Business in the Spotlight: A Treasured Something

                                          All about: A Treasured Something

Susan created  a small business called A Treasured Something. I spotted the gorgeous creations on Twitter and offered to do a blog post to showcase her business.

This is in Susan's words with some comments from me.

                                         Starting Out ....

Whilst I was at school I took Foundation Design and really enjoyed it. 

At the end of the school year, we were able to do exhibitions of our work and I put on one dedicated to The Teasle Family.  These were very much in during the early 1980s they were like little pompoms with a dress on and then a teasle head.  I then decided to make some stories with them and took photos on my old basic camera, had them developed at the chemist and put them in a book and wrote a little story about them living in my garden.  

I really enjoyed this and so did everyone who came to see my exhibition.

For many years then, art kind of fell by the wayside as work and gaining qualifications became more important. It wasn't really until about 10 years ago now that I started to pick it back up again, by looking into mixed media canvas paintings and decorating wine bottles and wine glasses.

                                                 My First Media Art Painting ....

I love this one so much because it reminds me 

of the sea with its wonderful colours and textures. 

I used a variety of mediums including broken 

jewellery, stamping and snow effects to give 

depth and texture to the painting.

It now hangs pride of place in my lounge to 

remind me of what I have achieved.

ME: I love the colours on this beautiful piece, it reminds me of the sea on a sunny day. 

Love the textures too, it's fabulous.

                

                              My Work Today .....

Over the past 10 years I have done a lot of different art and crafts, mainly for myself.  

                                     

One of the more unusual ones was making ornament goblets.

                                                                                

As a few of my friends were into Game of Thrones, I decided to get a few ordinary wine glasses and transform them into ornate Gothic style goblets.

ME: Aren't these fabulous? They really look the part. Such a great idea.

I enjoy diversifying into a variety of different mediums some have been pebble art, creating greeting cards and one of my loves at the moment is making miniature teddy bears and furry animals.  

As an artist and crafter I have found it very important to diversify in my work as it gives me ideals and inspiration.

 One of my favorite pieces has to be this little teddy bear and that is because I lost my little Pekingese in March this year and I popped some of her fur inside the teddy bear I had made so I could remember Hetty as she was my soul mate and will always be close to me.

ME: Such a wonderful idea, 

I am sure others would love something like this to remember a beloved pet and feel that they are still close. 

Susan's LINKS: 

ETSY: A Treasured Something

Ko-fi.com: A Treasured Something

Twitter: A Treasured Something

Facebook: A Treasured Something

Instagram: A Treasured Something

What do you think?

Did you enjoy this post about this lovely business? Do go and have a look, there are many beautiful pieces. Check out the social media pages. Why not follow to keep up to date with new products?

I love everything but especially the gorgeous Teddy bears, such glorious colours and so cute. They are not toys but fabulous collectables for adults to enjoy.

----------------------------------------

Your business:

If you would like to have your business in the spotlight contact me. 

You need to write out why you started your business and what your inspiration is. Your first creation, your favourite piece and why. Add pictures and all links.

Its a Pay It Forward because starting out I had help from other crafters.

Business in the Spotlight is Create England

 

Today's business in the Spotlight is: Create England

I discovered Andy of 'Create England' on Twitter:

On Twitter he is Andy@Create-England Please do go to visit and Follow him there for the latest news and creations.

How the Business started

From Andy:

I started my small business out of necessity. I had a bad episode of mental health issues that left me unable to get work. I don't like being bored so I got myself a sewing machine and taught myself the basics. I discovered that I really enjoyed it, being creative cleared my head and gave me a focus. I began to make and sell a few things.

Of course, then the Pandemic hit us and I was asked to make facemasks. I also started making laundry bags for the local hospital from old pillowcases. 

Making Bags

This then led me in to making bags which I now have a passion for. I like to make bags that are unique, strong, practical and look good too.

I purchased jeans, with broken buttons and zips, from the local charity shop and cut them up for the fabric to turn into bags.

My Take so far: 

I love this bag, looks good and is very practical. Eco friendly too, having been made from recycled fabric, which is just what we need to help the planet. What an easy way to do your bit for the environment, not only not using plastic but purchasing an eco friendly bag!

It's great to see and encourage those that want to help themselves to recovery from mental health issues as well as being determined to work no matter what!

Back to Andy:

When the charity shops closed due to Covid-19 I had to think of other ways to make bags. 

I had seen cushions made from lovely fabrics, so after looking into it, I decided to use that fabric to make some bags. And so my range of animal bags was born.

