Arts And Crafts - Part Two

 

Make Money With Arts and Crafts

 
 #1. How To Make Money In The Clock Mounting Business

Most successful clock making businesses started out as hobbies. This business involves buying (not manufacturing) clock works and mounting them in unique, attractive faces, holders and motifs that you create.

Many different types and prices of clock works are available from various supply houses that you can fashion into works of art.

A clock can be mounted on any number of crafted or non-crafted items: burl wood, toys, funny faces, paintings, etched mirrors, souvenirs, marble slabs, sculptures, photographs, family keepsakes, or just about anything you can imagine.

In fact, you might well come up with a new idea. What about a large picture of your child, with a clock in one corner - or one on a picture of your mother-law (you’re “on your own” on this one!).

One enterprising couple made clocks from used circular saw blades: the wife painted scenes and numbers: the husband applied a protective covering and mounted clock works on them.

You do not have to know about clocks or watch repair, or have any special talents. The clock works, whether electric or wind-up come complete, ready to mount.

The main thing is to space the numerals evenly so they look as if they are a part of the object. One technique is to arrange the face numbers on a attractive slab of wood. They can be “spaced” with a paper pattern.

Draw a circle the right size and use a compass to divide the circle into 12 equal parts of 30 degrees each. Center the numbers on the 12 dividing lines, with the bottoms just touching the circle. When properly placed, glue them lightly in place to keep them from slipping and apply your finish (usually resin on wood.)

When the finish is thick enough and well cured, drill a hole at the center of the proposed dial circle and mount the clock from behind, letting the hands shaft project through the hole. Add the hands, and your clock is finished. Some hand-crafted clocks are really works of art and bring over $100 apiece! Prices for quartz (battery operated) clocks start at about $3 each (even less in quantity), which means that your
total materials cost to produce them is considerably lower than their potential value.. In most cases this business results in getting paid for both you time and a profit on the material.

Marketing hand-crafted clocks is worth a little extra effort because the difference in price realized can be significant. Since one of the main selling points is beauty, take some good pictures of your best clocks and mount them in a photo album (a good quality album with nothing but clocks in it). Use a good camera and get shots that show only the clocks with contrasting background.

For example, use a white sheet as a background for a dark clock; dark velvet or a plain, dark wall for a light colored one. Take pictures with negatives, which you can use to have a brochure printed. Another technique is to set up a display of your clocks — at your place, a rented display window, or in a store (on consignment).

The display should show off your clocks to their best advantage - good lighting, contrasting plain background, with no other distractions in the immediate area. They can be displayed in a dedicated section of shelves or a display case, or even in a suggested decor.

The main idea is to treat them as valuable items, which is how you want potential customers to see them!

To get started in the clock making business, send off for as many price lists as you can for works and mounts. Clock suppliers will provide you with detailed mounting instructions for their products. In the meantime, experiment with finishing techniques - resin coating, painting, sand blasting or whatever your pleasure. When you have decided what kind of clocks you will start with, set up your working area and get the necessary tools and supplies.

For natural wood finishes, you will probably need things like stains, casting resin, cleaner, brushes, tin strips, wood finishing materials, clamps, saws, and glue.

To obtain an extra thick coat of resin, build a retaining wall (the tin strips) around the piece to form a reservoir. Pour in the resin and tap out any bubbles. When it has cured remove the walls, shape and apply resin to the edges. When satisfied with the thickness and uniformity polish and assemble your finished clock.

Your first few projects will probably NOT be perfect — in fat, they will probably include several “features” that you will have to learn NOT to do — or at least to do better.

These efforts need not be losses, however. They can be sold for reduced prices at flea markets, given to relatives (presents?), or sold to retails stores (even second hand stores, if necessary).

Do not show these first efforts to any store or customer that may later be a prospect for your best efforts (and higher prices). If you try to sell imperfect models today, you risk damaging your reputation before it ever gets started!

People who build successful businesses withhold their products and services until they are GOOD. From that point, they NEVER offer anything of lesser quality. This is why Marshal Fields can get ten times as much as Kmart for an identical item!

