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Show the world that you mean Business!
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Do you run your own Craft Business? Are you taken seriously or do people think it is your hobby? Would you like some support and recognition for your business? Would you like a widely recognised badge for your website? Would you like to receive online discounts? Our members also have the opportunity to become involved with running the Guild?
Join our Guild and find your place in the world of professional crafting. We know how hard your work. We know how many hours you put in. We know that most things you try probably don’t work at first. We know that you often work alone for long periods of time or in noisy places with children/family around which make it hard. ● We know that you just need a bit of help, support and recognition for your business. ● ● ● ●
Join us today and become a valuable member of the PCG Community. www.procraftersguild.com/apply.html “I have always been proud to say that I am a member of the PCG. Being a member of the Professional Crafters Guild suddenly gave me prestige and credibility. “ “I don’t always get it right, but I know where to go now when I DON’T know something (or when I get it totally wrong). The webinars, information sheets, advice, associate member deals and just having access to social media and marketing experts to run things by before making a colossal error has really changed how I do business. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone trying to start a business from their crafting hobby.”
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Grab a coffee, put your feet up and have a browse through the PCG
Well here we are again! As well as a nice selection of articles written by some of our Guild members I also have some news with regard to our publication. The PCG will be 5 years old next month and to celebrate this we are undergoing a transformation. We will be renovating not only our website but also our memberships and resources. Exciting Stuff! With this in mind we will be changing the format of our magazine from a published ‘issue’ to more of a regular Blogzine. Members will be able to send in their work for publication at a time convenient to them and it will be much more accessible and shareable across the web. There will also be opportunities to promote your news, new products, sales etc. So this will be our last ‘issue’ for a while in this format but I hope you visit us on the Guild website where we will be coming to you live and regularly. Regards from the Founder of the PCG
Are you a member of our Guild and would like to submit an article? Email us at info@procraftersguild.com
Cover image - Arctophilia
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The Bean Counter Cash is King - A Simple Cash Flow Forecast By Helen Gould BA (Hons) CIMA Dip MA In this article, I will be guiding you through the concept of 'Cash is King' in the form of Cash Flow management for your craft business. Looking from the angle the day to day running of a small craft venture, whereby the majority of cash is handled by keeping a Petty Cash tin system and a Paypal business account has worked up until now (accounting term of Ready Money). What happens when you plan to expand and take your cottage craft industry up to the next level? You will be quick to discover that cash management is critical to maintain a healthy business. Poor cash management is possibly the largest reason as to why a business fails and yet with a little knowhow, it doesn't have to be that way. As you are reading this article, you may be thinking I'm not an accountant, I just want to do what I do best and enjoy it. Well I am going to put you at ease because you do not have to; ● Be amazing at Maths. ● An accountant to use and understand a simple Cash Flow Statement. ● Ask your accountant to do it for you. So before we go in to the mechanics of how to manage your Cash Flow, I need to explain as to why it is such a critical issue to creating a successful craft business and that putting your head in the sand is not the way forward, when it comes to cash management. Basically, it is cash in less cash out = net cash position of the business in a given month. From a craft stall holder perspective, it is the cash sales made from events in the month less stall fees and other costs like raw materials paid for in the same month. It is used for providing information of not only gross receipts and gross payments (of cash) that is received/paid in the month, but also to so future expectations of cash in against known payments to be made. Why should you bother with a Cash Flow? It's a valuable tool that can warn you if you are going to have a squeeze on your 'Ready Cash' albeit from a down turn in Sales, the need to invest in new fixtures/equipment or an increase on the day to day running costs. It also demonstrates to a small business lender that you can control your business finances and plan for at least a year ahead. So let's look at how a Cash Flow works by using an example to explain the mechanics behind this powerful business management tool. Gillian runs a small craft business making and selling jar candles through weekly craft fairs and her average sales takings are £300 a week. She has been building her cash reserve up and has £6,000 of Ready Cash to use. She has decided that it's time to expand her business and has seen an excellent opportunity of renting a shop for one quarter of a year, in a busy High Street. She decides that before signing a contract, she wants to plan out what her finances would look like over this three month period. Gillian has researched what she believes her expenses will be for taking on a retail space for one quarter; Rent £4,500, Rates £800, Electricity £400, Water £100, Telephone/Internet (for a card machine) £300 and Waste Disposal £200. The next step is to lay out a simple Cash Flow and the best way to do this is to use Excel, as it's far easier to update as your situation changes. To guide you through this process, I have put the Excel row numbers and column letters in the illustrations so that you can follow the example for yourself when setting up your own Excel Cash Flow template. See fig.1
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fig.1
Let's look at the Revenue section first as we know that Gillian has an average of £300 of sales per week. So £300 x 4 weeks will give a total of £1,200 per month. We can now put this information in to the Cash Flow as per Fig 2. fig.2
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The next stage is to put in the expenses for the quarter. The shop rental is a payment that must be made in the first month and the remaining costs can be split over the three months. See Fig 3.
fig.3
Now for the last section of the Cash Flow, this is a little trickier at first, until you get a hang of the template. We know that Gillian has £6,000 in ready cash to start with and this will be her opening balance in cell D18. The movement figure (cell D19) relates to the cash in and out in the month and to work this out, we take the Total Revenue of £1,200 minus Total Expenses of £5,100 = -£3,900 see Fig 4. fig.4
The Closing Balance is worked out by taking the Opening Balance of £6,000 plus the movement figure of -£3,900 to give a Closing Balance figure of £2,100. See Fig 5.
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fig.5
The last part of this Cash Flow is to now calculate the opening, movement and closing for the remaining two months. The trick is to remember that your previous month's Closing Balance becomes the Opening Balance in the following month, see Fig 6. fig.6
The final illustration Fig. 7 shows Gillian's completed Cash Flow forecast and you can see that she is not going to re-coup enough money in this initial quarter to get her back to her starting position of ÂŁ6,000. More importantly, she would not be able to extent her shop lease for another quarter as she does not have enough money to cover the following rental quarter.
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Gillian can now either to take the chance and sign the shop lease agreement or to carry on as she is on the basis of the Cash Flow forecast. The key thing to remember is that nothing ever stays the same for long and situations change all the time. In the example, Gillian has assumed a static Sales Revenue over the three months and as you well know from your own craft business, this is never the case. But the whole point of this business management tool is that once you have taken the time to set the template up, you can change the Revenue and Expenses as and when it happens, thus, giving you a better financial control. After all, Cash is King, when it comes to planning out your business finances and by using a Cash Flow forecast to guide you through, you will never need to put your head in the sand again! In the next issue, I will be looking at a 'Start up Budget', a focus on producing a simple Budget as part of the business planning process to use when speaking to a small business lender.
