Homemade Baking Powder
Makes about 1/3 cup
Active Time: 5 min
Start to Finish: 5 min

1/4 cup cream of tartar
2 tablespoons baking soda

Sift together cream of tartar and baking soda 3 times, then transfer to a clean dry jar and seal tightly.

Notes: Baking powder keeps in a cool, dark place 6 weeks.

My instructor was wonderful and I do feel I have a firm grasp on how to use this new tool. I have wanted to offer personalization on some of my products and this would make it easier to do. Now, moving on to setting it up in my studio.

Here are my first two projects that I completed. One being a flower (obvious) and the other is my husband’s name (he didn’t appear as thrilled as I was). I can even create new designs and import them into the software and then put them on fabric.  So excited for me and what I can now offer my customers.

Happy crafting.

We all make personal resolutions each year, but I wanted to think about some for our company. Here are some of our company resolutions for this year:

• Continue providing the best quality products to our customers.
• We would like, when we can, purchase as many of our raw supplies locally as possible. It is our small way to help other businesses like ourselves.

What are your resolutions for the year? Hopefully, one of them will be to spend some of your purchasing dollars locally (in your neighborhood and/or USA). We would love to hear them.

Happy crafting!

Written by Bruce Baker

Unfortunately, this happened in combination with the first wave of aging boomers deciding to downsize. Many are moving into smaller dwellings, while others are ridding themselves of acquired possessions. These factors alone would bring the sales of art objects to an all-time low, but add to it the annihilation of the middle class.

This is the demographic that has carried the United States economy for the past 40 years, and with its demise comes dismal art sales, mostly because consumers have been forced to shift their spending away from art purchases to pay for basic necessities. Many “middle-class individuals” are more concerned with keeping their home or putting food on the table, paying for healthcare or funding a retirement plan. All of these priorities trump buying art for the home or personal adornment.

As if all these factors combined were not enough, throw in the news media telling the nation and millions of viewers to be frugal and not to be a conspicuous consumer. We were literally told to simplify, downsize, go Green and recycle. Don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of taking care of the environment, but this “new frugality” has had a negative effect on our art-based businesses.

Add it all up and the picture looks bleak for selling handmade objects. Most of what we hear about artists selling their work these days is pretty negative. Yet I keep meeting and consulting with artists who are doing surprisingly well and posting increased sales, while other artists are posting business growth despite the current condition of the economy. How can it be that some are doing well while others are faltering? I have been giving this a lot of thought lately and asking artists what the secrets are for their surprising success. Here are a few of the common threads I have sewn together to help you with your own businesses:

1. Only exhibit at shows that are worthwhile
2. Refine your jury submission images
3. Make what customers want
4. Create functional products
5. Impress your customers
6. Learn from what works

For complete article visit The Crafts Report - This article originally appeared in the February 2011 issue of The Crafts Report.

Happy crafting. Don’t forget to buy local products. Try to minimize purchasing buy/sell items at craft shows. The craft vendor should be crafting the item, not purchasing somewhere else and reselling to consumers.

I did come across the best invention since sliced bread (especially if it is a good Jewish Rye) and that is Square Up. If you have a smart phone (does not have to be too smart either, just running on Android) or an iPhone or iPad (if you can swing the iPad…. unbelievable what you can do), this is the service you need. There are no transactions fees, machines to bring, monthly charges, NOTHING. They take only 2.75% of your credit card sale (3.15% if you cannot "swipe" the card) and that is it. It does not matter how often you use it. Then you can access all your information on the web from your account. Download what you sold for the day. The beauty of this is you do not have all the "credit card slips" you need to keep secured or shred anymore. In addition, you know INSTANTLY if the credit card is good. No more going home to run them and running the risk of not a good card.

Well, do not take my word for it, check it out. It took me 10 minutes to set up and I am not that computer savvy.  Happy crafting.

There is a lot of discussion about what are the basics you need in kitchen for cooking or baking. Since I tend to specialize in baking, I will discuss that aspect. The one thing I will try to emphasize is to buy the BEST quality that you can afford. This will pay you back in kind. There are many brands that you can buy a complete set for under $100. They may last you a few years, but you will begin the process again. The key is quality. Even if you have to buy one piece at a time and save up for it, it is worth it. I cannot emphasize it enough. Then if you ever make the leap into the "Home Baking" business, you already have the best quality tools and will save you lots of money. My favorite store is Williams Sonoma. I love to browse in there and pretty much have most things in there that I need, but the key is to look for a brand so it will not matter where you purchase it. I am partial to the Chicago Metallic Bakeware brand. This brand is made very well, consistent with heat distribution, very easy to clean and easy to find. I do love some professional bake lines and have their products for some of my baking pans, but for the average home baking, I would go with Chicago. If you have a choice between "non stick (dark pans)" and the more flat finish, I would recommend going with the "flat finish". Mainly because you still have to butter/flour your pans (sorry, the "non stick" doesn't release no matter what they say). In addition, you need to remember to convert the temperature and cooking time to accommodate this type of material. Typically, you will need to lower the temperature by 25 degrees and watch it for baking time.

