UNIQUE JEWELRY
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Hope Stones Unique Jewelry Designs.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
So if you actually read this Blog there is 2 days worth
of awesome small biz and marketing information you should read lol
Most Read
- before & after: salvaged-wood wall
- Best Loved Peeks
- design online: a response to the ny times story on online magazines
- sneak peek: myriam balaÿ-devidal
- sneak peek: courtney & michael adamo
- sneak peek: maayan pearl
- sneak peek: karen kimmel and james bond
- sneak peek: winky lewis & alex millspaugh
- Welcome to the new Design*Sponge!
- sneak peek: paul & jordan ferney
YOU CAN NOT MISS THIS!!
VENDORS? ARE YOU GETTING PAID WHAT YOU ARE WORTH?!? CHECK THIS OUT. THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT. MANY ARE NEEDED TO MAKE THIS WORK.IT WILL WORK, IT HAS WORKED IN THE PAST. CHECK OUT THIS PAGE ON FACEBOOK, CLICK 'LIKE' AND READ THE NOTES SECTION. ALL INFO NEEDED IS IN THE NOTES SECTION!!
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Tuesday, June 21, 2011
From a Wise Woman =)
- Social Networking 101
- Hard and Fast Rules of Branding
- Etsy 101
- Tutorial: Felt Flower Embellishments
- tutorial: making personalized notepads
- Industry Expert FAQ: Top Questions Ask Before Starting A Home Based Craft Business
- The 4 Things Miss Modish is Doing to Market her Business this Year (that you should do too)
- Underselling: Why Discomfort is a Terrible Pricing Strategy
- Copycats & Copyright: Keeping Our Handmade Community Safe
- Giveaway Guidelines: To Give or Not to Give
- Taking the Icky Out of Image Sourcing
- bloesem kids
- Cool Mom Picks
- Craft, Inc.
- Crafting an MBA
- Creature Comforts
- Daily Candy Kids
- Design*Sponge biz ladies
- Etsy
- I Heart Handmade
- Junior Society
- LMNOP
- ModEco Kids
- Modern Handmade Child
- modish BIZtips
- Poppytalk Handmade
- Q&A with the OMHG Contributors
- Scoutie Girl
- Small Magazine
- Sweet Paul
- The Rik Rak Studio
- Try Handmade
- We Love Indie
sourcing at craft shows: a shopkeeper’s perspective
After the buying season at the big gift shows, a good community craft show is like a shot of espresso for my tchotchke-weary eyes.
Though I’ve never actually counted, I’d say during the course of the average convention center-sized show I shuffle past hundreds of booths, stopping at maybe a couple dozen to take a closer look at the wares. After a while it definitely feels like work. And it is: buying for the shop is serious business, and my single biggest expense. But stocking the shelves should be fun too, and for that you can’t beat the thrill of the hunt at a craft show.
Craft shows are normally geared to consumers and not to retailers, but my spidey sense tingles if I come across something great, whether it’s at a church bazaar (handknit dolls!), a local art show, or major craft event.
After introducing myself and professing my sincere love for their work, I will politely ask a booth owner if they wholesale – all the while keeping my fingers crossed because I find the question often comes as a surprise, especially to folks just starting out.
It seems like an easy question: either you do or you don’t wholesale, but you’d be surprised at the number of times I’ve worked out a deal on the spot. It’s good to know the answer in case a retailer – large or small – falls in love with your product. Let’s assume that you do indeed want to develop a wholesale business in addition to your retail sales. You’ll need to tackle a few essentials first:
Though I’ve never actually counted, I’d say during the course of the average convention center-sized show I shuffle past hundreds of booths, stopping at maybe a couple dozen to take a closer look at the wares. After a while it definitely feels like work. And it is: buying for the shop is serious business, and my single biggest expense. But stocking the shelves should be fun too, and for that you can’t beat the thrill of the hunt at a craft show.
Photo courtesy of www.Lockette.etsy.com
After introducing myself and professing my sincere love for their work, I will politely ask a booth owner if they wholesale – all the while keeping my fingers crossed because I find the question often comes as a surprise, especially to folks just starting out.
