Create Quality Christmas Crafts with Cones

Tis the season to pick up pine cones! As the holidays approach there are several seasonal crafts you can create as gifts using pine cones you have found. You can create wreathes, decorative trees, and even make colorful pine cone roses to add a seasonal touch to any home. For a complete article with how-to’s and other pine cone inspirations, click here:: 25 Holiday Pine Cone Crafts

Give Manly, Mustachioed Men the Movember Soap They Deserve

This November, or “Movember,” men across the country are growing out their facial hair and sporting mustaches this month to raise money and awareness for testicular and prostate cancer. One way to join in the movement is to make some mustachioed soap bars to show your support and possibly sell to help fundraise cancer research. For a full tutorial on making soap with mustache molds, along with other Movember information, click here:: Movember Mustache Melt and Pour

Knowing Yourself = Knowing How to Get Your Best Work

The typical jobs are 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. on weekdays, but as a creative entrepreneur those might not be the times or the number of hours where you’ll be at your best. Too many times we forget that a) making your craft project, soap, or jewelry requires you being in a good space and b) you are in charge of yourself. Knowing how your process works can not only make sure your products are the highest quality, but also allows fresh ideas to flow for more items in the future.

So how do you know what conditions allow you to make your best work? Well, a good first step is to monitor your mood and energy during various conditions throughout the day. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Are you more productive when you are isolated and quiet or when there is hustle and noise around you? Do you need to take frequent breaks or get into a “zone” where you feel that any interruption kills your momentum? Address these questions and you’ll find out the best schedule for yourself and become a better creator because of it. For more a more detailed article on this subject, click here:: Discover How You Work Best

Great Gridiron Crafts for the Football Fan

Whether you’re watching the game on Sundays or aren’t a fan at all, there is someone in your life that might enjoy a football-related craft as a gift. A cross stitch of your friend’s favorite team’s mascot, a scarf fringed with football designs, and custom bleach pen t-shirt with your team’s emblem are just a few ideas. For a full article with details on how to make those items and other football crafts, click here:: 10 Football themed craft projects

Tips for Craft Vendors to Make the Most Impact

You have stocked up on your personally made soaps, jewelry, clothing, or other crafts and are ready to display them for the masses. This may seem daunting and can sometimes create anxiety for crafters, especially for the first time. However, there are some tips out there that can help give you a great, profitable experience as a vendor.

Put your creativity to good use; put up a display and a storefront in your vendor space. It’ll catch the eye more than just a splayed out table. Be approachable and smile at people who stop by at the booth. It might seem weird and uncomfortable at first, but if you approach with positivity, it’s likely other people will be positive back to you. Lastly, you might want to give in-booth demonstrations or work on a current project as you are selling your wares. This gives potential customers an idea and an appreciation of how these crafts are made. These tips should give you a good start for the next craft fair or expo. Read a full article on this topic here:: Little Known Ways to Sell More at Market

Avoid Zippers and Make Your Own Throw Pillows

Throw pillows are a great accessory for a couch, chair, or bed. They also make great gifts or can be a quality addition to your online shop. With some fabric, pillow material, and sewing machine, you can make a nice throw pillow (without pesky zippers) in less than one hour. Read a complete tutorial on how to make a no-zipper throw pillow here:: DIY Simple No-Zipper Throw Pillow

Oust the Orange Spots Out of Your Soap

Cold process soap makers often have to deal with orange spots ruining the look of their soap. These orange spots can appear due to many factors: the soap’s oils have turned rancid due to age, there were heavy minerals in the water used to make the soap, there is high superfat within the soap, and so on. Avoiding those issues could keep your soap spot-free. Learn more causes of orange spots and how to prevent them here:: Dealing with Dreaded Orange Spots

Your Good Student Behavior Might Create Bad Craft Business Habits

The theory told in school that good students that get good grades will become successful adults. As you probably know by now, that’s not always the case. In fact, many of the good habits you’ve learned in school have prevented you from forming better habits for your craft or soap business.

At school, we’re told that solid preparation is key: study for the exam, write notes for your oral presentation, etc. However, in life one must be ready to improvise in case plans change. There is no teacher around to automatically see you doing good work in real life, so you not only have to make good work but make an effort to make it visible to others. While you were told to just listen to your teacher, in life there are times when you need to challenge authority so your ideas have impact. Breaking the timid habits of school can add quality skills to your business repertoire. For a full article on this topic, click here:: 3 Habits You Learned in School that Could Be Hurting Your Biz

Add Some Fall Flair with Thanksgiving Linen Napkins

As Thanksgiving draws near, there are only a handful of weeks to create a decorative environment for the big meal. One way to class up with color is to make you own linen napkins with fall colors. Once made, they can be reused year after year or they can make a lovely gift for your Thanksgiving guests. For a full tutorial how to sew Thanksgiving napkins, click here:: Linen Thanksgiving Napkins