Polyvore is a unique, easy-to-use web-based application for mixing and matching products from any online store. Items are pulled together into a visual set of products that can be shared with anyone. Each product within the set is then linked back to the online store where it is available for purchase.

Crafters have been getting in on the fun by using Polyvore's "Clip to Polyvore" tool to upload their own items users can then play with (see the Monica Burnett Hats and Naughty Secretary Club groups, for example), and I love the idea of handmade goods by independent designers being included in the over 1 million products featured on Polyvore. It's an interesting from a marketing standpoint, sure, but playing with Polyvore is also just plain fun.

Here's a set I made called "Crafternoon", which features some personal faves like Mohop Shoes (featured in our latest issue, which also appears in the set), a boygirlparty notepad, and some pins by Happy Owl Glassworks. To see the full list of set credits, click here.

Made by Tess has created a great new Flickr group where indie biz owners can show off their booth photos from various craft fairs and festivals. What a great way to get display ideas and compare notes! Pictured above: the Queen Puff Puff booth from last weekend's Maker Faire!

Tomas at The Closet Entrepreneur has a roundup of really special business card holders for making a great first impression. Many of those listed come with helpful tutorials for crafting your own unique creation.

Related:

• Origami Business Card Holder

• Cassette Tape Business Card Case

• Quilted Business Card Holder

The CraftBoom blog recently interviewed Kristin Link, who owns the fabulous online fabric shop Sew, Mama, Sew! Check it out and find out how she turned a love of fabric into a successful business. Interview with Sew, Mama, Sew!

Sarah from The Small Object has written a great post sharing her tips and observations on participating in craft fairs. If you've ever considered applying to sell at a show, you should definitely give it a read. Link.

Sarah from The Small Object came up with a great way to put her logo on her wooden creations: this super-handy electric brander. This would be so useful for anyone working with wood! Check out her blog to find out how to get one of your own. Link.

Lisa Levine (rhymes with wine) makes really beautiful dangle earrings. She has been making jewelry for a long time. She made her first jewelry in the 4th grade for a church bazaar. She and a friend made friendship bracelets and earned $60. Later, she got her first job at a bead store. For college, Lisa got her BFA in painting and sculpture at California College of Art. After she finished school, she started making earrings and taking them around to stores to get orders. In 2006, she opened her jewelry store on Metropolitan Ave in Williamsburg.

Everything in Lisa's store is handmade in the back of the store. She draws her inspiration from materials and lets the design evolve out of that constraint. She also uses a lot of found objects and chains.

Lisa Levine Jewelry
536 Metropolitan Ave
Brooklyn, NY
lisalevinejewelry.com

• See all my Flickr photos at Lisa Levine Jewelry - Link.
• Lisa Levine Catch the Sun Jewelry on Cool Hunting - Link

Lisa showed me her studio in the back of the store and walked through the steps to making earrings. Before I could tell her that my ears aren't pierced, she had made an earring and put it in my ear. Okay my ears are pierced, but I haven't worn earrings in a really long time. Pictures of Lisa's steps follow.

CraftBoom has posted a new "Crafting Heroes" interview with Sublime Stitching's Jenny Hart, where she tells us all about starting her super-popular D.I.Y. business. Link.

Maiden Hong Kong is a really cute store on Lorimer Street. Wendy Yang opened the store in August 2005. The store carries a mix of vintage clothes mostly from Hong Kong, China, and Japan. There are several sewing machines in the corner because every piece of vintage clothing gets altered, restored and repaired before it gets put out in the store. When she has time, Wendy makes clothing to sell in the store. In fact, every time I go by the store someone is working at a sewing machine.

I really like that Maiden Hong Kong feels rooted in the neighborhood and community. They are even starting to offer sewing classes next week with the first class on January 15th. The class is for absolute beginners and will cover both hand and machine sewing. Over 5 weeks, students will learn to make the project of their choice.

Maiden Hong Kong
502 Lorimer Street (on the corner of Powers)
Brooklyn, NY
maidenhongkong.com

• See all my Flickr photos at Maiden Hong Kong - Link.
• Maiden Hong Kong User Reviews on Citysearch. (The first review is sweet!) - Link.

I went at the beginning of the month to Ambatalia's Sustainable Craft Fair, which was a lovely gathering of local crafters using sustainable materials in the courtyard outside the store. There were adorable hand-crafted dog jackets (which usually make my eyes cross, but these made me want a little dog for just a moment!), sweet baby clothes and lovely jewelry. Hopefully they'll be having more Craft Fairs in future. We'll let you know if they do...

