Crafty Business

A Crafty Business Christmas Function

2011-12-02T09:14:00.001+13:00

Crafting is often a solitary pursuit, and somehow the work Christmas function is just not the same when you work for yourself, by yourself. So we're joining all the solitary work functions up into one lovely dinner for Crafty Business folk!

This month instead of our usual Crafty Business meet up we have a table booked at Pomeroy's for dinner and drinks at 7pm on Monday 12 December.

There's no meet up on Monday 5 December due to too many key people being away or busy, so this is the only remaining Crafty Business meet up for the year – miss this one and you'll have to wait until February!

**If you would like to join us for dinner at Pomeroy's, please RSVP on the Facebook event or to lucy@felt.co.nz by Thursday 8 December.**

The usual rules apply: you are most welcome to come along for just a drink and to enjoy the awesome crafty company, and feel free to bring a project!

Crafty Business November

2011-10-10T16:33:00.001+13:00

If you were planning to make it along to Crafty Business this year and haven't quite got there, there's only two left before we take a break for summer, so book this one in for a craft fix before Christmas!

We're easy to find – listen out for the click of knitting needles and the hum of crafty conversation at the tall tables to your left as you come in from the car park side of Elevate. If you're not 100% sure, just ask at the bar and they'll send you our way.

You can bring some friends, a project or a problem for the Crafty Business hive mind to solve, but most importantly, bring yourself! We'd love to see you at Elevate, 2 Colombo Street, at 7.30pm on Monday 7 November.

Knack stalls for Christchurch crafters

2011-08-29T12:00:00.002+12:00

Justine from Knack Craft Market has asked me to spread the word to crafty peeps down here about Spring Knack, coming up at Berhampore School Hall in Wellington on September 17.

"We have Spring Knack in a few weeks, with lots of new crafters displaying their wares, as well as many of our regular stallholders! As usual there will be live music, kids' entertainment, fresh coffee and cakes, and hot food available.

If you could spread the word amongst the Christchurch craft community that we are happy to offer free tables and eftpos machine access to anyone who would like to come and sell, also for Kristmas Knack which will be on Election Day 26th November. We could probably arrange pickup from the airport too."

Isn't that lovely? If you're interested to know more, Justine can be contacted by email at knack.market@gmail.com.

More market opportunities!

2011-08-03T17:18:00.004+12:00

Maree from Mandeville Craft Festival is seeking expressions of interest for stalls at their inaugural fair on Saturday 19 November. Enquiries and stall registrations can be submitted through their website.

Ellesmere Spring Fling is also inviting applications from stallholders for Sunday 16 October. Being held at Broadfield Gardens, approximately 10km towards Rolleston from Hornby, the fete is a fundraiser for Lincoln Community Care, which funds Meals on Wheels and Nurse Maude, among other things. If you're interested in a stall, email Terry at terry@hopevilla.co.nz.

Stallholders wanted for Celebrate Sumner Party

2011-08-02T15:32:00.002+12:00

Craft stallholders are needed for the Celebrate Sumner Party on Sunday 4th September from 10am to 6pm. Here's the lowdown from Christine:

"Hello Christchurch Crafters!

As you already might know a group in Sumner is working on a monthly Sunday Craft market to be held in Sumner. We however still have to wait for permission to use a particular site and thought that in the meantime we will hold a one day festival on Sunday 4th of September to celebrate the strength of our community, to commemorate the anniversary of last years earthquake and to raise funds for the Sumner redevelopment. We imagine the festival will have activities for the kids and families, food stalls, music and of course craft stalls.

So this is were we need you! We imagine a stall to be $50 and have to see whether we will supply tables.

If you are interested or have any other good suggestions or questions, please let me know."

If you're keen to get involved, contact Christine Reitze on 021 2532 668 or at retreasured@gmail.com.

Back into the swing of things...

2011-07-16T16:10:00.003+12:00

We're going for two in a row! It was so cool to catch up with all the usual crew and meet some lovely new people at our first Crafty Business in quite some time this month, so we're keeping the momentum going and meeting up again at Elevate on Monday 1 August.

Bring a friend, a project, some crafty tales and most importantly, yourself – join us for a glass of wine and awesome crafty company from 7.30pm at Elevate, 2 Colombo Street.

Crafty Business marches on!

2011-06-20T12:59:00.003+12:00

After a prolonged quake break, I reckon it's about time to rally the troops and get Crafty Business peeps together for some quality time – get the crafty conversation, wine and ideas flowing!

Sadly we won't be resuming our meet ups at Board of Design in Bedford Row as our building has been condemned (sob), but we have a few ideas for the future to talk about and I'd love to hear your ideas too.

So how about it? Join us for a drink and a long overdue catch up from 7.30pm on Monday 4 July at Elevate on the corner of Colombo Street and Centaurus Road by the Dyers Pass Road roundabout.

New year, new approach...

2011-02-01T12:09:00.003+13:00

For the first Crafty Business of 2011 on Monday 7 February we've got a new start time of 7.30pm and a new mission for the year.

Due to other commitments, the task of lining up speakers and running more formal sessions has just become unrealistic for me, but it seems that the social side of Crafty Business thrived in 2010, so let's keep it up in 2011!

So here's the plan: we'll stick to 7.30pm on the first Monday of every month but we'll keep it casual – think good conversation, quality time with like-minded people, a drink or two and maybe some home baking (if everyone takes a turn we'll be sorted for the year!). What do you reckon?

And if you've got a crafty business problem to solve, why not put it to the Crafty Business hive mind? You never know what ideas might spring forth...

Sound like fun? Bring along a project and some pocket money for a glass of wine and settle in for an evening of fabulous company and crafty inspiration at Board of Design, 16 Bedford Row, 7.30 till 10pm on Monday 7 February.

One week to go!

2010-11-28T17:01:00.002+13:00

Just one week to go until the Great Crafty Business Christmas Quiz – I hope you've been hitting the brain food in preparation!

Don't forget to register your team or as an individual here by Wednesday 1 December, so we know how many we're catering for.

The entry fee is a measly $5 per person. There will also be some nibbles on the night to keep you all from starving and, as always, wine and juice will be available at very reasonable prices. Bring a bit of pocket money along as there won't be EFTPOS available.

If anyone is able to help out with the loan of a card table or two for the evening, that would be very much appreciated - please contact Lucy at lucy@felt.co.nz or on 021 2525 789.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Inner city studio space available

2010-11-22T12:06:00.005+13:00

Ever pictured yourself working in a stylishly retro inner city studio, with all day sun and a creative vibe? Board of Design has an awesome shared space at 16 Bedford Row available for a maker or craftsperson. You would be sharing a light and airy room of approximately 200 square feet, with polished wood floors, exposed brick walls and one friendly existing tenant (and Crafty Businessperson) by the name of Nin (aka The Wardrobe).

Sounds amazing, right? Wait till you hear the next bit. As well as being just about as central as you can get, the building has monitored security, the room is lockable and use of the space includes access to wi-fi, a kitchen (equipped with microwave, fridge, tea and coffee) and an open invitation to Friday after work drinks – and all of this is available for just $80 per week.