It seems like an easy question: either you do or you don’t wholesale, but you’d be surprised at the number of times I’ve worked out a deal on the spot. It’s good to know the answer in case a retailer – large or small – falls in love with your product. Let’s assume that you do indeed want to develop a wholesale business in addition to your retail sales. You’ll need to tackle a few essentials first:
- Pricing: Wholesale Vs Retail. The usual retail mark-up, sometimes called keystone pricing, is double the wholesale cost. I buy a hat from you for $14, and I sell it for $28. The challenge is finding the sweet spot between what you need to charge to make money and what the market will bear. Price too high and your business will be stuck in first gear. Price too low and you may have lots of sales, but you won’t have any profit with which to grow. I’ve fallen in love with many an Etsy seller, only to find that their “retail” pricing is also their “wholesale” pricing. If they can’t sell it for twice the price, chances are neither can I – and I’d never want a customer to feel ripped off if they found it on Etsy for half the price.
- Inventory. Do you have on-hand inventory to sell wholesale? If not, what is your lead-time to produce more? Retailers will want to know – especially if it’s a seasonal buy. It may be easier (and more profitable) to offer select products for wholesale, rather than your entire range.
- Minimums. Many wholesalers require an initial minimum purchase, which can be as low as $100 or as high as $1000. No minimum order is always attractive to retailers, because it lets us try a small buy, and if it sells, we’ll definitely be back. But at a craft show, if you’re prepared to sell wholesale on the spot, it’s common practice to specify a modest minimum order.
- Consignment. This can be a great way to get your product into a store and in front of customers and a no-risk way for a retailer to try a new product. Everybody wins. The usual split is 60/40 with 60% of the selling price going to you. The retailer returns any unsold merchandise after the trial period (1 – 3 months is standard).
- Documentation. Find out what state/provincial tax identification or business registration information you need from retailers who are buying for resale. If you are not charging sales tax on resale purchases, you need to keep a record of those ID numbers.
- Retailer support. We love when you have great hi-res product images we can use. And a retailer link list on your site. And when you keep in touch to tell us about new products and to ask how things are selling for us. You’ll gain feedback on your products, packaging and price in the bargain.
Where did your creative spark begin?
1. Where did your creative spark begin-can you trace the path/timeline that got you to where you are today?
Looking back and finding the roots of your creativity/entrepreneurship can help you see the path you have taken & how it connects with your current passions. Sometimes things that don’t seem related really are once you start looking at them in the right way. Your masters in Literature, awful job, love for fabric etc. influenced the path you are on right now, just connect the dots.
2. What inspires your creativity?
This is such an open ended question, anything from blogs/magazines to walking on the beach counts. Your creative space, a certain color, 4am in the morning, your children….this is what makes your creative process unique. Images, links, palettes-make use of them, you don’t just have to tell your story in words. This is my favourite bio of all time.
3. Where do you live & how does it influence you?
Maybe this looks like a boring question but I think it is super interesting & can go so many places if you are creative. What is your community/home/family/town/city like? Do you shop at a local market or boutique, love the path behind your house, have a gorgeous garden or an interesting neighbourhood? Tell people-you would be amazed at how many stories are waiting right in your own backyard.
4. How have you grown your business from an idea to where it is now?
People are interested in the journey not just the destination. They want to follow your path and see how you have built your business from the ground up. This is the real meat of your story! Every success story began somewhere so get started telling yours now. It doesn’t have to be perfect or finished-it just has to be real.
5. What do you create with & why?
Tools & materials are more interesting then they get the credit for-I am always fascinated by how makers transform raw materials, a blank page or screen into something incredible. If you move pixels around cool! If you shear sheep & dye the wool, let us know! Photographing your materials in beautiful ways is also a great addition to bios/websites & even product listings + can help inspire your own process.
6. Do you keep a journal or sketchbook? Can you show me your workspace or a part of your process?
Just like the above question, people want to see inside your life & connect with you. Where you work & part of the behind the scenes process is a powerful way to share your story visually. Even just a jar of pencils photographed the right way can make a statement about your work.
7. What did you overcome to be here now?
We all overcome somehow, no matter how “boring” you think your story is (I don’t think there are any boring stories just ones that aren’t told with heart). Maybe you had to overcome loss or difficulties, lay-offs & unpredicted babies or maybe you needed to push past shyness or lack of self confidence or a job you didn’t love. You don’t have to share these stories/vulnerability all at once you can include little pieces in posts/descriptions/interviews to help your network connect with you more over time.