For the basics:
Cookie Sheets - these pans only have a lip on two sides. Don't be confused with jellyroll pans. Also, don't buy those "air" ones. They don't work as well. You will need a minimum of two cookie sheets. I prefer having four of them.
Jellyroll pans - these have about a 1" lip all around. Some people call them cookie sheets, but I have never been able to make great cookies with them. I use them for other baked goods.
Loaf Pan - (2) 9"x5"
Baking pans - (1) 9"x13"; (1) 8" square; (2) 9" round cake pans
Measuring spoons - I would only use stainless steel and 18/10 if you can get them (much stronger). Also, buy as many as you can. If you think you have enough, buy more. Most baking jobs I do, I use all four sets of mine.
Measuring cups - for dry measurements (flattop) I only recommend stainless steel. No plastic or glass. Again, you cannot have enough sets. Get at least two set of the standard measurements and one set of the odd sizes.
Measuring cups for liquid - I am very partial to glass - specifically the Pyrex brand. Again, you cannot have enough 1 cup and 2 cup sets. You really don't want plastic. Can't be cleaned well.

Well this post was long, but let me know if you have any questions about products. I have used most of them.

I do not claim to be an expert on gluten-free baking since the majority of my ingredients are not well suited for people on a restricted or gluten-free diet. This rich and decadent gluten-free honey pound cake that I found from my baking supply newsletter, sounds wonderful for anyone looking for a dessert that meets their dietary needs.

Honey gives this cake a wonderful texture and provides the perfect amount of sweetness. Pound cake is great for topping with fruit or powdered sugar, but is also delicious on its own.

 "There used to be a stigma that gluten-free meant sacrificing flavor and variety, but one bite of this pound cake will make it clear that the gluten-free market is rife with opportunities. Honey is the go-to ingredient because it is important in keeping products moist and flavorful, in addition to adding sweetness without overpowering the product." .

Let me know what you think of this recipe. I have enclosed the link for Xantham Gum which is carried in some Walmart stores, some larger supermarkets and probably in Whole Foods. Coutesy of Baking with Honey

I have been baking for quite a number of years. Originally, it began baking for family and friends, now; it is more "business". Armed with a number of recipes that I have developed over the years, I baked whenever I could for people. Since no one really knew that I baked or made candy outside my of my "inner circle", I began bringing in a number of items to work (my day job). I am lucky to have a large number of coworkers who love sweets, so word of my baking would hopefully begin to spread. Since shamelessly promoting one's self is not me, I did a mix of bringing in some baked goods (great test group for new products - plus for me) for all to enjoy and then during certain holidays promote my price list to get some sales. The biggest challenge for my business is that it is difficult to compete with large box stores or supermarkets in price. Since I do everything from scratch, time is money. A number of large bakeries and supermarkets have pre-made items brought in and then they finish them off in the store or they purchase pre-made mixes to use, thus lowering their cost. Since I knew I could not compete (my prices will be higher), the plan was to focus on the quality of my ingredients and the taste of the finished product.  By promoting this aspect to customers, it was a way I felt I could separate my product from that of the large supermarket/bakery stores.   

I know some great bakers who focus on only one item such as, muffins, brownies or wedding cakes. This is wonderful, because you can begin to develop your niche in the baking market. When you know what you wish to offer, then you can figure out what equipment you need (you may have some equipment already). Join me next week as we discuss what equipment will need to begin a home baking business (for fun and/or profit).

Today begins a new category on my blog about all things "baking" (though I will throw in some candy making). This category titled "Piece of Cake" is to share what I have learned, tips and conversations about the business of baking. There is so much to learn, especially if you are not using a commercial kitchen and chose to work in the home environment. To start with, I did a lot of research on what is required for a home business and also received TONS of information from a friend of mine, Stephanie Hedlund who owns Clara Burke Kitchen. Many months, headaches, tears later, the State of Maine did grant me my license for baking cakes, pies and confections. To begin with, you must really love to bake. If you perceive baking as a chore, pick something else to do or hire me. The first thing to think about is what type of baking do you wish to specialize. I prefer to do celebration cakes, which mostly centers on birthdays, special events, showers and some small-scale weddings (the cake picture is a recent bridal shower cake I did). The reason I chose this type of baking is that my kitchen is only so big. Remember, when you go large, you need to be able to store it and most home refrigerators do not hold a multi-tiered cake very nicely. In addition, there are only so many freezers and refrigerators I would like to have in my kitchen. Once I figured out what type of business I wanted to focus on, then I could research what licenses and permits I would need to move forward.  