Do you have any accounting questions? Email us at the Guild and we will pass them on to Helen. info@procraftersguild.com
Helen is a member of the PCG and you can visit her here www.facebook.com/spacentralltd
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By Sarah Spratt of Spratt’s Designs
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t’s a bit of an obvious title isn’t it but there is no point in hiding the fact, yes, I’m a crafter. Oh, you meant the other, the disabled bit, well yeah I’m that too and together they can make a very interesting life for me, and I hope to tell you some of what goes on in my daily life and along the way introduce you to things that have helped or hindered me in the hope that you will find them useful. Crafting became my work when ill health caused me to be medically retired at the age of forty. Now I was left not able to work in employment but with a brain still active, I’d like to say fully functioning but I doubt anyone would believe me. Well I needed to do something, and I have always crafted, so with encouragement what was a hobby making gifts for friends and family was launched to a wider audience. Currently as I write this, I’m in a Hospital bed in a Specialist Unit in Salford where I have been for the last twelve weeks. In truth it’s quite an inconvenience as it has taken me away from my crafting, well almost … I never expected to continue work whilst an inpatient, or for that matter have the hospital actually be good for business. Now, had my hospital stay been a bit more of a ‘routine’ elective surgery type, where I would have come in, had my operation and then gone home a few days after, I know this experience would never have occurred. However there is some planning that I had done that could have been relevant for even a short stay. Many Crafters use social media, and the Internet for business, be it complete sales or just advertising. Yet we are mainly a sole trader, we are the designer, maker, secretary, accountant, advertising executive, shall I go on? So when we can’t work we may have no one in place to pick up the pieces, putting ourselves at risk of damaging our business. It may be as simple as not posting advertising as much and dropping off visibility, to not responding to a potential customer, losing a sale and perhaps your reputation you have worked hard to build. It can be hard to let people in and be part of your business but it makes sense, you may end up in a situation where you end up in hospital tomorrow. Myself, I have suffered from ill health for some time, after all it’s being disabled that got me into a crafting business, so I have been in this situation from the outset. So what can you do? Well in my case I have few people around me that help me out all the time, but at times like this when I’m in hospital they have stepped up to do more. I have a good friend (who I actually met through social media), and she keeps an eye on my Facebook, Instagram and Etsy pages, she helps me out in general but has been there even more so all the time I’m in hospital. We have a wonderful set of neighbours and one family have a spare key to the house and they take in deliveries. Then there is my husband, not comfortable with my pages but is a second on them in case my friend needs to query anything. He has processed orders that could be done, also I have taught him remotely how to complete some of my crafts that needed finishing at home, He has been a great delivery man, bringing in crafts for me to make orders and then packaging them up and shipping them off. Without them I couldn’t have done the orders I have in the time I’ve been in hospital, in addition they help me maintain my business when at home too. So as you hear despite being in hospital I am still working. Now don’t get me wrong there have been a couple of potential orders that would have required me to be at home to make, and which were impossible to remotely train my hubby to do on my behalf. I found however, being honest with them and admitting I was in hospital meant that although I had to disappoint them I didn’t cause them to be dissatisfied in my service and therefore my business. One thing I didn’t expect from being in hospital was to actually grow sales. But as I sat in my hospital bed finishing the hand painting on my Fairy Tea Light Lanterns and Jam Jars, Nurses and Patients would see what I was creating and then ask me to do them some. From that they would ask me what else I did, and I could direct them to my website or Facebook page, and sales started to grow. 9
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As items were finished and waited to be collected others would see them and ask me to do creations for them. In truth I’ve never been so busy. Now this put challenges in my path to overcome, how to do the work, I started with taking orders with the plan to do them when I got home and send them out. I got a weekend leave and completed a lot of orders, it was then I realised that I couldn’t let them build up, and as I passed my initial discharge deadline I couldn’t offer a date. So I sat down with Hubby and we worked out a way of him preparing some of my creations, and then the issue arose, how can I work on my designs on the PC I can hardly take my computer in and then if I was able to work on them in the hospital how could hubby access them to put them through the cutter? Computers and access have come a long way in only a short time and storing and moving documents has become much easier. It’s a great help to me that Hubby is an IT technician, but for those without that sort of access to hand there is great IT help in high street computer stores, but even the little local independent PC stores can have great knowledge. Hubby dug out a laptop we inherited a while ago. The Laptop wasn’t the fastest or newest, but it was more than suitable for what I needed to do. He loaded on only the graphic programs that I would need. Also a while back he had invested in a Terabyte (that’s big storage in my language) to run backup’s on a regular basis’s my PC. Now let’s stop and talk about Backup’s, if you don’t do it, you should be doing it. Backing up your PC means if you were to lose the PC and you take it somewhere to be saved and they turn to you and say nothing can be retrieved, you then know that you can buy a new PC and pick up from where your last back up was recorded, without it you may just find yourself rocking and crying in a corner for all that work you have ever saved on your PC, accounts, photos, designs, articles, price lists and more. Now these days hard drives have come right down in price and it won’t take you long to learn how to back up and you could even run one weekly. OK Backup discussed. But how does backup help me? My PC hadn’t died. It helped because on a device really no bigger than my mobile phone sat a copy of all my work that was on my main PC, this meant that I could plug it into the laptop like you would a USB or CD and access all my documents, awesome. Next was the to-and-fro of a design from me creating it to hubby then cutting it, so that he could bring it back for me to unpick, before he brought in a prepped glass block for me to lay the vinyl on. This was actually easy, I was already using an online storage system called Dropbox (there are others out there) to get designs to customers and printers, so we would fling the design in Dropbox at the hospital, hubby would pick it up at home and cut the vinyl, I could then archive the document off of Dropbox onto the hard drive so as not to use too much storage space on Dropbox. OK so things are looking good but this meant one more thing I would need Internet access in the hospital. Well here in Salford I was lucky they had free Wi-Fi access for the patients, it did however get overused at peak times and on occasion I needed something more. Hubby being technical had for a long time been renting (like you would a mobile phone) a Mi-Fi system, this gave us roaming Wi-Fi data on a monthly contract. Now we’ve used this for years, being able to use Facebook, email etc. when out and about, that in turn prevented us using our data up on our phones. These Dongle devices (as they are called) have also come down in price, and in most places give good connection, so if you want to use a mobile credit card device or PayPal at a craft fair, a stronger connection can make it so much easier. So I was sorted I now had a strong connection to pass my documents back and forth. So there it was, from my hospital bed and with the help of others I not only didn’t have to put up the closed sign while in hospital, and with still being in after 3 months it could have been fatal to the craft business and reputation I had built, but also I gained business from patients and nurses seeing me crafting from my Hospital Bed. I’ll leave you with this idea, for those of you that are crafters that do craft fairs etc. Some hospitals have stalls in their main atriums every month or so, I remember Liverpool Women’s Hospital having some in their Main Entrance when I used to Teach. Now if I can do business from my hospital bed, I can imagine that booking one of these regular stalls at your local hospital if they run such things could be good business. I hope you have enjoyed my ramblings; I’ll catch up with you again in another issue. 10