Although you will probably buy your initial supply of materials from your local hardware or hobby store (Wal-Mart carries some good supplies), look for a good source to buy materials wholesale, or at a significant (20-40%) discount.

Experiment with the different materials and DO NOT overlook freebies, some of which might make fantastic clocks. Examples are: driftwood, used (weather beaten) lumber, slabs of native rock, magazine pictures (coated with resin), old shovels or radios.

Also, compare brands, prices and results of products to make sure you are using a $65 per gallon resin when a $15 would do just as well.

Other possibilities are custom clocks (made from a customer’s materials, or idea), thematic (a pallet clock for an artist), nature (oak slab with acorns for numbers), and clocks for special uses (designed to fit on top of a computer, or on the dash of a motor home. When you stop and think about it, there must be millions of possibilities that have not yet been discovered — is one of them yours?

Once you have the materials and skill to produce clocks, you will automatically have attained both the skills and the means to make many other products that can be used to augment your business.
For example, plastic [paperweights with imbedded acorns or pills or beautiful plastic coated and/or decorated jewelry and trinket boxes (some with music boxes) and whatnot shelves.

A word of caution about resins and finishes that are often used in clock making. Read the labels on the finishes, thinners, cleaning materials carefully. Most are highly flammable and many are toxic to breathe. Make sure your working area is adequately ventilated and have a fire extinguisher handy — just in case!

#2. Building Doll Houses And Doll Furniture

Well built and tastefully appointed hand made doll houses often sell for $400 or more, especially if they are to scale, realistic looking, well-decorated and nicely furnished.

Materials used to build and furnish high quality doll houses are not necessarily expensive. The real expenses are in the apparent hours of labor and high degree expertise required for their construction. However, many “expert” doll house craftsmen have no more training or background than a normal wood-workers or wood hobbyists. If you have ever built a model airplane or car, you can probably produce doll
houses that will command a good price. All it tales is a little attention to detail, practice and a few tricks of the trade.

Basically, building doll houses involves selecting and cutting out (according to plans 1/8″ to 1/4″ paneling for walls, a little stronger plywood for the bottom floor, and thin paneling with a simulated overlay for the roof.

Cut out the required windows, doors and spaces for stairways. For efficiency, you will probably cut out several parts from the same basic plan at a time.
Check these parts often to make sure they fit properly. Most walls and floors should be decorated before they are permanently installed or you may not be able to get them to apply the desired coatings or linings.

Although you will develop your own procedures, it’s wise to follow the plan instructions explicitly for the first few models. Remember that although you can substitute materials freely, some substitutions may require different applications from the plans so be careful!

If you want to try without a plan (a commercial plan is recommended, at least for the first effort), you’ll need a sheet of plywood (or plain 3/8″ paneling), some ice cream sticks or tongue depressors, glue, nails (brads), a few pins and screw eyes, a coping or jig saw, plus other normal shop tools. Get wallpaper and linoleum (or contact shelf paper) remnants from the hardware store and fabric scraps from an upholstery shop or yard goods store.

Much of the fun in building doll houses is the ingenious and often, unique methods craftsmen come up with to create really amazing effects for door, windows, roofs, outside and inside decor. Your total material cost could be as low as $200 including furniture. Of course, the cost can be much higher with veneer walks, silk rugs and fancy furnishing.

Doll house patterns are available from many sources–your public library probably has several books on the subject; discount book sellers offer a wide selection of books, plans and suggestions. Decorations and furnishings can also be obtained from a variety of sources. Subscribe to one or more trade magazines to learn and stay abreast of additional sources for materials, building and marketing
techniques.

The first “trick” is to build your doll houses to the scale of the furniture that you intend to use! This is much easier (and smarter) than building one haphazardly or to a standard which the furniture is hard to get or even unavailable.

This would mean trying to cut little pieces of furniture down or enlarge them to fit a non-standard scale doll house.

Unless you are equipped to build doll house furniture from scratch to the described scale, stay with the standard scales!

To find the scale of the furniture, measure the height of a table and compare that a similar table in your own home.

