Man, your latest purse rocks! And that boutique downtown agreed to carry your line. Things are really bumpin’ along. It’s time to get the word out. Before you invest any of your hard earned cash into advertising see if you can get some press. With a little leg work this can prove to be a great way to let others know what you’re up to. How do you let the media know all about it? Send them a press release.
Don’t let the formality of the release intimidate you. It can be short and direct. Make sure you include all the essential information. Start off with some sort of angle. Don’t just introduce your line; make it clear why this release is timely—a new store picked up your line and it is a great time of year to start purchasing holiday gifts. Cover all the most pertinent information in the first paragraph. Editors and reporters are extremely busy, and they get tons of releases every day. Make sure you put all the most important details in the beginning. Keep in mind they might not read past the first paragraph—so you have to grab them while you can!
Give background information in the second paragraph. How did you get started? What inspires you? What kind of materials do you use? Are you selling in other shops too? You can include a quote—“Her purses complete all my favorite outfits,” says Shopper Susie. Don’t get too gushy or fluffy. Keep it to the point.
Wrap it up at the end and restate what is most important, like what date will the boutique start selling your line. Last, make sure your contact information—name, phone number, email & website—are clearly stated at the end. You want people to contact you so make it as easy as possible for them.
Now you should spend some time looking through publications and figuring out two things. 1) Does my news relate to this magazine or newspaper? If their main focus is technology, they don’t care about your purses. 2) Who is the correct person to send this to? You can find the editor listed toward the beginning of the publication, but also keep an eye out for specific writers and reporters who seem to cover this kind of topic. Try to build relationships with them over time.
Once you get the hang of writing releases set some goals for yourself. Maybe you want to send a release out every other month or four times a year. Always be on the lookout for reasons to write a release: you are collaborating with another crafter, you have a show coming up, you are traveling to several shows this fall, you have added a new product to your line, you have a special offer this season. Create a special look for your releases. You can include your logo at the top and even a tagline at the bottom. Don’t make it too busy, but something that will catch a reporter’s eye is fun.
Here’s a sample…Now go get ‘em!
Indie Craft Experience Announces Summertime Show
(Atlanta-April 14, 2006) The quintessential event in Atlanta that brings together the best of indie craft and fashion recently announced the date of their summer show. The Indie Craft Experience will take place on June 10, 2006 at the Defoor Centre located on Defoor Avenue off Howell Mill Road. This will be the 2nd Annual summertime Indie Craft Experience and the third Indie Craft Experience event after a successful holiday show in December.
Organized by the I.C.E. Collective, the Indie Craft Experience is a craft market and fashion show featuring non-traditional crafts and styles created by young, bold and irreverent designers from across the country. Last summer’s event boasted participants from CA, NY, CT, every single state in the Southeast and many Atlanta participants as well. Applications to participate in the event will be accepted until April 20. The vendor list will be announced April 27.
The event will include music from local Atlanta bands The Orphins (www.theorphins.com) and dp3 (www.dp3online.com) and South Carolina band Tiger in the Grass (www.myspace.com/tigerinthegrass). While enjoying the live music attendees will be able to peruse the craft market, which will showcase 50 crafters selling everything from jewelry to bath products to unique clothing and purses, all with a unique twist. Attendees can stop by the Defoor Centre’s Reading Room Café and Bar for a relaxing break. The lively fashion show featuring 20 young designers will start at 10 p.m.
In addition to an opportunity to show off up and coming talent, the event is also a fundraiser for Hagar’s House, a shelter for women and children located in Decatur. A portion of the door fee will go directly to Hagar’s House for their programming and operational costs. The Indie Craft Experience is proud to raise money for Hagar’s House for a second time.
The Indie Craft Experience was inspired by “crafty” events taking place in other cities such as the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago and Brooklyn, Stitch in Austin, and the DIY Trunk Show and depart-ment both in Chicago. As of January 2005, when planning began for the first I.C.E. event, there hadn’t been anything like these events taking place in the Southeast. Atlanta can now be considered a Southeastern hub of the larger DIY community.
The I.C.E. Collective is comprised of three young designers located in Atlanta: Shannon Mulkey of Revamp Designs (www.revampdesigns.com), Susan Voelker of TROW (www.droptrow.com) and Christy Petterson of a bardis (www.abardis.com) .
When: Saturday, June 10, 2006—4 p.m. to midnight
Where: Defoor Centre, 1710 Defoor Avenue NW, Atlanta, GA 30318 www.defoorcentre.com
Admission: $10
For further information please contact:
Christy Petterson
404.###.####
myemail@yahoo.com
www.ice-atlanta.com
I’m stressed out. Plain & simple. The big craft event that I plan is in about a week and I while I know everything is going to turn out great my things-to-do list seems longer now than when I first got started. To top it off I have a million projects that are due at work, I need to spend some time figuring out my bills and I have family coming to visit just three days after my event so I need to clean my apartment. The bills are never fun, but the projects at work would be enjoyable if I wasn’t juggling so much. And I can’t tell you how excited I am to see my family. Cleaning for them would be a joy.