8. What have you learned so far about business/creativity that you can share with others?
The most powerful part of storytelling is the ability to share lessons and make the road a bit easier for others. It doesn’t have to be anything big, maybe you learned to relist on Etsy more often, rewrite your content, take different pictures. Did you redo your branding, change your marketing, collaborate on a project or launch a new product? This is all fuel for storytelling, there are lessons in all of those things and an opportunity to share your knowledge.
9. Where are you headed?
What does the future hold for you? Do you have big plans, a new project, a feature in the works or connections you are building? Show off! Give people a look into what you are doing & pique their curiosity, make them want to come back and visit your rising star!
10. How can people connect with you?
Sharing your blog & your links + maybe a few highlights of your favourite posts or telling the world you have a love of Twitter is a great way to show that you are interested in building a relationship with people outside of your interview. Same goes if you are using this for a bio-make sure you keep it easy to find you and show you are willing to take the story off the page.
Looking back and finding the roots of your creativity/entrepreneurship can help you see the path you have taken & how it connects with your current passions. Sometimes things that don’t seem related really are once you start looking at them in the right way. Your masters in Literature, awful job, love for fabric etc. influenced the path you are on right now, just connect the dots.
2. What inspires your creativity?
This is such an open ended question, anything from blogs/magazines to walking on the beach counts. Your creative space, a certain color, 4am in the morning, your children….this is what makes your creative process unique. Images, links, palettes-make use of them, you don’t just have to tell your story in words. This is my favourite bio of all time.
3. Where do you live & how does it influence you?
Maybe this looks like a boring question but I think it is super interesting & can go so many places if you are creative. What is your community/home/family/town/city like? Do you shop at a local market or boutique, love the path behind your house, have a gorgeous garden or an interesting neighbourhood? Tell people-you would be amazed at how many stories are waiting right in your own backyard.
4. How have you grown your business from an idea to where it is now?
People are interested in the journey not just the destination. They want to follow your path and see how you have built your business from the ground up. This is the real meat of your story! Every success story began somewhere so get started telling yours now. It doesn’t have to be perfect or finished-it just has to be real.
5. What do you create with & why?
Tools & materials are more interesting then they get the credit for-I am always fascinated by how makers transform raw materials, a blank page or screen into something incredible. If you move pixels around cool! If you shear sheep & dye the wool, let us know! Photographing your materials in beautiful ways is also a great addition to bios/websites & even product listings + can help inspire your own process.
6. Do you keep a journal or sketchbook? Can you show me your workspace or a part of your process?
Just like the above question, people want to see inside your life & connect with you. Where you work & part of the behind the scenes process is a powerful way to share your story visually. Even just a jar of pencils photographed the right way can make a statement about your work.
7. What did you overcome to be here now?
We all overcome somehow, no matter how “boring” you think your story is (I don’t think there are any boring stories just ones that aren’t told with heart). Maybe you had to overcome loss or difficulties, lay-offs & unpredicted babies or maybe you needed to push past shyness or lack of self confidence or a job you didn’t love. You don’t have to share these stories/vulnerability all at once you can include little pieces in posts/descriptions/interviews to help your network connect with you more over time.
8. What have you learned so far about business/creativity that you can share with others?
The most powerful part of storytelling is the ability to share lessons and make the road a bit easier for others. It doesn’t have to be anything big, maybe you learned to relist on Etsy more often, rewrite your content, take different pictures. Did you redo your branding, change your marketing, collaborate on a project or launch a new product? This is all fuel for storytelling, there are lessons in all of those things and an opportunity to share your knowledge.
9. Where are you headed?
What does the future hold for you? Do you have big plans, a new project, a feature in the works or connections you are building? Show off! Give people a look into what you are doing & pique their curiosity, make them want to come back and visit your rising star!
10. How can people connect with you?
Sharing your blog & your links + maybe a few highlights of your favourite posts or telling the world you have a love of Twitter is a great way to show that you are interested in building a relationship with people outside of your interview. Same goes if you are using this for a bio-make sure you keep it easy to find you and show you are willing to take the story off the page.