If the doll house table is 2 1/2″ tall and it equates to yours that is 30 inches (2 feet), that’s a one inch to one foot (or twelve to one) scale.
An inch or difference ON YOUR TABLE is not bad. The same procedure works on hour house scale. If your doorway opening is 32 by 80 inches ( 2 2/3 by 6 1/2 feet), then the same size opening in the doll house would be 2 2/3 by 6 1/2 inches. The one foot equals one inch is a widely accepted scale. You can use any scale you want, however, even metric.

A good tip for furniture is to buy imported doll house furniture cheap and refinish it even though it’s new. Buy a $1.30 chair, and sand and give it a coat of good polyurethane to make it into a $6.95 (retail) chair instead of the suggested retail of $3.95.

Much imported doll house furniture is mass produced by children or untrained workers. It is poorly sanded and lightly coated with varnish or other inexpensive finish (even shoe polish!). Their materials and tools are often poor quality and the finishes usually look and feel rough. Their wood, however, is usually excellent (good wood is cheap overseas.

With some fine sandpaper and sell wool, smooth the finish until looks and feels hand crafted. If the stain and finish is really bad, remove it with BIX (at your hardware store), re-stain and refinish it. This process needn’t take long, especially if you do several at once. Give your wooden furniture one or more coats of quality vanish, polyurethane or liquid resin. Spray is fine a dust free area (some overseas
furniture markers spray out in the open with cars going by).

Check the upholstery for fit and quality. Replace if it doesn’t look nice or go with your “decor” or treat it. Trim loose threads and glue any loose corners. A few moments with piece of doll house furniture can triple its value. It can also make the difference between a $40 and a $400 doll house!

Market your doll houses wholesale through craft shops (usually on consignment), toy or department stores, and/or do your own advertising and sell from your “factory.”

If you retail, two things will help immensely: a catalog and a nice display. Take a good (professional quality) color pictures of each of your creations from several angles. Use professional backgrounds and lighting to present them in their best possible light.

If you can’t afford to have a catalog printed make up a scrapbook of your work to show both the quality and the variety that your produce. Add comments and prices to make it into your catalog. List various options and prices for each. For example, modifying the layout, adding a room or porch, changing the type of roof.

Next, make arrangements to display your doll houses. This can be a corner of a room in your house or shop or rented display window (check with real estate agents for windows in unoccupied stores). Pictures and advertisements are nice, but you just can’t beat the real thing. The closer your doll house display is where little girls can see them, the better!

You can sometimes arrange with local businesses to feature a display (the bank, bowling alley) for a week at a time. As a local craftsman of note, these businesses will often cooperate especially if you’re good. You get exposure; they have an added attraction for their customers at no cost.

Unless you live in a big city it would probably not pay to advertise continually in newspaper except around Christmas. Of course, if you could get the names and addresses of parents with little girls in the 3 to 10 age brackets, you could mail out brochures with pictures to their parents.

One way to obtain such a list is to offer a doll house as a prize. Contestants fill out coupons with their name and address to enter (which becomes your mailing list). Take part in community affairs to meet potential buyers. Operate a booth at the county fair, give out free balloons at the parade and come up with doll house variations that the local paper will cover (perhaps a model of a prominent local house).
Be sure to have several completed models on hand or at least ready to finish in time for Christmas. This should be your best season. Don’t over look the possibly of building (or finishing) custom doll houses.
For example, a shape something like the family home, painted and decorated to match. With 4 or 5 different basic patterns, you could make minor adjustments to come up with quite a few totally different models.
One of your secrets that you keep all patterns, jigs, molds and simply change outer materials to get different effects.

For example, all of your roofs will be similar, but some can be finished in painted sandpaper or cut out thin panel wood “for asphalt shingles and tile. You can probably imprint some wood paneling with brick design, spray it a light color, then roll it with a reddish brown to look like brick. Similar designs inscribed on light wood would look like patio and walkway tile.

There is simply no end to interesting effects that can be realized from your imagination and a little experimenting.

The best advice from this point is to remember that the more patience and care you take in building each doll house, the more enjoyment some little girl will receive.

If this is your motivation, you will undoubtedly be a successful doll house and doll furniture builder. Even so,, keep accurate records and always try to work out procedures to enable you to produce sections of the doll houses assembly line fashion. This helps avoid mistakes, speeds construction and increase your profits.

