Comments on: Barb’s Personal Notes, 5/14/09 http://handmadeforprofit.com/2009/05/barbs-personal-notes-51409/ How to start, manage and market an art or crafts-related business at home. Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:09:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Faith Varrone http://handmadeforprofit.com/2009/05/barbs-personal-notes-51409/comment-page-1/#comment-2571 Faith Varrone Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:04:01 +0000 http://handmadeforprofit.com/?p=620#comment-2571 Thank you, Barbara, for this wonderful article! All those "little things" (cutting hair for myself, friends, & family, sewing, quilting, weaving, gardening, housepainting, upholstering, etc.,) are really appreciated now by my family. And I really appreciate my parents who taught me to do many of these things. Faith Varrone Phila, PA Thank you, Barbara, for this wonderful article! All those “little things” (cutting hair for myself, friends, & family, sewing, quilting, weaving, gardening, housepainting, upholstering, etc.,) are really appreciated now by my family. And I really appreciate my parents who taught me to do many of these things.

Faith Varrone
Phila, PA

]]> By: Louise Saulnier http://handmadeforprofit.com/2009/05/barbs-personal-notes-51409/comment-page-1/#comment-2543 Louise Saulnier Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:27:10 +0000 http://handmadeforprofit.com/?p=620#comment-2543 I think these ideas are great. I make as many birthday, Christmas, baby gifts, etc. as I can. The cost? Nothing. I have the supplies here. I can still watch my favourite TV Show and work on these things at the same time. I don't have to walk around the mall for hours wondering what to get. What can be better than this? Louise Saulnier Moncton, NB Canada I think these ideas are great. I make as many birthday, Christmas, baby gifts, etc. as I can. The cost? Nothing. I have the supplies here. I can still watch my favourite TV Show and work on these things at the same time. I don’t have to walk around the mall for hours wondering what to get. What can be better than this?

Louise Saulnier
Moncton, NB Canada

]]> By: Sandy http://handmadeforprofit.com/2009/05/barbs-personal-notes-51409/comment-page-1/#comment-2533 Sandy Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:37:51 +0000 http://handmadeforprofit.com/?p=620#comment-2533 Absolutely things that we all should not only be doing ourselves, but teaching our kids to do. I have also bartered out sewing, quilting, classes, scrapbooking, etc. for things I couldn't do. We were selling a shed and when the man (whose business involved cutting down trees) only had a portion of what we wanted, we asked him to take two trees down and the shed would be his - which it was. We also needed to replace our deck, but my husband didn't want to do it himself, not having done one before. So, after reading all the "How to's" we found, we hired a friend of his (who built his own deck) for some beers and small amt. $, just to come out, occasionally, to check if we were doing things "right." That was a whole lot less than hiring a professional to do it! It also helps to rent out large equipment for a few hours than to purchase it, or hire someone who already has them. I need to just mention something I am guilty of (kind of obvious, but nonetheless noteworthy to mention), and I need to improve upon - and that's just taking care of, and maintaining, the things we already have. Putting that stain on regularly, a coat of paint on the house on one side every year, those oil changes regularly, etc. would also prevent us from further expense and time. Thanks for the ideas, Barb! Blessings! Absolutely things that we all should not only be doing ourselves, but teaching our kids to do. I have also bartered out sewing, quilting, classes, scrapbooking, etc. for things I couldn’t do. We were selling a shed and when the man (whose business involved cutting down trees) only had a portion of what we wanted, we asked him to take two trees down and the shed would be his – which it was.

We also needed to replace our deck, but my husband didn’t want to do it himself, not having done one before. So, after reading all the “How to’s” we found, we hired a friend of his (who built his own deck) for some beers and small amt. $, just to come out, occasionally, to check if we were doing things “right.” That was a whole lot less than hiring a professional to do it!

It also helps to rent out large equipment for a few hours than to purchase it, or hire someone who already has them.

I need to just mention something I am guilty of (kind of obvious, but nonetheless noteworthy to mention), and I need to improve upon – and that’s just taking care of, and maintaining, the things we already have. Putting that stain on regularly, a coat of paint on the house on one side every year, those oil changes regularly, etc. would also prevent us from further expense and time.

Thanks for the ideas, Barb!
Blessings!