You are more than welcome to check out the space – give Lucy and Mel a call on 379 9860 to arrange a time.

Crafty Business Christmas Catch-up and Quiz

2010-11-15T21:15:00.006+13:00

As if you don’t have enough to do this festive season, we thought we’d really throw your diary into disarray with the ONLY event worth attending – the Crafty Business Christmas Catch-up . . . and Quiz.

Like sunshine and sunburn, custard squares and food poisoning, you can’t have a Christmas catch-up without a quiz and this one promises to be a cracker (groan). There will be points awarded for humour, a best dressed team award and there will even be a special Crafty Questions round. Crafty Questions, people - that’s reason enough to attend right there!

So bring your friends, family, co-workers or complete strangers* to Board of Design, 16 Bedford Row on Monday 6 December by 7.30pm sharp.

Please register your team or individual interest here before Monday 29th November. The entry fee is a measly $5 to cover costs. There will also be some nibbles on the night, to keep you all from starving and, as always, wine and juice will be available at very reasonable prices.

* Crafty Business advises against approaching complete strangers to join your quiz team. It looks a bit desperate. If you can't quite rustle up a team of four just let us know when you register and we'll put you into a team.

Crafty Business Social Hour . . . again

2010-10-28T21:12:00.002+13:00

Despite what they say, you can never have too much of a good thing - the last Crafty Business Social Catch-up was so much fun, we thought we’d go with the flow and keep it social again this month. In fact we’re keeping it social for the rest of the year. We’ve got some great speakers lined up for next year but as the Silly Season is practically upon us, we decided why fight it when you can join it?

So bring along your latest project, kick back and relax with a glass of wine at Board of Design, 16 Bedford Row.

Just a reminder, Bedford Row is still pedestrian access only at the Manchester Street end.

See you at Board of Design this Monday 1 November from 7pm onwards.

Kiwi Christmas Market

2010-10-13T21:23:00.002+13:00

Applications are still open for the Kiwi Christmas Market, a boutique evening market happening on Wednesday 15 December at the Carnegie Gallery in Hokitika. If you fancy a road trip topped off with a Christmassy craft market on the coast, organiser Christine (of My 2 Monsters) would love to hear from you! Don't delay – email Christine at my2monstershokitika@yahoo.co.nz for your application form.

Crafty Business Social Hour - Take 2

2010-09-27T22:34:00.000+13:00

So let's try that again. Without wanting to tempt fate, we're going to try for another Crafty Business Social Catch-up. Let's face it, if we all didn't need a drink last month we sure as heck need one now!

Grab your latest scheme and come along for a glass of wine at Board of Design, 16 Bedford Row. Rest assured, the building has the engineers’ seal of approval - it's green stickers all the way. However, the same can't be said for the rest of the street. Bedford Row is pedestrian access only at the Manchester St end so if you are coming by car, best to come down Madras.

Monday 4 October, 7pm onwards.

Spaces available at Body Mind Spirit Festival

2010-09-23T21:52:00.002+12:00

Glen from Body Mind Spirit Festival is offering Crafty Business peeps discounted stall space at the Body Mind Spirit Festival this weekend. It's very late notice, but if you're keen to head along and set up a mini pop-up shop of your wares, call or text Glen on 021 756 337 and he will provide all the information you need.

Not going to argue with tectonic plates

2010-09-04T22:13:00.002+12:00

As Christchurch CBD is likely still to be under curfew on Monday we've decided that rather than encourage you all to break the law it would be better if we cancelled this month's Crafty Business.

It's a bit of a 'herbal tea' situation - you know, good for you yet utterly disappointing at the same time. So anyway, stay tuned (or subscribe to our new mailing list to your right) as we're toying with the idea of a mid-month rendezvous instead, once we know more.

Monkey business

2010-08-29T10:20:00.003+12:00

Check it out, our very own Miss Millie is featured in the September issue of Next magazine, in an article about why it's cool to be crafty!

Crafty Business: Happy Hour . . . or two

2010-08-25T23:13:00.005+12:00

All work and no play is a recipe for disaster. It’s a bit like starting a crafting project after 9.30pm at night – it’s destined to end in tears. So this Crafty Business we’re kicking back and keeping it social.

Grab your latest scheme and come along to Board of Design at 16 Bedford Row at 7pm on Monday 6 September for some crafty company and a glass of wine. It’s also a great opportunity to bounce a few ideas off some like-minded crafty souls. Got a knitting problem that’s winding you up in knots? Can’t find a stitch in time to save those other nine they keep talking about? Well you might just find the answers to that and so much more at this month’s Crafty Business.

Monday 6 September, 7pm onwards at Board of Design, 16 Bedford Row. See you there.

Crafty Business: Snap Happy!

2010-07-29T22:02:00.003+12:00

It's Crafty Business time again and this month we'll be getting snap happy. Photography is a stumbling block for many small crafty businesses and good photos are essential for online selling, so although we've done this topic before, I reckon it's well worth revisiting.

We're going to set up a makeshift home studio using simple, inexpensive equipment, and we'll look at how to compose a photograph and get the best out of your camera. Professional photography is a bit beyond the reach of most of us when we're starting out, but we'll learn a few tips and tricks that can help you brush up on your product photography until you can afford to hire a pro!

We'll need some products to test out our wee photography studio, so bring along some of your work to model – whether it's tiny and sparkly or bulky and textured, we're up for a challenge!

Have a think about what type of product you've had trouble photographing. What aspect of photography do you find most difficult? Post questions or comments here or on the Crafty Business wall on Facebook and we'll do our best to cover them on Monday (and follow up with notes here, for those who can't make it along).

So, come along to Board of Design at 16 Bedford Row at 7pm on Monday 2 August and join us for crafty company, business support and a glass of wine. And feel free to bring your knitting!

All the fun of the fair

2010-07-05T21:00:00.001+12:00

As mentioned at tonight's Crafty Business session, there's a handy article by Millie and I about selling at fairs and markets in issue #8 of World Sweet World, if you're lucky enough to have a copy in your collection. If not, track it down at your local library – it's full of other crafty titbits too.

You can also download the Crafty Business Craft Fair Checklist in PDF format by clicking here.

Suggestions for wrapping and packaging that came up were:

Shardlows, for paper bags and all manner of cool packing stuff
Montarga, for rubber stamps
School Supplies/Office Max

I'm really keen to hear feedback on what would be useful for future sessions – please feel free to leave comments below.

Selling at Fairs & Markets

2010-07-04T17:26:00.000+12:00

We're not terribly well organised for Crafty Business this month, what with Miss Millie away and A Craft Affair fast approaching, but we do have a new venue, so yay! Head along to 16 Bedford Row at 7pm on Monday 5 July for an informal session revisiting selling at fairs and markets.

We'll discuss craft fair basics and share some tips and tricks for satisfying your adoring public and making sure that selling at craft fairs is a rewarding and profitable experience. Your input is encouraged – I'm sure there'll be a few people coming along who have more experience with fairs and markets than I do, so please feel free to contribute your thoughts and ideas. Likewise, if you're freaking out about your first big craft fair, don't be afraid to ask lots of questions!

