycatfarm
and our zibbet store http://www.zibbet.com/straycatfarm
Sometimes you just gotta tell the world yourself about your products. Thanks for listening. Any one wants to add links to there stores just jump right in.

Postivie Thinking

For those of us who do not know a lot about computers opening an Etsy store and learning how to blog and Twitter and post in forums, it has been an adventure. Could not have done any of it without the help of other Etsy people in the forums giving advice. Thank you all.
Even had the courage to open a Zibbet store and we will see where that goes.
In the meantime it has been exciting and fun each time you see a sale for your shop. They don't come often but you look forward to each one and know that with time and work the sales will grow.
I will keep trying Twitter, blogging, forums, passing out cards at shows, including thank you business cards in all packages and most of all using positive thinking for the days and days you check and find no sales.
Lets make this a successful year for all of us by working together.

Cold Weather

It is only the beginning of December but with this bitter cold, windy, snowy start of the new year we are ready for spring. Yes I know we still have weeks of winter left and there are times it is beautiful when the trees are covered with snow. Not so crazy about all the ice that comes with it.
Good time to stay in the house and try new craft projects and to visit the local craft stores and see what we just can't live without.
This is going to be a good year.

New Week, New Year

The holidays are over and now it is time to get to work and do all those things we promised ourselves we would do.
One of my goals is to increase my sales on both Etsy and Zibbet. That means working on pictures and listings to make them more interesting.
Signing up for lots of craft shows this year.
Learning that I have to use Twitter to get people looking at my items.
Trying out some new ideas for crafts.
Most of all to have fun doing all of the above and smiling as you open your email and see an order there.

Craft Shows

I love to do craft shows and they really help me promote my business. I would guess the 75% of my sales come from shows.
They offer you a chance to go out and meet the public and connect with other vendors and get feedback on your items from actual customers. I have picked up some good advice from customers.
Always ask the other vendors what shows are their best shows and which are their worst. They will always be glad to share with you and in return you share with them.
Most of the time, they will not have heard of Etsy and it is a chance to let them know.
I have business cards on the table with my website, my Etsy and my Zibbet store addresses on them. I put a thank you note in every bag with purchase. Because I do around 15 shows a year locally, some customers ask for my card and where my next show will be.
Your tables should look good and I use a twin sheet for table cloths so they all match. I use a navy but any color is good.
Take more inventory then you need and hope it sells. It is better to take home then run short.
Take lots of change with you.
I don't take credit cards because of all the fees and so far it has not hurt my sales. I am thinking about it.
One good tip is take some snacks and bottles of pop with you as you may not be able to go get food or you may not care for the food. Many places sell hot dogs and after a few shows you may be tired of hot dogs. Take bottled pop so you can set it down and it won't get knocked over onto your table and ruin things like a can of pop can.
You will probably need a state sales tax license to do most of the shows.
I do both the big juried shows and the smaller school and church shows. From experience, I can say that for me, the smaller low fee shows have less customers and less sales then the bigger juried shows at a higher price.
Just plan on having a good time and going home tired and with money in your pocket.
Any questions don't hesitate to ask.

New Years Day

We have a whole new year ahead of us to try to make our dreams and wishes come true. I think the best resolution we can make is just to live life to the fullest and enjoy every minute of it.
Enjoy time with your family and friends.
Lets make 2010 the best year ever.
Tomorow we are going to talk about craft shows and if they work.