Think about that and let me know what type of baking you like to do. Please join me again next week as I share some more on this journey.

I cannot believe that a year has gone by already and another craft season is upon me. So many things have happened this past year (some better than others) in our business. For one thing, we really have been working on expanding the furniture line of our business. My husband, who is a major force (really the only force) behind our furniture line, can see something and redesign it to work for today's market. I am always amazed at what he can do with a piece of wood, a vision and tools.

What I wish to share with all of my readers as we start the season of holiday and seasonal craft shows, is to be aware of how a craft or a piece of furniture is made. In today's economy, we are all feeling the pinch. Now is the time we need to search for the best value for our dollar. When you are looking at crafts and furniture during the many shows and festivals, you may think you are getting a good deal when you see an item priced low. However, if you look around you may come to another booth that is offering similar items, but at a different price. Many times the difference in price is the time and attention, that craft person dedicated to producing the best quality product they can. Many times, it is in the better quality materials and/or construction of the craft that produces a slightly higher price. Nevertheless, in the long run, most of the time, you are getting a better value in that item because it will last you.  One of my habits (may not be the best) is running my hands over furniture as I look at them. I want to feel the piece and I can tell a lot about the quality of material and the finish work. Also, look underneath a piece, open things up and see how it is constructed. If you are unsure, ask the owner of the craft booth and they should welcome the question and be willing to answer.

If you have specific questions, post them and either my husband or I will be glad to answer them. Check out some of last year's blogs titled "The Long and Winding…Craft Road". 

I love searching for interesting articles that could educate anyone that is in the process of, or thinking about, starting a home craft business (though I think this article could apply to many types of business). This article really gets you thinking. The author shares her many experiences and failures growing her business.  The article is from The Crafts Report, by Patrice Lewis. If you would like to read the entire article, I have posted it at the end of the article. ENJOY!

How NOT to Finance a Home Craft Business 

If you fantasize about starting your own home craft business, I’m willing to bet a lot of your dream revolves around such things as giving up the commute, being able to call your own shots, setting your own hours, and spending more time with your family.

Usually, a person’s dreams and plans like these come after a person looks at someone who already has an established and successful home craft business.“Look at these people! Aren’t they lucky! They don’t have to drive through the snow to get to an office! All they have to do is walk across the driveway, and they’re at work!” 

The trouble with this vision is that the wanna-be entrepreneur is only seeing a snapshot of the business owner’s current success, and they assume it sprang – boing! – effortlessly into being, sort of like those nifty mushrooms that grow overnight on your lawn. No preparation, no planning, just boing. 

Not.

Rather than comparing an established home craft business to those rapid mushrooms, you should compare it to an oak tree. It’s slow to get started, but sturdy and strong once it’s established. This should be the pattern for your home craft business. 

Boinging into Business

Go back to those dreams of working at home, of making your income from your own labor, of avoiding the commute, of spending more time with your family, etc. These are sweet dreams, and in no way do I want to discourage them. I just want to make you see them realistically.

Spurred by these wonderful fantasies, some people decide on a product to make (boing!), quit their jobs (big boing!), use their credit card to purchase the necessary raw materials and tools (boing!), pay rent on a shop space instead of using their garage (boing!), and begin production. 

Then comes reality. Most home craft businesses don’t start out with a bang (or a boing).They grow slowly, like those oak trees. 

The folks who “boing” into business are in for a nasty financial shock if things don’t go exactly as they fantasized. 

Start-Up Costs 

So, if you can’t (or shouldn’t) start a home craft business with a boing, where do you get the money to start? What about the nitty-gritty of financing a home craft business? 

First, I can say, from experience, don’t quit your day job. Trust me on this. Eighteen years ago, my husband and I did just that – and regretted it. 

Now, for the bright side. Getting the tools and raw materials for starting a home business may be easier than you think. Most people don’t just pluck a successful home craft business idea out of thin air. They start the business by expanding an existing hobby, talent, skill, or trade. That means that many times they already have the basic tools or materials or knowledge needed to make the product. 

Or, alternatively, think of a home craft product that is compatible with the tools you already own. Tools such as a sewing machine or a band saw are versatile and easily adaptable to any number of crafts. 

Do you have space on your property to run a business? If you have close neighbors, they may object to loud power tools. Do you have a shop or a garage or a spare bedroom you can devote to your business? Do you have a computer for billing and internet purposes? Are you prepared for shipping? 

Sacrificing for a Reason 

Finding the money for a start-up small business is not easy. It’s not supposed to be easy. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. Like anything worth doing, it usually requires a complete philosophical change from immediate gratification to deferred rewards. 