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Meet a member Lynns Gem Creations Hi my name is Lynn, I work full time and am a mother to two lovely sons aged 23 and 21. One in University studying for a Maths masters and the other just received an apprenticeship to be a barber, doing all the latest styles, he is also a self-employed DJ on a Saturday. My husband also has his own company investigating carpet complaints. As for myself, I have been crafting most of my adult life in one way or another. I started with knitting, then moved onto cross stitch whereby we have a number of new pictures now on our walls at home. From cross stitch I took up cardmaking, this became a small money making venture and I started to sell a few cards on line, take a few into work to sell and a few friends asked for commissioned cards. Whilst showing off my cards on facebook I got interested in one site for card making called at the time Jems Designs( now MajiK Grapics), They design CD's for card making and I enjoyed the cd's so much that I posted a few of my makes on their facebook site. It was then that one do their admin team asked if I would like to become a card designer for them, and as they are on Create and Craft, my cards would appear on there!! Well I jumped at the chance and worked for them for a little while, when they changed names I decided I had done enough with them and wanted to try something else. After browsing on ebay I came across a jewellery kit, ordered and when I got it home, sat looking at it wondering what to do with all the different beads, pieces of metal (as I thought then) and tools. So I looked around for a jewellery making class and found a lovely lady close by me who was just setting up a new class. I went along for my first lesson, eager to learn and came home with a bracelet made soley by my own little hands, I was hooked!! After a few more classes I learnt how to make a range of jewellery and which tool was which and what for and what all the 'pieces of metal' were i.e. jump rings, etc. I decided to start getting in some beads and having a play around with them, making a few pieces of jewellery. Hence Lynns Gem Creations was born. I opened up an etsy shop and started to fill it with a few of my makes to see what would happen within a month I had my first sale. I then decided to give this a real go and see if I could make a living from it. I spent all my left over from bills money on buying stock and got hooked on Jewellery Maker for my gemstones. I was making a few sales and after a few months and hubby decided it would be a good idea to make it a legit business and inform the tax office. That made my hobby into a business, out came my tax ledger, started saving all my receipts and becoming professional. My lovely hubby decided as my jewellery making was taking over the house, he built me a summer house in the garden complete with insulation, daylight lighting and heating, so I moved in. Now two years on, I’m still working full time and building my business, I have two shops now https://www.etsy.com/shop/LynnsGemCreations and https://www.etsy.com/shop/LynnsBridalCreations I also have my own website which I am currently building:- http://lynnsgemcreations.co.uk. My sales have doubled in the last two years and from the two shops in around a year or year and a half I am hoping to give up my full time job and make my jewellery business full time. It has been hard work so far juggling a family life, a Jewellery business and a full time job. I tend to spend evenings working on my shop and getting orders out, Saturdays are for making jewellery and Sundays for photographing, and some much needed me time. 11
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Written by Kelly Patricia Lawrence from Glitz & Grammar I tried so hard to come up with a suitable title for this article and there were so many I thought of – 'Crafting, my therapy', 'Crafting, my 'me' time', 'Crafting keeps me going', 'Crafting, my independence', you get the idea, then I realised that all these things were relevant to me, so keeping it simple I went for 'Crafting and me'. What about 'Me' you may be wondering....? Well, it's certainly not the most original story, as I have met, online, so many 'crafters', who have found crafting as an outlet, an escapism if you like, from the challenges that life has thrown them, in this case illness, but it is my story. I make handmade cards, gifts and wedding stationery, as well as card/mixed media kits. I particularly enjoy experimenting with die cuts, colours and inks and am a huge fan of liquid pearls, loving pearls in all forms, especially my jewellery!! My journey into paper-craft began as an aside to my passion for jewellery making and writing verses. I originally designed cards around earrings I made, selling them on a little market stall some years ago, just to make the gift a little more special, and found I absolutely loved the card making just as much, if not more. So when I was at a loss in 2012, following ill health retirement from work due to a number of conditions, including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare connective tissue disorder, I began card making. There are some limits mind, as my joints dislocate very easily, so pressing on stamps or using a manual die cutting/ embossing machine dislocates my shoulders and wrists and effects my heart. I even have to be careful with the weights of the plates for the powered machines. Anyway, enough of that! I love it, I confess I am a craftaholic! I find it so relaxing and, being the one thing I can do on my own without my carer helping, it gives me a purpose and some independence and there is rarely a craft free day, not even Christmas! I think one of the main things for me is not knowing what I am going to make. Yes, if it's a commission someone will ask for a birthday card or anniversary card, but other than that it is an unknown. I just sit down and see what happens and, to be honest, it surprises me that they work too, but people seem to like them. Phew! Thankfully one of my main principles is never making 2 of anything, except when there is a wedding, in which case their design is the 'one off', so I don't have to remember a certain design or technique as my memory is shocking!! I have also become a part of a whole new and welcoming community of crafters and met some amazing friends. Prior to card making I never used any form of social media, my work colleagues were my friends and now, almost 3 years later, I am on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and have my own blog, in fact I wonder how I fit any crafting in...!! Seriously though, not only have I met some amazing people, I have also learnt so much. I certainly wouldn't change a thing of my journey to this point, it is what has made me the crafter that I am today, that said, looking back on the cards I made when I first tried card making, I can see how much I had to learn. That's not to say I have learnt it all, no way, I don't think anyone can ever know it all, that's a dangerous thing to claim, but I have learnt a great deal, so many new techniques, and I look forward to what I am going to learn in the future. There is so much yet to try and much much more to master and I wonder what I will feel about 'now' looking back in another 3 years! Who knows! One thing I am sure of, crafting will always be my salvation, my way to express myself, my little bit of independence.
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Written by Caroline Nash of Carolee Crafts www.caroleecrafts.com
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love books, not the iPad or Kindle variety but proper books. Nothing better than starting a new book, diving into a world of twists and turns created from someone’s imagination. Now what has this to do with craft I hear you say but bear with me. I consider writing of a good book a craft. Over the years my reading has changed from Kathy Reichs with Temperance Brennan and gory murders to Debbie Macomber and Cedar Cove, with more authors in between. Still love the Agatha Christie murders with Miss Marple or Tommy and Tuppence as these let's be honest are gentle murders. Also the murder books by Joanne Sheen, the lovely lady who produces fantastic CD roms for card making from Create and Craft. My Latest read is The Teashop on The Corner by Milly Johnson This book is about a teashop, yes on the corner, the lives of the people that meet up there but for me the most interesting part are the gifts sold in the tea room, all literary based. A light bulb went on for me and thought why not interpret into some fabric creations and jewellery. A new notebook started and filling up with ideas and sketches. May take a few weeks to complete but my brain is working overtime with ideas, let's hope I can pull it off to produce something that is of interest to other lovers of books. Funny the way things happen and I am a great believer they happen for a reason, this book found it's way into my online basket along with others similar and just clicked. As you gathered this is my theme for May. The plan is also to think of a theme for June and start planning and ordering for those as well. I work well with themes as can focus my attention which does tend to be like a butterfly, flitting from one thing to the next. How do you work best? Themes, let the flow take you, structured. I have to have a passion and be fascinated in what I make and normally where possible to follow life or in my case the past as love vintage from Victorian era to about the 50’s. This article is a bit about me but also how my creative brain works, can be a mess at times but fun along the way. 13
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Jim’s Candle Classes You may have seen ready made candles on the supermarket shelves or you have seen them at a craft fair you have attended and thought "I would love to have a go at making those". Or maybe you have been thinking about a new hobby and have decided or considering to have a go at making your own candles. If so, you may be wondering where to start, especially with the huge amount of videos on youtube, online tutorials and the plethora of candle making kits available both online and in hobby stores. Some frequently asked questions I get asked are "Is there a really quick way to get started?", "Do I need to buy a lot of equipment?" and "If I buy a candle making kit, which one should I get?" I will start with the "Is there a really quick way to get started?" and "Do I need to buy a lot of equipment?" The simple answer is yes to the first question and not really to the second one. The easiest and quickest way to get started in candle making is to purchase a candle making kit. A good candle making kit should contain nearly all the bits to start making your very own candles. The only extra equipment that you will need is something you probably have already in your kitchen. Two saucepans. Yes you did read that correctly, two ordinary saucepans. One saucepan needs to fit in the other. The top saucepan will hold your wax for melting and the bottom one will contain your water. Two saucepans is a very cheap double boiler so please use two old saucepans and not your new ones. Never put your saucepan containing wax directly on your heat source. Always put the saucepan containing wax into your saucepan containing water. On the question of what kit to buy then that will depend on what skill level you are and how experienced a candle maker you are. For a beginner I would recommend a very basic candle making kit that contains some wax, wicks, fragrance oil and some containers. While most candle making kits contain paraffin wax, it is the cheapest and easiest candle making wax to start out with.
