DIY Friday - Craft Show Display Ideas

Show season is getting into full swing. I am always on the hunt for unique ideas to give my show booth a little boost. I found some great ideas on Pinterest. I hope one of these ideas inspires you.

Stair step shelf

Tiered trays

Dollar Store creation

Old suitcases make great displays

Clipboards in fun colors

Shutter and bi-fold doors make great display pieces 

Baskets make nice displays

Cups are a cute unexpected item

I recently changed up my entire display and I now use wood display boards and a red metal toolbox. The toolbox is great for storage and adding height. Plus it puts more emphasizes on my hardware jewelry.

My display set up 

What is your favorite DIY display item in your show booth?

What Do You Struggle With?

I am always full of big ideas. Well they are always big ideas in my head. 

I have so many things I want to do, and I am obsessed with new ways to make money.

I struggle with sticking with my plan and using my time productivly. I spend a lot of time making lists and creating plans, but I really need to work on follow through and time management.

That is what I am going to spend my summer working on.

What do you struggle with? 
Do you have any thing you want to work on this summer?

26 Ideas For Your Online Business

When running a business you are constantly marketing, tweaking, and working on building your business.

Today I have a list of ideas for your shop or website. Some of the ideas may be things you do on a regular basis, others may not work for you, but maybe their is one idea that will inspire a new way for you to market your shop/business.

The list is not in any order, just a list of ideas that have inspired me and my business.

• Create a contact list to send emails, newsletter, and event info.

• Add your shop/website link in you email signature.

• Always tweak your titles, descriptions, and tags to make your product show up in a variety of searches.

• Keep your about page updated. As things change in you business, update your about page.

• Work on you photos often. Sometimes a simple tweak can make a big difference.

• Share your marketing materials with everyone you meet.

• Find local place where you can post your business cards for free. Coffee shops, salons, your gym.

• Create an elevator speech for meeting new people and networking.

• Look for offline show opportunities. Doing art/craft shows is a great way to bring in income.

• Approach shop/galleries about selling your product.

• Host an open house for your product a couple times a year.

• Share promo codes to your social media lists. Facebook, twitter, blog, pinterest... give each one their own code so you can track your sales.

• Donate items to a local charity event. Don't forget to give lots of business cards with your item.

• Have your family and friends spread the word. One year I gave family and friends free jewelry and business cards to share with their friends. I got several new customers and orders that summer.

• Create YouTube videos about your product and process.

• Survey your customers to see what they need. Creating products your customers want or need will increase your sales.

• Create a variety of items at a variety of different price points. This will let your items be seen more often, and in different searches.

• Offer a free gift with purchase. It does not have to be expensive, just memorable.

• Answer customer questions quickly. Great customer service is what keeps customers coming back.

• Add new items often. It keeps you items at the top of the searches.

• Be consistent with social media. Post something daily if possible, or every few days. Keeping your name and products out there keeps you on their mind.

• Start a customer referral program.

• Teach classes in your area.

• Create a small zip lock bag with your business card, a coupon code, a piece of candy, and pass them tellers, cashers, at sporting events, etc.

• Always carry business cards. One easy way to remember your card is to put a few in the purses you carry most often. So if you change purses you will never forget them. Don't forget to put some in your car too.

Share your favorite marketing or business practice tips and I will add them to the list.

Window Shopping Inspiration

Need a little inspiration?  Get a creativity boost by doing a little window shopping.

Check out the shops in your town or on your next getaway. Every store has something to offer, even the store you don't like or would never shop in. Regardless of what you create, you can always get a little inspirations from a cute store window.

As you take your stroll, check out the window displays and the items they have close to the window.

 

What color are they featuring?

Any shapes that are more popular then others?

What about the textures, can any translate into your craft?

Checking out what is in the windows is not about what they have in the window, but dissecting what you see and getting inspired by the color combinations, and designs.

When I visit a new town I love to window shop. I like to see what other cities and towns are featuring, and what is popular. Yesterday I shared that I always carry a pad of paper and pencil with me wherever I go, so I never forget any of my ideas.

Don't forget your pad of paper so you can jot down your ideas during your window shopping adventure.

Do you do a lot of window shopping?

Need more creative ideas? Check out this great list of 29 Ways To Stay Creative.

Motivation Monday

My favorite is - Make Lists - I carry a notebook everywhere. Which one is your favorite?

DIY Friday - Start a Garden

I have one of those yards with lots of trees and is mostly shade, so I plant my veggies in the containers. Since I have been on Piterest I have found lots of great ideas for growing healthy and strong plants. Today I am sharing some of my favorite gardening ideas, so you too can have a fruitful garden.

Gutter Garden

pallet garden

No cost garden tools

Huge list of things you can grow in containers

Pest and disease remedies from things found in you home

I hope these ideas inspire you and your garden. What will you be planting this year?

Get More From Your Time

It's so easy to go through your day working on projects and crossing things off our lists, but are you connecting to your future in the form of your vision, dreams, and intentions?

Expanding your awareness of time can make your life more fulfilling, and let you experience everything as you work towards your dream.

Here are some simple ideas for expanding your awareness of time.

For a moment you really want to remember take a moment and check in with all your senses. What do you see, smell, hear, taste, and feel?

As you move through your moments throughout your day, stop and ask yourself, "How might I experience this moment a little deeper? Accept the moment a little more fully?"

It is easy to split your focus and think about other things while you are working on something else. Be in the moment. As you walk in a room take a moment to notice where you are and then begin your task.

There are ways to be creative in everything you do, from doing laundry to cleaning the bathroom. Allow yourself to create in everything you do, and feel gratitude for your creative abilities and all the ways they can be expressed.

The easiest way to experience your time fully is to just stop and take a breath. Simply breathing deeply enhances your perception and grounds you in the moment.

Remember that the time you put into the work is the same no matter what the results. Inserting yourself into the moments will let you experience life, your business, and your art in new ways, and create lasting memories.

How will you expand your time?

April Showers Bring May Flowers

We have had a wet April in Chicagoland, not to mention it has been pretty chilly.  I am really looking forward to having some warmer weather and lots and lots of sunshine all month long.

So for the first day of May I have some beautiful photos of flowers, green trees, and the sun to get the month started right!

I hope your May is full of warm sun, bright green trees, and beautiful smelling flowers!