So how do you raise the cash for all the tools and supplies you might need? How about for the advertising, display or show fees, raw materials, etc.? How can you do this without going into debt? 

You use the principles of deferred rewards.

Deferred Gratification 

Even if you’re as thrifty as can be and apply all your spare money toward funding the business, life can get in the way. 

When we started our home woodcraft business, our workshop consisted of a 10-foot x 10-foot chicken coop. Much of the time, shop work either spilled outside (in good weather) or into the house (in bad weather).Or, to put it another way, we frequently lived in our shop. It took five years for us to pull together enough money to build a comparatively palatial 20-foot x 20-foot shop building. 

The Debt Trap 

Coupled with the desire to work at home is the frequent wish for instant business success (boing!), which is, let’s face it, an irrational desire to have everything go perfectly from the beginning and to have your business become a rousing success without much effort. 

Yeah, that would be nice. I’d like to win the lottery, too. 

If you’re a first-time hobby-into-business entrepreneur, don’t ever, ever, ever go into debt to finance your home business. Aside from the idea that going into debt is questionable to begin with, there is the very real possibility that your business will fail in this economy, and then you’re left with the bitter regret of a failed business and heavy debt to boot. 

When my husband and I started our home craft business in 1993, that’s exactly what we did; we went into debt. That’s why I don’t suggest it. In our case, it took years to dig ourselves out of the debt-laden hole we dug while getting our business on its feet. Had we properly planned things, the debt (and stress) could have been avoided. 

Give yourself time to develop your customer base, increase the speed and efficiency in making your product, and develop your marketing knowledge. Don’t sink yourself into debt getting started because of wishful thinking or misplaced optimism. Obviously, you’ll need the raw materials and tools to make the product, but work your way up toward better items as you begin to bring in income. 

Reality Check

What are some of the things you’ve heard you’re supposed to do before starting a business? 

You must have a business plan. Otherwise, you will fail.

You must incorporate. Otherwise, you will fail. 

You must establish credit. Otherwise, you will fail. 

You must buy only the best (equipment, supplies, etc.), because quality and façade (how others see you) are what’s important. 

Must, must, must. Why must we do things this way? 

In part, it’s because most business advice applies to larger enterprises than a home craft business. But millions of businesses have started modestly, with used equipment, borrowed spaces, and family labor. There is no better and more satisfying thing than to start this way, because then your successes have been earned by the sweat of your brow. 

Dream big, start small. Don’t do the opposite. 

Remember: Bill Gates started in his garage. You can, too.

For the entire article by Patrice Lewis    http://www.craftsreport.com/component/content/article/232.html

In the world of so many ways to entice you to buy something, let alone a handcrafted item, what makes the best incentive for you to do something? Here are my three options. Let me know what works best for you or write a comment of your own.

1. Drawings - If you are a Fan on our Facebook page or comment on the website - you are put in a monthly drawing.

2. Unique savings/specials or items - offered only to our Facebook fans.

3. Website offers only.

4. So I cannot count…..all of the above.

What do you think?

As a business that is in its second season offering "credit card processing" at craft shows, I am amazed at how many "fees" there are to absorb, just to provide the convenience to my customers to close a sale. Granted, cash is "always" appreciated and preferred, but let us be real, who carries that much cash with them to buy anything more expensive than a stick of gum? Even as a consumer, I always wondered why businesses would like me to pay by debit card versus credit. Some machines just do it without you having the option.  I will continue to offer my customers a credit card option and will absorb the fees to provide great customer service. Nevertheless, in today's economy, trying to make it in a "non-essential" niche market is challenging at best.

Below is an excerpt from The Daily Finance, by Regina Lewis (7/3/11) http://goo.gl/a10oB:

According to the 2010 Federal Reserve payment study, using a debit card is now the No. 1 method for making non-cash payments. Paying with plastic -- credit and debit cards -- clearly has a price. It costs retailers roughly $2 for every $100 spent. The fees vary slight depending on which method you use which is why retailers -- given the choice -- prefer you enter your four-digit PIN rather than signing when using a debit card.

This helps explain why some in-store credit card processing machines aggressively try to get you to enter your PIN, even going so far as to make it feel like you have to opt out of the whole transaction by hitting the largest possible red button or back arrow, if you attempt to pay any other way. To that, retailers continue to look for means to avoid fees; two words are likely to remain in familiar part of the checkout process: "Hit Cancel."

As you can see, my garden is slowly producing tons of this lovely vegetable (among others). These wonderful specimens were picked just last night. The funny thing is I just picked six others a few days ago. So what should I do with them? I will make some bread & butter pickles, zucchini marmalade and zucchini bread (taking orders for the bread already) using my backyard bounty, but what else should I make with them for the "long haul"?