I continued to learn, innovate and improve my craft, something that, of course when you are doing something you love, never ends,

My Take on these:

I think these look absolutely gorgeous. There are a variety of bags available besides the ones you see here.

Do go and have a look. 

They come as shoppers as well as bags that zip up. Always useful to have a zipped option when out and about.

More from Andy:

Another thing I make on my website are letterbox post catchers. I started making them because my Mum struggled to pick up the post from the floor, so I wanted something to help her. She does find it much easier with her letterbox catcher but she complained that bills still come through too.

I think:

When I spotted those on the website I thought what a brilliant idea they are. Not just for those that struggle to pick up the post but for those with pets. Especially the ones that like to eat the post if they can or even just like to rip it or make it unreadable by chewing it to a pulp.

Then of course there are babies and small children. Crawling babies love anything that appears within reach and love nothing better than a good chew to help their gums while teething. Toddlers like to 'help' by opening the post even if the contents are no longer whole and sometimes they wander off with it and tuck it away safely somewhere unbeknown to parents.

So here is an unusual gift, a letterbox post catcher, that is ideal for yourself or to give to someone you know. Great for the elderly or those that struggle generally with mobility, for parents and pet owners too. 

Final words from Andy:

I am always thinking of ways to use fabric and as the offcuts built up I decided to make some patchwork bags. Each one is truly unique as I use what I have available and create them in my own innovative style. They are just as strong as the other bags because of the way I make them and the triple stitching on the 

Conclusion

A fabulous small business with a large range that includes cushions, drawstring bags and coin purses besides those items already explored here.

Had to include a little ditty for fun.

If you want to follow Andy on Instagram its HERE!

Ditto for Pinterest HERE!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Did you enjoy this blog post? Don't forget to check out the website and see what you think.

Starting your Business, Basics

Let me say upfront, that I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. Having said that, I have been selling online for over 10 years now. I love the freedom it gives me and has given me for years.

I made the leap to working fulltime for myself when I got made redundant. I gave myself 8 months, from May when I became redundant to January. 

I told myself that if it wasn't earning me a decent wage by then I would get another job. That's a great incentive, especially in the winter, when it's wonderful to not have to go out in the cold, the rain, snow and whatever else winter throws at us.

This is literally the basic bare bones to get you started. Which is still more than I had when I started. If I can do it, so can you!

How to get started!

Nowadays the internet is a big part of our lives and most of us are fairly internet savvy.

I knew nothing and had to learn it from the ground up. I hadn't even been on any social media sites at that point, so it was a big learning curve.

It was easiest to start on a selling platform for me. It is a good way to get started. It wasn't a thing then but now, many start on Facebook and some sell only on Facebook. Whether you sell on there or not, it is a good idea to have a business page anyway.

A shop

Wherever you sell from, you need good detailed descriptions and good quality photographs. 

WHY?

Because that is the only way your customer will get to know what it is like before buying. Photos show them and the description obviously describes it in more detail. This is what will sell your goods.

You will be charged a small amount to list each item and generally the listing will last for 3 months.

Any selling platform now tends to have clear set up instructions and videos to show you step by step.

You will learn to tag your items with terms that people search for and including such words in your description and Title. This is called SEO or Search Engine Optimisation. 

My Shops: Etsy & NOTHS

A website

You can build your own website which is easy enough to do. I know because I managed it several years back. I had it up and running in less than a week just spending a little time here and there when I could.

Many of the platforms that host websites will have a free basic starter site you can sign up for. 

Many crafters I knew just stayed with the free version, especially if they linked it back to their shop for selling.

My Website

Social Media

If you want to have your own business selling goods or services, you need people to find you. That is where social media comes in.

You get business pages on each platform, all free, and start to build each one. Logo, business name a little bit about you and a link to your shop or website. You can usually only add one link. 

That is where a website is useful as you can add a button for any shops or social media.

Which Ones!

The main and important social media platforms are probably ones you use all the time; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. 

There are others but don't overload yourself at the start as you need to use them regularly and interact with others to gain followers. 

The more followers you have, the more people that will get to see what you have to offer as your followers comment and share your posts. 

What else?

If you are making goods, keep making. In quiet times, yes there will always be times where you sell less than other times. Design new products, get on social media and get busy gaining followers. The more you do towards building those followers the more your business and goods will get seen.

TAX: Get registered with your local tax office. Even if you don't make much at first, it is very important to ensure your business is legitimate. I have heard about people being caught and fined because tax offices look online for those that haven't registered.