For those of you who live in the Bay Area but haven't been to Ambatalia in Mill Valley, go! Molly De Vries, the owner, has beautiful organic fabrics from around the world, as well as delectable Liberty prints and vintage fat quarters (not to mention gorgeous antique lace and buttons, and stunning felted dresses from Ashley Helvey).

Claire Louise Milne of Needle Book wrote a great blog post that rounds up some of the various fun options out there for labeling your craft projects. Link.

Next week, we'll be continuing our series of Craft Biz Q+As with a variety of creative businessfolks, but today I want to tell you about a must-attend event happening this Thursday in Los Angeles. Silver Lake's greatest eco-friendly, handmade-design shop, Reform School, will be hosting a special event with Craft, Inc. author Meg Mateo Ilasco! You'll be able to get your book signed and pick the brain of this savvy businesswoman, plus you might win a month of free advertising on design*sponge. Oh, and there are also prizes being offered from indie biz superstars like Denyse Schmidt, Lotta Jansdotter, Jill Bliss and more. If that isn't enough, I'll also be there teaching everyone to make recycled paper beads. Reform School is also one of seven advance ticket locations for this weekend's upcoming Felt Club: XL Holiday Event (featuring Maker Square!), so it's a great chance to get a jump on the crowds. Hope to see you there! Link.

I'm loving this interview with Amanda Soule (author of the upcoming book The Creative Family) that was recently posted on CraftBoom. It's great that so many people are taking an interest in exploring the business end of the craft world these days, and that so many business owners are willing to share their thoughts on the topic. Link.

Christina at SFist has a great interview with Leslie Yang of Feisty Elle. Leslie makes some beautiful handmade accessories like the one she's wearing above. Find out how she runs her crafty business and her favorite local SF crafty spots. Link.

JENNY: Do you run your indie business full time, or do you have a "day job" to help keep you afloat? BONUS: If the latter is the case, how do you balance your time/make time for crafting?

NICOLE: Well, the Queen Puff Puff business is my day job but then I have a part-time gig teaching sewing classes at Stitch Lounge in SF and also at Stonemountain and Daughter Fabrics in Berkeley. To keep on schedule, I put everything on a calendar. This includes classes, shows, order deadlines, dates to order supplies, dates to start projects and dates to ship. Each morning I simply check the calendar to see what needs to be done and where I need to be.

JENNY: How did you make the transition to working for yourself? How do you structure your days when you're the boss?

NICOLE: I used to have a part-time job working at a fabric store. It was great to be surrounded by fabric all day, plus that employee discount sure came in handy when I was starting up my company. As my business grew I went from 4 days to 3 days a week and then eventually down to 2 and then last year I made the break.

Structuring my days has been my biggest struggle. It's very easy to get sucked in to Golden Girls reruns on TV or the rabbit hole of the internet. So self-discipline has been my big challenge. I get up at 6:30 in the morning, have my coffee and surf the net, check email, print out orders. Then around 8 am I start sewing product. Around 1pm I usually stop and take a break for lunch and a shower. After lunch, I sew some more and then around 5pm I pack up any orders that need to go out and drop them off at the PO.

JENNY: How important has the internet been in relation to the growth of your business? Also, would you say the bulk of your business comes from your own website, or from wholesale accounts and/or craft show sales?

NICOLE: It's been huge!!! I've picked up so many wholesale accounts from people who have seen my website! My biggest revenue stream is wholesale, then craft shows, then my website and then a bit of consignment.

JENNY: Is there anything you wish you'd done differently when starting your business, knowing what you know now? BONUS: Any resources for upstart craft businesses that you'd care to recommend?

NICOLE: The Switchboards has been an invaluable resource. I've met SO many other indie business owners on that site and have learned an incredible amount about running a small business. Small Time Operator by Bernard Kamoroff is a great book about starting a business.

JENNY: How would you compare the challenges of working for yourself with working for "The Man"?

NICOLE: The biggest challenge about working for yourself is that when you slack off, you're not making any money! When I worked an office job I could surf the net, take a coffee break and I was still getting paid. But now my most enjoyable hobby has turned into the thing that pays my rent! I don't get depressed on Sunday nights because I'm dreading going to work!

JENNY: Any tips on how to keep your business fresh and thriving/growing?

NICOLE: Don't hole up in your studio and get cut off from the rest of the world. Get outside, check things out and talk to people. Working from home can be lonely and the days can run together. Keep your spirit and mind fresh and your work will continue to be inspired.

Related:
• Queen Puff Puff site - Link.
• Stonemountain and Daughters - Link.
• Stitch Lounge - Link.
• The Switchboards - Link.
• Small-Time Operator by Bernard Kamoroff - Link.

From the pages of CRAFT:

CRAFT: 04 - "Business Basics for Crafty Types" by Jenny Ryan pgs. 42-43. Digital Subscribers can read the full article here. - Link.
Don't miss an issue! Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine today and get 4 quarterly issues delivered to your door. - Link.