Ditching it all isn’t an option so I have to figure out how to get through the next week. There’s the usual tried and true—take a hot bath, go for a long walk, get a massage, drink hot tea, take a nap, talk to my mom or a friend on the phone. All of these things help me relax and relieve stress. They are all great for just a normal hectic day when I’m a little stressed, but this feels chronic so I need some new ideas. I’ve been pondering a time when I wasn’t so stressed, like my early childhood.
So what made me so happy as a kid that I can use as a stress reliever now? Well, when I took my morning walk today there was a sprinkler inconsiderately placed so that it rained on the sidewalk. Everyone walking in front of me ducked or went out into the busy street to avoid it. I ran straight through it! Sprinklers are the best! When I was a kid we just had your typical garden variety, but man, it would keep me happy for hours. And on walks when a sprinkler was showering the sidewalk it was an added bonus.
After completing one of the items on my long list last night, I found myself tap dancing in the kitchen. Shuffle, ball change, shuffle, ball change—those are the only moves I remember now, but when I was ten I felt like a super star in the annual recital with our flashy outfits and the stage lights shining down on my dance class. Nothing could have been more exciting. So now if I’m feeling triumphant I find myself doing a little tapping and I feel like a superstar all over again!
Running through the sprinkler and tap dancing are little spurts of stress relief, but I’d say the best way to delete stress from my life is to swing. Growing up we had a crabapple tree in my front yard with a wooden swing on it. I would spend hours out there swinging to my little heart’s content. There was a branch that I’d always try to hit with my foot that was almost out of reach. I’d have to swing really high to get it. I loved the swoosh in my ears and watching everything whiz past me. It was exhilarating! There was also a park a few streets over and it had the black rubber swings. These were much taller than my swing at home and I loved trying to get as high as possible on these when I got a little bit older. The sound in my ear was so fantastic I wished there were some way to record exactly what I was hearing. I felt really free flying through the sky.
I take the public transit from work every evening and then walk home from the train station. It is a long-ish walk but enjoyable because it is through a cool neighborhood with a park and bike & walking path that winds through it. Most days I try to walk at a pretty quick pace so I can get home after a long day at work. The first thing I pass on my route is a playground. I really don’t take much notice of it usually, but a couple of days ago I realized for the first time that there are black rubber swings there. I threw my bag down and hopped on. And for 5 minutes I was swooshing through the air, wind in my ears, not a care in the world. It was fan-tastic! And suddenly I didn’t feel so stressed anymore. It is hard to hold onto anxiety and tension when you’re flying through the sky!
Christy Petterson lives in Atlanta where she writes, sews, works in PR, organizes crafty events, roadies for her drummer-of-a-husband, eats the yummy food he cooks her, drinks coffee, goes for walks and spends time with her friends and family. She is currently hard at work getting ready for the Indie Craft Experience which will be in Atlanta on June 10.... www.ice-atlanta.com
As promised last month, here are the other five of Martha’s rules.
Rule #6: Quality is everyday. Quality should be placed at the top or your list of priorities, and it should remain there. Quality is something you should strive for in every decision, every day.
For an entrepreneur to be successful they must be able to identify quality and understand what goes into producing quality. Understanding quality comes from comparing designs, materials and methods. With excellent quality comes satisfied and happy customers.
Rule #7: Build an a-team. Seek out and hire employees who are brimming with talent, energy, integrity, optimism, and generosity. Search for advisors and partners who complement your skills and understand your ideals.
The thought of someday having a team seems totally out of reach to me at this point, but I suppose it might happen one day. And even if it doesn’t, I think this rule can be applied to collaborators as well as employees. Martha says, “Good employees will energize you and your business.” This reminds me of something I always say, “Enthusiasm is infectious.”
Rule #8: So the pie isn’t perfect? Cut it into wedges. When faced with a business challenge, evaluate or assess the situation, gather the good things in sight, abandon the bad, clear your mind and move on. Focus on the positive. Stay in control, and never panic.
This chapter contained my favorite story of the book. During one of her catering gigs, Martha was preparing a dinner for Paul Newman (who would have been the love of my life had I been born a little sooner and had he not met...) and Joanne Woodward. Martha had just traveled to Morocco and suggested a Moroccan buffet for the dinner theme. Shortly before serving time she discovered that one of the main dishes--dinner pies--had burned in the places that were closest to the walls of the oven. There wasn’t enough time to recreate the dish so she had to think quick on her feet and decided to slice the pieces and serve the unburned pieces on platters. Instead of freaking out--most people’s initial response--she took a moment to assess the situation. Grace under fire!
Rule #9: Take risks, not chances. In business, there’s a difference between a risk and a chance. A well-calculated risk may very well end up as an investment in your business. A careless chance can cause it to crumble. And when an opportunity presents itself, never assume it will be your last.
Martha suggests “following a well-informed instinct or a calculated hunch.” You might be the only person who sees the merit in the opportunity and you have to be ready to take the risk despite others warning against it. She describes a chance as “a long shot that depends largely on luck” and warns against these. I like that she reassures us that no opportunity is ever your last opportunity. Sometimes it feels like you should try everything when you’re just starting out, but you don’t have to do it all!