A Craft Affair is next Sunday, so if you're a stall holder or interested in what's involved in being part of the event in future, we'll fit in a quick Q&A session for that too. It's also a chance to pick up a poster or two to put up at work, school, kindy or the local supermarket.

Come and join us for a healthy dose of inspirational crafty company, business advice and a glass of wine at 16 Bedford Row, 7pm on Monday 5 July.

Apply now for your stall at A Craft Affair!

2010-05-20T09:19:00.000+12:00

You may remember it as Craft 2.0 Christchurch, but this year it has a whole new look! A Craft Affair will feature the best and brightest of the Christchurch craft scene and beyond, with a gorgeous selection of accessories, jewellery, clothing, books, toys and more, all handmade and original.

With over 3000 visitors two years running, this is the place to be seen if you're a crafter or designer, and it's a great way to get involved in the growing Christchurch craft community.

Only handmade products can be sold at A Craft Affair and applications are accepted based on quality, originality and presentation. Apply now for your stall – applications close on this Sunday 23 May!

Revisiting the Business Plan

2010-04-27T00:54:00.000+12:00

This month's hot topic is business planning. This was a subject we covered in one of the very first Crafty Business sessions, and since a business plan is something that continues to evolve as your business grows, we thought it would be good to revisit.

If you have questions you would particularly like answered, or aspects of business planning you'd like covered, do leave us a comment here and we'll do our best!

Please note we've got another change of venue – we'll be in the Brew Bar at the Dux Deluxe from 7pm on Monday 3 May.

As always, feel free to bring along something you're working on, something you'd like feedback on or just a general show and tell item.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Stash reHash, 11am – 2pm, Sunday 18 April

2010-04-12T10:01:00.000+12:00

This is the moment Christchurch crafters have been waiting for: Stash reHash returns!

From 11am till 2pm this Sunday 18 April, dozens of stalls selling all manner of fabric, yarn, haberdashery, patterns, vintage textiles and other crafty treasures will fill the Scottish Society Hall on the corner of Edgeware and Caledonian Roads in St Albans, Christchurch.

The Arthritis Foundation stall will be a sight to behold – they’ve received countless donations of fabric and haberdashery items and of course all proceeds from their sales will go to the Arthritis Foundation, so it’s win all around!

Entry is free, but be sure to take cash, shopping bags (or perhaps a wheelbarrow) and at least a few friends – you’ll need to be prepared for heaps of tempting bargains. Plus, the St. Alban’s School PTA have organised food and the Retro Coffee Cart will be there with all the vital caffeine supplies, so there are all the makings of a fabulous crafty day out.

Don’t miss the return of Christchurch’s very own divine, irresistibly fabulous fabric and craft supplies market – see you there at 11am this Sunday!

Crafty Business #13 - Crafty Business Social

2010-03-30T22:04:00.000+13:00

After a two month interlude at Our City we are heading back to a revitalised Churchill's Public House at 441 Colombo Street for April's Crafty Business.

Because this month's session falls on Easter Monday we thought we'd keep it pretty low key and use it as a chance to check out the renovated surroundings and have a good old social time.

Bring your work with you. Feel free to bring something you're working on, something you'd like feedback on or just a general show and tell item.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Hot off the press...

2010-02-23T23:55:00.000+13:00

Crafty Business on Monday 1 March is all about design and print, and once again we are enjoying the hospitality of Our City O-Tautahi, on the corner of Worcester Boulevard and Oxford Terrace, from 7pm onward.

This month we're taking a casual approach – we're keen to get some discussion going and make sure we manage to answer your burning questions about kitting out your business with printed material, whether it be catalogues and business cards or swing tags and packaging.

We'll kick things off with some tips on working with a graphic designer: what your designer needs from you, what you can expect from them, and how to reach an outcome that achieves what you want it to. We'll look at how the standard design process works, from forming a design brief to preparing for print.

Mark Swanson from Verve Digital will be joining us to give an overview of the pros and cons of different types of printing and how to choose the appropriate type for your project. Mark has years of experience in the print industry both here in New Zealand and in the UK. He's extremely knowledgeable about print and happy to answer any questions you may have, so do come prepared to pick his brains!

Last month we had a couple of requests to start a little later. We don't want to be keeping anyone out late on a school night, so we're going to stick with the usual start time of 7pm, but we'll keep that first half hour strictly social and get down to business at 7.30pm. I hope that eases the timing a bit!

Come along on Monday for a glass of wine and your monthly dose of business inspiration and crafty company. Hope to see you there!

Help spread the word: Handmade Nation is coming!

2010-02-20T09:31:00.000+13:00

The only Christchurch screening of Handmade Nation is drawing closer, and tickets are still available from Miss Millie on Felt – http://missmillie.felt.co.nz.

If you've got a local noticeboard or window that you feel might benefit from being adorned with a Handmade Nation poster, or a local cafe or shop that would be open to popping some flyers on their counter, we've made up PDF versions that you can download here to print:

We've also created a few graphics in nice bloggable sizes for those of you who are keen to spread the word online. Right click on any of these images to save them to your hard drive or copy the image location:

Last but not least, we've set up a Facebook event for the screening. It's an open event so anybody can click "invite people to come" and send an invitation to friends – click here to check out the Facebook event.

Thanks for all your support in spreading the word!

Handmade Nation comes to Christchurch!

2010-02-12T08:45:00.000+13:00

Lucy and I are bringing the Handmade Nation documentary to Christchurch! We're pretty excited and we hope you will be too.

Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design
A Documentary By Faythe Levine

Thursday March 4th
The Hollywood Cinema, Sumner
Doors open 7pm. Movie starts 7.30pm

Tickets are $20 per seat and your ticket price includes a glass of wine and nibbles on arrival (Wine can only be served to those 18+ so please bring your ID if you think you might look underage).

This is sure to be a highlight on the 2010 Canterbury crafty calendar so don't miss out on the chance to see Handmade Nation on the big screen. There is only one screening so be quick!

Handmade Nation documents the new wave of art, craft and design that is capturing the attention of the nation. It is the feature film debut of director, author, artist and curator Faythe Levine. Levine traveled to 15 cities and covered more than 19,000 miles to interview artists, crafters, makers, curators and community members.

Today’s craft world has emerged as a synthesis of historical technique, punk culture, and the DIY ethos, also influenced by traditional handiwork, modern aesthetics, politics, feminism and art.

Director Faythe Levine captured the tightly knit community that exists through websites, blogs, and online stores that connect to the greater public through independent boutiques, galleries and craft fairs.

Interviews were conducted on-location in artist studios, homes, boutiques, offices and craft fairs, giving the public an exclusive and rarely seen look into the lives of these creative individuals.