This book is packed with great information about how to name your business, getting publicity, developing products and lots more. One of the best things about the book is all the great interviews with established crafty entrepeneurs. They are humble enough to tell about their mistakes as well as their successes and how they established their businesses. I've already read my copy cover to cover and plan to start again this weekend to absorb more details.

JENNY: Do you run your indie business full time, or do you have a "day job" to help keep you afloat? (If the former is the case, how did you make the transition to working for yourself?)

TESS: I transitioned from part time to full time at the same time that my husband and I made some major life changes. We moved across the country to a smaller area, and were able to afford a house versus paying expensive rent. Even though my business wasn't (and isn't) fully grown, it needed my full time attention. Our living expenses are less, and we save a lot of money on gas. It's still a struggle, but it was to the point in my business that I needed to put more into than I was, and I am gradually seeing the results of that.

JENNY: How important has the internet been in relation to the growth of your business? Also, would you say the bulk of your business comes from your own website, or from wholesale accounts and/or craft show sales?

TESS: Very important. I have met so many wonderful people, and it's opened up new opportunities through just word of mouth. When I first opened my business, I had no idea that there were all these great resources, knowledgeable people, and great shows. I hear about pretty much every show I want to do through networking online. It didn't happen over night, but every day someone lets me know about something new to help my business, or I'll read something interesting in a forum, or something like that. Most importantly for me is the sense of community, which is very important. Working at home, alone, can get very lonely, and it's nice to have a support system!

As far as where most of my business comes from, it's really split equally between shows and my website. I made a decision about 6 months ago only to do larger, well publicized craft fairs. This means I only do 3 or 4 shows a year, but they are worth my time and energy. I would like to wholesale more often, but for the time being I have a few shops that carry my items on consignment.

JENNY: Is there anything you wish you'd done differently when starting your business, knowing what you know now? BONUS: Any resources for upstart craft businesses that you'd care to recommend?

TESS: I wish I would not have gotten an expensive merchant account through my bank, and an expensive site builder style website. I was locked into a long term contract, which was very expensive to break, and it really wasn't tailored for my business. Either of these would have been fine if my business wasn't so homespun and handcrafted, but it was just wrong for my business. I might get something like this when my business is larger, but for now I am happy with PayPal.

I recently took a Dream Weaver and Photoshop class through my community college, and have used these skills to develop and maintain the website I have now. I would recommend both of these classes. Even if you don't design your own website, you can do your own updates and all that fun stuff. I'm a big DIY-er, though, and I want to do everything with my own two hands if at all possible.

JENNY: How would you compare the challenges of working for yourself with working for "The Man"?

TESS: My most recent job before I did this full time was managing at a small yarn boutique, which was very fun and not oppressive at all. I learned a lot about running a small business through this, and I wouldn't be in business if the owner had not asked me to make a dozen notions bags for the shop.

My corporate retail jobs were a totally different experience. They were miserable and depressing, and I never want to wear a white polo shirt again. Among the benefit of working for myself is the very relaxed dress code, no one minds if I'm dressed up one day, or dressed down the next. I also like that I can take advantage of my body clock, I definitely work better in the evening versus the morning. I'm a lot happier than I've ever been, and my work is 100% better because of it. The only downfall is that I don't pay as well as "The Man".

JENNY: Any tips on how to keep your business fresh and thriving/growing?

TESS: Always try something new, and if you aren't excited about it, don't do it! You should have enthusiasm in what you are selling, making, or designing, it rubs off on your customers and your products. And if something works, don't get depressed, try something new! Always try to be happy, remember having your own business is what you've always wanted!

JENNY: Anything other random tips or info you'd like to add on the topic?

TESS: Be nice, I think that's a good rule for everything. Don't let yourself get walked all over, though. Stick up to the bank if they are being stupid, and be firm with customers who need it. And the most important rule of all is to "be excellent to each other" (quote from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure)--what goes around comes around, baby!

Related:
• Made by Tess site - Link.
• Made by Tess blog - Link.
• Made by Tess Flickr - Link.

From the pages of CRAFT:

CRAFT: 04 - "Business Basics for Crafty Types" by Jenny Ryan pgs. 42-43. Digital Subscribers can read the full article here. - Link.
Don't miss an issue! Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine today and get 4 quarterly issues delivered to your door. - Link.