Rule #10: Make it beautiful. Listen intently, learn new things every day, be willing to innovate, and become an authority your customers will trust. As an entrepreneur, you will find great joy and satisfaction in making your customers’ lives easier, more meaningful, and more beautiful.
Martha repeats the mantra “Make it beautiful” to herself several times a day and makes it her number one goal to improve the lives of her customers, colleagues, family and friends and in doing so her life is better as well. Sounds good to me!
Christy Petterson lives in Atlanta where she writes, sews, works in PR, organizes crafty events, roadies for her drummer-of-a-husband, eats the yummy food he cooks her, drinks coffee, goes for walks and spends time with her friends and family. She is currently hard at work getting ready for the Indie Craft Experience which will be in Atlanta on June 10.... www.ice-atlanta.com
So I hear Martha Stewart’s Apprentice wasn’t such a hit. I didn’t watch it. Instead I decided to read her latest book “The Martha Rules: 10 ESSENTIALS FOR ACHIEVING SUCCESS AS YOU START, BUILD OR MANAGE A BUSINESS.”
Martha, herself, gets mixed reviews. Some crafty girls like her and some don’t. I like her—I think she’s brought the art, skill and intellect of making a nice home into the forefront of our culture, which often dismisses homemaking as insignificant, easy and a waste of time. Turning these matters into a business makes it all the more impressive to me. So when my boss at my “real” job offered to loan me Martha’s book on essentials for running a business, I took her up on it.
I know many of us are interested in turning our love of craft into a business and we also need guidance so I thought I’d share Martha’s rules with everyone here. Even if you don’t like her this advice is sound and I’m saving you from having to read her book. If you do like her, read this and then go read the book—her stories are real, funny and easy to relate to. She shares antidotes from her own experience as well as other successful entrepreneurs. This is part one of a two part look at Martha’s rules.
Rule #1: What’s passion got to do with it? Build your business success around something that you love—something that is inherently and endlessly interesting to you.
Those of us interested in creating a crafty business have already found this passion and would probably agree with Martha when she states, “Doing work that you enjoy gives you energy.” Martha started out knowing that she loved to cook and from this developed her catering business which led to a book on entertaining and so on and so on. “When you love what you do,” she says, “it’s not work.”
She advises finding a mentor who will be honest with you. Having a mentor who only gives you positive feedback will stunt your growth. It is helpful to have someone who can tell you when an idea needs further development or isn’t based in reality.
Rule #2: Ask yourself, what’s the big idea? Focus your attention and creativity on basic things, things that people need and want. Then look for ways to enlarge, improve, and enhance your big idea.
Martha suggests that every business person take a walk in their customers shoes in order to come up with your big idea. Take time to brainstorm, compile lists of ideas, scrutinize and analyze your idea and assess it from many different perspectives including geography, affordability and expandability.
Rule #3: Get a telescope, a wide-angle lens, and a microscope. Create a business plan that allows you to stay true to your big idea but helps you focus on the details. Then remain flexible enough to zoom in or out on the vital aspects of your enterprise as your business grows.
The telescope, wide-angle lens and microscope are all essential for business success. With the telescope you should keep in mind where you are going and what the future holds. With the wide-angle lens you should evaluate the broad picture of operating your business. And with the microscope you will look at the finest details of your business.
A word to the wise: you must write a business plan.
Rule #4: Teach so you can learn. By sharing your knowledge about your product or service with your customers, you create a deep connection that will help you learn how best to build and manage your business.
Customers respond best to businesspeople who create a good experience for the customer and make it clear that they truly want their customer to have a good experience. “You need them to view you and your business as their primary resource, their refuge, their reliable provider of information, products, entertainment, or inspiration,” says Martha.
Rule #5: All dressed up and ready to grow. Use smart, cost-effective promotional techniques that will arrest the eye, tug at the heart, and convey what is unique and special about your business or service.
Your product has to stand out and you have to make this happen through packaging, advertising, publicity or some combination of all three. Make sure you find a way to distinguish your product from its market competitors. “I have found,” says Martha, “that the two most important elements in your promotional strategy should be creativity and common sense. A successful business absolutely needs both.”
This is just a smattering of the helpful hints in the first half of this book. Helpful hints are like gold for the young and ambitious. I hope this will help everyone’s business savvy!
Christy Petterson lives in Atlanta where she writes, sews, works in PR, organizes crafty events, roadies for her drummer-of-a-husband, eats the yummy food he cooks her, drinks coffee, goes for walks and spends time with her friends and family. Her latest exciting news is that “That’s Clever” is coming to film her this month! And there are just a few weeks left to apply for the Indie Craft Experience.... www.ice-atlanta.com
HOW TO: craft a wedding that represents you and your true love
Tuesday February 28th, 2006 10:11 PM
You’re engaged and it is time to start planning your wedding. The most important thing to remember when you start planning is that this day is for you and your true love and it should represent your relationship. Getting started can feel overwhelming especially if none of your friends have gotten married yet. And when I got engaged I felt like I was about 20 years behind in my planning because while a lot of girls were dreaming of their big day I was climbing trees. Looking at bride magazines didn’t help because I saw those brides and thought, “that’s not me.” There is an enormous industry dedicated to making you feel like your special day has to be a certain way. Crafty girls are not cookie-cutters and their weddings shouldn’t be either. Your wedding should represent your own personal style, and no one should tell you otherwise.