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Jim’s Candle Classes As you become more experienced with candle making, you can try more advanced kits and/or a different candle making wax. As you progress you can try making different types of candles with different candle making waxes or you could try making gel candles. The world of candle making is quite vast and can be highly enjoyable. There are a lot of videos on youtube about candle making and although they make it look extremely easy there are aspects of candle making that they do not mention but please do not let that put you off experiencing the wonderful world of candle making. If you would like to know more about candle making or you have a question then please feel free to drop me an email to sweet.aromas@outlook.com Author: Jim Laver who is the founder, owner and main craftsman at Sweet Aroma's in the UK.
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Wedding Fairs - A guide to Exhibiting By Kirsty Dimond K.D Jewellery
So, you've booked into your first Wedding Fair. Now, the question is, how do you make it a success? Here's a Complete Guide to exhibiting at a Wedding Fair‌
The first step to success is definitely being prepared. Make sure you have all the details of the event - location, set up times, opening times, directions - everything you could possibly need to know. Know how long it will take you to travel to the event and don't forget to account for delays such as traffic, roadworks etc. Being organised and on time will make it much easier (and less stressful!) for you to arrive and focus on setting up without the panic of being behind schedule.
Another key to being prepared is obviously making sure you have everything you need packed and ready for the big day. Personally, I am a great fan of the checklist. Lists are your friend! It goes without saying really that the main thing you will need in order to attend an event are your stock or samples of your work - whether it be physical samples, photos, fabric swatches, you name it! The majority of visitors will not purchase on the day, but having a wide selection of display items and samples in varying colour schemes will be invaluable in making sure your potential customers know what they can expect from you. Also, if you are able to show them items or samples in their colour scheme it will be easier for them to imagine the finished products and remember you when it comes to ordering or booking services. Aside from the obvious things, there are many smaller necessities that often get exhibition items: overlooked! Here are my 1. Marketing Materials - think business cards, brochures, leaflets, maybe even some goodies with your branding on to give out and make sure people remember you (we will come back to this later!) 2. A notebook or order book, order forms (or whatever method of recording customer details you use!), a calculator and a pen. Or several pens‌ Just in case (although if you are anything like me a whole pencil case full would be more appropriate!). 3. Refreshments! Personally, I HATE to leave my stall unattended at any point during an event - although it is sometimes unavoidable, obviously! - but having plenty of water/snacks to keep you going throughout the day is a very sensible idea! 4. CHANGE! If you are planning on selling physical items during the day or taking cash deposits it is ALWAYS useful to have change (and lots of it!). As I mentioned earlier, the majority of couples in attendance will be browsing for ideas rather than buying or booking but it is always worth considering. You may even want to consider alternative methods for taking deposits other than cash - a PayPal option or a card reader of some sort may be the best option for this particular type of event.
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5. Dress for Comfort! As much as we hate to admit it, appearance and first impressions ARE important to potential customers but, believe it or not, it is indeed possible to look like a smart and professional business owner at an event WHILST still being comfortable! Those fabulous heels - you know, the ones that scream 'I am ready to take over the world with my small business' - may look amazing I guarantee you your feet will not thank you for wearing them one little bit…
When you exhibit at an event try and think of your exhibition space as your 'shop' for the day. Are you limited to just using a table or are you able to use the 'area' however you wish? Can you use freestanding banners or hanging signs that will grab people's attention? Your space needs to represent you and your brand, as well as really 'showing off' your wares or services to potential customers. Really consider your display, plan ahead and even practice it at home!
● Using varying heights to display physical wares is usually a great way to catch peoples eye so perhaps think about using boxes, stands or even shelving units to create different levels within your display. If your wares are more difficult to display this way, wedding stationary or photography perhaps, then consider the use of display boards to create height instead. ● Make sure you have the appropriate signage - a banner featuring your brand and business details is a great way to let people know who you are right from the start. ● Clear pricing is a must! Even if your prices depending on the individual requirements of a client, at least have a comprehensive set of 'guide prices' as a starting point! ● Think pretty… A nice tablecloth or a fabric which matches your brand will look both smart and professional and add to the overall look of your space.
In my earlier article, you may remember that I talked a lot about finding out HOW an event is being advertised in order to gauge the potential footfall BUT don't feel that you have to rely solely on the organisers to get the word out - do it yourself! Once you've booked in to an event, self-promotion becomes a great tool. Use your own website, blog or social media accounts to advertise both the event itself and the fact that you will be there with your wares. You may also consider inviting your own current or perspective clients to the event personally (providing they are local of course!). Weddings are BIG events to organise, you may already be providing a service for someone but, in the grand scheme of things, it's just a small part of their day! There are so many things for future Brides and Grooms to consider, perhaps they would appreciate one of their suppliers going that extra mile and putting them in touch with a whole range of other suppliers that could then help with the other aspects of their planning? Now that's great customer service…
As I mentioned above, make sure you find out beforehand what time you are allowed to arrive to set up your exhibit. Try not to turn up earlier than you are supposed to (otherwise you risk being in the way of the organisers!) but try and arrive as early as you are allowed to in order to give yourself plenty of time. If you have been practising your display at home, then you should also have a rough idea of how long it takes you to set up. This will allow you to ensure you have plenty of time to set up without getting flustered about how fast the time is going by and will, hopefully, allow you some extra time for last minute adjustments or improvements.
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Attending events, believe it or not, is not just about sales. It's about taking your business out in to the world and connecting with people, whether they be customers or other business owners. Use each event as an opportunity to get out into the local community and make friends! You can never have enough friends, especially when being self-employed is sometimes a lonely business. Get to know other suppliers in your area and start to build a business-relationship with them - you can get feedback from others within the industry, support from people who understand exactly what you are going through as a small business owner and maybe even a recommendation or two!
