Week in Snapshots

Hello friends, I hope you're all safe in this aftermath of Hurricane Irene. Things have been insanely busy on my end, but I did want to share some pictures from the last week.






Brazilian sweets! Love a taste of home :o)

A Photoshoot

Happy Monday, friends! Last week I had the pleasure of working with a lovely model for a quick photoshoot. I thought sharing these would be a good way to start off the week.



This is pirate, my in-laws' dog

Handmade Business - Part 2: Thinking About Product Lines

So last time we talked about different kinds of artists and how this can fit into being a business owner. Assuming you've decided to go for it, now you need to think about what exactly you're going to sell. This goes beyond "paintings" or "knitting" or "handbags." You need to get really really specific.

Basically, after you figure out the type of art or craft you're going to sell, you need to think about product lines - the specific items you're going to be selling. If you're a painter, are you going to sell only original, one of a kind paintings? Or will you sell prints of your work? If you sell prints, are they going to be limited edition, or always available? When I started out, I just started making whatever I felt like, but eventually learned I needed to be more organized. Figuring out if you're doing one-of-a-kind items instead of regularly featured items is going to change how you market your work.

Made in Lowell is a great example. Liz makes her cupcake pincushions and cup cozies in several different color combinations. This makes them appealing to a wider audience.



In my own shop, I want some of my pieces to be "widely accessible," so I make them in lots of different colors and have them as part of my regular stock.



Other items aren't exactly one of a kind, but I'm not really interested in making them in every possible color, like my Harlequin arm warmers. I enjoy making these, but if I had to figure out every possible color pairing, it would be too complicated. These will be limited to the colors I feel like using, and any specific requests.


Another example is Laura from Pansy Maiden. She offers her handbags in a few choice color combinations. She is very clear about the goals for her products, working with cruelty-free, vegan materials.



I also have one-of-a-kind items, which I don't plan to duplicate or make in multiple colors. These are the pieces that are labor intensive and use more expensive materials. The target audience for these is much smaller and more specific than with the other types of product lines.



This is a snippet of how I think about developing my products. What do you think of when developing new pieces for your shop?

Next time I'm going to talk about the pros and cons of custom work.

All images used with permission from their owners

Happy (Brazilian) Father's Day

Today is Father's Day back home.

Week in Snapshots

Happy weekend, friends! I wanted to share some snapshots of what I've been up to this week.





We're installing a patio! So exciting!

Salem: Jaho Coffee

Food is definitely one of the great love affairs of my life. I spend a lot of time day dreaming about food, and I kind of "collect" restaurants. Since I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves food, I will be sharing some of my favorite spots with you. To start off, I have to share Jaho Coffee in my home town. While technically a coffee shop and not a restaurant, this is an absolute must-visit if you come to Salem. They have a great selection of coffee and tea, old-fashioned glass bottles of coke (they taste so much better!), gelato and fantastic food. And they serve all their sandwiches on homemade focaccia bread.



it just tastes better.

a-ma-zing

New Design: The Harlequin Armwarmers

As Fall rapidly sneaks up on us, I am working hard to develop new designs in time for the cold weather. I like the simplicity of my Coffee House Mitts line which I designed a few weeks ago, but I wanted to try something a little more fun and with a touch of mischief. I am happy to present my brand new Harlequin Wrist Warmers.


The Harlequin Wrist Warmers in Dark Red and Burnt Orange

I don't think I'll make these in every possible color combination (I'm not sure I could even if I tried), but I would love to know - is there a color combination you think I absolutely need?

Outdoor Playtime

Things have been super busy and crazy over here, with so much to come for Toil & Trouble, but there's always a little time for cat playtime. Our cats are indoors only, but on lazy Saturday mornings we like to take them out on the porch. Munin loves being outside so much he spends most of his time rolling around. As a proud cat lady, I sometimes feel the need to share. I hope you enjoy!

Thoughts on Trends

As part of my decision to take my shop more seriously this year, I've spent a lot of time doing research - on everything. But mostly on merchandising trends as a way to increase visibility. I had always been more of a "I'm going to make what I want, when I want" but the truth is that paying attention to market demands makes a lot more sense for a business.

I was a bit skeptical, but as it turns out, the work did pay off. After two years of making treasuries based on my own whims, I started making treasuries that catered to the current market trends. And guess what? Yesterday, two of my treasuries made it to the Etsy front page. It has to mean I'm learning something, right?


Typophile

Shades of Harvest

Lowell: Folk Festival

On Saturday, Nate and I were lured to the annual Lowell Folk Festival with promises of crafts, music and meat on sticks. It was a great time and I got to see some of my friends selling their amazing handmade items. I brought home an excessive amount of pictures to share with you!





The lovely Liz of Made in Lowell


meat on a stick!

my favorite thing about fairs: fried dough

Eling of Migration Goods - she's the cutest!


Liz Rodriguez makes the most amazing ceramics!