See the movie trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH2HWPfwpOw

Tickets and further information available from Felt: http://www.missmillie.felt.co.nz

Swap-O-Rama-Rama Lyttelton, Saturday 20 February

2010-02-02T11:13:00.000+13:00

Swap-O-Rama-Rama is here! It all happens on Saturday 20 February at the Lyttelton Rec Centre. This the first time this event has come to New Zealand and it's going to be awesome!

Here’s how it works:
Participants bring a bag of clothes (and $10) to get in the door. From there, volunteer sorters put the clothes into piles of like garments (getting first dibs, of course!) Then it's swap to your heart’s content. There’s no limit on how much you can take.

But here’s the really good part.
Volunteers sewers will be at machines throughout the event to help people look at ways to re-purpose the clothes they find. The idea is to help people create unique garments and to be inspired to look at second hand clothes in a new, more creative way. There will also be screenprinting stations and a workshop series.

This is a community event (all proceeds go to Project Lyttelton) so it depends on volunteers – people willing to share their skills to pull off a fantastic event in Lyttelton.

Want to get involved?
Kris is looking for experienced crafters to help out teaching basic sewing skills and running simple workshops. You get free entry to the event and the roster is broken up into one-hour shifts so you can take on a shift or two and still have plenty of time to scope the wares yourself, plus it's a chance to promote your own business. Sound like fun? Sign up here.

Swap-O-Rama-Rama is also looking for materials donations (thread, ribbon, stuffing, buttons, etc). If you can help out with anything along these lines, Kris would love to hear from you and can be contacted at kris@font.net.nz.

Thank you Jenna-Lea!

2010-02-02T10:49:00.000+13:00

Crafty Business had a great start to 2010 last night, with a most interesting presentation by Jenna-Lea which sparked some great discussion about where craft is at in the UK and the future of craft in New Zealand. I think we're very lucky to have Jenna back in NZ bringing her knowledge and energy with her!

Jenna's list of UK craft websites and resources is available for download in PDF format here in case you didn't get a copy.

If you'd like to get in touch with Jenna-Lea, you can contact her through Felt as jencreative or on 022 615 3669.

It was also awesome to get some suggestions for Crafty Business topics this year – thank you to everyone who contributed ideas. As Millie mentioned in the previous post, we would love to know if there's a subject you'd like us to cover or a speaker you'd be interested in. We are more than happy to invite anyone along to speak, but we need to know who. If it's a topic we've done before but there's demand to run it again or cover it in more depth, that's cool too. We're really keen to get your feedback so we can make Crafty Business as relevant and interesting as possible.

Our next Crafty Business is at 7pm on Monday 1 March and is also at Our City O-Tautahi. The topic is yet to be confirmed, so we'll get back to you on that soon!

Your suggestions welcome

2010-01-30T08:21:00.000+13:00

Crafty Business is about to turn 1 year old. We covered so many topics during the first 11 sessions and as far as providing an overview of running and sustaining a crafty business we feel like we've done a pretty well rounded job.

So onward and upward for 2010 and now we are looking for your feedback on anything you'd like to get a little further into. Was there a specific topic we covered this year that you'd like to hear more about? Perhaps there was one aspect from a session you'd like us to cover in more detail? Maybe you'd like to lead a session and share your own skills and expertise?

If you have a suggestion feel free to email either of us: lucy@felt.co.nz or millie@missmillie.co.nz

All suggestions and feedback welcome.

New year, new (temporary) venue for Crafty Business #11

2010-01-24T19:39:00.000+13:00

Images courtesy of Rafael McStevenson and Christchurch City Council

Crafty Business is back! Monday 1 February is our first session for the year, and due to renovations underway after a change of ownership at Churchills, we are temporarily shifting to Our City O-Tautahi for the February and March sessions.

For this first session we're very lucky to have Jenna-Lea Philpott coming along to speak to us about her experience working in the UK craft sector over the last two years.

Jenna-Lea is an experienced arts advocate, creative business advisor and craft consultant who has founded several charitable trusts and groups such as the NZ Creative Industries Trust, the Christchurch Music Industry Trust (CHART), the Christchurch Creative Industries Network, and has supported the development of other organisations such as the UK-based Heritage Crafts Association.

Previously employed by Arts Access Aotearoa, the Canterbury Development Corporation, and Creative & Cultural Skills UK, Jenna recently led the public consultation and co-wrote The Craft Blueprint: A Workforce Development Plan for Craft in the UK which was launched at the House of Lords in London last year. Establishing and developing close working partnerships with craft makers, guilds and societies, and organisations such as the Crafts Council, Craft Northern Ireland, craftscotland, HI-Arts, Shetland Arts, Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Cockpit Arts, The Goldsmiths Company, The Craft Study Centre, the Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society, The Basketmakers Association and others, Jenna helped to pioneer new research and qualifications in the UK craft sector. For example, the development of national occupational standards that underpin qualifications for freelancers and craft makers, and new research which indicated the UK craft sector generates nearly $3 billion GVA each year to the UK economy.

Now back in NZ, Jenna runs her own business, Tango Creative Consultancy, providing business advice and support to arts organisations and creative practitioners. She's keen to support the development of the NZ craft sector and work with craft makers, so we hope to give her a great introduction to the Crafty Business community.

Come along to Our City O-Tautahi on the corner of Worcester Boulevard and Oxford Terrace at 7pm on Monday 1 February, meet Jenna-Lea and join us for your monthly dose of crafty company!

No Crafty Business in January

2010-01-04T16:04:00.000+13:00

There is no Crafty Business in January, since a lot of people are off on holidays and enjoying the sunshine. Crafty Business will start the new year on Monday 1 February. Hope to see you then!

Crafty Business Christmas Quiz cancelled

2009-12-06T23:42:00.000+13:00

Sadly due to lack of numbers we have had to cancel the Quiz. If you have already paid, I will organise a refund. We will still hold our Crafty Business get together at Churchills from 7pm tomorrow, so please do come along and join us for a drink and catch up. Hope to see you there!

Register now for the Great Crafty Business Christmas Quiz!

2009-11-27T12:37:00.000+13:00

Last chance to enter a team for the Great Crafty Business Christmas Quiz on Monday 7 December!

Invite your friends, partner, family and workmates. If you don't have a team, register as an individual and we'll find you some friends.

If you're coming along, please do register - we need an indication of numbers by Monday 30 November.

The Great Crafty Business Christmas Quiz

2009-11-18T13:34:00.000+13:00

Come ye one and all, old and young, ninjas and pirates to the Great Crafty Business Christmas Quiz.

Bring your friends, partners, family, co-workers or complete strangers* to Churchills Public House, 441 Colombo Street, Sydenham on December 7th by 7.30pm sharp!

The Great Crafty Business Christmas Quiz will be in traditional pub quiz style with points awarded for humour, creativity and enthusiasm. Oh, and correct answers. There will be a special round of Crafty Questions and an award for the best dressed team.

The entry fee is $20 per team (4 people) or $5 per person. Please register your team or as an individual here before Monday 30th November. Direct any questions to Millie at millie@missmillie.co.nz.

Proceeds will go toward a gift for Bevan and Andrea of Churchills who have so generously given us a free venue all year. Crafty contributions to our gift for Bevan and Andrea will also be very gratefully received - if you would like to donate a little something, please contact Lucy at lucy@felt.co.nz.