Obviously, the main thing you will be doing at any event, be it a Wedding Fair or otherwise, is dealing with people. This is where a combination of presentation and communication is KEY. You could have the most gorgeous items in the whole place, displayed to perfection, at the most fantastic of prices BUT if you are hiding away being shy, or ignoring all the potential business strolling past you, then no one - and I mean NO ONE - will give you the time of day. Communication is a MUST! Here are some Top Tips for engaging with potential customers… ● Be approachable! Smile and greet the people walking by, make them want to stop and communicate with you. Some couples may be nervous, particularly if it's the first event they've attended, engage them in polite conversation or ask them questions about their plans or ideas for their big day - this may help them to feel more relaxed. ● Be informative NOT 'salesy'. Don't go for the hard sell. This will more than likely come across as intimidating and actually put people off of connecting with you and your business, especially if they are at the very beginning of their planning and are still considering their options. Instead, talk to them about their plans! Find out what their ideas are and, if you feel that you can cater to what they want, make (gentle) suggestions as to how you think you could help. Whilst it is possible to offer ideas and advice without pushing for a sale, I would still recommend offering customers some of your all-important marketing materials at some point during the interaction. Whether it be a business card, a leaflet or even a sample of some kind, they will have something to carry around with them that will then remind them of you and your business! Which also leads me to my next point… ● Be memorable! Depending on what your product or service is, perhaps you could engage couples in an activity, something short but fun that would make you stand out from the crowd. A game perhaps? Or a mini wedding-themed quiz maybe? Or even have some free samples, or special offers in place for the day? ● Don't expect too much! Don't be disheartened if you don't get any sales or bookings during the event itself. As I said earlier, many of the people attending these events are there to browse and get ideas. Others may attend with friends and so will need to discuss options with their partners after the event before committing to any bookings or purchases. Think of these events as a marketing opportunity - a chance to get your services 'out there' as an option - and any bookings that come after the event will be a bonus. ● Special Offers. These are great BUT instead of trying to force sales with a harsh 'Today Only' special offer why not try an extended special offer. Perhaps the offer could apply to those who book within 48 hours of the event rather than right there and then? Potential customers will appreciate the opportunity to fully consider their options before having to commit to a service. Their appreciation may even be what draws them back to your business when it comes to booking… ● The last tip I'd like to give is actually quite an important one so, I think it deserves its own heading…
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In researching for this article, I asked a number of Brides to share with me their experiences, good and bad, of fairs and events they had attended. I was incredibly shocked at one of the negative points that was raised and even more surprised at the amount of ladies that all had this negative point in common! Unfortunately, it would seem that some brides had the rather unpleasant experience of being made to feel like they were unable to afford some of the services on offer depending on their current plans, or even on their appearance. One lady I spoke to, after heading to the fair straight from work, felt like she was 'looked up and down' before being told that the seller didn't have anything suitable for her price range!! Can you even believe it?! And, rather disturbingly, this was not the only time I received this feedback during my research! So please, please, PLEASE don't judge! Do NOT presume to 'know' your customer before they even approach you and definitely don't rely on a first impression to determine what YOU think would be a reasonable suggestion or offer for a customer. Instead, let THEM tell YOU their ideas and their plans, and even their budget before you decide what you have to offer them. You may miss out on a diamond of a customer if you don't… So, we've covered everything so far from promotion and preparation to setting up and engaging with all those lovely people… What else?
Firstly, breathe! Attending events is always great for business but, as fun as they are, they are also tiring, hectic and sometimes a little bit stressful! So yes, definitely take a breather! After this however there are several things you need to do to 'finish up'! ● Contact any clients who were kind enough to share their information with you. Perhaps they wanted some further info on your products or a quote confirmed in writing? Maybe you offered couples to sign up for your mailing list during the event? Whatever the reason, make contact within a reasonable time frame (I'd say 48 hours at the most) and maintain that friendly and helpful persona that they met at the fair! ● Connect with any other local businesses/suppliers etc. that you met at the event. Personally, I like to do this by finding and following them on social media or by checking out their websites and blogs. Like I said, it's always good to have friends! And finally; ● Determine whether or not this was a good event for you. This, of course, will not just be based on sales. You need to consider how well your marketing ideas were received, whether your displays worked in bringing people to your stall and whether there was anything you feel you could change/improve for next time. Like anything in business, there is a learning curve. The more you build your business and the more events you attend the better you will understand your clients and how best to sell to them. Keep at it! Never stop learning and give up.
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From Charms by Joanna who has won The 2016 Wedding Industry Expert Awards
www.weddingindustryexperts.com/company/charms-by-joanna
Read all about it on the Artie Craftie Blog http://artiecraftie.co.uk/our-blog.html
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Lynn
from Posh Bird Creations has won 2nd Place in
the UK Gift Basket Awards. “This cheeky little chap achieved a 2nd place for me in the UKGBA monthly awards for unusual basket...… although in our industry we use the term 'basket' the actual container can be anything you feel works for the occasion or theme. I love to create unusual gift 'baskets' and I always love a challenge” www.poshbirdcreations.com
from Paperama has a display at Linlithgow Burgh Halls, West Lothian until the end of June
www.paperama.co.uk
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Loopy's Place has a new online class now available
, combining embroidery and patchwork. Suitable for beginners
www.loopysplace.co.uk/make-an-embroidered-needle-case.html
www.facebook.com/CraftersCaverncraftfayres
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Moroccan Style Chickpea and Squash Stew (Gluten and Dairy Free)
1. Fry the onion and mushrooms until softened. 2. Add the cumin, cinnamon, chilli, parsley, lemon and coriander. Fry stirring for one minute. 3. Add the chickpeas and stock and simmer, covered for five minutes. 4. Add the squash and simmer, covered for 25 - 30 minutes until the chickpeas and squash are tender. 5. Add the cornflour pasta and stir until thickened.
Oil for frying 100g (4oz) onion, finely chopped 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground cinnamon 340g (12oz) butternut squash, diced 30g (1oz) chestnut mushroom, diced 300ml (10.5fl oz) vegetable stock Âź tsp chilli powder 1 tbsp ground coriander 210g (7.5oz) tinned chickpeas, drained (reserve liquid - see notes) 1 tbsp parsley 4 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp cornflour mixed to a paste with 3 tsp water Salt and pepper By Claire Pearcy Elderberry Arts www.facebook.com/Elderberryarts
Serve with rice or flatbreads such as pitta, chapattis or naan. Chickpeas are a healthy low GI and high fibre food. They are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibre and can aid weight loss as this helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans and are commonly made in the popular dip, hummus. They can also be ground to create gram flour, a common ingredient in Indian, Pakistani, Nepali and Bangladeshi cooking. Chickpeas are a good non - animal source of protein and iron as well as being low in saturated fats. This common legume contains saponins, which may help to lower the risk of developing breast cancer and osteoporosis. As well as being delicious and nutritious, tinned chickpeas have another surprising use, the liquid from the tins can be saved and used as a replacement for eggs in cooking. This liquid, known as aquafaba can be used in all types of dishes including baking and can even be whipped to create egg free meringues. Roughly 3tbsps of aquafaba equals one egg and it will last for several days if stored covered in the fridge, or can be frozen for longer storage. Freezing the aquafaba in 1 tbsp portions using ice cube trays makes it easy to only defrost what you need later. The liquid found in tinned beans can also be used in the same way. For more information regarding aquafaba visit www.aquafaba.com.
