Scrapbook WAHM

Most crafters do what they do because they love to do it. But if you’re good at a craft, it can open the door for money-making opportunities. There are all sorts of ways you can sell your crafts, including selling wholesale to retailers, placing items in consignment shops, and selling online.

But if you want to have fun and make money at the same time, craft fairs are something worth considering. Hitting the craft fair circuit gives you a reason to travel to places you may have never been before and to meet fellow crafters. And since they attract craft lovers, you can make a substantial amount of money in a short time.

Does this sound interesting to you? Here is what you need to do to get started.

* Get busy crafting. You’ll need plenty of inventory to take with you to the fairs for quick sales. You can also take custom orders, but most craft fair attendees prefer to leave with something in hand.

* Check out the legal aspects of doing business wherever you might participate in a fair. To keep things simple, you might choose to only participate in fairs in your home state. But if you want to do business in other states, it shouldn’t be too hard to get set up.

* Find craft fairs in your area and others you are willing to travel to. Ask your crafty friends to keep you informed about any they hear about; check the newspaper and search online.

* When you find a craft fair that interests you, read the application information carefully. Most require application fees, and some are juried. You may have to pay additional fees for electricity and other amenities.

* Determine what you’ll need to bring along to set up. You’ll definitely need tables and chairs, and many fairs do not provide them. You’ll also need a tent if the fair is outdoors, and you may need other items such as display cases depending on what you’re selling.

* Get your office supplies together. You’ll need some business cards and other promotional materials, receipt pads, bags, and a credit card machine if you accept credit.

* Price your crafts if you haven’t already. Take into account all of your expenses, including travel and meals. You’ll need to make enough profit to at least cover this, and preferably enough to pocket some of it.

* Dress comfortably, and take along food and drinks. Bring an assistant or two with you as well, if possible. Craft fairs are usually all-day (and sometimes multiple-day) events, so you’ll need to be prepared.

Craft fairs provide the opportunity for you to sell your crafts in a fun atmosphere. But be warned: it’s hard to stop at just one! Once you’ve experienced a craft fair first hand, you’ll probably be scouring the papers looking for another one.

Scrapbookers often find ideas for their albums in the changing seasons. In the fall, the shapes and colors of the falling leaves, harvest crops and blooming flowers provide lots of great ideas that we can incorporate into our scrapbooks. Here are some ways you can work the season into the various elements of your page.

Colors

Orange is a color that’s certainly not hard to find in the fall. It’s on pumpkins, falling leaves, and many fall flowers. It’s symbolic of Halloween, and is also used in many Thanksgiving decorations. Yellow is also found in lots of fall items. These two colors can work as backgrounds in some layouts, but in most cases they’re best reserved for embellishments and borders unless they are muted.Brown is another fall favorite. It is associated with Thanksgiving turkey, pinecones, and more. Brown makes a good background color, because it will not draw attention away from the photos.

Anchor-Its -FallAnchor-Its 16/Pkg-Fall: Photo anchors in fun colors and patterns. Four each of four styles per package. * 16 photo anchors per package * Archival Safe

Titles

Incorporating the feel of the season into your pages extends to your page titles as well. Whether your tone is serious or whimsical, you can find inspiration for your page titles in the beauty that surrounds you.

“Leaf” and “leaves” are good words to work into puns for your titles. A page about one special person could be entitled “The Apple of My Eye.” Harvest themes and autumn colors can also provide good title ideas.

Jolee’s Boutique Themed Stickers - Fall Leaves“Jolee’s Boutique Themed Stickers-Fall Leaves: Jolee’s Boutique Stickers offer scrapbooking and paper crafters new dimension. Intricate designs are created from handmade paper sticker pieces and embellished with fine quality beads, foils, fabrics and wire. This magnificent collection of unique 3-D self-adhesive stickers will enhance any project with a quality look. * Papers and adhesives used are acid free”

Embellishments

No scrapbook is complete without embellishments, and there are plenty of great ideas from nature in the fall. The brightly colored leaves are favorites in all types of fall design, and leaf motifs look great in a scrapbook. But as tempting as it may be, it’s best not to use real leaves in your pages. They just do not stand up to time very well, even when they are carefully preserved.

Pumpkin and squash die cuts, brads and stickers are perfect for a harvest theme. Items featuring apples, pears and berries are also great as embellishments. For Halloween and Thanksgiving, you can find all sorts of stamps and die cuts to choose from.

The Fall 2 Cardstock Mat Stack“Cardstock Mat Stack - Fall: This Mat Stack is the perfect size matting paper. This pull-off pad features an assortment of color cardstock ready for glue as is or embellish with paper punches, fancy edge scissors and stickers. Click on link under the image to see complete assortment of coordinating Fall Stack products! * Contains 81 sheets * Measures: 4.5”x6.5” * Acid/Lignin Free”

Photos

The most important things in any scrapbook are the photos. While using colors, titles and embellishments can create a fall atmosphere for your pages, capturing the season in your photos is the best way to make your scrapbook truly memorable.

Taking pictures outdoors when possible can add a touch of autumn without a great deal of effort. If you’re working with kids, get some candid shots of them jumping in the leaf pile. Or get a picture of your little one with the biggest pumpkin from the patch. These are memories that are sure to be cherished for years to come, and that’s what scrapbooking is all about.

Textured Trio Brads -Fall“Textured Trio Brads 30/Pkg-Fall: Patterned brads in fun colors. Patterns include gingham, polka dot, and stripes, solids also included. Shapes include mini round, mini and larger squares. 30 in a pack. “

[tags]fall scrapbook layouts, scrapbooking, fall crafts[/tags]