At Crafty Business #9 we mentioned that each entrant should bring along a handmade Christmas ornament or small gift to the value of $10. We've decided everyone is too busy for this type of malarkey so we're withdrawing the suggestion. Just bring your lovely self!

* Crafty Business advise against approaching complete strangers to join your quiz team. If you can't quite rustle up a team of four in time, come along anyway and we'll find you a team.

Crafty Business #9 - Ready for Action

2009-10-20T14:36:00.000+13:00

With the Christmas season upon us we know most of you will be working extra hard fulfilling orders and readying yourself for markets and other obligations so we wanted to provide a fun, inspiring session that will leave you feeling energized and ready for more when you need it most.

Our guest speaker for this month's session will focus on how to be at your most productive and efficient over the Christmas period, how to stay motivated and decrease stress levels and what to do in January after the rush is over (other than have a few glasses of wine!).

Who is our guest speaker you ask? Well, since I live with a professional public speaker it was only a matter of time until we employed Kyle's talents and experience for a Crafty Business session. Kyle works with executives within large organisations and yet runs his own solo business from home (like many of us). This gives him a unique perspective on the challenges both large and small. Hear how you can apply what successful executives do to your crafty business.

See you at Churchills from 7pm on November 2nd.

Crafty Business #8 - The Money Stuff

2009-09-29T21:44:00.001+13:00

For Crafty Business #8, we're very happy to have Prue McStay joining us to share her knowledge of the financial side of running a small business. Prue has more than 10 years experience working in finance across a wide range of industries, and runs her own crafty business, Citrus Daisy, on the side.

Prue’s areas of expertise include management accounting, financial accounting, system and process design and implementation, financial evaluation, business advisory, project management and general troubleshooting - in other words, she really knows her stuff!

Finance is an area of business that I find pretty daunting, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. A bit of knowledge and some reassurance that you're on the right track can make all the difference. Prue will run through the basics of keeping accounts, structuring your business and finding the right financial advice. She'll explain some of those concepts that can be confusing for the non-mathematically-minded of us, like depreciation, drawings and GST.

Plus you'll get the opportunity to ask questions - make the most of this opportunity to pick Prue's brains! If you've got a burning question on your mind already, post it as a comment below and we'll make sure we cover it on Monday.

So it's (crafty) business as usual for October - same Bat time, same Bat channel (7pm, Monday 5 October at Churchills) and remember to bring along a sample of your latest work and invite a friend or two to come along too. If you haven't been to Crafty Business before, come along and join us for a drink. Look forward to seeing you there!

Crafty Business in World Sweet World

2009-09-08T13:56:00.000+12:00

Speaking really quickly in a high-pitched, super excited voice I get to tell you that you can find Crafty Business in this season's issue of World Sweet World.

Lucy and I wrote an article covering some of topics we discussed in the first two Crafty Business sessions, focusing on how to write yourself a business plan. Thanks to the illustrations of Greta Menzies our article looks pretty darn sharp too.

Open source image editing software

2009-09-03T09:34:00.000+12:00

A key part of producing gorgeous images of your work is being able to edit your photographs. A little brightening, colour tweaking and cropping can make all the difference in the world to do your products justice. Unfortunately for most of us, professional image editing software is pretty pricey, but luckily there is an alternative. You can download open source software for free!

Open source means that the software has been built and maintained by a network of volunteer programmers and is available to the general public with relaxed or non-existent copyright restrictions.

One of the most popular open source image editing programmes is Gimp. This is comparable to Photoshop, and can be used to crop and scale your photos, adjust the brightness and colours, and generally tweak and tidy. You can save then your images in various formats for print and web.

You can download Gimp at www.gimp.org.

The type of images produced and edited in Gimp are called raster graphics, and are best for photographs and artistic drawings. For other graphics such as logos, diagrams or design layouts (for example, a catalogue), a useful complement to photo editing software is a vector based design programme such as Inkscape.

Inkscape is comparable to industry standards Illustrator or Freehand, and is good for creating graphics, as opposed to editing photos. Its native format is called SVG, or Scalable Vector Graphics, which essentially means that the graphics you create can be resized, edited and transformed without losing the quality of the image.

Inkscape is available for download at www.inkscape.org.

We'll be talking more about using these tools effectively at Monday's Crafty Business, so in the meantime you might like to download Gimp and Inkscape and have a go. If you have any questions you can post them here or bring them along with you on Monday evening.

Crafty Business #7 : The Optimal Optical

2009-08-31T17:15:00.000+12:00

This month we'll be running a much less formal, more interactive presentation for our Crafty Business get together. We will be looking at photography and how to get the most from your camera and all your awesome handmade products.

Everyone will have the opportunity to participate and in order to get all you can out of the session we want you to do just a little bit of homework - nothing too painful we promise!

We want you to each come up with one thing that you'd like to improve about your photographs. Perhaps you'd like some advice on how to use props with your work? Do you wish you could crop your images using free photo editing software? Just can't figure out how to capture a shiny surface without glare?

We will have some expert photography types available to answer all your questions and to help you in small hands-on groups.

As well as your thoughtful questions make sure you bring along some of your handmade product, any props you think you might like to use, your laptop if you have one and of course your camera.

See you Monday 7 September, 7pm.

Crafty Business #6 - The Big Brand Theory

2009-07-28T13:04:00.000+12:00

Our sixth Crafty Business session, The Big Brand Theory, starts at 7pm on Monday 3 August at Churchills Public House. Come along for a drink and your monthly fix of business inspiration!

Branding is an area that we've touched on briefly in previous sessions as it affects most other areas of your business. We are very pleased to have branding expert Amanda van Kuppevelt joining us for this session to talk about branding for small businesses. Amanda is the director of Christchurch company Delineate Brandhouse and she knows the business of branding inside out. She'll shed some light for us on what branding is and how it can build and improve your business.

Amanda has also very kindly agreed to take questions in the lead up to Monday's session, so if you have something you'd like to ask about branding, post it here and she will cover it on Monday.

If you've been along to Crafty Business before, you'll know that the ultimate crafty icebreaker is show and tell, so bring along a sample of your work or a work in progress - it's always fun to see everyone's latest crafty endeavours! (Don't worry, we're not going to make you stand up in front of the class...)

See you at Churchills on Monday for The Big Brand Theory!

Notes from The Price of Genius now available

2009-07-23T16:17:00.000+12:00

Something close to a transcript of Crafty Business #3: The Price of Genius is now available to download in PDF format. This features Millie's talk about pricing and her chat with Lenore Farrelly of Dusk Gallery & Store. You can download your copy from the sidebar to your right, or simply click here.

Crafty Business #5 - The Online Empire

2009-06-28T20:24:00.000+12:00

We hope you all had a great time at Craft 2.0 either as a vendor or as a shopper (or both!) and we hope some of the tips from Session #4 on Selling at Fairs came in handy for sellers.