Jewelry maker Margaux Lange had a less than ideal experience selling at a craft fair recently, and posted a soul-searching blog wondering why things went the way they did. As a participant in (and organizer of) several craft shows, I find her thoughts on the subject quite interesting. Fellow jewelry creator Liana Kabel posted a follow-up blog of her own expanding on the topic and it's opened up a fascinating dialogue about oversaturation in the craft marketplace, high end vs. bargain shopping, and more. Margaux's orginal post is here, while Liana's response is here. Be sure to check out Margaux's shop as well to see her thought-provoking and gorgeously crafted jewelry for yourself. Link.

JENNY: Do you run your indie business full time, or do you have a "day job" to help keep you afloat?

KELLEE: We are lucky enough to run our business full time and it supports both me and my husband.

JENNY: How did you make the transition to working for yourself? How do you structure your days when you're the boss?

KELLEE: I was working full time as a customer service rep for a bank. It was making me miserable. I had this sad epiphany that I was nowhere near the person I'd hoped I'd be at 30-something years old, so I decided to make a big change! I quit the job, took off a few months to kind of focus on really starting the business (and get married!) and eventually I had to work part time again, but at least then it was on my terms. We'd work late nights pumping out mirrors. Then, my hubby got a job offer in Indiana--which, while definitely not a very artsy place, has great housing opportunities. So he worked full time, found out HE hated his new job and was miserable--had that same epiphany that I had, and I was able to convince him to quit to come work for our business! I knew with two of us focusing on nothing but growth, we'd make it happen and make it work. Show season is definitely instrumental to our success, but we've also definitely increased our wholesale accounts by leaps and bounds in the year that we've been here.

Admittedly, it is kind of tough to structure your days when you know you can work in your PJs with your hair all gorgonic(!). Staying in your jammy-jams can throw you off your schedule! We've talked about setting aside such and such a day for this task, and this other day for that task, but things come up and we just handle them, completely ignoring our plan! One thing that is a huge blessing is that we have the flexibility to do what we want with our day--knowing that if we choose to work til 1am, it's not going to affect anything at all, as long as we get our orders shipped, we can handle the other stuff any time of the day.

JENNY: How important has the internet been in relation to the growth of your business? Also, would you say the bulk of your business comes from your own website, or from wholesale accounts and/or craft show sales?

KELLEE: The internet is the reason we exist. Honestly. I started making mirrors, not knowing if anyone would like them, let alone buy them--but they did! I network with a lot of talented women on a website called The Switchboards and it has proven to be a tremendous benefit to our brand awareness. Link exchanges are always useful, because shoppers like to hop around!

In 2006, everything was pretty even. Our website did a great business for us, but the wholesale really picked up a lot--so I'd say it was 50/50 between the two? Craft shows were AMAZING, but we didn't start them til the holiday season, but we expect this year to make MORE at shows than we do on our site.

JENNY: Is there anything you wish you'd done differently when starting your business, knowing what you know now? BONUS: Any resources for upstart craft businesses that you'd care to recommend?

KELLEE: Taxes. File often and early! But seriously--find someone (tax-wise) who is knowledgeable with your particular business structure right from the get-go. The ins and outs they know can bring you huge peace of mind. I would rather pay someone to handle that kind of thing for me so that I know it's being done right and that nothing is being left out than to have all that stress come April trying to figure it all out on my own.

Definitely outsource the little things when you can--places like Kinko's can cut cardstock for you by the ream, which is a huge time-saver when preparing merchandise tags, coupons, whatever else you might need trimmed. It is totally worth the $1.49 per cut. Trust me on this! See if you have willing family or friends to help you with unskilled labor. My parents are retired, so they love to help us by stuffing our pouches into polybags, which is just one of the many steps of assembling our packaging. They do it while watching tv and can really truck on them. It frees us up to do the other 500 tasks that we have to do!

Do at least one craft show if you can swing it. It's really great to meet your customers face to face. It helps you gain perspective as to what they are looking for, what they like, what else is out there. You can meet a lot of fellow crafters, too. But if you DO get a booth at a show, own it! Don't be shy. Engage your customer. If they didn't want to be engaged, they'd have stayed home. Your website can't sell your stuff as well as you can in person! Also--the fact that these folks are attending these shows and showing their support for indie craft is awesome. Show them a little love, eh!?

JENNY: How would you compare the challenges of working for yourself with working for "The Man"?

KELLEE: The main challenge for me, being my own boss-lady, is to not get distracted by emails, Live Journal, the Switchboards, etc., though with proper internet access at 'The Man's' house, I could have done that anyway! But honestly, for me, just thinking that I've proven that this can be done really makes me want to do it longer and harder so I never have to have a 'real job' ever again. Thinking about working for someone else is such a strange and foreign concept to me at this point.

JENNY: Any tips on how to keep your business fresh and thriving/growing?

KELLEE: Evolve! Revolve! I know, easier said than done, but keep things exciting for your customers. Come up with new products that make sense and compliment your existing line, but also freshen up the old stuff occasionally.