Yes there are a lot of new businesses springing up and there were lots before the Pandemic brought more. So is it overcrowded? 

With 4.6 BILLION people using the internet worldwide as of November 2020 (more now) I don't think we need to worry too much. 

The Internet is a growing business market, so get in there and get started.

Now is the time! A ditty!

         

Time to take the leap?

Most people are fed with working for someone else and having their working hours dictated by someone else. 

You know what they say about a J.O.B.? Just Over Broke!

I'm not interested in watching Television, so the evening is a great time for me to work. My daytime hours are decided by family and what else I have to do. 

In normal times I travel to stay with family at least 3 times a month, then my working hours change accordingly.

Yes it's hard work but it's for YOU!

Motivating tips for working from home.

Don't let fear hold you back

-------------------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed this post on the basics of starting a business. 

Sometimes basics are all you need. It can be very easy to get caught up in research on what to do and never actually make the start.

When I began over 10 years ago, I had no idea what online selling entailed. I decided and went for it, built it up alongside a job, home and family. 

I LOVE every minute of it!!

-----------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for visiting, hope you enjoyed the post.

Questions and comments welcome.

5 Must Do's when business is slow

Pandemic makes it different!

This year, of course, is likely to be different, with so many lockdowns and restrictions in many places around the world. The Covid-19 virus keeps mutating and new versions springing up that are more infectious causing more problems around the world.

Many new businesses have sprung up, necessity being the mother of invention, there are some fabulous new ideas out there now.

My local Post Office is always busy in the run up to Christmas but this year it was even more so. They usually have January to recover, but not this time. Yesterday they reported that there hadn't been any slow down, they are still very busy. 

That is good for me and other locals especially as it means our Post Office won't get shut down like so many in recent years.

It is good for all the online sellers as it keeps them busy.

In normal times!

Traditionally January and February are slow for crafters.
Why?
Christmas has gone, winter drags on, many people are spent out. 

Those are some of the reasons. It's the way I always thought when I designed and crocheted accessories. It was the general consensus, everyone agreed and had sales to get stuff moving.

There often seemed to be a lull in the summer too once the children finished school. Though I think this has changed more now with most people using their phones for so much online activity. 

Sales are good right?

Not really. They are great to move the last few items of a line you no longer intend to make for one reason or another. Or to get rid of surplus supplies.

Early on in my crafting business, I would have a sale every time business went slow. It did produce sales but I wasn't making very much at all, covering costs and a tiny amount for my time.

If you only want a hobby, that is fine. If you want a long term business, it just doesn't work.

The answer!

The answer was surprisingly simple.

I was saying on a forum that I only seemed to sell when I had a sale. 

A long term, well established seller just responded with: Don't have sales. She pointed out that if you have them regularly, people will just wait for the next one rather than pay full price.

It was a light bulb moment, such an obvious truth.

I needed to sit out slow times and find other things to do, that would help my business.

What you can do!

1). Get your accounts up to date.

 It's very easy to let them slide, especially when you are busy. It becomes a habit to continually think, 'I will do that tomorrow or next week'. The result is usually a massive job as you panic at the last minute.

How do I know? I still do it every year. Maybe this year ...........

2). Clear out your workspace. 

Whether it's a craft room, the spare room, half of another room, it needs sorting out and tidying up. It's also a good thing to do when inspiration does a runner.

Why?

If it's because it's quiet, it will make life easier when you get busy again. If it's departed inspiration it will help revitalise it. 

I rarely finished tidying my space because I would come across half finished things abandoned for something more exciting. Or scraps with drawings of ideas I had had. Sometimes it would be some yarn or a particular colour that would set me off and just like that the inspiration was back full force.

3). Grow your social media accounts! 

When you are busy, this is something that doesn't get as much attention. I found I would do the basics necessary and when extra busy, social media was dropped in favour of getting the orders out. 

It is important to prioritise.

With time on your hands though, rather than bewailing the lack of orders on social media, decide to grow it.

How?

Interact with people, comment on and share their posts/tweets. If they follow you, then follow them back, as long as their timeline/newsfeed doesn't have anything you don't like in it. Spend half an hour or so twice a day doing this and you will increase your followers. 

I found Twitter was my best social media platform for generating orders so I spent more time growing that one and it paid off in spades. I now have 29.3k followers and that makes a big difference in encouraging sales.

4). Try different crafts. 

It's not only fun but you could end up with new products to sell. At the very least you could end up with a new hobby you find enjoyable and relaxing. If you are a crafter, there are invariably other crafts you have looked at and thought you would like to have a go at 'when you have time'.