As you get going you’ll notice that a lot of family members have strong feelings about different aspects of the wedding. So before we go any further, I do want to clarify the difference between family tradition and industry-induced-expectation. Family tradition is something significant for reasons that are cultural, religious or just unique to your family. Whatever the reason, the tradition is special. An example might be wearing your grandmother’s cross during the ceremony because she wore her grandmother’s cross when she got married. The industry-induced-expectations are those things that someone thinks you “should” do. They aren’t significant for sentimental reasons they just seem like the “right” thing because “that’s the way things are done.” An example of industry-induced-expectation is making your three closest friends wear matching hideous dresses that cost a lot of money and can never be worn again. Family tradition is important. Industry-induced-expectation is stupid.
To get started with the planning buy or make yourself a blank notebook. Make sure it has ample pages and that you love it. This notebook is going to be your best friend. Write down everything. Every single idea you have. Every single idea anyone tells you. Every bit of information you run across. You can even tape in articles or business cards or fabric samples or pictures. Even if an idea seems like it isn’t feasible or of interest right now—write it down! You might change your mind later or circumstances might change and you don’t want to have to hunt for that information again. My everything notebook had an adorable Curious George on the cover.
And now for some tips…
#1 The biggest challenge in planning a wedding is finding a location for it. This is the item that will cost the most, have the most restrictions and could already be booked for the date that you want. Keep an open mind, think creatively and shop around. One cost-cutting measure is to have the ceremony and the reception in the same location. I went to a beautiful wedding last summer in a historic home where the ceremony was on the back garden patio and the reception was inside the house.
My wedding was small and we rented the large gazebo on the town square just a few yards from where we met. We only invited family and a handful of friends to the ceremony. For the reception, we used the paint-your-own-pottery shop where I worked. The night before a team of us came in and decorated the space. I painted enormous panels of paper to cover the shelves of pottery and our decorating totally transformed the space. We invited all our friends to the reception and the space worked out great for us. As an added bonus, I now use some of the panels in my living room.
#2 Once you have picked your space think of the rest of the preparations as planning a party. While I hadn’t been dreaming of my wedding since I was 5 years old, I had thrown many parties and thinking of the wedding as a party made it much easier to organize. A wedding is really a whole bunch of crafty projects if you think about it. Invitations, dresses, food, flowers, decorations. What could be more fun?
I would start by picking a color and style that you want to focus on. I chose red and went with an Asian theme. That meant when I painted the panels, I painted bamboo on them and when I created the décor for the tables that meant folding origami cranes. Having a theme made it easier to come up with ideas.
#3 Look for ways to simplify the process. There will be some aspects that are so import to you that you don’t want to compromise, but others where you can cut corners. I just had one bridesmaid and it was my sister so I told her to pick out a dress that she liked that matched our red theme. This made everything much easier, especially since my sister lives in San Diego and I live in Atlanta. By simplifying the bridesmaid dress process I had more time to work on other projects like making the veil with my Mom.
#4 Remember this represents you and your true love. Look for ways to express who you are. Otherwise, your wedding is just like any one else’s. We chose to use a traditional Episcopal service for our ceremony but we switched up a few aspects of it and even played a recording of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. Coming in at just under 8 minutes, playing this song might seem a little crazy, but it really meant something to the two of us and made the ceremony all our own.
#5 You would be surprised the talents your friends and family have. Enlisting them to help with different preparations made the whole event much more meaningful for me. A friend did my flowers, and we had fun going to the market to pick out the flowers the night before. A childhood friend who lived down the street did my makeup. It was so much fun to have someone I had known since I was 6 years old come over that morning to fix me up. It made everything much more meaningful to have her there than a stranger that I had hired.
Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking. Staying organized makes all the difference in the world. Once I got past a certain point in the preparations I graduated from the notebook to “The Countdown,” a huge piece of craft paper with a checklist arranged by category. Looking over it three years later, I am amazed that I pulled the whole thing off in just three months. To make it all happen I had to, no matter what the circumstances, remain calm and creative--two words that I feel will take you far in life!
Christy Petterson lives in Atlanta where she writes, sews, works in PR, organizes crafty events, roadies for her drummer-of-a-husband, eats the yummy food he cooks her, drinks coffee, goes for walks and spends time with her friends and family.
For years I stored them in boxes under the bed. They were too dear to get rid of and too much of a pain to take out from their designated spot. When I moved 16 times in 9 years, I dutifully took them with me. Without the prominent, easy-to-get-to home they deserved these beloved treasures were reduced to ridiculous baggage.
What item is this that I shlepped around because I couldn’t bear to part with it, but didn’t hold enough clout to be kept front and center? My craft supplies. I never had a designated place to craft in any of my tiny apartments and while I would have loved to sprawl all over the living room floor with projects galore, I never wanted my roommates to feel like they had to tip toe around my creations. And while I had two huge bookcases that would have been the perfect place to keep the supplies in plain sight, the cases were oddly enough used for none other than books. Clearly, my priorities were out of whack!