Look our for more delicious recipes from Claire in future issues 23
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The CRAFTfest Best of British Event for UK residents taking place in June is also booking NOW
Sponsored by The Professional Crafters Guild
MummaMakes Elegantly Sweet Handmade by KikiJ Turnescfaeries
Helenka White Jewellery Glass Tide NCFelt Supplies Especially Stitches 4U
All Things Blankets & More
Send in your: Events, Achievements, News, Fabulous customer reviews, product images for our March Issue! Also, for budding writers we are now accepting craft and business related articles. Email us at: info@procraftersguild.com Full Guild Membership means that you are featured for FREE in our directory listings. 25
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Jewellery Designers A.R.P Jewellery A.R.P Jewellery is a local company based in Devon who sells and makes jewellery from Stirling Silver, Gold and Palladium. We use many different types of jewels such as Cubic Zirconia and Swarovski Crystal. www.etsy.com/shop/arpjewellery www.facebook.com/ARP-Jewellery-54969968785
Adien Crafts Hand made Jewellery featuring Semi Precious Gemstones www.adiencrafts.co.uk www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AdienandIrisBlue www.facebook.com/adiencrafts
Anne Pearson Designs Knotwork jewellery. www.facebook.com/AnnePearsonDesigns
Artisan Designs UK Handcrafted jewellery and gifts creating using mostly kiln fused glass and other quality materials. Award winning designer who works closely with the fashion and animals rescue worlds. www.artisandesignsuk.com
Bernadine's Creations Gorgeous beaded jewellery, watches and gifts. Exclusively designed and created by experienced jewellery maker. www.wowthankyou.co.uk/bernadines-creations www.etsy.com/shop/BernadinesCreations www.facebook.com/BernadinesCreations
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Jewellery Designers Crystal Lady Designs (Mystic Earth Healing Jewellery) Healing gemstone jewellery to help you through life. www.mysticearth.co.uk
Elegance by Sue Handmade, bespoke jewellery. www.elegancebysue.co.uk www.facebook.com/ElegancebySue
Fire-drake Hand made silver, gold filled and gold jewellery. www.firedrakeuk.com www.facebook.com/FireDrakeJewellery
Fire Faerie Designs Mixed media jewellery designer maker. I use the mediums of clay and glass to make exclusive pieces of jewellery art. www.firefaeriedesigns.co.uk www.Facebook.com/firefaeriedesigns
Glass Tide Individually Designed Hand Made Sea Glass jewellery
Handmade by Kiki J I make ooak jewellery and accessories with a wide variety of supplies and teqniques and use a lot of artisan beads in my designs. I also make and sell my own supplies including beads headpins clasps. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/HandmadeByKikiJ www.facebook.com/Kikishandmadejewellery 27
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Jewellery Designers Handmade With Love Designs Handstamped personalised jewellery and gifts www.handmadewithlovedesigns.co.uk www.facebook.com/handmadewithlovedesigns http://craftersboutique.co.uk/sellers/handmade-with-love-designs/
Helenka White Design I design one-of-a-kind jewellery with various materials including semiprecious stones and polymer clay. I also create animal sculptures. www.helenkawhitedesign.co.uk www.facebook.com/HelenkaWhiteDesign
Jewellery My Design Sterling silver, copper, niobium and gold-filled chainmaille jewellery. www.jewellerymydesign.co.uk www.facebook.com/JewelleryMyDesign
K.D Jewellery Handmade Macrame Jewellery and Accessories.
www.kdjewellery.co.uk www.facebook.com/KDJewellery1 www.etsy.com/uk/shop/KDJewellery1
Lucy Bradshaw Jewellery Design & make handmade sterling silver jewellery with a twist of colour. www.lucybradshaw.co.uk www.facebook.com/LucyBradshaw555
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Jewellery Designers Lynns Gem Creations LynnsGemCreations is UK based and specialises in Gemstones and Venetian Murano jewellery. It incorporates LynnsBridalCreations which caters solely for wedding jewellery. http://lynnsgemcreations.co.uk/ www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LynnsGemCreations www.facebook.com/LynnsGemCreations
Moshi Beads Hand Crafted Jewellery www.moshibeads.co.uk www.facebook.com/moshibeads
Sally Davies Silver Traditionally handcrafted sterling silver jewellery. www.wowthankyou.co.uk/sally-davies-silver www.facebook.com/SallyDaviesJewellery
Semi Precious Jens Handmade semi precious gemstone jewellery & accessories. www.semipreciousjens.co.uk www.facebook.com/semipreciousjens
Silver Sensations High quality affordable handmade unique & limited edition designer jewellery using genuine Sterling Silver, Semi Precious Gemstones, Pearls & Swarovski Crystals. www.silver-sensations.co.uk www.facebook.com/silversensations www.wowthankyou.co.uk/silver-sensations
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Jewellery Designers Tiny Treasures Keepsakes Hand stamped silver keepsake jewellery. www.facebook.com/TinyTreasuresKeepsakes
Vicky Hibberd Silversmith Handcrafted Silver jewellery www.etsy.com/uk/shop/VickyHibberdSilver www.facebook.com/VickyHibberdSilversmith
Polymer Craft Designers Ace Characters Personalised cake toppers for any celebration. As individual as you are. www.acecaketoppercharacters.com www.facebook.com/acecharacters
Cotswold Characters Unique, high quality hand sculpted models made in polymer clay. www.cotswoldcharacters.co.uk www.facebook.com/ArgyleArt
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Artists Creative Memories Framed prints, jewellery. www.creativememorieswarwick.co.uk www.facebook.com/Creativememorieswarwick
Paperama 100% Hand-Cut Paper Art Keepsakes. www.facebook.com/Paperama.Kerry
Super Canvas Bespoke Canvas and Framed Prints. www.super-canvas.com www.facebook.com/supercanvas
Word Art Designs I personally design pictures into word art. www.facebook.com/Wordartdesigns
Model Makers TUUS Create & produce miniature models of Cathedrals,churches
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Mixed Craft Designers Alfie Moon Designs Alfie Moon Designs - Design and make character led, themed and craft based gifts - bags, t-shirts, mugs, miniatures, clocks, badges, wall art and more. All gifts can be customised and personalised. www.alfiemoondesigns.co.uk www.facebook.com/AlfieMoonDesigns
All Things Blankets & More We design and individually hand make a range of cat beds, crates and toys and cat themed gifts. http://allthingsblankets.weebly.com www.facebook.com/allthingsblankets
And Sew It Seems Sewing and embroidered gifts. www.facebook.com/AndSewItSeams?fref=ts www.facebook.com/DollsandbearsbyMissyB www.etsy.com/shop/AndSewItSeams56