STEAMPUNK ETSY COMING SOON
http://www.etsy.com/shop/hopestones ADDING NEW STUFF NOW....Steampunk jewelry style is a blend of 19th century Victorian history and science fiction. "Steam" referencing steam powered mechanics of the Victorian era and "punk" referring to the cyberpunk genre. This Victorian style Steampunk pendant and necklace was created (by me) with a Victorian circle metal filigree, crackled watch dial, clock hand and other gears and parts
ON SALE AT ETSY http://www.etsyonsale.com/shop/hopestones
ON SALE AT ETSY http://www.etsyonsale.com/shop/hopestones
Monday, June 20, 2011
BABIES DYING FROM THIS
BRAIN TUMORS
DONT FIND A CURE FOR ME, FIND ONE FOR THE BABIES, THIS MAKES ME SICK.
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DONT FIND A CURE FOR ME, FIND ONE FOR THE BABIES, THIS MAKES ME SICK.
Payten Marie was born with an Immature Brain Teratoma on July 17th 2009... only a 1/45million chance of it happening! They told us she probably wouldn't live for more then a few hours to live after birth... she lived for 10 weeks and 1 day!! We will never forget our little angel Payten Marie 7-17-09 - 9-26-09
"Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier."
This is no ordinary day. It’s unique, it’s special, and there’s never been another one like it.
This day, filled with new possibilities, will never come again. Truly it is a treasure you’ve been fortunate enough to receive, and you can do with it what you wish.
You can choose to embrace this day’s unique value and create even more value with it. You can decide to stand up, step forward and live this day with all the richness and joy you can imagine.
All sorts of fortunate circumstances have come together to place you in this unique and beautiful day. Now is your opportunity to make the most of that good fortune.
For each difficult challenge, there are a thousand positive possibilities. From every disappointment, come new opportunities for meaningful joy.
Open yourself to the beauty of life that is all around you right now, on this very day. This is a beautiful day, and it is yours right now to live.
This day, filled with new possibilities, will never come again. Truly it is a treasure you’ve been fortunate enough to receive, and you can do with it what you wish.
You can choose to embrace this day’s unique value and create even more value with it. You can decide to stand up, step forward and live this day with all the richness and joy you can imagine.
All sorts of fortunate circumstances have come together to place you in this unique and beautiful day. Now is your opportunity to make the most of that good fortune.
For each difficult challenge, there are a thousand positive possibilities. From every disappointment, come new opportunities for meaningful joy.
Open yourself to the beauty of life that is all around you right now, on this very day. This is a beautiful day, and it is yours right now to live.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Fathers Day
Sooner rather than later, your plans will be disrupted. Something will break down, someone will forget, or the weather will turn nasty.
Life rarely proceeds exactly as planned. Even so, you can find a way to proceed, and to succeed, in fulfilling your intentions.
Don’t make the disruptions worse by complaining, second-guessing, or feeling sorry for yourself. Quickly accept that whatever has happened, has happened, and do what you must do to deal with it.
Yes, you’d much rather be doing what you originally planned. So remind yourself that the fastest way to get back to what you planned is by accepting and addressing the disruption.
Instead of worrying about finding fault, put your energy into finding a way forward. Instead of envisioning all sorts of negative scenarios that might result, focus on the positive, effective actions you can take.
Your life will never be completely free of disruptions. Yet you are always free to move quickly, decisively and positively past each one.
Life rarely proceeds exactly as planned. Even so, you can find a way to proceed, and to succeed, in fulfilling your intentions.
Don’t make the disruptions worse by complaining, second-guessing, or feeling sorry for yourself. Quickly accept that whatever has happened, has happened, and do what you must do to deal with it.
Yes, you’d much rather be doing what you originally planned. So remind yourself that the fastest way to get back to what you planned is by accepting and addressing the disruption.
Instead of worrying about finding fault, put your energy into finding a way forward. Instead of envisioning all sorts of negative scenarios that might result, focus on the positive, effective actions you can take.
Your life will never be completely free of disruptions. Yet you are always free to move quickly, decisively and positively past each one.