If you are setting up shop on the web--be sure to have a blog or something about your front page that changes occasionally, so that people know you're still alive! Try to get people to sign up for your mailing list (and then use it!). Getting them signed up is half the battle! They are telling you they wanna know what's happening, so do it, do it, do it! Ask your customers for feedback--good and bad. Hearing the bad stuff sucks, but once you get past that first sting, you see what you can possibly do to make things that much better for the next customer.

JENNY: Anything other random tips or info you'd like to add on the topic?

KELLEE: Study other e-commerce sites to get design and layout ideas, but DO NOT copy!! You definitely want to look professional, but develop your own style. Don't copy anyone's really original idea, either. Reinvent the wheel all you want, but if you blatantly rip off someone else, eventually you'll get caught! And it's just bad karma, anyway.

Related:
• My Favorite Mirror site - Link.
• The Switchboards Forums - Link.

From the pages of CRAFT:

CRAFT: 04 - "Business Basics for Crafty Types" by Jenny Ryan pgs. 42-43. Digital Subscribers can read the full article here. - Link.
Don't miss an issue! Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine today and get 4 quarterly issues delivered to your door. - Link.

JENNY: Do you run your indie business full time, or do you have a "day job" to help keep you afloat? BONUS: If the latter is the case, how do you balance your time/make time for crafting?

CATHY: I am a freelance window dresser and merchandiser so I am totally in charge of my schedule. My whole crafty thing really grew out of that because alot of the props I was making had a crafty element to them. And then my blog is a spin off from all of that. So for me it's kind of all one big thing. There is no way I could have a conventional full-time job and a crafty business at the same time.

JENNY: How did you make the transition to working for yourself? How do you structure your days when you're the boss?

CATHY: In my case the decision for my transition was made for me--which looking back was not such a bad thing. My last full-time gig was at a dotcom. After I was laid off, I vowed never again to devote myself totally to any one thing. I think it's been really good for me to have several things going on. If one part of my business slows down, I have the other part to make up for it and vice versa. As far as structure goes, I am by nature the type of person who just has to keep really busy at all times. So my advice here is, if you want to start your own business take a good look at yourself to make sure you can naturally keep up the pace on your own and will able to handle the downtimes--and by that i mean financially, spiritually and creatively.

JENNY: How important has the internet been in relation to the growth of your business? Also, would you say the bulk of your business comes from your own website, or from wholesale accounts and/or craft show sales?

CATHY: When I first left school in the '80s I had my own jewelry business (totally new wave stuff I sold to shops on Melrose!). Comparing that experience to how I am able to promote myself now it's total night and day. I actually started my current crafty business about 6 months before I had a website. Things just exploded the second I launched my site. In terms of sales, the bulk of that is from the craft fairs. So I think the internet is really a promotion tool for me at this time. I have only been doing the crafty side of my business for little more than a year so I think I'm still gaining momentum.

JENNY: Is there anything you wish you'd done differently when starting your business, knowing what you know now? BONUS: Any resources for upstart craft businesses that you'd care to recommend?

CATHY: You're going to make some mistakes, you just have to be able to be open enough to learn from them. Actually I've had some "happy accidents" that have steered me away from where I thought I was headed, but ended up in not such a bad place. So have some goals in mind but be open to some shifts and changes.

As far as resources (web design, business cards, logo, etc.) go I would recommend that you network with your friends and colleagues. Chances are if you're a crafter, you hang out with other creative types who would just love to help you out.

And with any business there's the whole government/legal side of things. Make sure you do everything by the book. Research what is needed in your local area and do not try to skate around anything--they can and will go after you. Get your resale certificate, collect and pay sales tax, get whatever business license your city/state requires, etc. In the state of California actually having a resale certificate is really good for crafters--you can buy alot of your supplies wholesale. Your supplies cost you less so you'll make more in your mark up (just make sure you collect the sales tax!). Keep good organized records and save all of your receipts.

JENNY: How would you compare the challenges of working for yourself with working for "The Man"?

CATHY: I worked for many years in "corporate" situations and was generally very unhappy. I think I'm just not the type of person suited to have a "regular job". So even the worst day for me now in no way compares to what I went through in the past.

JENNY: Any tips on how to keep your business fresh and thriving/growing?

CATHY: Keep an eye on what else is going on out there--blogs make that part so super easy. You have to keep fresh ideas constantly flowing in your mind so you can come up new products. If you get good response to something that's really great, but know that the public can be fickle and they are going to want to see something else new from you the next time. And don't take it personally if something doesn't go over very well--learn to cut your losses and go on to the next thing.

JENNY: Anything other random tips or info you'd like to add on the topic?