AnjiKrafts Crochet, fabrics, bead & paper crafting. www.anjikrafts.com www.facebook.com/Anjikrafts
Art of Fun Different types of crafts from painting to badge making, to knitting to looming and a lot more made by arthritic hands, 10% of all items sold goes to arthritis research uk www.artoffun.co.uk www.facebook.com/ArtOfFun2015
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Mixed Craft Designers Charms by Joanna Favours and Gifts. www.charmsbyjoanna.co.uk www.facebook.com/charmsbyjoanna
cherishthememory.co.uk Unique Gifts & Cards for all occasions. www.cherishthememory.co.uk www.facebook.com/cherishthememory.co.uk
ColaCreations Hand crafted gifts and homeware. www.colacreations.wix.com/colacreations www.facebook.com/Colacreations
EspeciallyStitched4U Bespoke Embroidery of messages, patterns or even drawings that your child has made can be scanned onto machine to be converted to an embroidery design, which will be stitched onto most fabrics. www.especiallystitched4u.co.uk www.facebook.com/EspeciallyStitched4USewing
Feel Good Crafts Market place helping and supporting people with chronic conditions sell handmade craft products www.feelgoodcrafts.com www.facebook.com/feelgoodcrafts
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Mixed Craft Designers Handmade by Karen Keyrings, bag charms, brooches, decorations and wall hangings made from quality felt, tweed, tartan and other fabrics all by hand. www.facebook.com/karenshomemade
iCandy Bouquets Unique confectionery creations, including chocolate and sweet bouquets and edible gifts. www.icandybouquets.com www.facebook.com/iCandybouquets1
Immortal Crafts Decorated candles, plaques and wood items using mixed media, pencil portraiture. www.immortalcrafts.com www.facebook.com/immortalcrafts
Loz's Crafty Corner Personalised keyrings and jewellery. http://Lozcc25.co.uk www.facebook.com/LozCC25
Ooh! I Like That Individual items made from linens & cotton fabric and wool. www.oohilikethat.co.uk www.facebook.com/oohilikethat
Material Girl Fabric bags, cushions, home decor plus 34
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Mixed Craft Designers Posh Bird Creations Unique Quality Gift Baskets. www.poshbirdcreations.com www.facebook.com/pages/Posh-Bird-Creations/865420413474481
Sewdivinedesigns Specialising in personalised cushions and bags, newbie at CE certified soft toys and dolls. www.sewdivinedesigns.co.uk www.facebook.com/sewdivinedesigns
Simply Little Soaps Soy Wax Jar Candles/Melts/Clay Jar Toppers/ Soap/ Photography. www.spa-central.co.uk www.facebook.com/spacentralltd
SJA CraftyCakes Hand created gifts: nappy & towel cakes; book art; cards; bags & purses; children's knitwear etc. www.sjacraftycakes.com www.facebook.com/sjacraftycakes
Spa-Central Ltd Soy Wax Jar Candles/Melts/Clay Jar Toppers/ Soap/ Photography. www.spa-central.co.uk www.facebook.com/spacentralltd
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Mixed Craft Designers Spratt's Prints & Crafts Spratt's Prints & Crafts lovingly design and create a range of personalised prints (making it totally unique to them), a selection of artwork and a range of hand-created gifts. Sarah can also be asked to work on something you have in mind.
www.spratt-designs.co.uk www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SprattPrints www.facebook.com/sprattsprints
T2Kreations Bespoke gifts, personalised products and homeware. www.t2kreations.co.uk www.facebook.com/t2kreations
Turnescfaeries Flower faerie doll, doors, gardens, wreaths, etc
Uniquely Your Designs Crocheted Accessories for Person and Home & Patterns, Needle felted Gifts,Word Art, Felted Soaps, Handmade Journal/notebooks.
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/UniquelyYourDesigns www.uniquelyyourdesigns.co.uk www.wowthankyou.co.uk/uniquely-yours
Soft Sculpture Designers Arctophilia Artist and designer of award winning collectable mohair bears... www.mohairbears.co.uk www.mohairbearmakingsupplies.co.uk www.facebook.com/arctophillia 36
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Paper Crafts Designers Card Therapy Handmade-cards and papercraft art. www.cardtherapy.co.uk
Glitz and Grammar Creating handmade cards & gifts including clocks, canvasses & photo frames, amongst others. Every item is unique - no 2 the same. Specialising in bespoke items. Handmade with you in mind!
www.glitzandgrammar.co.uk www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Glitzycards www.Facebook.com/glitzandgrammar
Handmade By Helen Handmade cards and paper craft items. www.folksy.com/shops/HandmadeByHelen1 www.facebook.com/HandmadeByHelen
Candle Designers Made By Suzi I specialise in making scented candles in vintage teacups and coffee cups. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MadeBySuzi www.facebook.com/pages/Made-By-Suzi/207767575964979
Sweet Aroma's Customisable Handmade Soy Wax candles and other aromatic products. www.sweetaromas.co.uk
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Card Designers Pig Corner Cards Handmade cards, pictures and gifts in cross stitch which can be personalised to you individual requirements. www.pigcornercards.co.uk
www.folksy.com/shops/pigcornercards www.facebook.com/pigcornercardsandgifts
Pink Fountain Handmade Greeting Cards
www.etsy.com/shop/pinkfountain www.facebook.com/pinkfountain
The Crafty Artisan Bespoke hand crafted greetings cards for all occasions
www.thecraftyartisan.uk www.facebook.com/The-Crafty-Artisans-405737196302162/
Soap Designers Daisy Chain Gifts Gift shop featuring handmade soaps, bath products, floral arrangements, greeting cards, knitwear and homewares. www.daisychaingifts.com www.facebook.com/DaisyChainGifts
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Gifts & Accessories Designers Arabella's Attic Arabella's Attic design and hand craft vintage inspired accessories and gifts such as bags, purses, hair accessories, kilt pins and pocket mirrors.
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ArabellasAttic www.facebook.com/ArabellasAttic1
Enchanted Elegance by Sue Handmade, bespoke jewellery.
www.elegancebysue.co.uk www.facebook.com/EnchantedElegancebySue
Gert Lush Designs Wirework & Fused Glass Jewellery, Bags, Fabric Creations & Artwork. www.gertlushdesigns.co.uk www.facebook.com/GertLushDesigns https://twitter.com/GertLushDesigns
Handmade by Karen Keyrings, bag charms, brooches, decorations and wall hangings made from quality felt, tweed, tartan and other fabrics all by hand. www.facebook.com/karenshomemade
Silver Sensations High quality affordable handmade unique & limited edition designer jewellery using genuine Sterling Silver, Semi Precious Gemstones, Pearls & Swarovski Crystals.