#3. Jewelry from “Ordinary” Treasures

Almost everyone has a box of sparkling old buttons from Grandma’s sewing chest to marvel at, or set of dominoes, checkers or mah-jongg pieces rescued from a flea market. Maybe they have a partial Scrabble game and perhaps even a collection of colorful, fifty-one-to-a-deck playing cards purchased at an antique store tucked away in a drawer.

Gather your treasures together and start earning extra income now! Strap those buttons on a piece of elastic to create eye-catching bangle bracelets. Glue the dominoes, checkers, and Scrabble pieces onto earrings or pin backs for guys and gals. Whatever the material, mount your artwork on one-of-a-kind playing cards for good money in a rewarding home jewelry business.

In addition to having the satisfaction of creating fun gifts for family and friends out of “heirloom” materials, once the word is out, relatives will often send along their extra buttons and collectibles.

This helps build your inventory, resulting in a minimal investment for supplies. The season for successful jewelry selling is year-round, since the pieces make wonderful birthday and Christmas gifts, as well as fun wardrobe accessories anytime. Men, women, and children can wear these buttons, domino, and checker pins and earrings, so the sky is the limit for profits. And this business can be worked out of your home part or full-time.

Bev Rice is one designer who not only models what she sells, but delights in the pleasure others have in purchasing her sporty art. She and her husband Jim started a home business called “Sport in Life” ten years ago with one imperfect mah-jongg set originally bought as a present for a friend. In the past five years “Sport in Life” has evolved from marketing craft-fair products to bona fide antique buttons sold at more
expensive retail-quality level. With mostly word-of-mouth advertising, their jewelry has captured creative awards, been featured in the Image section of her local Sunday newspaper, displayed for sale in clothing
and curio boutiques, and sold at jewelry parties.

#4. How To Sell Pine Cones!

Ordinary pine cones, of any size, can be made to look almost exactly like tiny owls simply by adding “eyes” which can be purchased at any hobby or craft shop. The cute stylistic little creatures can then be mounted on stained or burned plywood plaques, a hanging device or hook added, and they sell like hotcakes.

Mount the little birds on a small limb or twig, glue the whole scene onto a plaque background of any kind, display them and people will want them. Sell them singly or in groups. Start with one large “mama” owl, then add two or three “baby” owls for an attractive grouping. They are cute. Find an old limb with a knot hole, or an old board. Mount a small bird just inside the hole, or on a twig just outside of the hole. You have a scene people will love.

The idea of using natural products to make nature scenes appeals to many people. One person sells more of these than he and all of his grand kids can turn out. Combine cones, pods, twigs, old wood, boards, dried flowers and leaves. Be creative and use your imagination. You can make money from ordinary pine cones.

#5. Setting Up Your Own Craft Consignment Shop
Sell arts and craft items to the public on a commission basis from your converted garage workshop or basement showroom. If you have access to a public location, a garage or small building (even a portable building) on your lot, along the highway or well-travelled street frontage or can rent space in a marketable area, the consignment business is worthy of consideration.

Note that some small towns these days have stores with very reasonable rent.

Many people who enjoy (and are good at) making craft or art items do not like (or don’t have the means) to sell them. Some simply can’t (or won’t) and others are actually too embarrassed (self conscious) to market their own creations.

Most crafts people do not even recover the cost of their materials! These crafters will welcome a service to market their creations. They won’t have to worry about that part of it, and will probably realize more for their efforts even after your commission.

They would undoubtedly realize even LESS than if they sold their own products at wholesale prices. With you taking care of the selling, they can devote their time and talents to creating more products.
Of course you can also make and sell your own craft products in your spare time, or offer instructions to others. This type of business is not limited to any certain type of crafts. In fact, it is quite flexible and can easily be adapted to whatever products are available and in demand in your area.

You should have a written agreement with each consigner. The easiest way is to have your terms printed on receipts you give them for their crafts. If there is any possibility of a misunderstanding, make sure they understand the agreement.