CATHY: Make sure you're having fun. Making things with your hands is such a joy. Make sure you realize you're getting into the business of selling your wares and that you will now be having to balance all of the responsibilities that go along with that with actually having to design, produce and sell your crafts. Look at the real practical side of things. Let's say it takes you an hour to make that super cute necklace that you've been charging $20 for to cover your materials and time. Well, what if you get a wholesale order for 50 of them? Your wholesale price will be $10 each and you now have to crank out 50 of them. The fun you had making a few of them will become a huge chore and you're really not going to make any money.

Related:
• Cathy of California Website - Link.
• Cathy of California Blog - Link.
• Cathy of California Etsy Shop - Link.

From the pages of CRAFT:

CRAFT: 04 - "Business Basics for Crafty Types" by Jenny Ryan pgs. 42-43. Digital Subscribers can read the full article here. - Link.
Don't miss an issue! Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine today and get 4 quarterly issues delivered to your door. - Link.

JENNY: Do you run your indie business full time, or do you have a "day job" to help keep you afloat? BONUS: If the latter is the case, how do you balance your time/make time for crafting?

SUSIE: I'm self-employed full time, but my "indie business" encompasses a lot of different types of work: magazine and book illustration, art shows, craft shows, design, etc. I have a pretty unpredictable schedule, and tend to craft more when I have "free time" a.k.a. when I'm not on a specific client-given deadline, or in the crunch before a craft show.

JENNY: How did you make the transition to working for yourself? How do you structure your days when you're the boss?

SUSIE: There isn't a lot of structure to my days, frankly. I find myself working on the project "of the moment", putting in 80-100 hours a week, sometimes more. Like I said, my schedule is pretty unpredictable. The work I find myself doing to prepare for a holiday show is nothing like the work I'm putting in preparing new products and ideas, or a redesigned website, or answering customer service emails, so it can be impossible to have a set structure.

JENNY: How important has the internet been in relation to the growth of your business? Also, would you say the bulk of your business comes from your own website, or from wholesale accounts and/or craft show sales?

SUSIE: The bulk of my business comes from my website, and I don't think I'd ever have been able to even get my business off the ground if it weren't for the internet. The internet miraculously lets you set up shop and connect with a community and clientele within seconds and essentially with no overhead. It's an incredible tool and is changing the face of business and art.

photo by Kokoleo

JENNY: Is there anything you wish you'd done differently when starting your business, knowing what you know now? BONUS: Any resources for upstart craft businesses that you'd care to recommend?

SUSIE: I know when I began years and years ago, I priced my products very low, so much so that I was only breaking even and frequently "burning out". I haven't yet learned, but aim to learn, the lesson of how to plan out my finances in order to have a viable and longterm career as a crafter and a future retirement; also would like to learn about marketing and advertising and things "regular" businesses consider at the get-go. But when you're branding your own personality and taste, basically, you don't even think of as part of your business.

When I began, I wish I knew how to better protect myself from wear, for lack of a better explanation. I didn't think about what damage I could be doing to my body by putting in such long hours, and now my eyesight has seriously diminished, and I have tendon damage in my wrist that frequently causes me a great deal of pain. Now I know better to take breaks and to keep my health in mind when pushing myself along the happy path.

Oh! I recently learned the hard way that I had to find a webhost who was better able to handle the ebbs and flows of an indie business who may occasionally get a sudden boom in visits from press! A lot of people start with budget plans, which is fine--but be sure that your webhost has excellent customer service. I'm not sure how to better word this. Basically, Dreamhost sucks. I've had good experiences with mediatemple.net so far.

JENNY: How would you compare the challenges of working for yourself with working for "The Man"?

SUSIE: Some people really do enjoy a structured work environment and set responsibilities. (I'm not one of those people.) Running your own business entails not just "making crafts" but also having to master every aspect of running a standard business, from accounting practices and laws to customer service. I'm forced to learn a new skill every day. I think it's incredibly challenging to multitask and be productive all the time in this way. I also think, as my own boss, that I work unfathomable hours--hours that I would never have agreed to put into a "regular" job--HOWEVER, every day I enjoy my business and feel satisfied, and can't say I ever had a "real" job that made me feel so proud of my work and personal growth.

JENNY: Any tips on how to keep your business fresh and thriving/growing?

SUSIE: I frequently self-evaluate to see what I could be doing or making that would make me, personally, happier. Being happy with the work you're doing and enjoying the business you've created, I believe, shines through your work to your audience, whether you're representing it online or at a craft show. I try not to lose touch with the feeling that made me start my business: an eagerness to make the things I had been dreaming up a reality.

JENNY: Anything other random tips or info you'd like to add on the topic?