It finally dawned on me one day that I was never going to get anything done if I had to pull the supplies out every time I wanted to craft and then have to put them away afterwards...all this taking out and putting back was stunting my crafty growth. If I could just have a way to keep the projects out somewhere and the supplies in arms reach I suspected my momentum would really keep going. It took several attempts with several intermittent moves before I got it right. And even when I designated a space for working I would end up with my work table such a mess that I’d have to set up satellite locations in little corners of the room. I couldn’t keep everything orderly because I didn’t have it all organized.
I’ve been getting my act together though. Satellite locations are crazy. I had to come up with a plan to make it all work. First, it helped to settle down with one craft. Settling down can be hard for a good time girl. I still have a kabillion beads and tons of fancy paper because I love to dabble, but they are not as easy to get to as my fabric, thread and sewing machine. By picking one craft I’m able to prioritize where I store different items.
Second, finding a good spot is essential. I dream of one day owning a house with an extra room, but for now I’ve carved out a portion of my living room--luckily, my husband doesn’t mind the sometimes out-of-hand mess when I’m in full production mode. When you’re looking for your spot keep in mind it doesn’t have to be huge. In my friend Anne(anniebeegoode)’s last home, the area she called her “studio” was just a bookcase full of fun supplies located in a little walk through pantry between the dining room and kitchen. The nice thing about it was that the supplies were all in plain sight, easy to get to and that there was a big table in both the dining room and the kitchen. So she was just a few feet from a work surface no matter which way she turned. My favorite part is that she called the bookcase her Studio.
My little work area consists of a big table, a big set of shelves and a TV tray table with my sewing machine. I have had several different arrangements of these items within this room, and I think I finally found a set up that I like. Experimenting is key. Rearrange the whole room if you have to.
Luckily, I’ve been able to set up this space with very little money. My sewing machine was a hand-me-down from an old friend and my big table was a donation from my uncle. My old table was a great size but it was very wobbly and the wood on the top was a little warped in a few places so it wasn’t flat. My brother and I broke the leg off the table from my uncle when we were moving it and I thought I’d be stuck with the wobble table forever. But my 16-year-old brother is sometimes able to teach me a thing or two, and he introduced me to Gorilla Glue. Needless to say the table is perfect now!
The shelves came from Ikea. They are huge, super simple and cost just under $100. Even at this price they were a big investment for me, but they were exactly what I thought would work best so I took the plunge. For my work area to be perfect, I still would like to get a good comfortable chair and a gigantic bulletin board to tack up ideas and inspiration.
It is important to learn your organizational style. I like for everything to have a place, but within that place it doesn’t need to be organized. My ribbon is all contained in one specific box so I never have to wonder where to find it, but look inside the box and you’ll see it is a hodgety-podgety mess. For me, this is ok. It’d make some people nuts to have to dig through that every time they wanted ribbon, but I sort of enjoy the dig. Figure out what works for you.
For all your supplies find containers that are functional for your purposes. This is a great chance to give new life to old containers. Before my beads were packed up on the top shelf, I divided them by color into clear, plastic containers that once held hummus from the local farmers market. I bought a ton of cheap magazine boxes to store paper and my mom gave me a pretty basket that I use for current sewing projects. Under the table I store extra fabric in boxes, and I have these funky little houses for ribbon and small tools that my mom used in the bathroom when I was little. Years ago during the renovation of a building I worked in, I snagged a bunch of wood file boxes that had been in the old timey safe. I use some to store craft books and I put felt feet on the bottom of the rest of them so I can slide them out for files.
The last thing to think about when setting up your space is lighting. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to work in a dimly lit room. It is bad for your eyes and slows down productivity. I have a big Chinese lantern for overall lighting and an adjustable lamp for focused light.
I think I’m all set now. My space is functional and organized. I’ve made one rule for myself. I have to keep my table clear for working. I’m a little nervous that when I get busy everything is going to become a mess again, but since it all has a place I think I can manage it this time. Wish me luck!
Christy Petterson lives in Atlanta where she writes, sews, works in PR, organizes crafty events, roadies for her drummer-of-a-husband, eats the yummy food he cooks her, drinks coffee, goes for walks and spends time with her friends and family.
New Year’s resolutions have never worked out well for me. I’ve tried for years. I’d make the requisite list and have the best of intentions, but just never really got around to making it happen. I think the resolutions seemed too much like rules and my heart just wasn’t ever in it.
This is not to say that I have no use for goals or improvement however. I can’t help but get excited about the New Year. Perhaps because Christmas is such a huge undertaking, January seems like this big blank slate. It’s not just a new page in my calendar...it is a new calendar all together. An opportunity to do things different as well as repeat what worked last year.
The new year is a golden opportunity to evaluate and redefine. An old coworker once told me that he uses his birthday as a time to review the previous year and
make changes if needed. This is some of the best advise anyone ever gave me. And why wait until your birthday when you can do it this week? I’m lucky because my birthday is in mid-March so if I get off track after my January evaluation two and a half months later I can start over when my birthday rolls around. I can even pretend like that whole January and February thing never even happened!