The printed terms should have a place for a minimum price desired by the owner and cover a specific period of time so you don’t become overloaded with things that won’t sell at the prices you must ask.
Something like thirty days would be fine for most articles. If it hasn’t sold by then you can either re-negotiate with the owner or give it back.
Retain a copy of each receipt in your permanent files. You also have the option of buying items outright — the craft person might be willing (even anxious) to sell at a good price for cash.

In a very short time, you will be able to judge what will sell and how much it will bring. You can also stock craft supplies — some of which you can sell to your crafters for even more profit and service to your clientele (both customers and clients).

You will be responsible for reasonable care and safeguarding of merchandise consigned to you (insurance for that should not be terribly expensive) as well as collecting for sales, withholding any tax, computing and paying the consignors their share.

With this in mind, be extra careful about giving credit, because it will be YOUR funds that are lent, NOT the consignor’s!

For consignment sales, it is a good idea to consider renting a store unless you already have a suitable area where prospective customers will come to your display. Build or buy adequate shelves and display areas so you will have plenty of room to “showcase” the craft items tastefully and attractively.

The display area should be well-lighted, neat and offer sufficient protection to goods consigned to your care. There should be enough room for customers to view the items that you have strategically arranged to make them look their best. If the place looks cluttered and unkempt, you will have to lower your prices to match your sales environment (presentation).

The bottom line is that you are in the business of selling craft items. In order to do this effectively, you must present those items to the public in “style”, so they will not only sell, but bring the best possible prices. If your place looks junky, people will want to pay junk prices.

Other possibilities include specialty foods such as home grown strawberries, chocolate pies, homemade pickles, etc. this category, however, requires care not to violate pure food laws or possible liability. If you consider any type of foods, find about any needed permits or even get legal advice before going ahead.
Still other alternatives are antiques, selected household items, holiday decorations and potted plants.
The above alternative suggestions can be test-marketed easily. In the case of potted plants, for example, simply place a few in your display area and see how they do. If they don’t sell, try something else; if they do, expand this feature and make more profit.

Use all the free advertising you can get. A way to get it is to write little articles about your consignors and feed them to your local paper –human interest stories: what they make, how they make it, and of course, where you can find their fine products. It would be even better if you could provide pictures. If you do, use a good quality BLACK AND WHITE film (it is easier to process for printing in the paper).

The editor probably won’t take more than one article about your shop, but he may welcome items about different people in the community (even if your shop does get a lug here and there). Think of the free advertising you might get by writing little items about art exhibits in your studio.

With a good sign and a little publicity, a small (2 or 3 inch) contract ad in the local paper may be all the commercial advertising you need.

This type of ad allows you to change all or part of your copy each week or month, so you can feature different items every week.

People (especially in small towns) get to where they look for your ad to see what is on special each week.

Finally, make sure you take in all craft related activities in your area. Attend craft shows, work with stores that craft supplies (they will welcome the opportunity to tell their customers where they can sell their completed projects), and talk “crafts” whenever you can.

To help create more interest in crafts, consider conducting classes at your place — if necessary hire a teacher and charge tuition to cover that expense.

#6. Rock Art

What do you buy the person who has everything? Holiday shopping can be a stressful hassle especially when you’re on the hunt for a unique gift, something that makes the receiver turn his head and say, “you know, that’s really different.”

If you’re an artist—or if you have a passion for creating art—you’ll find this business idea both simple and fun: design and sell “Designer Rock Art.” By adding a rubber base to the bottom of rocks, you can market them as paperweights. Similarly, by gluing rubber against the edge of the rock, you can create doorstops.

The first thing you’ll want to do is find suitable rocks. You can do this in a number of ways. Many gardening and home supply shops generally have a section where they sell a variety of rocks. In fact, any store that has a gardening section is a good prospect for finding rocks you can use for your designer rocks. Or, you might prefer to go scouring for unique rocks on your own. If you live near a beach, a forest or the
woods, you’ll likely find plenty of unique rocks, of all shapes and sizes, to suit your purposes.

Once you have a good amount of rocks, you’ll want to visit your local art supply store. You’ll need paint, brushes with all types of tips (depending on the type of artwork you design) and anything else you find that you might need or want to use.

