My Towels

Sometimes we don't take the time or we are too shy to get out there and let the world know what great craft products we make.
I put a lot of hours, not only making my craft products but looking for affordable towels to be able to make and compete in the market place.
My towels and other craft items are on Etsy, Zibbet and my own website.
Some of the other local artists, including my husband, have joined me on my website to sell their crafts.
http://www.straycatfarm.com
Lets take the time and let people know we are proud of our work and you can buy from us with confidence that you will get a quality, handmade product at an affordable price.
Let us help each other spread the word. I would be glad to do a blog about your store, just let me know.

Craft Show Tips.

My Mom and I started doing craft shows many years ago. In those days we did lots of plastic canvas with our towels.
When Mom passed away, I continued on doing shows with my husband.
We still do towels but we no longer do plastic canvas. My husband sells his EPP foam radio control airplanes and he makes jewelry.
My tips for shows would be first. I always take soda or pop in bottles because I have bought a can at the show and knocked it over and had a mess. With a bottle you can cap it and if it tips over it is no big deal.
Yes, I have had customers bend over to look at something and spill pop out of their cans too.
Second. Take lots of change. You will need $1s, $5s and $10s and I always take a couple of rolls of quarters.
Third. Table covers. I use twin size sheets and they wash well and are not expensive.
Fourth. I try to have as much product as I can get made so my tables are full with a variety.
Fifth. Constantly keep straightening and I may rearrange the tables several times trying to find a display that works best for the customer.
Sixth. Take a chair but don't sit unless it is really slow. I always take a book too. Just be sure to say hi to each person that walks by and if possible make a comment to get them to respond like beautiful day or I love the picture on your sweatshirt, or I see you have already found some treasures.
Seventh. I do usually buy my lunch there as it is my treat but after a while you get tired of nothing but hot dogs and bring a sandwich. I do bring snacks.
Eighth. Keep the tubs under the table out of the way.
Nineth. Have fun with the customers and other vendors. Don't be afraid to ask what shows they do that really work for them. They will often want to compare shows with you too. Gives you a good way to find new shows.
Eleven. Take lots of business cards to put on table and I make a bunch that say thank you with my etsy, zibbet and website address on them and put them in every bag when I sell something.
I know I have forgotten some and will add them as my mind reminds me of them.
Most of all have fun at the shows and make money.

In Memory of Mr. Ralph Scott

Once upon a time, my brother met a special girl and he was smart enough to marry her.
She introduced us to her father and he became part of the family.
We all loved him and we all were impressed by his artistic abilities. The man had a talent for painting.
I am lucky enough to have two of those oil paintings that he did for me.
When we do craft shows you would often find him sitting there drawing portraits of the children and never charging for them. He loved doing it for the children.
He proudly served his country and often told us stores of his time in the military.
He led a full life and is missed by a lot of people today.
Yesterday was his memorial service and we miss him.
His daughter is part of the Etsy family.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mistywhispurrs

Zibbet and Etsy stores

All of us are looking for places where we can sell our handmade crafts. It makes us feel good when we find a buyer who apprecitates what we have created.

I like my Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/straycatfarm

and then I decided maybe to expand further and opened at zibbet store

http://www.zibbet.com/straycatfarm.

So far sales are slow but it takes time to build up a big following. Hopefully passing out business cards at craft shows this summer will help.

We have been doing craft shows for years and really enjoy being with the customers and other vendors.

It is fun to visit the Etsy forums and you can learn so much reading them. I admit I am new to how Twitter really works but I am trying.

Blogging sometimes is hard to find a subject to blog about.

I know others out there are looking to increase sales also. Let us hope this is a great year for all of us.

Monsoon RC

This morning I help my husband open a new Etsy account for his homemade radio control airplanes.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Monsoonrc
We have only got one item listed so far.
He has done a lot of shows in the past and we need to start selling more online too.
He also has a website at
http://www.monsoonrc.com/

Websites

Do you have a website as well as your Etsy store? I have a website, an Etsy store and a Zibbet store.
It is easier to get people to our Etsy store then it is our websites so why don't we list them here and share them so we can all get more traffic to both our website and other stores.
I have a website
http://straycatfarm.com/ which is a collection of local crafters,
http://www.etsy.com/shop/straycatfarm
My husband has a website for radio control airplanes
http://monsoonrc.com/
One of our crafters on Straycatfarm also has an Etsy Storehttp://www.etsy.com/shop/WildHorseFarm
Stop by and visit our websites and stores and give us the link so we can look at yours and perhaps one of us might get a sale.

Garden

Spring must be coming soon because the seed catalogs are appearing in the mailbox.
This is one magazine I look forward to so I can sit down and decide what I am going to plant this year.
With the price of food being high and the quality not always being the best, I would much rather just go out to the garden and pick something fresh right out of the garden.
We all know that tomatos never taste the same from the store as they do fresh from the plant.
The same with berries.
I do seem to have a problem picking fresh peas off the plant, as they find their way to my mouth instead of back in the house. Love the taste of fresh peas.
Time to make an order and then hope that spring comes early so we can get that garden rototilled and planted and then enjoy.