I wish I could use them to make some unique craft. What about a purse or wallet? I could hollow out the center and attach some decorative cord. They may also make a cute clutch purse. Put a hinge on one end and start a new fashion craze. What about some zucchini slice earrings? It seems that purses and jewelry are all the rage at craft shows. Maybe Vera Bradley could use them to develop a new product line. It would make "going green" take on an entire new meaning. What do you do with your surplus of vegetables? Eat them all, bother your neighbors, family and friends to take some, toss? Post your thoughts and/or suggestions.

There appears to be a shift in what people like when they decorate their homes or apartments. "Back in the day", your seating all matched. Your loveseat or chair coordinated with the sofa. Then you had to buy the matching "end tables and coffee table". Now the movement seems to be more eclectic or "Shabby Chic". Fine with me since I do not like when everything matches. Let me clarify, I am content with a room that everything does not match or coordinate. What I find interesting is the choice of colors that consumers are gravitating in home decor. Wood that has a stain finish could be paired with a lovely painted piece. Do not even get me started with mixing different periods of furniture.

Therefore, my question is, "what do you like"? Do you like a mix of stain and painted pieces? Do you like traditional colors only or are you gravitating to the cottage colors (antique whites, sage greens, pale blues, etc.). Let me know what you think. I personally love to "mix and match". It makes your room very exciting to look at.

Recently I updated this website to include a section dedicated to candy confections and baked goods. This has been a slow process, since it required more permits (in the waiting process) for the business to submit. The goal for this product line, is to open up a new local market. Our candies are currently available in one of our local retail locations, but this new venture leaves me excited and nervous at the same time.

On a personal note, I am currently planning/creating something special for a friend who has an upcoming birthday this month, but I am very curious to find out what "candy confections" or "special baked good" you crave.

Let me know what you like, or crave, and I will send one lucky person who comments on this post some chocolate.

I would love to hear about some of the unique "cake toppers" you have seen or actually used. I did one for my wedding cake, but alas, I don't have a picture. Below are some of the recent tops I have done for cakes.

How funny to be talking about blogging as a business marketing idea, since this is a blog post on my company website. Marketing 101. Okay, back to this post. Blogging has become one of the most popular forms of social media! Yes, it is a form of social media, just like Facebook and Twitter. Why is it so popular? Well, it is relatively easy to set up and best of all…it is free! Blogs work as a powerful marketing tool because they are engaging and personal, or at least should be. Make sure you keep your blog updated by posting 2-3 times a week (even if it is just pictures) to keep the content fresh and your followers entertained. One popular free blog that you may want to consider using is www.wordpress.com.

Now What?
Blog about new designs you are doing, tutorials, future projects, craft fairs and shows you are attending or retailers that are now carrying your products. Some bloggers offer giveaways on their blogs to solicit participation and feedback from followers. Hummmmm….I think that is something that I should be offering my followers.

Original article from Soap Queen April 2011

Email marketing is extremely powerful, customizable, and cost effective way to target consumers interested in what you have to offer. Email marketing is one of the best ways to not only get new customers, but to also keep the ones you already have by communicating and reminding them of what you have to offer. There is a fine line between email marketing and SPAM. Be sure you adhere to all email marketing best practices.

There are some great email marketing service providers on the web that will allow you to create lists, design emails and track your sent emails. This will save you valuable time by creating emails that will get into your customer’s Inbox and don’t wind up in their SPAM folder. 

One company, www.mailchimp.com, is easy to use and is free if you only send up to 12,000 email per month. Two other services, www.constantcontact.com and www.icontact.com  do charge a fee and are great if you have a larger emailing list and plan on sending out more frequently. These two companies do offer free trials, so you can decide if this program, or any other service, provides the right program for you and your business.

Now What?
Collect all your customer’s email addresses, whether you got them at craft shows, business cards or from customers that visited your shop, and email them. Don’t forget to ask them if they would like to continue receiving emails from you with updates on products or shows you are going to be selling at.

Happy Marketing!!

Original article from Soap Queen April 2011

How do we maintain our customers?

We all know that gaining new customers is important to a successful business. But have you thought about the importance of keeping and maintaining your current customers? Gaining customers is great…but if you’re losing customers then your new customers are simply replacing your old customers!

Implement Top Notch Customer Service – Certainly one of the fastest ways to loose a customer is to have bad customer service (or no customer service). Make sure you respond to all inquiries within 24 hours of receiving them (sooner if possible) even if it’s just a…”I’m checking into this” type of response. When it comes to customer service…the old adage of “treat others they way you want to be treated” certainly rings true.

Create a Community – Customers love to know that we are listening to them and with all of the social media tools at our finger tips it is now super easy to interact with your customers and create a sense of community. Open a Facebook account or a blog. You can ask customers what new scent they would like in a product, what new products they would like to see…really anything! They will love that you are listening to them and providing them with the products they want.