If you discovered anything, any little tip or piece of advice you think we should add to the Seller's Checklist do let us know, it's a dynamic list so new ideas are always welcome.

Next Monday we are back on track with the monthly Crafty Business sessions after a break for June and we hope you'll join us. This month Lucy will be presenting on the topic of Creating an Online Presence - the subject matter will include online selling, blogging, social networking and written articles. With an increasing number of online tools at our disposal, it’s getting easier and cheaper all the time to build an effective online presence, but it can be pretty overwhelming to start with, so we’ll run through a few ideas of where to start, how to choose your approach and how to get the best results on a small or non-existent budget. Feel free to bring along some ideas or tips of your own to share.

Bring a friend and come in from the cold for a cosy Monday evening in the warm and friendly surrounds of Churchills.

7pm, Monday 6 July
Churchills Public House

Crafty Business in June

2009-05-06T11:38:00.000+12:00

Unfortunately the first Monday in June also happens to be Queen's Birthday weekend. Given this and the fact that Craft 2.0 will be just days away we've decided not to run a June Crafty Business session.

We do however invite you to come along on Sunday to the Christchurch Creative Space at the Canterbury Innovation Incubator. We're guessing by that stage you'll have had yourself pretty heavily buried in Craft 2.0 preparation so this will be chance to hang out with others, relax whilst still working and maybe share in a little moral support from other crafters.

The Canterbury Innovation Incubator is at 200 Armagh Street (opposite Centennial Pool), come down between 2pm - 7pm, Sunday 31 May. There's coffee, tea and internet access for a gold coin donation and pizza for $6.

Crafty Business #4 - Resources

2009-05-05T12:02:00.000+12:00

Here are some resources you might find useful in preparation for your next craft show.

Crafts and Craft Shows: How to Make Money - Philip Kadubec
This book covers marketing yourself and your product, pricing your product, selecting your shows, stall setup and display, dealing with customers and wholesaling your product. Available for loan at the Christchurch Public Library.

Online Resources

From Etsy: Craft Fair Tips
The Etsy sellers handbook is a great resource in general and it covers every craft selling/marketing/making topic you'd ever want to know about. Selling at fairs is one section of the handbook that's a little neglected but this particular article is very good.

The Indie Craft Fair Guide - The How-To Guide for First Time Sellers
This article is written for an American audience but still has useful tips for first time sellers.

Session #4: Selling at Fairs & Markets

2009-05-04T13:35:00.000+12:00

Session #4 kicks off tonight at 7pm at Churchills Public House, 441 Colombo Street, Sydenham, Christchurch.

Craft 2.0 Christchurch is next month and in the lead up we'll discuss craft fair basics. The information we'll give is applicable to any craft fair but it's a timely topic given that Craft 2.0 may be the first major Craft Fear (pun intended) for some. We'll show you that there's nothing to be scared of and a whole heap of things to be excited about. We'll give you some tips and tricks for satisfying your adoring public and we'll do everything we can to help make sure selling at craft fairs is a rewarding and profitable experience.

Come and join us for a healthy dose of inspirational crafty company, business planning advice and a glass of wine at Churchills in Sydenham at 7pm tonight, Monday 4 May.

Lenore Farrelly said....

2009-04-27T17:53:00.000+12:00

Lenore spoke to us last month. Sadly the recording device was badly placed and the resulting sound quality was too rubbish to even transcribe from so below is a slightly creative recounting of what Lenore shared with us.

Can you tell us a little bit about your artistic/crafting background and how you ended up embarking on a career selling your own work?

Returning from London about 5 years ago after an extended OE, Lenore decided she’d done her time in the standard 8-5 office job and there was just no way she could go back to that kind of life.

She had earned a Bachelor of Design (majoring in photography) at Massey University in Wellington a few years earlier and she knew she really did want to pursue a creative form of income.

After attempting to find a stylish New Zealand themed greeting card and realizing the only things on the market featured paua or ferns Lenore identified a market that needed her attention and went out to satisfy it. She took some temping positions to pay the bills but spent most of her other time focusing on getting her own creative business off the ground.

What was the first thing/s you started selling? How did you first get your work out there?

Lenore started out by hanging some of her photography at a friend’s café in Punakaiki.
She received a lot of positive feedback about her work and after her card hunting incident she decided to apply some of her images to greeting cards.

Lenore was forward thinking right from the start. She knew she wanted her creative work to be her life’s work so she enlisted help and advice from qualified contacts right from day one. Not all of the advise she received was blindly supportive. An old boss sat her down (wine in hand of course!) and helped her crunch the numbers on just how many cards she’d have to sell in order to generate the income she wanted. The numbers tuned out to be a staggering 300 + cards every week, and that relied on stockist reordering regularly.

Back to the drawing board Lenore looked for other ways to expand her product range. It clearly worked – now her range includes woodblock prints, tea towels, casual bags, coasters, cuff links, cushions and stationery – and she supplies over 30 retailers as well as running her own gallery and shop in Christchurch.

How did you decide on prices for your first items and how has your attitude to pricing changed over the past 5 years?

Lenore priced her first cards based on what was about average in the market. She chose a card size with one very specific criteria in mind – it shouldn’t be too large so that you run out of things to say and are forced to sign you name in large letters with a giant kiss or smiley face! She looked around and saw that $4 - $6 was about right for a nice greeting card and simply ran with that. It’s served her well as she’s never had to change the price of her cards.

Lenore also shared a very insightful lesson she learned with a stationery set she created. Often with printing there are significant discounts to be obtained when you print in bulk. Lenore designed a stationery set but admitted to not fully thinking through what the retail price would have to be in order to make the sets worthwhile. Boldly, she admitted to still having many stationery sets unsold but her lesson is our cautionary tale: think through how many units you can realistically sell before you commit to any orders with a supplier. Even if you save $80 on a bulk order of letterheads – is it worth having $1000 worth of stationery sitting there unused or not selling when that additional cash could be working smarter for you in some other part of your business?

Do you have a single most important lesson that you've learned about pricing?

It’s about trial and error and you really have to trust your instincts. Like all things in life, you get better with practice.

In your retail capacity, how important is the price as a consideration to stocking an item? How often do you find the people under/over price their work?

People most often over price their work. Remember that retailers need to add at least 100% (sometimes more and sometimes gst of 12.5% will also be additional to that) so you need to bear that in mind when you approach retailers with your work. The reality being that not all the products you come up with will be viable to sell and make a profit in a retail environment.

It's expensive to run a shop – you have to cover rent, power, phone, wages, stock, advertising and a whole host of other costs - so the quicker stock moves and the more margin there is for retailers the more likely they are to stock your work. If you are really interested in selling a lot of your work wholesale to retailers you should make price a major consideration in deciding what work to include in your range.

Do you have any suggestions for gauging what your work is worth? Do you suggest just asking people?

Lenore is firmly a price-by-feeling type of gal and suggests that asking other people for their opinion on your prices is really just a good way to confirm what your instinct tells you about price is correct (or not!). You probably already have a feeling for what’s right for your product based on what it cost you and how long it took you to make. So, if you choose to ask others for their feedback it’s likely to either support and therefore confirm what you already think or if you’re hearing a lot of feedback that differs to what you think your product should be worth it’s probably a good indication you are pricing incorrectly.