2005 was a great year for me. I got promoted at my day job, I was a bridesmaid in a close friend’s wedding, I finally got a computer and internet at home and craftily speaking...wow! I formed the I.C.E. Collective with two friends, we organized the Indie Craft Experience in the summer and during the holiday season, we joined the Beehive Co-op, we participated in many local shows as well as in Renegade Brooklyn and Chicago, we had a live interview on a local radio station and a huge write up in our local, alternative newspaper and I started writing this column.
There is always a flip side though! In 2005, I ran up a ton of credit card debt, my apartment was in varying stages of a-mess all year long, I ate a lot of expensive, unhealthy lunches because I was too busy to pack a lunch, I didn’t spend enough time with my family and too much of the time I spent with my husband was in front of the tv. In 2005, I spent a lot of time just plain exhausted.
Clearly, in 2006 I need balance. I want to keep my crafty momentum going but I have to prioritize and decide which things I did last year that were the most effective so that I can make time to see my family and friends and keep my apartment looking cute. I feel so much more relaxed when my apartment is clean and I am much more productive with my sewing.
I also need to keep my money in check. My biggest weakness is going out to eat and for drinks. In the past few months, I’ve already made major headway. I’ve entirely cut out going to the coffee shop unless it is to meet a friend, whereas I used to go every day for my morning coffee. The coffee in the break room at my office is far below my former-barista standards, but it is f-r-e-e. We eat at home a lot more and have beer in the fridge most of the time. And, I’ll admit it, if I’m ready for an evening of sewing and there’s no beer at home, I walk to the gas station a block from our apartment and I buy myself a 22 oz. Budweiser. It costs $1.75 and if I pour it in a fancy glass I am good to go! When I think back to my younger $6 gin-and-tonic days I cringe at how many times I pulled the credit card out to pay my bill which often crept over $20. Some might say my classiness has been depleted but I just keep telling myself that the debt isn’t worth it. And I’m going to get out from underneath debt, one 22 oz. at a time!
So I’ve come up with a few small practices I’m going to implement in 2006. I guess they are resolutions, but I’m not calling them that in hopes that I can
actually pull them off!
__Watch much less TV. It slows me down when I’m sewing, stifles creativity, takes up gobs of time and I’d rather read anyway.
__Don’t use my credit cards!!!! There are instances of true emergency, but NOTHING else is worth the weight of debt.
__A weekly check list of chores. I don’t know who hates cleaning more, me or my husband. A list will keep us in order. And instead of me having to remind him that it’s his turn to scrub the tub, I’ll let the list do that dirty work!
__I’m going to go out less so that means I have to have people over more. This is three-fold....it costs less, will make me keep the apartment looking cute and it is just plain fun!
__We are doing great at cooking dinner at home, but we need to do better at taking our lunch to work. If my husband can make a big pot of soup each week and I can make some big batches of different salads then packing lunches will be super easy. Plus, we have to go to the farmers market every week. They have the cheapest and freshest food in town.
I’m not sure how I’ll make it all happen this year, but I’m hopeful. As I write this there is a big pot of soup on the stove. I’m a big believer in getting started. Most of the time that’s half the battle. So let’s get 2006 started right!
What are you doing different this year?
Christy Petterson lives in Atlanta where she writes, sews, works in PR, organizes crafty events, roadies for her drummer-of-a-husband, eats the yummy food he cooks her, drinks coffee, goes for walks and spends time with her friends and family.
Some years I have been so busy that the holiday season has blown by and sometime in January I realize I never even had a cup of hot cocoa or decorated my apartment. I hated my schedule in college because sometimes I wouldn’t finish exams until December 23rd, but I can’t say I have really allowed myself to fully enjoy the holiday season in the six Decembers since then. So now for December #7 I’ve decided to take it a little slower. I haven’t halted everything because this is, of course, the best time of year to sell crafts, but for this year I have slimmed down my obligations, and I’m making more time for myself, friends and family.
Here are a couple of ideas I’m using to keep things simple this year:
Get Organized... A lot of the hustle, bustle and stress of December is trying to get it all done in time. Working, crafting, selling, buying gifts. Taking a moment now at the beginning of December to get organized could go a long way. Make lists, get started now instead of the 20th and start cranking out some holiday spirit!
Think Bulk and Assembly Line... See a good deal on something? Your aunt in Chicago and your best friend in San Diego will never know if you give them the same gift. Whether you’re making gifts or buying them, if something works—do it in “bulk”. If you want to make cookies for ten different people don’t bake cookies ten different times. Do them all at once and that way you won’t have to pull out all the ingredients and wash the dishes ten times. Assembly line is the way to go!
Learn To Say No... You don’t have to go to every party and you don’t have to participate in every show. Just do what feels good and when you start to feel a little overwhelmed then you know you need to pull back. Biting off more than you can chew is never a good idea—unless it involves homemade cookies!
Prioritize... Figure out what’s most important to you and make sure you get to do it. If the neighborhood annual progressive dinner is one of your favorite activities make sure you mark it on the calendar early. But if caroling with your book club in below freezing temperatures just sounds like a good way to catch a cold, don’t feel obligated. There just isn’t enough time to do everything!