Life brings you great and wonderful gifts each day. Be aware, be appreciative, and be willing to make the best use of every one.
Often, the most valuable of life’s gifts don’t look very appealing when you first encounter them. They appear as demanding problems and complicated challenges.
Be appreciative anyway, and soon you’ll begin to see the positive value that’s hidden in those difficulties. Be appreciative, and you’ll discover ways to make meaningful use of that value.
What you have may not seem like much, yet within what you already have is your connection to all you could ever desire. Truly appreciate what you already have, what you already know, what you already can do, and you’ll activate that connection to limitless abundance.
Be appreciative of the truth, even when it is painful. Be appreciative of each moment, of each circumstance, of each encounter, for everything can add richness to your life when you allow it.
Be appreciative of whatever may come. And you’ll see your own unique way to make it great.
Often, the most valuable of life’s gifts don’t look very appealing when you first encounter them. They appear as demanding problems and complicated challenges.
Be appreciative anyway, and soon you’ll begin to see the positive value that’s hidden in those difficulties. Be appreciative, and you’ll discover ways to make meaningful use of that value.
What you have may not seem like much, yet within what you already have is your connection to all you could ever desire. Truly appreciate what you already have, what you already know, what you already can do, and you’ll activate that connection to limitless abundance.
Be appreciative of the truth, even when it is painful. Be appreciative of each moment, of each circumstance, of each encounter, for everything can add richness to your life when you allow it.
Be appreciative of whatever may come. And you’ll see your own unique way to make it great.
Express your true desires in your thoughts, and you have a dream. Express those true desires in your words, and you have a plan.
Express your desires in your actions, persistently and consistently. And you have the attainment of whatever you desire.
Whatever it is you desire to have, to be, or to experience, already exists within the realm of possibility. The more fully you express that desire, the more completely it appears in your life.
Fulfillment is not a matter of getting something you don’t have. It is a matter of fully expressing something you know is already there.
The difference between possibility and reality comes with the living of that possibility. Live the possibilities with all you are, and you make them real.
Whatever you can imagine has already been created in the vast and endless field of possibilities. Think it, speak it, act on it, live it, and let it unfold for all the world to celebrate and enjoy.
Express your desires in your actions, persistently and consistently. And you have the attainment of whatever you desire.
Whatever it is you desire to have, to be, or to experience, already exists within the realm of possibility. The more fully you express that desire, the more completely it appears in your life.
Fulfillment is not a matter of getting something you don’t have. It is a matter of fully expressing something you know is already there.
The difference between possibility and reality comes with the living of that possibility. Live the possibilities with all you are, and you make them real.
Whatever you can imagine has already been created in the vast and endless field of possibilities. Think it, speak it, act on it, live it, and let it unfold for all the world to celebrate and enjoy.
When you feel the need to complain about the way things are, remember this. There’s something you could be doing right now to improve the situation.
Before you spend a lot of effort looking for someone to blame, look for ways to move things forward. Consider what you can now do to make a positive contribution.
There’s little to be gained by pointing out what is wrong unless you find a way to begin making it right. Instead of dwelling on the problems, focus on the opportunities they present.
Experience how much more satisfying it is to put your energy into moving forward rather than looking backward. Even when the situation is not at all your fault, the most effective option is to take responsibility.
What’s happened has happened, and no amount of finger pointing can change that. Quickly direct your attention to the many positive and valuable things you can do now.
Instead of being grumpy, be grateful for the opportunities that are now available. Choose to take positive action, and there’s no limit to the real progress you can make.
Before you spend a lot of effort looking for someone to blame, look for ways to move things forward. Consider what you can now do to make a positive contribution.
There’s little to be gained by pointing out what is wrong unless you find a way to begin making it right. Instead of dwelling on the problems, focus on the opportunities they present.
Experience how much more satisfying it is to put your energy into moving forward rather than looking backward. Even when the situation is not at all your fault, the most effective option is to take responsibility.
What’s happened has happened, and no amount of finger pointing can change that. Quickly direct your attention to the many positive and valuable things you can do now.
Instead of being grumpy, be grateful for the opportunities that are now available. Choose to take positive action, and there’s no limit to the real progress you can make.
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Breast Cancer Bracelets
Breast Cancer Bracelets