What are your thoughts on sales, specials and discounting?

Don't discount. Instead, you may like to offer special deals for bulk purchases. The exception is for stock that doesn't move or that you've had sitting around for a while. Lenore made reference to her Christmas stock which she puts on sale each year after the Christmas season but she advises against discounting just for the sake of it. It just brings down the value of your work.

Thanks again Lenore, you were a great guest!

Pricing formula handout now available online

2009-04-17T20:45:00.000+12:00

A little belatedly, the pricing formula handout from Crafty Business #3 is now available for download for anyone who didn't get a copy. Click here to download yours now.

Sadly due to a technical mishap, we don't have an audio file or transcript of Millie's chat with Lenore, but we are working on putting together some notes outlining what was covered, which we hope to make available soon. Lenore was a fantastic speaker and we were very sorry to discover that our recording of the session this time was unusable.

Crafty Business Number #3 - House Keeping

2009-04-08T16:04:00.000+12:00

At this month's meeting Lucy disclosed several exciting things during the "housekeeping" briefing at the end of the night. In case you weren't at this month's meeting or you want to follow up on any of the items she mentioned here's a list with all the relevant links.

Craft 2.0 Christchurch applications are open.
Everyone's favourite craft fair returns to Christchurch and to Our City O-Tautahi on June 6. Apply here or lock the date into your diary and come down and support your friends.

World Wide Knit in Public Day - June 13
Amy & Anne (the duo behind this year's Knit in Public Day) are planning a bunch of activities which require your attention prior to the official day. If you're a keen knitter, one or all of these activities are sure to of interest to you.

Head to the WWKIP website for more details about how you can help with the 'Flash Knit' project and how to enter their competitions for 'Knit Fiction', 'Extreme Knitting', and 'UFO (Un-Finished Object) Guardian Alien'

Pocket
Lyttelton is about to have a new jewel in its crown. Carolyn popped by on Monday night to let everyone know that she's looking for crafters, makers, designers and artists to sell their work through her new store, Pocket, in Lyttelton. If you're interested in selling at Pocket on a consignment basis send Carolyn an email to pocket.lyttelton@gmail.com

Making Space
The Christchurch Creative Space is open over Easter so if you're in Christchurch this Sunday, 12 April, head down to the Canterbury Innovation Incubator (200 Armagh St, opposite Centennial Pool) from 2pm till 7pm. Take something to work on if you want to or just pop in for a coffee. If you haven't already stuffed yourself with so much chocolate you've burst a seam take $6 with you and get in on pizza for dinner.

Do you have something you'd like us to mention at the next crafty business meeting? If you have a great opportunity or event that you think others should know about drop us a line and if we think it's a good one we'll pass the message on.

Craft2.0 Wellington, Easter Weekend

2009-04-03T14:20:00.000+13:00

Just a wee reminder to any Crafty Business people with a Felt shop that I'll be taking product samples up to Wellington with me for the Felt display at Craft2.0. If you'd like some of your work included on the display, bring it along to Crafty Business on Monday and I'll do my best to fit it in.

I'm also running a prize draw, to which any crafty contributions are very much appreciated. All Felt shops represented in the display get a mention and a link in the promotional email I'll send out the following week to everyone who enters the prize draw.

Look forward to seeing you on Monday for discourse and debate on the price of genius!

Christchurch Creative Space

2009-04-03T13:39:00.000+13:00

Plans are underway to establish a making space in Christchurch, where people who make stuff can hang out and work together, socialise, collaborate, exchange ideas and work on their projects in good company.

If you're interested in this idea, this is your chance to have an influence on the outcome! Come along on Sunday, bring a project and a friend (neither is compulsory) and have a say in how it all works, while it's still in its formative stages.

When: Turn up anytime between 2pm and 7pm on Sunday, 5 April.
Where: Canterbury Innovation Incubator (200 Armagh St, map at http://tinyurl.com/ciinz)
What: Make, craft, build, hack, create, code, work on your own project. Pizza optional, bring $6 if you want in.
Who: You, a friend, a colleague. Anyone who might be interested. Bring something along you're working on if you can.

Donations are welcome, they go toward tea, coffee and bandwidth. Gold coin is fine. Bring $6 if you want in on pizza.

If you just want to see what it's like, it's cool to just drop in for a few minutes and see what's going on. Anyone is welcome.

More information is available on the Christchurch Creative Space Google group – join the group to be kept in the loop.

Christchurch Creative Space is a working name – it still needs a good catchy name to grab people's attention and pique their curiosity. It needs to encompass arts, craft and technology makers and have a local flavour. Any suggestions? Post a comment below...

Lenore Farrelly joins us for Crafty Business # 3

2009-03-24T18:53:00.000+13:00

We are very excited to tell you that Lenore Farrelly (artist, craftswoman and owner of Dusk Gallery + Store) will be joining us as a guest speaker for Crafty Business #3 on April 6th. Lenore's been running a crafty business since long before it was fashionable and she has excellent insight into the art of pricing and selling your work and some very entertaining stories about her journey to becoming a successful crafty business owner.

See you there!

Crafty Business April & May

2009-03-02T15:27:00.000+13:00

Because we love planning and we're sure some of you do too we figured it's only fair that we share with you in advance some of the topics we will be covering at future Crafty Business sessions. We have settled on the subject matter for our April and May gatherings and we hope you'll join us.

The Price of Genius
April 6 2009, 7pm, Churchills Public House, Sydenham, Christchurch
It's easy to put a price on time, materials and other relevant production costs but what is the cost of your inspiration, the skills you've developed, your creative talent and your knowledge? Combine this with the fear of overcharging or undercharging your customers you have one big headache. If only there was a simple way to price your handmade goods! It’s not an exact science and no one formula works for everyone but we'll share with you some pricing ideas that will have you running straight home to your Casio

Selling at Craft Fairs
May 4 2009, 7pm, Churchills Public House, Sydenham, Christchurch
Craft 2.0 is next month and in the lead up we'll discuss craft fair basics. The information we'll give is applicable to any craft fair but it's a timely topic given that Craft 2.0 may be the first major Craft Fear (pun intended) for some. We'll show you that there's nothing to be scared of and a whole heap of things to be excited about. We'll give you some tips and tricks for satisfying your adoring public and we'll do everything we can to help make sure selling at craft fairs is a rewarding and profitable experience.

Although we've got a bunch of subjects up our sleeves that we plan to focus on over the course of the year and beyond we're always interested in hearing about topics that you'd like to know more about and specific questions on topics are most welcome. Email millie@pinkpaperpinafore.com or lucy@felt.co.nz.

Crafty Business Resources

2009-02-28T07:21:00.001+13:00

Each month we'll post a list of resources that are relevant to that month's specific session topic. This month we've compiled a list of websites, publications and services where you'll find more details and comprehensive reading on areas of business planning and business management that may have sparked your attention.

