Virtual Craft Fair For Handicraft Artists

Virtual Craft Fairs For Handicraft Artists

I really have a passion for arts and crafts. I regularly find myrself making gifts for others and knitting for charity donations. I have found that there is the potential to make a little money. I do not just use your creations as gifts, but I use them to earn a little extra money on the side. How? With the help of the popular bookmarking site called Pinterest.

To actually list your arts and craft projects for sale on the website, you need to create pin board. Visit Pinterest to create your Pinnable Board.. Although easy, You must be proactive and dedicated to make your board noticeable and popular to be seen. Be sure to add very nice and interesting photos and you can link the photos back to your blog or website. Remember, Consumers rarely buy items without first seeing pictures. Increase your chances of making a sale by taking a few pictures of the item you are selling. Don't use stock photographs, but a picture of the actual item. Accompany that picture with a detailed description.

Fair selling price. It is tricky to sell arts and crafts. Your goal is to make money, but a low selling price virtually guarantees a sale. Unfortunately, you aren't a mass production line, meaning your supplies and time cost more. That is why a fair selling price is important. It ensures you make money, but is low enough to generate consumer interest. When setting your price, consider the cost of supplies and the time spend to make each item. Go from there.Customization. Since you make your arts and craft projects by hand, you have a unique opportunity to offer an additional service to your buyers. That is customization. Whether an interested buyer would like a different colored wind chime or their name painted on, you can do it. In fact, state in your listing that customization and personalization is available for either free or a small fee.

As you can see, it is relatively easy to monetize your arts and crafts projects online. Since the popularity of Pinterest has increased and it continues to grow, now is the best time to use the website to your advantage!

What To Do When The power Goes Out From A Storm......

What To Do When The Power Goes Out From A Storm....

A flurry of tornadoes, rare for this time of year, killed at least six people in Illinois and damaged or destroyed hundreds of houses. The tornadoes were part of a system of violent storms across a dozen states, fueled by warm temperatures and strong winds.

This was the national news report this morning about some devastating storms that swept through the central Midwest Region Yesterday. It seemed
like a normal quiet Sunday morning in the small village town where I currently
reside but the weather quickly changed and I heard the radio weather report that tornadoes were sweeping through the area. 

I had plans to do cleaning and laundry and cooking after Sunday morning church services -  and then suddenly amid a very strong storm, with high winds - the electrical power completely went out. I did not know how long the power outage would last or If my place was in the path of the tornadoes but I looked around for what I had that could be helpful during the storm.

I found that I had some candles and a lantern and warm blankets to see me through the dark night if the power was not restored before night fall. I heard that many suffered tremendous losses of property and even life but the power came back on for me before supper time.

I remembered that I received a donation of some very old broken bits of jewelry to my handicrafts for charity program. I wanted to do something pro-active with my time to connect to my spiritual source in the time of crisis and trouble - So I patiently picked usable pieces from that box of broken things and I made a beaded rosary prayer counter for myself. I was feeling so confused about the terrible storm and not having communications made me feel that it could very well be a real possibility that the power may even go out again. 

I found this box of very old broken pieces....

And I Made This Rosary Bead Prayer Counter To pray during the night last night......

I prayed all through the night.... All sorts of prayers and also the rosary. This morning sun is shining but I will always have my new rosary to remember the strong storm. I did not have the virgin Mary Medallion to add to it and I did not have a crucifix but I just used what I did have and I know that God heard my prayers.

This morning my prayers are still for those who suffered loss in the storm yesterday and for the dearly departed souls who transitioned because of the tornadoes. 

Consider Knitting For Charity

Knitting For Charities

Crafts can range from a simple ornament to canning your own vegetables or making your own clothes. If you want to give back to your community or to people in need, One of the ways this is possible is through crafting. You can choose a charity and send packages of crafts, which may be distributed to people in need. You can also get involved in craft making in order to sell your items and donate the proceeds to charity. There are a number of ways you can give back through crafts. This article will tell you how to make crafts for charity.

Plan Your Program

Choose your craft. Although in some situations you may need to expand your crafting repertoire, the best and most efficient way to contribute crafts to someone in need is to do what you already know. For example, a quilt guild may make quilts and jewelry makers should choose to make jewelry.

Try doing an Internet search that includes your craft and "for charity" in the search terms. This will give you examples of charities and what other people have done.

Go to http://craftbits.com/crafts/charity or http://craftforcharity.com/charities and look at the list of organizations that accept and make crafts for people in need. You can find an organization that aligns with your craft and the part of society you would like to help.

Before donating crafts or money to a charity, ensure that it is authentic. You can check this at http://charitynavigator.org.
Ask your friends or crafting group if they would like to join you in giving to charity. Many groups like to dedicate 1 month each year or a few weekends to making crafts to send to an organization they support. The more people who get involved, the more help you will be.

Consider creating a group that crafts for charity that includes teenagers or elderly people. A charity crafting class could be a mother/daughter operation, or it could take place at a retirement community. Many elderly people knit, crochet or embroider and may be interested in meeting with people who are of a different generation.

Get instructions from the charity of your choice before beginning. Most charities have instructions about the sizes of the crafts that are made, the materials and, in some cases, the patterns. Although most crafters love to be creative, make sure you are doing it within the confines of these instructions.

Ask a local craft store if they want to donate supplies. Corporate responsibility leads many large stores to look for charities to support, while local small businesses may enjoy both the ethical and marketing benefits of donating materials to a charity crafting group.

In most cases it is unlikely that all materials would be donated. You should expect to have to buy some materials. If you have a group, then you can share the burden of costs as well as time creating the project

Rotate your charitable crafts. For example, October is breast cancer awareness month, so you could contribute to a charity and use pink material, and December is AIDS awareness month, so a red craft for an AIDS charity might be preferable. You can increase your craft knowledge while contributing to a number of charities.

Create your own ties to organizations in your community who need crafts. If you want to keep your support local, then brainstorm local non-profit organizations who could use your help.

 Some of the following ideas may be a good place to start:

Make cloth diapers for local women's shelters. You can also make baby blankets, children's toys, baby socks and hats. These can be sent in kits or individually to expecting or new mothers who are in need.

Create quilts for the fire department or police department. You can create simple quilts to be handed out to people who have had car accidents or who've had a fire. They will help people in shock and be a comfort that they can keep through hard times.

Can, grow or make foods for the local food bank. Approach your local food bank to find out what foods are permissible. They most likely have to follow state food preparation standards. They may be able to direct you to other group homes or centers that are in need of prepared food

Charity Craft Sales

Hold a craft sale where all the proceeds go to charity. This is a great idea if you want to donate to a charity but they only take monetary donations. There are no limits to what each person who crafts can bring to the event to sell, so be as creative as possible.

Most radio stations, television stations and newspapers will run ads at no-cost or a cut rate for charity events. Make sure to promote your event, so that you sell all your crafts. Create posters and put them up all around your town. Many businesses are happy to put charity announcements in their stores.

Ask for donations from local quilt guilds, knitting bees, jewelry-making groups and other crafting classes. They may want to offer some goods for sale to benefit your cause.

Ask a public area, such as a parking lot or an auditorium if they are willing to let you have your craft sale at no cost in their location. You want to choose a place that is easily accessible to the public.

There are a large amount of charities that take homemade quilts or blankets. If you are an avid crafter or a beginner, this is a great way to start. These can be small or large (baby blankets to comfort quilts), and you may be able to use material from your own craft stash.