Communication is Key – How easy are you to get a hold of? How fast do you respond? I like to respond to all inquiries within 24 hours of receiving them. By creating a community using Facebook or a blog you’ve just made it even easier to communicate with your customers. You can post sales, events and other announcements immediately!

Incentives, Rewards and Gifts! – These shouldn’t just be for new customers. Nothing irritates me more than a company that “rewards” new customers but doesn’t reward regular customers! So be sure to offer new customers AND regular customers incentives and rewards. Whether it’s a discount on shipping or maybe a $5.00 off coupon on their birthday…customers love being rewarded for their continued support of your business.

Thank Your Customers – Be sure you thank your customers whether in the form of an email or even better…a hand written note in their package!

Original article from Soap Queen April 2011

Moravian Sugar Cake

Moravian cooks make it throughout the year but especially at Easter-time when there were many visitors on hand. It is baked in sheets in shallow baking pans.

Allow 1 cake yeast or 1 package dry granular yeast to soak a few minutes in 1/2 cup lukewarm water. To 1-cup hot unseasoned mashed potatoes, add 1 cup granulated sugar, 4 tablespoons soft butter, 1/2 cup shortening, and 1-teaspoon salt.

When lukewarm, add yeast mixture and 1-cup potato water. Set aside and allow to rise in a warm place until spongy. Add 2 beaten eggs and sufficient sifted flour to make a soft dough. Allow to rise until double in bulk.

Punch down on lightly floured board. Spread out evenly in greased flat baking pan. When "light," make holes with your fingers and fill holes with pieces of butter and brown sugar. Do not stint one bit on either. Dust with cinnamon. Bake in moderate oven, 375 degrees, for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve hot or cold.

- From North Carolina and Old Salem Cookery

This is my current packaging, which is an embossed quilted look.

 

Or should I change the soap packaging to this new design, an embossed floral pattern?  

Either design will complement the packaging used for our lotions and other bath products. The color in either design is the same, but because of different angles/lighting, they look different.

I will pick a winner from those who respond on what I should do. I am trying to please my loyal customers. HELP!

I have heard from a number of our readers about what we should use to package our lotions and body butters. We were looking for something that was easy to use and a design look that would complement our soap packaging line.

Well, from all the readers that let us know their thoughts, Andrea from Maine is our winner. She will receive a gift pack of our lotion in the new packaging when it comes out later this year. Congrats to Andrea!

It appears that the State of Maine is focusing on what we should have for the state dessert/snack. I bake a number of confections and have been curious on what is the attraction for this dessert? I personally have sampled a number of them, and find them dry, crumbly and the filling very "greasy" and overly sweet. It appears that many bakers make the filling with Crisco and Fluff, both of which I do not care for, so that may be the source of my dislike for many of the bakeries version of the whoopie pie. I do bake them for customers, but do not make them with Crisco and Fluff. Personally, I feel the blueberry pie, with wild Maine blueberries would be much more "Maine-ish" than the Whoopie Pie. You can only get wild Maine blueberries in "MAINE" and then we will not have to argue with Pennsylvania, especially the Amish, who I do believe created it first.

What do you think?

Make this nectar in a jar, so you can make just small batches of snow cream at a time. Keep the jar out in the snow until you want another cup. Exact measurements are not important, but the measurements here will help you get started.

Start with a big (24-ounce) jar, a can of condensed milk, vanilla, sugar and a can (12-ounce) of evaporated milk or a pint of Half & Half.

Pour condensed milk into the big jar along with a can of evaporated milk or equal amount (about 1/2 cups) of Half & Half.

Add in a capful of vanilla (or more to taste).

Add a little sugar (maybe two tablespoons to start, then taste).

Put the lid on and shake, shake, shake!

Put a few scoops of snow into a bowl or cup. Pour a little of the cream at a time over fluffy snow.

Add more cream and stir until it is as thick or thin as you like it. I like mine custardy and thick enough to eat with a spoon.

Optional: Drizzle with chocolate syrup or top with strawberries, bananas or your favorite fruit for a snow cream sundae!

Below are the design choices. The bottle type on the left is a treatment pump design in the following colors (clear, blue or amber with a black or white top). The other is a upside down design (Tottles) and comes clear or opaque (with a white or black cap). Your thoughts?

The business has done well with custom orders this year and still has a bunch to "finish up" in the next week or so. With that, how "Last Minute" are your purchases for friends, teachers or coworkers? Are handcrafted items a consideration or do you visit the large retail chains to finish your shopping? Let us know what you do at the 11th hour during this holiday season.