]]> By: Mary http://handmadeforprofit.com/2009/05/barbs-personal-notes-51409/comment-page-1/#comment-2113 Mary Sat, 23 May 2009 02:30:14 +0000 http://handmadeforprofit.com/?p=620#comment-2113 Have recently found your post and am SO thrilled. Wonderful advice and ever so practical. I have recently become disabled and unable to obtain any public financial help. Couple this with the economy and Wow..I AM getting creative. <a href="http://www.burdastyle.com/" rel="nofollow">Burda Open Source</a> for sewing...even simple things like bows and circle skirts...sell for cheap and still are wonderful addition to a wardrobe. Visit online auctions and bid a buck or two for vintage fabric and decorator fabric (I have enough to do your whole sofa three times over) and make it into sturdy beautiful totes! Study <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda" rel="nofollow">Ayurvedic care</a> and use ecological products to clean...many you may have in the fridge and marketing has taken your mind off the obvious. We just gave away a surplus of antiques for free. In exchange someone was kind enough to give me a serger! People are amazing if you give them the chance to be! Just So many things...But most thankful for your blog...Thanks! Have recently found your post and am SO thrilled. Wonderful advice and ever so practical. I have recently become disabled and unable to obtain any public financial help. Couple this with the economy and Wow..I AM getting creative.

Burda Open Source for sewing…even simple things like bows and circle skirts…sell for cheap and still are wonderful addition to a wardrobe. Visit online auctions and bid a buck or two for vintage fabric and decorator fabric (I have enough to do your whole sofa three times over) and make it into sturdy beautiful totes! Study Ayurvedic care and use ecological products to clean…many you may have in the fridge and marketing has taken your mind off the obvious.

We just gave away a surplus of antiques for free. In exchange someone was kind enough to give me a serger! People are amazing if you give them the chance to be! Just So many things…But most thankful for your blog…Thanks!

]]> By: Leslie http://handmadeforprofit.com/2009/05/barbs-personal-notes-51409/comment-page-1/#comment-1943 Leslie Sun, 17 May 2009 12:57:55 +0000 http://handmadeforprofit.com/?p=620#comment-1943 Barbara, Gardening in itself is creative therapy so I benefit spiritually in sharing my garden as well as my artwork. My yard is an extension of my palette! Add a plant exchange with gardening friends, and you're saving hundreds of dollars in landscaping. Every spring I evaluate the perennials coming up around my place, and as I envision the garden I want to create, 'decisions about divisions' must be made. Cringing at the thought of throwing viable living things away, I offer them to fellow gardeners. My friends are always excited to stop by and collect from my garden, as they say my plants are happier, larger and healthier than what they usually find at the nursery, and they're FREE. Of course, I have already dug them, too, so that makes the lucky recipients happier still. In exchange, I usually get plants, or dinner, or services. It's always a win-win. Barbara,
Gardening in itself is creative therapy so I benefit spiritually in sharing my garden as well as my artwork. My yard is an extension of my palette!
Add a plant exchange with gardening friends, and you’re saving hundreds of dollars in landscaping. Every spring I evaluate the perennials coming up around my place, and as I envision the garden I want to create, ‘decisions about divisions’ must be made. Cringing at the thought of throwing viable living things away, I offer them to fellow gardeners. My friends are always excited to stop by and collect from my garden, as they say my plants are happier, larger and healthier than what they usually find at the nursery, and they’re FREE. Of course, I have already dug them, too, so that makes the lucky recipients happier still. In exchange, I usually get plants, or dinner, or services. It’s always a win-win.

]]> By: Michelle http://handmadeforprofit.com/2009/05/barbs-personal-notes-51409/comment-page-1/#comment-1868 Michelle Fri, 15 May 2009 15:24:27 +0000 http://handmadeforprofit.com/?p=620#comment-1868 Great advice! It is obvious people are doing more to try and save money - waiting for sales, clipping coupons, trading services, taking advantage of free delivery options, and so on. When it comes to running a craft business, there should be no exception as long as quality remains number 1. I say this because in my own experience there are a few things I have done to try and save money. For example, I am finding myself waiting and sometimes stalling before I order more supplies for my business. This helps create more bulk orders from the suppliers I use saving on postage/deliver fees and/or gas. This helps if you keep a running inventory too. I really think that due to the economy more people will appreciate what they do have and realize the true value of money and not the cheap way out - going into credit card debt and spending beyond one's means. Great advice! It is obvious people are doing more to try and save money – waiting for sales, clipping coupons, trading services, taking advantage of free delivery options, and so on. When it comes to running a craft business, there should be no exception as long as quality remains number 1. I say this because in my own experience there are a few things I have done to try and save money. For example, I am finding myself waiting and sometimes stalling before I order more supplies for my business. This helps create more bulk orders from the suppliers I use saving on postage/deliver fees and/or gas. This helps if you keep a running inventory too. I really think that due to the economy more people will appreciate what they do have and realize the true value of money and not the cheap way out – going into credit card debt and spending beyond one’s means.

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