Make Time For Something Extra Special... There are a handful of friends who live in other states that I miss a lot so I’m going to take the time to make them a card. I also want to go ice skating and plan a really nice menu for Christmas day when my family comes over. Keeping up with old friends and planning yummy meals for my family are activities that I don’t ever have as much time for as I’d like, and ice skating is only available this time of year—so now’s the time!
In keeping with the theme of this column, I’ve decided to keep this short. I have some Christmas decorations to make for a sale I’m doing tomorrow night and some hot cocoa to drink. I’d love to hear what you’re doing to keep December sane as well as anything extra special you’re making time for! Happy Holidays!!!!!
At a party last weekend, I ran into a collegemate who I hadn’t seen in a couple of years and I ended up having the best conversation with her I’ve ever had. The topic? Fabric! Turns out she started sewing her own clothes frustrated by the lack of retail options where she lives. She wanted to know where I buy my fabric.
I really can’t decide which I love more--collecting fabric or sewing! To be quite honest, I’ve been collecting fabric most of my life. I don’t even know why. I didn’t have some grand ideas for projects I was going to do, I just acquired it. So it was very convenient when I actually did start sewing to already have boxes of fabric sitting around.
I use a lot of recycled materials. So that means heading to the thrift store. It also means that my mom very sweetly never gets rid of any item of clothing without showing it to me first. My advice with recycled material is to look for big items. Sheets are the best because they are so big and therefore, easy to cut to the size and shape you need. Skirts usually work really well too and a moo-moo is quite a gold mine. I have one I bought years ago that has yielded tons and tons of fabric--and of course, there is the bonus of its good time, tropical, psychedelic pattern.
Another source of fabric is people I know. I often joke that the more I sew, the more fabric I have. You’d be amazed at how many people have given me old clothes to cut up as well as actual fabric that they just never got around to using. I’ve received big bags from my neighbor across the hall, a co-worker and my husband’s boss. It is almost as though people are just collecting these piles of fabric waiting for something to do with it. I guess that’s how I used to be! The one pit fall to watch out for is accepting everything people give you and then never sorting and purging. If you don’t, it will take over your work space.
The top number one score in terms of fabric that has been given to me is the big bag of scraps my grandmother gave me a couple of years ago. A model in the fifties and a life-long-lover-of-clothes, these scraps from her old garments are the most gorgeous fabric I own. I’m saving it until I have exceptional skills at sewing or I might just hang onto them forever. It is fun to look through them and imagine the clothes they came from.
I get my absolute nicest fabric from my friend Margaret who works for an interior designer. When there are old fabric samples that they don’t need anymore, Margaret gathers them up and brings them to me. The one draw back is that they are somewhat small pieces and I always want more, but man, oh man! This is really beautiful fabric. Last time I moved, she stopped by while the apartment was still full of boxes and left some fabric in the drawer of a little side table. I remember her telling me, but I was rather preoccupied and didn’t remember to look at it. Then a month later I stumbled upon the samples. It was like Christmas!
If I’m talking about fabric I have to sing the praises of my husband’s hometown of Paducah, Kentucky. It is a small town and there’s not a whole lot that goes on there, but Paducah happens to be Quilt City, USA, the location of the National Quilt Museum and home to the Hancock family. Hancock sound familiar? There is probably a Hancock fabric store where you live. A big chain. Hancock's of Paducah is the original and then some Hancock uncle or cousin started the seperate franchise business. Hancock’s of Paducah is a huge warehouse full of row after row after row of fabric. It is all cotton since the store is oriented towards quilters. I love the huge tables in the back full of remnants. It is fun to search through them and you’ll find all sorts of interesting patterns. Their website is pretty cool, too, and you can flip through their catalogue page by page online. So next time you’re headed down I-24 take a break in Paducah and get in some fabric shopping.
My final favorite way to get fabric is when I’m traveling. A lot of women go shopping for clothes while on vacation; I shop for the fabric to make new clothes. When I went to Boston a few years ago I read in our guide book that there were lots of good places to buy Asian fabric. I didn’t really have the chance to hunt around too much and I didn’t have enough money to buy more than half a yard, but the half yard I bought that day is one of those pieces that are so beautiful to me that I’ve been saving it for just the right thing--I’ve had it for four years now!
Last time I was in New York was this summer for Renegade, and I had the pleasure of joining Ileana from india*romeo and Christine from Twospace for some fun fabric shopping in the garment district. We went up and down Fashion Avenue (7th Avenue) and found all sorts of fabulous yardage. My favorite was Paron Fabrics at West 40th Street. They have two store fronts side by side, and while I thought the deals were great in the first one, the second is an actual discount store. As an added bonus, the people who work there are a very jovial bunch! It rained the whole afternoon that we were shopping, but it was worth it just to see some of the fabric in the different shops that I would never be able to find anywhere else.
I’m still using fabric saved from the days when I didn’t sew and then I’m constantly adding to it. I’m curious to see if there is ever a day when I’ll run low or even run out. I guess it all depends on which passion is stronger--collecting fabric or sewing!