5). New Ideas

If not trying new crafts then play around with ideas for new products or designs. Just having the time to play with it can have amazing results and its fun too. 

If you are anything like me, I would often jot things down, odd words, drawings etc in a notebook or on various scraps of paper to hand at the time, you will have some notes on ideas to try. 

Get them all out, decipher them and play around, have fun and come up with new ideas. 

Nothing like new products in an online shop to bring people back.

A bit of rhyme for you!

The pandemic had me rhyming again

I think it helped to keep me sane.

Once I start I go into rhyming mode

I seem to hit the mother lode.

My brain just rhymes whatever I see

once more the verses are part of me.

This one is to tell you to get to work

this is definitely not the time to shirk.

Millions and billions are looking to buy

Get yourself out there, don't be shy.

Get out the trumpet, blow your horn

don't hide away, looking forlorn.

This is great time to sell online

arrange your goods, so they look fine.

Help people find what they need

and know you're doing a good deed!

Another day I will add several of the new ditties/verses I have done over the last few months.

I know many of you seemed to like the rhymes.

It became something I did.It feels good to get back into blogging again.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope you enjoyed the post, if you did please share. If you didn't share it with someone you aren't keen on, lol.

Personalise Crafts & Gifts with Embroidery

No matter what the gift giving occasion, a personalized gift always shows the recipient that you took the time to select a special gift just for them. Whether you are attending a birthday party, baby shower, or wedding, a personalised gift shows that you care and that you feel the gift recipient is special. One of the easiest ways to present your recipient with a personalised gift is through personalisation with simple embroidery.

What is Embroidery?                  

  VEYLIN 5 Pack Embroidery Starter Kit  

                   

                  

Embroidery is the handicraft of decorating fabric with designs stitched with thread or yarn.  Embroidery can be done by hand or by a sewing machine.  It can also include the addition of beads, quills, pearls, metals, and other objects.  Embroidery can be done free-form or with the use of a pattern.                           
The art of embroidery has been around for thousands of years or longer. People all over the world have been using it to personalize and decorate their garments and home décor for ages. Embroidery is simple to do and allows you the freedom to create some very beautiful works of art.

You can embroider by hand, which takes time but can be very relaxing and enjoyable. It can also be done by machine where the art is more in the designing than the doing I believe.

If you love gadgets and haven't looked at sewing machines in years, if ever, you will love the way they have evolved. Nowadays they are multifunctional, they don't just sew clothes, now they overlock, quilt and embroider too.

Having had a look, I have to say there are some gorgeous sewing machines available. I have seen machine embroidery and it looks stunning. Well worth considering.

I think its fun to have a go

you'll even have something to show

for the effort you have put in

I see that as a win win.

Something to while away the day

now that we are shut away.

Don't complain, not a groan

or even the tiniest moan.

If it saves the lives of just a few

then its the least that we can do.

The doctors and nurses so weary

losing so many is making them teary.

All we have to do is stay inside

while they hang on for the scary ride.

What and Where?                                                                 

Caydo Embroidery Kit 

Anything fabric or cloth can easily be embroidered upon. You do not have to possess any special skills to be able to personalise items using embroidery. All you really need is some colorful embroidery threads and a needle. You can draw your own design or buy ready printed designs on fabric or even get iron on transfers.

Some of the easiest things to embroider on are clothing and towels. Baby showers are becoming popular here in the UK now and it makes the gift special if the baby's name is embroidered onto baby clothes, towels or blankets. It just adds a very special personal touch.Of course not every new Mother to be wants to know the gender of the baby and even those that do know haven't always decided on a name. In that case you can give the gift and offer to add the name afterwards.

Personalised wedding presents are also popular. The happy couples names and even the date can be added to towels, tea towels or a wall hanging. It just makes the gift even more personal to have it hand sewn.

Children.

 Portable Sewing Machine,

Children love to learn crafts and you can get basic sewing sets with large blunt needles for basic embroidering of pictures. 

Then as they become older can also learn more advanced hand or machine embroidery if they are so inclined. 

There are sewing machines for children from 6 years old apparently. Not sure I would give a sewing machine to a 6 year old, maybe 8 or 9 years. Depends upon the child I suppose.

Crafts went out of fashion for a number of years but are once again very popular with new crafts appearing often.

Personalised gifts are the ones you likely remember the most from your childhood even though they were probably not the most expensive presents you were given by loved ones. Fun items to personalise and give to a child include; backpacks, lunch bags, sleeping bags, clothing or even a special beach or bath towel just for them. You could embroider their initials, their name, or even a small motif of something they are interested in.