SUSIE: Once selling became a fact, I sometimes found myself thinking of "How something will sell" as I'm making it, and that deflates the fun in every way possible. Although from a business standpoint, it's probably wise to consider your audience and what may be appropriate for a certain venue or project, I've found that I'm happiest with my work and most fulfilled when I do what I think is best, and not to bet worried with my customers may like or dislike.

Related:
• boygirlparty Website - Link.
• boygirlparty News - Link.
• boygirlparty MySpace - Link.

From the pages of CRAFT:

CRAFT: 04 - "Business Basics for Crafty Types" by Jenny Ryan pgs. 42-43. Digital Subscribers can read the full article here. - Link.
Don't miss an issue! Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine today and get 4 quarterly issues delivered to your door. - Link.

photo by Amanda Kenney

Jenny: How did you make the transition to working for yourself? How do you structure your days when you're the boss?

Heidi: When my youngest son was born I made the decision to quit my job and stay home. Things were very tight at first money-wise, but both my husband and I knew that it was something we wanted to do. At first my days didnt have a lot of structure, plus I had a lot less orders back then. Now I try and have more of a set time for making things--of course, life sometimes gets in the way.

Jenny: How important has the internet been in relation to the growth of your business? Also, would you say the bulk of your business comes from your own website, or from wholesale accounts and/or craft show sales?

Heidi: I would say very important. If it were not for the internet I am very sure I would not have been able to keep doing this for the past four years. I would say a few months ago that the bulk came from wholesale orders, but before that my website.

Jenny: Is there anything you wish you'd done differently when starting your business, knowing what you know now?

Heidi: I wish I had known to have a professional help me with my website. I find it embarrassing to think back two years ago to the website I had. It was pretty bad!

Jenny: How would you compare the challenges of working for yourself with working for "The Man"?

Heidi: They are definite ups and downs. Filing taxes is a bummer, forcing yourself to work can be hard too. The good things are working whenever you want to, no one to tell you what to do. You are in complete control, etc.

Jenny: Any tips on how to keep your business fresh and thriving/growing?

Heidi: I think if you have an online business keeping a blog, or some sort of update email is very important. Swapping links with other small businesses is great too.

Related:
My Paper Crane Website - Link.
My Paper Crane on Flickr - Link.

From the pages of CRAFT:

CRAFT: 04 - "Business Basics for Crafty Types" by Jenny Ryan pgs. 42-43. Digital Subscribers can read the full article here. - Link.
Don't miss an issue! Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine today and get 4 quarterly issues delivered to your door. - Link.

Jenny: Do you run your indie business full time, or do you have a "day job" to help keep you afloat? BONUS: If the latter is the case, how do you balance your time/make time for crafting?

Christine: I run Twospace full time. I manage all aspects of the business, in addition to designing and making all the clothing.

Jenny: How did you make the transition to working for yourself? How do you structure your days when you're the boss?

Christine: Quitting my "real" job was terrifying. Since my husband is also a freelancer, it was very scary to know that there were no real paychecks coming anymore. But once I did it, it was exciting to know that my fate was in my own hands. As for structuring my days, I always treated this as a business with the possibility of growing into bigger and better things. I never considered it just an at-home side craft, so staying in my pajamas all day wasn't an option, since that is something you'd never do "at work". So until I moved it out of the house, I got up every day, showered and got dressed, had breakfast, then "went to work" in the dining room from roughly 9-5. Friends would stop by in the middle of the day, and they all knew that even though I was home, I really was "at work". Now that I have moved into a studio in the garment district, I actually "go to work" for real. I make sure to sew as much as I can at the studio, and save most of my computer work and paper work for evenings at home.

Jenny: How important has the internet been in relation to the growth of your business? Also, would you say the bulk of your business comes from your own website, or from wholesale accounts and/or craft show sales?

Christine: The internet has been essential for my business, both for sales and for networking. I have been able to research events, find suppliers, contact stores, and meet amazing contacts thanks to the internet. It is a priceless resource. In fact, when we were choosing our business name, we ruled out anything that we couldn't get as name.com, since we knew that having our business name.com was critical for future business. With sales, our total sales are pretty equally split between events, wholesale, and our website. But each year, wholesale pulls a little further ahead, and events a little further behind, as we do less events each year. At first, they were all our income. But as we get more and more retailers, we do less and less events.

Jenny: Is there anything you wish you'd done differently when starting your business, knowing what you know now? BONUS: Any resources for upstart craft businesses that you'd care to recommend?

Christine: Wow, as always, hindsight is 20/20. But in reality, there is little I would change. Even knowing that we didn't know as much as we should have, I still wouldn't change much. Each thing we've done has led to something else equally great. Books that helped me a lot at the beginning were very basic business books. As I am an art school kid, I needed most of my help in the area of business. My dad was a banker, and I did learn a lot from him, but I needed California state specific knowledge for our business and those basic "Opening a Business in CA" books were really helpful.