www.silver-sensations.co.uk www.facebook.com/silversensations www.wowthankyou.co.uk/silver-sensations
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Textiles Designers Arctophilia Artist and designer of award winning collectable mohair bears... www.mohairbears.co.uk www.mohairbearmakingsupplies.co.uk www.facebook.com/arctophillia
Beadie Eyed Edie Textile Artist & Designer Maker www.beadieeyededie.com www.facebook.com/BeadieEyedEdie
Brig's Crafts Fabric hand-made goods for the home and giftware. http://brigscrafts.co.uk www.facebook.com/pages/Brigs-Crafts/138161206364718
Carolee Crafts Vintage style gifts and cards. http://www.caroleecrafts.com/ ww.facebook.com/pages/Carolee-Crafts/48769671593?fref=ts
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Textiles Designers Gingham Glory Handmade cushions and other items using vintage embroidery and fabrics www.wowthankyou.co.uk/gingham-glory www.folksy.com/shops/lal179 www.facebook.com/GinghamGlory
Honey B's Family run business manufacturing our own products here in the UK Our items are British Made. www.honeybselection.co.uk www.facebook.com/pages/HoneyBselection/223305561084246
Its the Foxes Handcrafted products for home and family. www.gotshop.co.uk/seller-profile/its-the-foxes www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ITSTHEFOXES www.facebook.com/itsthefoxes
Loopy's Place Traditional Handicrafts, making gifts for home and family. www.loopysplace.co.uk www.facebook.com/LoopysPlace?ref=hl
Mumma Makes I make bags and purses and can embroider onto them. www.facebook.com/Mumma-Makes-and-My-Little-Angel-103163939798184
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Textiles Designers Natalie Tiltman Textile Art Hand stitched cards, art and gifts. www.natalietiltman.blogspot.co.uk www.etsy.com/uk/shop/natalietiltman www.facebook.com/thistledownstitches
Rag Rug Textiles Rag rugging: designer, commissions & Kits, embroidery:designer, teacher & stockist. ww.ragrugtextiles.com
The Old Button Patchwork, applique, sewing. https://beta.folksy.com/shops/TheOldButton http://theoldbutton.blogspot.co.uk www.facebook.com/TheOldButton
Tweedie Beasties Harris Tweed animal doorstops. www.tweediebeasties.com www.facebook.com/tweediebeasties
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Paper Crafts Designers Pig Corner Cards Handmade cards, pictures and gifts in cross stitch which can be personalised to you individual requirements. www.pigcornercards.co.uk www.folksy.com/shops/pigcornercards https://www.facebook.com/pigcornercardsandgifts
Scrapbookerry Scrapbooking, Paper Crafts, Wedding Stationery. www.scrapbookerry.com
Scrumptious Design Handmade cards, stationery and gifts. www.facebook.com/scrumptiousdesign
Simply Unique Altered art, memory albums, and home dĂŠcor items. www.simplyuniquecrafts.net www.facebook.com/pages/Simply-Unique/173693672814436
The Codicote Crafter Cards, Keepsake Boxes, Wall Hangings and do much more! www.thecodicotecrafter.co.uk www.thecodicotecrafter.com www.facebook.com/pages/The-Codicote-Crafter/1461692517475714
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Paper Crafts Designers The Scrapbooker Professional digital and paper scrapbooker, paper artist and photographer. www.thescrapbooker.co.uk www.wowthankyou.co.uk/the-scrapbooker www.facebook.com/pages/The-Scrapbooker-UK/261817810495019
Tmd-crafts Handmade cards, invitations, place cards & all Wedding Stationery Items Handmade knitted clothing, goods & photography props. www.tmd-crafts.biz www.facebook.com/tmdcrafts
Wood Crafts Designers Blackberry Wedding Designs Personalised wooden wedding horseshoes,hearts, spoons, rolling pins etc. www.blackberryweddingdesigns.com www.facebook.com/blackberryweddinghorseshoes
www.blackberryweddingdesigns.co.uk
Fran's Crafts Hand Decorated Clocks, Decorated Wooden Shapes and Handmade Cards. www.franscrafts.co.uk www.facebook.com/Frans-Crafts-1704066853163643/
The Rustic Carpenter Personalised handmade wooden crates & signs. www.therusticcarpenter.co.uk www.fontwelldesigns.co.uk www.facebook.com/therusticcarpenter 44
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Millinery Designers Custom Hair Accessories One-off design millinery, bridal hair accessories and jewellery. All our collection are totally handmade including hat blocking. www.customhairaccessories.com www.customhairaccessories.co.uk www.facebook.com/pages/Custom-Hair-Accessories/175756329114735
Lojango Design Stunning, practical, affordable hats along with unusual hair accessories and brooches. Lojango Design combines eye catching designs with superb craftsmanship resulting in wearable items you will treasure for ever.
www.lojango.com www.facebook.com/lojango www.etsy.com/UK/shop/LojangoDesign
Decor Designers From The Heart Creations Hand made creations of Garlands, Wreaths, Candle Jars, Bunting & more! www.fromtheheartcreations.co.uk www.facebook.com/pages/From-The-Heart-CreationsFTHC/562293043886907
Gifts Unique Frames and plaques to hang in your home. www.facebook.com/giftsunique01
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Needle Felting Designers SheepyCreations Memories in Felt!! Ooak felt products including pet portraits, pictures, bags cushions, scarves, etc. www.facebook.com/SheepyCreations www.etsy.com/shop/SheepyCreations
The Happy Ewe Needle felted items, animals, decorations and more. www.facebook.com/thehappyewecrafts/
Online Marketplaces Feel Good Crafts Market place helping and supporting people with chronic conditions sell handmade craft products www.feelgoodcrafts.com www.facebook.com/feelgoodcrafts
NCFeltSupplies Supplier of die cut felt shapes and felt craft products. www.NCFeltSupplies.etsy.com
WowThankYou WowThankYou is well established online marketplace supporting creative makers and designers based in UK. www.wowthankyou.co.uk www.facebook.com/WowThankYou
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Crochet & Knitting Designers JellyPoppy Bunnies 'n' Blankets, Hats 'n' slippers, shawls, throws, gloves. www.jellypoppy.co.uk www.facebook.com/JellyPoppy
Pitter Patter Tiny Feet Knitting Emporium Specialised, bespoke and designer knits for babies and children. www.pitterpattertinyfeet.co.uk www.facebook.com/PitterPatterTinyFeetKnittingEmporium
www.twitter.com/PptfSharon
Tmd-crafts Handmade cards, invitations, place cards & all Wedding Stationery Items Handmade knitted clothing, goods & photography props. www.tmd-crafts.biz www.facebook.com/tmdcrafts
Watercolours and Lace Hand painted designer yarns in luxury natural fibres, knitting and crochet designs and kits, threads for embroidery and lacemaking, project bags, beaded stitch markers. www.watercoloursandlace.co.uk www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WatercoloursandLace www.facebook.com/WatercoloursAndLace/
Wrapped In Colour Hand-knitted shawls, scarves, cowls, hats and gloves. www.wrapped-in-colour.org.uk/Wrapped_In_Colour/Welcome.html www.facebook.com/WrappedinColour
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Glass & Lampwork Designers Glasspirations Creating Bespoke Fused Glass Items for the Home and as Unique Gifts. www.glasspirations.co.uk www.facebook.com/Glasspirations
Beading Supplies Somerset Beads UK based bead suppliers, we supply a wide range of jewellery making supplies and beads for jewellery making, crafting and other bead projects, including semi precious gemstone beads, glass beads www.somersetbeads.co.uk www.facebook.com/SomersetBeads
Paper Craft Suppliers Teri B Fantasy Crafts Inaddition to stocking mainstream crafting supplies, Teri B Fantasy Crafts' focus is around the themes of Gothic, Steampunk and Fantasy. We are always looking for ideas for 'different' types of crafting products, for our unique customers. www.fantasycrafts.co.uk http://www.facebook.com/TeriBFantasyCrafts https://twitter.com/TeriBcrafts
Food Crafts Elegantly Sweet Makers of bespoke sweet favours and gifts. www.elegantlysweet.co.uk www.facebook.com/Elegantly-Sweet-983259238412949
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PCG A collection of news and articles from our business community Read more information about our publications here www.procraftersguild.com/directory.html
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Publication www.creative-crafting.com www.procraftersguild.com