Tuesday, April 26, 2011

there's no place for fear!



I read this quote again yesterday:

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do” 

             ~Eleanor Roosevelt


Could chasing down Rachael Ray and giving her this ring be considered guerilla marketing?


I'm trying, this year, and hopefully forever after, to confront head on the things that scare me.  I've always used generalities "Artists create, we don't like to put ourselves out there"  which may be true of some, but at Shop Crafty a week ago I learned it's not true of all.  My neighbors were social masters!  (and they sold accordingly!)  

So, yesterday Mrs. Eleanor reminded me that I must do the thing I think I cannot do.  Which in this case is introduce myself to shops.  I actually felt a little bit nauseous just thinking about it, still do, but also yesterday I got an email from one of the crafty business momma sites I follow The Mogul Mom, offering a two day e-course on Pitch Marketing from Justine Smith.   I'm not suggesting you take the course too, I'm just marveling at the direction the universe takes.  For $47.00 though, I'll take it, even if it tells me things I already know it's going to be like a shot of information courage, which is really what I need right now.

Also, I love Etsy and I plan to have a presence there forever, but I'm not going to make it as a not-getting-a-real-job Crafty Mastermind without wholesale contracts.  


Thursday, April 21, 2011

Pantone Spring 2011 Color Forecast. Not an ugly color in the bunch!

Seriously, some years... you know, it's all burnt sienna and meconium, not this year!

This year, love every color!   And while we're two months from summer you've got plenty of time to work these colors into your spring and summer designs, unless you're way more organized than I am and you have your stock made months in advance.


I don't know about you but I'm going nail polish shopping!

Friday, April 15, 2011

My Probable Shop Crafty Display, in My Living Room.



I've got 6 x 8 feet of display space and the 6 foot length is the opening of my booth.  I'm nervous because I know people don't love having to walk into a booth but there's no way I'm setting up a 6 foot table and calling it a day while ignoring the glorious depth, so 7 feet of narrow table down one side with a slatted door at the end leave 4 feet of open walking in and out space.

I've got hundreds of pieces of beaded jewelry to chose from so I'm only bringing things in candy colors and where that red thing is leaning against my shelf will actually be a piece of sheet metal screwed in for magnets! 

I think it will play!  I'll let you know tomorrow!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Everybody wants more Facebook fans!



107 awesome suggestions to increase your fan base and Facebook exposure.

The Entreprenette is an awesome source of info and help,  I definitely suggest signing up for her emails!
http://theentreprenettegazette.com/

Monday, April 11, 2011

Shop Crafty 2011 Saturday! Saturday! Saturday!



Unrepeatables and 61 other Artists will be hawking our wares and sharing crafty joy with you this Saturday at The Marchesa where The Lone Star Ladies present Shop Crafty.   Hopefully all of my obsessive booth picture searching pays off and it becomes another step towards crafty fame (fortune) and mastermindery.  Or really- a dishwasher.  I could use a new dishwasher.