Christy Petterson lives in Atlanta where she writes, sews, works in PR, organizes crafty events, roadies for her drummer-of-a-husband, eats the yummy food he cooks her, drinks coffee, goes for walks and occassionally watches dumb tv and sleeps.
Recently preparing for Renegade in Chicago, I realized the enormous number of details involved in getting ready for a craft fair. Not only do you have to have all of your merchandise ready, you also have to gather up a myriad of items to take with you. There is so much to remember and it can be so time consuming that I've tried to organize the process in a way that makes it quick (or quicker!) and easy (or easier!) to grab everything and run out the door. Every minute you spend gathering supplies is a minute you could be using for creating or marketing. And if you make it easy and foul-proof enough you may even be able to delegate this part to a boyfriend, roommate or Mom who has offered to help. This will give you time to make one last thing!
I'm an advocate of the list. Maybe because I can't seem to keep track of anything without them, I usually have several things-to-do lists going at once. The list translates well when I'm trying to keep track of everything I need to take with me to a show. I make copies of the list, keep the blank copies on hand in a notebook and literally check items off as I pack them up. This is especially useful during this time of year when there are many shows back to back. Knowing what to take with you can be tricky at first but you'll get the hang of it. A lot of it is just general supplies, some of it relates to your comfort, and some relates to the elements.
I recommend using a tool box. This can literally be a tool box from the hardware store, a shoebox or anything fun that can hold supplies. Choose whatever works well for you and is small enough to carry easily without adding to the load and large enough to hold everything you need. Buy seconds of everything so that the tool box is always packed and you never have to raid it when you are at home looking for scissors. Things I include in the tool box: calculator, pens, sharpies, tape, safety pins, scissors, and twine. Twine has proven to be a life saver on several occasions. You never know what you'll need it for, but chances are you'll need it!
As you develop your set up and display you'll know what else you need to have on hand. S hooks have recently been added to our tool box because of a new way the I.C.E. Collective is displaying clothes. The tool box contents will evolve over time.
After your tool box is ready, there's the big bulk. If the show's outside you'll want a standard 10 x 10 tent. If you don't have one though, don't let this stop you from participating. Just cross your fingers that it doesn't rain and make sure you wear sunscreen if it is summer. You'll also need tables, chairs, clothing racks (if you make clothes) and anything else you use for display purposes. Sometimes tables and chairs are provided for indoor shows. Find out what you are responsible for.
So now you have your tool box, big bulk and your merchandise. Here are a few more details you might not have thought of. Bring a table clothe and anything you can think of to make your display aesthetically pleasing. Bring water and a snack. You're going to be there for awhile so make sure you aren't stuck at your booth parched and starving. Wear layers. If the event is outdoors it may be cool in the morning and warm up by afternoon. You don't want to be stuck wearing a big sweater and sweating! If the event is indoors you never know when the a/c is going to blow you away. Bring something to keep busy. Sometimes there are slow spells and you want a magazine to flip through or you may even be able to craft while you are sitting there. Bring a camera to snap a few shots of your items, your set up and the event itself. Bring cash that you can use to make change for people when they make a purchase. Keep the money near you at all times. Don't be naïve, theft happens. Bring business cards and a blank notebook for people to sign up for your mailing list. Shows are not just about sales. They are also about exposure, meeting other crafters and networking. And you never know when a shop owner or a reporter is going to show up!
Another way to be prepared is to make sure you are ready. Try to get a good night sleep-I know, you want to stay up all night making more stuff but you'll feel so much better if you aren't tired. Make sure you eat breakfast and drink your morning coffee. And be excited and enthusiastic and friendly. People will enjoy walking into your booth if they see you are really enjoying the event. Greet everyone with a smile and a "how are you?" I like to find one item they are wearing and compliment them on it. It is a good ice breaker and makes them feel like we have a similar style. But I never compliment anything that I don't like. People can pick up on insincerity.
Last be mentally prepared for anything especially if the event is outdoors. The weather can really make things complicated and you have to be prepared to get through it without letting your attitude suffer. I've survived freezing cold, extreme wind and rain...not all at once though! If weather gets bad, keep your head level. You may have to change your set up according to the weather and you want to be able to make a quick decision on what to do. If you start to feel frazzled give yourself a moment. Just stop and relax and try to figure out the best solution. Look around at the other participants-what are they doing to keep rain out of their tent or to keep their tent from flying away? Do the best you can at fixing the problem. And then just remember-crafting is fun! You're out on a rainy day because you're proud of what you've made, and make up your mind to have fun even if you get a little wet.
Alright, you are all set. You've got your merchandise, your tool box, your big bulk and your impeccable attitude! Now go out there and sell!!!!
This list will help you get started-tweak it as you need to.
Christy's Show Checklist Most Important
__merchandise
Stuff, Stuff, Stuff
__table clothe
__hangers
__business cards
__business card holder
__tags
__twine
__camera
__notebook for mailing list sign-up
__receipt book
__change/bank
__bags to put purchases in
Christy Petterson lives in Atlanta where she writes, sews, works in PR, organizes crafty events, roadies for her drummer-of-a-husband, eats the yummy food he cooks her, drinks coffee, goes for walks and occassionally watches dumb tv and sleeps.