Now you have free reign to go wherever your imagination takes you. You might create abstract patterns, traditional pictures like waves crashing against the sand or tourist scenery. Remember, you can be as creative or as traditional as you’d like. You might design rocks for Halloween, Christmas, Easter or birthdays. Let your creation dry then you might want to spray a coat of shellac over it to both protect it and
make it shine.

You can market your “Designer Rocks” in a number of ways. For example, you can approach local shops, where tourists frequent, and ask them to stock your rocks, shelving them in a prominent location. Local churches, malls and schools often hold craft fairs, especially around the holidays, and you can rent a table to sell your “Designer Rocks.”

#7. Decorations for Wine Bottles

Wine is the perfect gift for the person who has everything. There are plenty of wine connoisseurs and novice wine collectors who are thrilled when they receive a bottle of fine wine, from an ideal year and with an ideal texture. And, when you go to a dinner party or a holiday party, what is the one thing most people bring? A fine wine will enhance the evening and show the host your appreciation for the invitation.

Nothing says class like a bottle of fine wine. However, aren’t all bottles of wine pretty much the same? It’s a spectacular gift, but it’s not really very personal. By adding a simple decoration, one that slips over the neck of the bottle, your bottle of wine takes on a more personal touch. This is your opportunity to really let your imagination run free as you create and sell decorations for wine bottles.

You can create a variety of different bottle decorations among them: metal covers, wood carved covers or floral designs.

If you’ve ever taken metal shop, you know that you can create gorgeous pieces of art with a few simple tools. You can also hand carve designs—from the simple to the intricate—on wood. Visit any art supply shop, and they should be able to help you determine what tools you need to use to create unique covers for wine bottles. In fact, many shops hold one-day classes that will teach you exactly how to wood or
metal carve.

You can also use floral arrangements for your bottle covers. The one thing you want to ensure is you choose flowers whose scent compliments the bouquet of the wine. You can find fresh flowers at your local florist, or you may want to use artificial flowers, which will not decay or die. The one big advantage of using artificial flowers rather than fresh flowers is the floral decoration can be used over and over again.

Once you’ve made a batch of decorations, you’ll want to start marketing them. There are likely several liquor shops in your town. Try to get them to stock your wine covers. You might also have them stocked in gift, novelty and other shops where interesting gifts are sold.

You might also want to have a booth at a local craft fair or rent a kiosk at the mall at Christmas time.

#8. Time and Weather Station

What’s one of the first things you want to know the minute you wake up in the morning, after you’ve hit the snooze button a few times? What time is it? Then, as the sleep clears from your head, you think, wait, what day is it? Friday or Saturday? As you throw off the covers, you shiver, wondering what the temperature is. Should you wear a coat to work or not?

Now you can bring all of that information in one convenient—and attractive—package to people looking for a unique gift. You can produce a “Time and Weather Station” which consists of: a barometer or a thermometer, a calendar and a digital clock all laid out in a single framed picture. For example, the picture may be of a cityscape, and set among the dials or skyscraper is the barometer, the clock and the
calendar.

This craft business will allow you to really use your creativity skills and also market to a large number of people. The first thing you’ll want to do is decide what type of picture you want to use. You don’t have to limit yourself to one specific background, either, instead using a variety of photos.

Remember, your customers will be as diverse as the pictures themselves. Use photographs you’ve taken yourself or find copyright free photographs online. If you decide to search for copyright free photographs online, make sure you read any disclaimers closely, so you don’t accidentally infringe upon anyone’s rights.

How big will your photographs be? Five by seven, eight by ten or eleven by fourteen? Once you decide, you’ll be able to purchase frames which can be wooden, metal or even plastic, as long as it has the desired effect for which you hope.

You can generally purchase digital clocks or thermometers at your local home improvement stores or at a variety of retail stores. For the calendar, you may want to create it on your computer. Visit your local home office or computer store for different types of printing paper.

Once you’ve produced the Time and Weather Stations, you’ll want to get them in front of the public. Rent a kiosk at the mall, particularly during the holiday rush, or have local gift or novelty shops stock your product. You might also want to run classified ads, offering to create “personalized” Time and Weather Stations, made to the exact specifications of your client.

Take Care,

Ken Mathie
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