If you know of a website or book - on any business topic - that you think might be of interest to other crafty business people why not send us the link so we can share it around. Email your suggestions to: millie@pinkpaperpinafore.com

Online Resources

Business Steps: a practical guidebook for small business
A simple guide published by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, it's the perfect short but informative read for those starting out in business. This guide is a free downloaded from the link above.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Guide: Planning for Success
This is really as complete a guide to writing a business plan as you are likely to find anywhere. It's intentionally broad and aimed to be of value to everyone at any level of business, small or large. Its worth downloading as it provides an extremely comprehensive view of the things you'll want to consider and it includes lots of templates. Follow the link above to download this guide.

The Business and Employers area on the IRD website - don't forget that IRD are there to help you, even before you are actually in business. The Business and Employers section of their website has all you'll need to know about company structure, starting and running a business and or course their specialty area: the tax side of your business.

Business Information New Zealand - this site is the government business site. The information is designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses and provides free access to a range of resources to help you start, manage and grow your business, as well as ways to deal with day-to-day challenges.

Books

* Indicates that the book is available from the Christchurch Public Library

Craft Inc.: Turn your creative hobby into a business - Meg Mateo Ilasco *

A great looking, recently published business primer for entrepreneurial crafters. It aims to help you turn what you're already doing for fun into what you do for a living.

Mastering the craft business: a guide for craft artists - Ann & Bob Phillips *

Another business primer but the distinct advantage of this book is that it is written in New Zealand by a couple based in Nelson. It was published in 1996 but the content remains relevant.

Crafting a business: make money doing what you love - Kathie Fitzgerald *

A guide to making your home based business a success. This book is aimed at women, in particular, stay at home mothers wanting to get a business up and running.

The global garage: home-based business in New Zealand - edited by Janet Sayers and Nanette Monin *

General issues for home-based businesses with examples from people who are operating creative businesses from their homes. There is an excellent chapter on managing you time while working from home.

The Martha Rules: 10 Essentials for Achieving Success as You Start, Build or Manage a Business - Martha Stewart *

Ok, so this book is a bit of wild card on the list but no matter what your feelings are about tax fraud Martha Stewart remains the undeniable queen of the crafty business. It's a quick, easy read and even if your ambitions aren't quite as lofty or global as Martha's you're sure to be at least a little bit inspired by her advice.

Other Services

The Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce (CECC) - are now operating the Business Enterprise Training workshops that use to be offered by the Canterbury Development Corporation (CDC). The workshops are aimed at upskilling the owners of small and medium sized enterprises and offer a range of great short training courses. Best of all, the training is fully funded by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise so the only cost to you is your time and energy!

Christchurch Small Business Enterprise Center - offer exceptionally reasonable hourly rates for business advice and accountancy services.

Session 2: The Big Picture

2009-02-24T13:06:00.000+13:00

This month we're looking at the big picture - what's involved in running a crafty business and how to make it work for you.

Please bring along your creations for show and tell – we'd love to see your work!

Come and join us for a healthy dose of inspirational crafty company, business planning advice and a glass of wine at Churchills in Sydenham at 7pm on Monday 2 March.

Shaky Isles makes an appearance on Etsy

2009-02-16T17:36:00.000+13:00

Deidre gets a well-deserved mention in The Storque on Etsy, in a story about fabulous handmade teatowels by flyingrhymes published on Saturday. Check out the article here.

A successful start

2009-02-04T15:17:00.000+13:00

Thanks to everyone who came along on Monday for the first ever Crafty Business session! It was great to meet you all and it felt to me like a really positive beginning.

For those who didn't make it, our main objective for this first session was to get a feel for what sort of event Crafty Business should be and what we can do to make it as relevant as possible to makers and crafters making the leap into business.

After a welcome from Amy and a round of introductions, I spoke briefly about Felt, Craft2.0, where the idea for Crafty Business came from and where I think it could go. Briar of Rethreads raised the topic of promoting and selling overseas, which has gone onto our list of future session topics, along with the suggestion from Prue of Citrus Daisy that we run pricing and marketing sessions.

We have an audio recording of the session that I'll transcribe and make available on the Crafty Business website in the next couple of days, for anyone who missed it or would like to recap.

As I wasn't quite organised enough to remember my camera, I have no pictures of all the lovely people who attended, so instead here's some of their beautiful creations:

A talented bunch! Unfortunately I don't know everybody's websites or Felt alter-egos, so I'm sure I've missed people out – if you don't see your work here and you'd like to, email me, lucy@felt.co.nz.

Stay tuned for details of the next Crafty Business!

Come along! You know you want to...

2009-01-22T17:06:00.000+13:00

Do you want to know more about the business of selling your handmade items at markets and online? Have you been selling your creations for a while and would like to connect with other crafty business people?

Join us for a series of informal gatherings at Churchills Public House, Sydenham, Christchurch, New Zealand.

We'll have a couple of guest speakers talking about their experience selling their handmade crafts, staff from Felt will be there to answer your questions about selling online, and you can meet other crafters and sellers just like you.

All welcome, those already in business and those just waiting to start.

Where: Churchills Public House, 441 Colombo Street, Sydenham
When: 7pm, Monday 2 February and the first Monday of every month from then onward.

Contact admin@felt.co.nz for more information.

Churchills Public House

2009-01-21T10:11:00.000+13:00

We're kicking off the first session of Crafty Business at Churchills Public House in Sydenham. So why did we choose Churchills?

In the spirit of supporting local independent businesses, we thought Churchills totally fit the bill as a pleasant, laidback venue with friendly staff, plenty of space and a relaxed atmosphere.

And as I discovered when I checked out their website, it has a long history of hospitality as a family business. By Kiwi standards, the site of Churchills has been a public house nearly forever – the original Club Hotel was built in 1882 and was owned and operated by the Lawrence family for 106 years.

It's a handy location, not too far from the central city, easy to find and with plenty of parking and we look forward to seeing you there on Monday 2nd February.

Hands on promotional material

2009-01-20T16:42:00.000+13:00

The first batch of Crafty Business flyers were so much fun to make! John and Allison at Homeprint in Feilding very generously let me loose in their printery, filled with antique printing presses, all in working order, and trays of lead type, wood type, stereo blocks, ornaments... I could go on, but suffice to say, it was a graphic designer's heaven.

This is my first ever attempt at real and proper typesetting, without the aid of a computer. It may be a little hard to recognise backwards and upside down, but that's the origin of the Crafty Business logo.

Having printed that part, there was still time to embellish further, so we picked out some hand-carved wooden punctuation. These are gorgeous, so lovely to handle...which was good, because there was a lot of handling – each block had to be inked by hand with a roller and positioned on each flyer placed in the proofing press.

After printing about 60 flyers this way, we decided on a more efficient method, and set up the question mark on another machine to print the remaining 200 more quickly.

To finish them off, we clamped them into bunches and used a drill press to make three designer holes, then enlisted the help of some enthusiastic volunteers from the Loop Knittery and In Stitches to add a stitched element that we've incorporated into the logo.