On the news this morning (the Today Show), they were discussing how if you buy local, 68% of each dollar you spend, stays in the local economy. In addition, if half of all working people spent $50.00 each month at a local business, it would drive almost $40 million dollars into the economy. Since most of the jobs generated in America are local businesses, it is a win win for all of us. What is a local business...it is an independent business, not part of a chain. Some major credit card companies are trying to start a movement started of "Black Friday" for big box stores, "Local Saturday" for independent merchants and "Cyber Monday" for online purchases. Buy local this year to help get this movement off the ground. What are your feelings on this???

In addition, it is a good exercise to figure out your true cost to make a piece, because as you participate in craft shows or on your website, you may be approached from a retailer about carrying your product in their store. You need to know "how low" you can go, so that you make a living and do not price yourself out of the market. Many retailers add at least a 50% mark-up or higher to the price you sell it to them to cover all of their cost of doing business. Depending upon your product, it may be too high to offer to a retailer at wholesale. Another way is to modify the product for retailers. You do not want to have the same product at a retail store vastly different in price from what you may offer online or at shows. A great resource I have found to get you started is a book by James Dillehay called "The Basic Guide to Pricing your Craftwork".

Our company exhibited at a craft show this past weekend and I had the luxury to speak with a number of crafters about their feelings on craft shows. They have seen a shift with more people purchasing "personal" items such as bath and body products, jewelry, scarves and handbags. There seems to be less interest in home décor items. From personal experience at this show, we did well with our bath products and hand-painted/crafted ornaments, but also did manage to sell in all of our other product lines.  The question is, when do people buy home decorating items, if at all, and where? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Check out my "Christmas in July????" post http://www.mylovi.com/blog?blog_entry_id=1357

Working full-time and also trying to launch a craft business is a lot of work. All crafters that are serious about building a business run into the issue of pricing their product at some point.

So...what do you think is the price of this country chest? It would be great to know what you think it should be and what you would pay for it. It is made out of beautiful pine wood (no knots), stained inside and hand painted outside with minor antiquing. Measures approximately 21"x10"x13"

Enter your comments and I will let you know who comes closest.

This week's post is about what is a "Juried" and "non-Juried" show. In addition, should it make a difference when you visit these shows?  

A juried craft show or fair is where the exhibitor would need to supply pictures of their craft and sometimes booth display before being considered to participate in a show. The reason many times, is that the producer of the event (even for a local school) wants to have a certain type of quality and diversity among their exhibitors. Typically, juried shows require that the exhibitor at a show is the "maker" of the product they are selling and do not allow "buy/sell" exhibitors. A buy/sell exhibitor does not make the product him or herself, but purchases items from a wholesaler or distributor and then resells it to the public at shows.  The net result of a juried show is it provides the potential attendees a wide assortment of product lines to choose from, a certain standard set by the promoter and usually can make for a successful show. 

A non-juried show is just that…not juried. Many times, the promoter (or group putting on the show) still needs to know the type of "craft" you are doing, so that they have a varied mix of products. If you are an exhibitor, many times the "jewelry" category is quickly filled and may not open until after other categories are filled in so the "mix %" is still good. Sometimes, these shows do allow buy/sell to participate as an exhibitor. 

What does this mean for you the attendee? All shows are great, whether they are juried or not. Handcrafters spend a lot of time making their products for sale. They usually cannot compete with the large chain stores, nor should they. When you buy a handcrafted item, these "one of a kind" pieces cannot be recreated in China. So go attend a local craft show and buy from these hardworking vendors making wonderful products for you or as a wonderful gift.

Lesson One - it starts with the bones, and in this case, the wood. Selecting the cheapest wood, will only give you a cheap product and a lot of heartache in constructing a project. All you have to do is visit the local craft stores and view their selection of unfinished pieces. Many are full of knots, cracks and warped in places that you cannot fix. In addition, the quality of backing materials, and hardware, is less than acceptable. Pieces made from a better grade of wood, will take a finish much better and provide you with a product that will be enjoyed for many years.  Typically, the pieces we make are constructed from a high grade of pine. There are no knots in the wood and it has a beautiful grain. If you didn't know your wood, you would swear it was a hardwood. We realize that there is a greater cost using this type of wood, but we stand behind the quality of our products.

Lesson Two, you need to look at the construction of a piece. Does the piece lay correctly, no visible gaps in the piece? Does the hinges work well; was it stapled together or was it constructed using screws, plugs, biscuits, etc.  

Lesson Three, does the finish feel nice as you run your hand over it?  Many pieces can be created to look old, either with distressing, painting techniques and construction choice.

Unless you are seeking a "true antique" (working with a reputable dealer), nothing is wrong with choosing a reproduction. Many Americans are looking to capture a country or Shaker look and you don't have to sacrifice getting a well-constructed piece or paying a lot of money. If you are looking for an antique, (I do own a few) they are wonderful finds, but we all don't have that amount of cash floating around and a reproduction is equally good (today's antiques were new at one time).  Any number of our pieces can be made to "look old" using various painting techniques (that is my job). Since our company specializes in country and Shaker designs, the finish of choice is usually paint, which is why we typically do not make many products out of a maple or oak (though we can). It is just sacrilegious to paint over those beautiful wood grains.

