Beware of Specials

Hello Fellow Crafters and Artists,

I have to tell you that I got caught up in a special offer by Snap Fish.  Snap Fish is an online digital photo developer.  They had a special offer and I went for it and submitted my order, just to realize that I could of gotten the same deal for the same amount of money by using Costco Photo Center.  Snap Fish is mail order only, where as Costco you can pick up your order or have it mailed to you.  The big difference not that Costco has lowered is price to $.13 a print are the free, well at least the last time I checked, options they offer.  You can crop, resize, rotate, add a border, and reduce red eye all before you submit your order.  Both Snap Fish and Costco have different offers and features, and some things are more economical than others, but the key is not to rush when making a decision and to know a hook when you see one.  I know I will get great pictures from Snap Fish, but I think my next order will be at Costco Photo Center so I can take advantage of all of the extras they offer.  Until next time!

Where and when to buy supplies?

Hello Fellow Crafters and Artists,

This entry is all about where to get the most for our dollar.  This is especially important during these hard economic times.  My family subscribes to a local paper so I get at least on flyer from Michael's, JoAnns, or AC Moore a week.  It is tempting to run to the store to get an item on sale or use a coupon for something I have had my eye on.  Now I am asking myself (also due to storage issues at home) do I really need that item.  Can I wait another week or month, or months?  Usually the answer is yes.  It's hard, but it is important for me to use the materials I already have.  Shopping and buying is the easy part, it is sitting down and creating that is more challenging, at least for me.

Where to shop is another issue.  I live near a Michael's so I tend to shop there more than anywhere, even though compared to other stores it has a limited stock.  As I am trying to set up a business and report taxes for next year I organized my receipts today and found out just how often I shop at Michael's.  I also figured out that I am usually making a purchase about 4:30 pm.  This was a news flash for me.  Having a difficult day a work, stop and Michael's and buy craft supplies.  I have decided that I have enough and spend more time creating than shopping.

I also have to be careful with buying from QVC and HSN.  Recently, I bought something from Memory Makers to help me organize my cards.  They were advertising a new letter cutting machine called the Slice.  I can't remember the price, but I just got an e-mail from JoAnn Fabrics advertising the Slice on sale.  Okay, what to do?  For me nothing, I am not buying remember?  It is tempting and I love JoAnns, but now that the store in Laurel, Maryland has closed it will not be as easy for me to shop there.  QVC does a great job of getting you what you ordered to quickly, but the shipping and handling can be painful.  

So word from the wise and broke Laura Brown,  look through your supplies and use what you have first.  Resist buying more, even if it is on sale.  Now that the holidays are over those great buys are fewer and fewer.  Remember, there will always be a sale.  Enjoy creating!  Take Care!!!

Displaying Your Goods for Sale

Hello Fellow Crafters,

One thing that I learned during my first time of ever being a vendor last month was how important is how we display our goods.  At the Festival of Lights in Greenbelt, the Community Center supplied the tables, but they required that vendors supplied the table clothes to cover the tables, and all legs of the table had to be covered.  As a consumer I never paid that much attention of how goods were displayed, but as a vendor I realized how important it is, and how when I was buying, presentation did in fact impact me whether I knew or not.  

I realized that having a table cloth gave the table a nice clean look.  The Community Center gave my group one and one or two other vendors in the room we were in.  I met author and screenwriter Nicole Burton and she had a table runner on her table with her name on it and it looked very professional.  I asked Nicole how she got it done and she said she found a company on the Internet and it cost a couple of hundred dollars.

I was planning to do what Nicole had done, but I wasn't sure if it was wise at this point to invest a couple of hundred dollars on a table runner.  My mother suggested that I get some table clothes from JC Penney on sale after the holidays.  I thought it was a good idea and if my card making takes off, I could always invest the money for a table runner with my name on it.

Today, in Waldorf  we went to the mall.  Macy's, Kohl's, and JC Penny all had great sells, but very little stock.  I was able to get the following items at JC Penney:

3 oblong table clothes 60' x 102' original price $49.99  on sale for $12.41

2 Table runners with beads original price $39.99 on sale for $5.95

1 Table runner (multi colored) original price $29.99 on sale for $4.46

We then stopped at Kohl's and mom got two table clothes for home.  Being the end of the holiday season, there were not a lot of choices left, but I managed to get gold and red table clothes with white beaded table runners.  So for an investment of about $55.00 I have taken the first steps to improving my presentation.  

It is important that we as crafters and artist keep our expenses down, so we can price our goods at a fair price and hopefully break even and if things really go well, make a profit.  

If you have any price saving ideas please feel free to post them on this blog.  Take care!

Web - site Recommendations for Card Makers and More

Hello Fellow Crafters,

I have some great information by a very talented card maker named Leslie.  She recommend the following web-sites to get great stamps.  If you are a scrap booker you may enjoy these sites too.  The sites are:

www.Papertreyink.com

www.splitcoaststampers.com

www.papercraftplanet.com

Thanks Leslie!  Okay, fellow crafters and artists feel free to add information and tips.  Take care

Welcome to Crafters of Maryland

Hello Fellow Crafters,

My name is Laura Brown and I am a card maker, scrap booker and rug hooker.  If you have received the information about this blog that means we probably met at the Festival of Lights in Greenbelt, Maryland or at an annual event at a church in Washington DC.  The purpose of this blog is to connect people who love different types of crafts and arts an opportunity to share ideas, where to get the best materials, and information about any events in which we can sell our goods.  Please feel free to add information at any time.  Take care and Happy New Year!!!