Give it a go!

There are many books on the subject available to buy or borrow from your local library, once they are open again.

  Ribbon Embroidery Kit          

From the website:     

                                                                  

• The ribbon embroidery kit include pillowcase, ribbon, needles, instruction, drawings. (pillow core not included)
• High-quality materials: strictly selected materials, the pillow cover made of suede fabric, soft and comfortable.
• The ribbon is soft in texture and bright in color, with sufficient amount according to the pattern.
• Size: the size of the embroidery pillow is about 45*45 cm. Please confirm the size before buying.
• It can be used for sofa pillows, pillow head covers, elegant yet exquisite, fashionable choice of furniture matching.

Craft books and magazines often have lots of ideas  and even patterns you can adapt for whatever you are embroidering.
 You can also find patterns online and they will be in your local craft store too if you have one and if they survive the lockdown.  Embroidery threads will probably only be available online at the moment, so it might be a good idea to try a craft kit
If it does go wrong and you aren't happy just pull it out and start again.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with your embroidery and come up with your own unique designs. There aren't any real mistakes in embroidery; just adjust the picture you were making, it's not as if anyone will know.
If it does go wrong and you aren't happy just pull  it out and start again.




Personalising your gifts with some embroidery will make your gift recipient happy and at the same time show them that you went the extra mile to give a present that is so personal and special.

Have fun with your creating.



-------------------------------------------

Thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoyed this blog post with another idea to keep you occupied for a while at home.

Please share for others to enjoy.

Questions and comments welcome.

Candle Making fun

Natural Beeswax Kit

 

                                                Candle Making

Making your own candles is a favorite craft and/or hobby for lots of people. It can be fun to try different methods and get creative with colours and shapes.
Worth doing some research on the best types of wax to do if you are new to it. I think natural wax's, soy and beeswax are better purely because they give off up to 90% less soot so less polluting for your home. Using essential oils to scent them with is also better than commercial parfums.
Making your own can be more economical than buying them as good quality candles can be expensive.

Stress Reducing.

Any craft can be enjoyable and relaxing, excellent to do in times of stress. Also very good for the world situation as it is now with so many of us confined to our homes due to Corona virus. Lockdown is necessary but it can be difficult to suddenly have freedom of movement curtailed.
Losing yourself in the creative process can be very therapeutic.


What's available?

There are plenty of books on candle making that can provide everything from basic instructions, tips, and creative ideas to make beautiful candles. Many of the books will have an illustrated step by step guide with the instructions.
There are of course other resources, such as You Tube for instructions. The beauty of video of course, is that you can stop and start it as required.
Once things are back to normal, the library too can be a great resource and many areas will have candle makers that offer classes.


                     Crafting can reduce stress
                   even though it makes a mess.
                      The sheer joy of making
                     whether candles or baking.
                Try different crafts to find the one
                    that enthralls so you are gone
                    to a far away place of delight
            where your mind goes when it takes flight.
                Where imagination soars and leaps
              in a way that says, this ones for keeps!

DIY Easy Step By Step Guide to Making Scented Soy & Beeswax Candles and Wax Melts at Home 

This book published in 2018 is a good guide

with details on equipment, supplies and safety. Before going into the making process. 

It goes through the making of different types of candles as well as the best fragrances to combine and use.

Making Candles and Soaps For Dummies 

Instructions to make floating candles and herbal soaps. Learn the secrets of color, shape, and scent in an easy and enjoyable way. 
Whether you're a beginner or seasoned craft person, this fun book offers everything you need to make beautiful, professional-looking candles and soaps at home. 
There are practical tips on dyeing and scenting wax, using unusual molds and adding embellishments to your candles too.
Even some practical tips on turning your hobby into a business.
What more could you want.

House of Crafts Candlemaking Craft Kit

• Make your own candles
• This kit is packed full with creative new ideas within this ever-popular pastime
• Ideal for gifts
• Kit includes wax pellets, candle moulds, coloured dyes, fragrance oil, bulb pipette, wicks, wick rods, mould sealer and full instructions

Practical Uses.

Candle making can be fun to learn. Its wonderful to make your own candles and also give them as gifts. They can also be useful to make as part of the decor for a wedding. Making things you can use yourself gives great satisfaction as well as a sense of achievement.

If you continue to enjoy the creative craft you could even turn your hobby into a business. Especially going the eco friendly natural route as they are becoming so popular.

-------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed this blog post, if you did please share.
Questions and comments welcome.
Thank you for visiting.