In closing, you never know if the piece you purchase today as a collectible (newer than 100 years) from us, will someday become tomorrow's antique (in 100 years). To learn more, contact us at info@mylovi.com or visit us at any of our upcoming events.

There are many types of clay. I focus primarily on polymer clay with my favorite brand being Fimo (versus Sculpey). The reason I like Fimo over the more popular Sculpey brand is that it bakes harder;   isn't too soft to handle, leaving less fingerprints in the clay. Believe me, when you spend hours on a project, you do not want fingerprints showing up.

My "tools of the trade" are my hands. I do not use molds when I create any piece, which I will probably pay for in about 10-15 years with damaged hands. I do use cutters and extruders for shapes and a number of clay carving tools, but I don't put a blob of clay in a mold, press, release, bake and paint. This is where handcrafted and the "made in China" products part ways. My studio is not a factory, churning out thousands of the same thing hour by hour. On a very good day, I have been able to do four nativity sets in 6 hours. Another differentiator, handcrafted should last a lifetime if handled properly. I don't think you can say that about stuff made in China.

To understand what goes into creating a clay figurine so you understand the value you are receiving, here is my process. The hardest part when I create a new design is figuring out the order to build it. You don't want to do the body, put on the head and then…how do I stick the arms on now? Therefore, when I am creating a new design, it takes me 2-3 times longer so I can figure out the order in which to do it. The other side notes you want to remember, some colors (RED in particular) bleed everywhere. Therefore, when I am creating items that have a lot of red clay in them, I proceed with caution. I have thrown out quite a bit of white clay that brush up against the red clay and ruined the piece.  Lastly, as I build, sometimes the design needs a little hidden "bones". We call these armatures. Some designs just need them because either they are very large, dense or many parts attached to it that it could possibly break without this support. I use wire and aluminum foil. Don't ask, but works wonderfully. So when you see a handcrafted clay figurine (my figurines are about $28 each or $50 for wedding cake toppers), you are receiving a one-of-a-kind creation. 

I hope you have learned how you can easily collect fine custom art pieces that will last for years for not a lot of cash. Let me know your thoughts or questions about this or any craft topic.

One thing I look for in a painted item (the design portion, not background), I want to feel the paint caused by brush strokes on the surface. No matter how hard I try, when I am hand painting a design on any medium, it leaves a little bit of the brush stroke behind. When I was exhibiting in a show this past spring, a person approached my booth and ran his hand over my painted items. He smiled and said to me…you painted this by hand didn't you. He said he could tell because of the brush strokes. He said he was also a painter and gave me his card. I saw his work and was very impressed. Here was yet another "decorative" painter who also looked at hand painted items the way I do. If you pick up a painted craft and it is too smooth to the touch, it probably was manufactured in some far off land like China (I don't believe they know what is Folk Art or Primitive style painting).

 Another thing to look for…picking up two pieces that is the same design. You should be able to tell that they look similar (same design), but one tree may be fatter than the other; the smile and eyes on one face is just a little different… you get the idea. I realize it can be a bit more expensive for an original painted item, but hey, it is an original! Even if the artist/crafter paints 100 of the same design, it is still an original, because they painted each one individually. This is a great way to afford art. So keep that in mind when contemplating purchasing a "hand painted item".  Stop by next week for my next segment.

Then if that was not enough to prepare for, we are introducing our Open Studio/Arts and Craft Show. This provides visitors the opportunity to meet the faces behind the business, purchase items that will not be available at shows and sign some limited quantity pieces. So now, I am up to my elbows in clay for this September 25th show. Hope you all can join us. Get on our mailing list so you can receive a 10% coupon.

I am spending much of my free time to make these items (granted I don't grow the trees, I buy the lumber) and then paint it or spend hours doing a clay figurine or ornament. But this appears not to be the desired items. Am I all wet? I appreciate jewelry, but we do have stores that cater just for that line of art....maybe I should put my paintings in Springers or Days....they must be hurting for business, since everyone is peddling their wares at these shows. What do you think???

If we take your suggestion, you will receive a free sample of the product as soon as it is released!

Gabrielle Lovi

I know we are facing hard economic times, but we need to support the American made crafts movement. Why are so many people satisfied with buying low quality products from China or elsewhere? The quality isn't good, sometimes even dangerous, nor does the item last long. I can't think of anything that would be purchase that is made in China that would make it to the "antique" state. Am I wrong in thinking this way? Have we become so disposable in our thinking? What do you think?

Gabrielle Lovi