Jenny: How would you compare the challenges of working for yourself with working for "The Man"?

Christine: Well, when I worked for "The Man" I would leave work frustrated and exhausted, and often mad. But I could always just leave work behind. Now, I am way more exhausted, but it is so worth it. One thing no one tells you though, is that you are never really "off the clock". I'm thinking about work 24-7, 365 days a year. But, I also know that my fate is in my own hands, and that no one will work for my own success as much as I do, so I have to bust it out as much as I can. Life is short, why not try and live your dream? There will always be a job waiting for you with "The Man" somewhere if you fail.

Jenny: Any tips on how to keep your business fresh, thriving and growing?

Christine: Seminars can be really helpful to remind you of your path. And they can be super inspiring. Also, taking a day off, for real, every now and then is essential. I have to allow myself to have a random lazy day now and then. On the flip side, knowing what your competitors and those bigger than you are doing is inspiring. I'm not really competing with Marc Jacobs, but knowing what is new in his world is inspiring and reminds me of why I love what I do so much.

Jenny: Anything other random tips or info you'd like to add on the topic?

Christine: Life is short, don't be afraid to try something new! The worst you can do is fail, and plenty of successful people have failed many times over and survived just fine. So can you.

Related:
Twospace Webstore - Link.
Craft Biz Q+A: Little Friends of Printmaking - Link.

From the pages of CRAFT:

CRAFT: 04 - "Restoration Hardware" by Christine Haynes and Kent Bell pgs. 64-71. Digital Subscribers can read the full article here. - Link.
Don't miss an issue! Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine today and get 4 quarterly issues delivered to your door. - Link.

This week's interview is with The Little Friends of Printmaking. The Little Friends are Melissa and JW Buchanan, a husband-and-wife art duo based in Milwaukee, WI. Their fresh and playful silkscreened posters, notecards, and other treats have become sought-after collectibles, and their booth is a crowd favorite at events like Renegade. They also provide the memorably cute artwork for Milwaukee's own Art vs. Craft indie craft fair. Read on to find out what doing it yourself really entails.

Jenny: Do you run your indie business full time, or do you have a day job to help keep you afloat? BONUS: If the latter is the case, how do you balance things and still make time for crafting?

Little Friends: We both work in addition to what we do as Little Friends. We're still out there, crafting that perfect CV for a job that couldn't possibly ever exist. The good news is that our freelance business gives us the independence to take work that is interesting to us. For example, Melissa runs a print and publishing lab at a museum and James just accepted a position teaching graphic design at a university. We have difficulty with balancing our time. The best we can do is try our hardest to create a daily routine for ourselves and not overbook ourselves. We're not awesome at this. We did just put up a little sign by our computer that says "LEARN TO SAY 'NO'."

Jenny: How important has the internet been in relation to the growth of your business? Also, would you say the bulk of your business comes from your own website, or from wholesale accounts and/or craft show sales?

Little Friends: Without the internet, Little Friends wouldn't exist in the same way that it does. The internet accounts for the vast majority of our sales, which is important to us because we want to keep our prices low. A lot of our sales come from overseas and without the internet that would be an impossibility.

Jenny: Is there anything you wish you'd done differently when starting your business, knowing what you know now?

Little Friends: We wish that, when we were getting started, we did a better job at keeping an inventory. We're still really bad at this. The other thing that we wish we did and we still don't do is create a long-term business plan.

Jenny: How would you compare the challenges of working for yourself with working for "The Man"?

Little Friends: It's a little lonely. You feel a little unsocialized. It's easy to get into a funk. You don't get vacations or holidays and there's no free coffee. The vacations thing is a major issue. We can barely go to the movies without feeling enormous pangs of guilt that we should be working instead. Also, when you need a sick day it's awful instead of an indulgence.

Jenny: Any tips on how to keep your business fresh, thriving and growing?

Little Friends: Focus on who your core audience is. People make a big deal over diversifying, but on a small scale it can be suicide. There is such a thing as growing too fast. You do have to stay a little ahead of the demand. You also have to create the demand. We just make what we want to see and we don't worry about what else is out there on the market.

Related:
Little Friends on Livejournal - Link.
Inkblot Academy Silkscreen Classes - Link.
Art vs. Craft Totebag by Little Friends - Link.

From the pages of CRAFT:

CRAFT: 04 - "Business Basics for Crafty Types" by Jenny Ryan pgs. 42-43. Digital Subscribers can read the full article here. - Link.
Don't miss an issue! Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine today and get 4 quarterly issues delivered to your door. - Link.