Cheryl's Garden

Ok, here’s the deal. I’m new to soaping and that coupled with my enthusiasm for trying new things may have gotten me in over my head here. It’s ok because life is all about learning. Now on to the pictures of what went wrong.

My first batch of soap seemed to go so well with the assemblage but when it came to cutting it things got a little crumbly. The first layer filmed too much to adhear to the second layer and really showed off in a painful way when it cracked.

On to batch two. It was also a test to try out something I read on a blog somewhere about pushing the top layer around to make it look like whip cream. I mastered that Ok but the assembly overall it wasn’t as smooth going with all the ingredients I added that seemed to firm the soap faster. It did look good once it was set up and I did manage to make some little travel soaps that are now available in my store out of the left over soap. However, cutting the soap here again was a problem. I was using a large kitchen knife since it’s what I have at the moment but it was cracking the layers apart. I decided to test out cutting really large bars and that worked out much better for this batch. The vanilla orange combination I’m really loving along with the monster size bars that will last forever. Eventually, they will also be available in my store.

The last two weeks I’ve really focused on the look of my stores and I’m happy to say it is coming along well. New inventory has been slowly trickling into my store so be sure to check it out.

Tonight I was very excited to have a package in the mail with Agar Agar powder for making jelly soaps and citric acid for making bath bombs. Of course I had to try out at least one tonight so I reviewed my stash of recipes and found I was missing an ingredient for the bath bombs so jelly soaps it was.

The process has to be carried out really quickly because the Agar Agar firms up extremely fast so I didn’t really get any “in progress” photos but here are a few (ahem) from the two batches I made tonight.

The green soap just isn’t jelly enough for what I’d like and the second one has even more Agar Agar so likely it won’t be what I want but testing will have to come later after I get some sleep. My typing errors have-sky rocketed in the last 30min so I will say goodnight before something really weird shows up here.

Wow, I’ve never had someone beat me over the head with advice quite like this before.

A lot of my free time lately has been spent researching how to conduct a small business and specially how to take my crafts to full-time status in a Smart way. Since 2 of my 3 stores are part of Etsy I get a lot of emails on how to do this from Etsy. Their guest bloggers direct me to other reviews and advice on furthering this goal, it’s a never ending chain. Today I was smacked with the idea (see above link) that maybe I am doing things right by trial and error. Things on my stores, specifically MasonCJ, are starting to feel “right”. Based on blogger advice this seems like a good start (there is always someone with advice you want to hear). Hubby has told me on many occasions that it takes 4-6 solid years of blogging to become a professional blogger (from what he’s viewed in the computer world) and I tend to believe him. My store probably isn’t much different and will take time. I have time.

Still, I would love to see a few more sales because that is soooo exciting when it happens.

Now for some practical advice that I’ve collected over the last six months. This is all my research findings and no one has paid me to list any of the following.

Tips for creating an online store

A Few Online Store Options
-etsy.com (handmade online mall)
-artfire.com (handmade online mall)
-shopify.com (your individual store can be attached to blog etc.)
-vistaprint.com (handmade online mall)
-amazon.com (online mall)
-create your own

Marketing
-post on other people’s sites and leave your blog address
-FB page’s do some work (must have a FB account to make pages, can also purchase ads)
-how-to’s on http://utube.com
-Moo business cards http://us.moo.com/en/
-Big Crumbs for deals & coupons works with Etsy and a few other online stores http://www.bigcrumbs.com

A Few Tools
-http://gmail.com (google email)
-google analytics (google traffic tracker)
-google reader (google internet reading tool)
-google docs (google documents similar to Microsoft Word & Excel, Adobe Reader, file storage)
-delicious.com (bookmark links found on the internet, can be used on any computer connected to the internet)
-personal blog (create your own blog from scratch or use http://www.blogger.com)
-read other blogs to get ideas
-work with other sellers, family, friends to create a collaboration store (example Etsy Teams)
-spreadsheet to track sales, shipments, time, etc. (see google docs)
-free banner creator http://insupport.com/create_a_banner/banner_for_a_buck.php
-scheduling program ($$$-$$$$ or $15-60 per month for 3 users) http://www.planplusonline.com/
-document management system with basic calendar and other features (scales well and free) http://www.alfresco.com/
-lots of Etsy sellers will sell you designer labels. You can also create your own by purchasing Avery labels and using their template. To get things lined up it is best to put images in the Header/Footer section and format the image so it isn’t aligning to a specific place. Copy and paste as needed.It’s also important to know if you need water resistant labels, matte finish or ink jet/lazor labels.

Getting Started
-Start with a clear business plan. This may include taking a year or two to find out what works for you but you need a plan so write it down. It is surprising how much clearer you vision of the future will be.
-Start a journal with what works and what doesn’t. Memory fades and your favorite iteams may not be the most polular sales. It’s time to let go of those, try new things, keep doing what works.
-Set a goal. 20 sales in a month, or 150 sales in a year. Setting dollar amounts is also a good idea.
-Sit down and think about the look you want. It may help to look at other online stores to get a feel for what works for others. It’s important to have consistant pictures, noticable/consistant labeling, store policies with shipping information and disclaimers.

I may or maynot update this list over time but I’m happy to share it with the “interweb” and even the “all-google”.

This year was full of learning about all the things you can do with fiber….well…most of them that relate to the creation of yarn. With only one experience when I was younger to do with knitting I never would have thought it would become such a big part of my life. Time will tell if the interest continues into a true obsession but for now I dabble in little projects here and there.

My aunt actually sparked my interest last Thanksgiving when she gave my mother one of her Fun Fur combo scarves that she makes for people at her hospital. Per my usual “I could make it better” attitude, that had already sucked me into jewelry making, I dove into a fun filled year of yarn hording. Here is how it went.

In January I picked up some yarn and knitting needles and went to work on my first scarf.

About half way through I got excited about scarves, blankets and socks when I started searching the internet for knitting blogs so it was back to the store for more needles and yarn.

Jarrods Hemlock blanket, pictures 2 and 3 above, was just so pretty that I had to find the pattern and those lovely blogs led me to Ravelry.com. Depending on how you look at it this is a fiber freaks heaven or hell. There is a whole communittee dedicated to crazy knitters and crocheters.  By the end of February my yarn stash had grown from a few balls of yarn to bags boxes and bags that were taking over the dinning room and desperatedly needed a more organized storage system. So I bought a three drawer rolling storage bin thinking that would hold me but my yarn packed the three drawers and I still had a box of supplies. Then came the crazed spring months when I discovered the wonders of Etsy.com and joined a knitting group from work.

By the time I went to my first knitters meeting I had 2 scarves, socks, and 3 blankets started. Our group leader was surprised at how many projects I had going but to be fair I had a lot of happy energy fueling my efforts and no kids at home….except the husband. I think he enjoyed the free time to play more video games on his new ipod. All spring I horded fancy hand made yarns and then discovered another facet of this fiber world, felting AND spinning. Now I was collecting roving too! and lusting after fiber fairs with spinning classes. Shortly after this another fiber craft surfaced in the form of weaving. Unfortunately, I have to work for a living and don’t have near enough time in my day to do all the fiber and jewelry crafting I would like. Instead I sit at work and day dream about projects that I MUST do TODAY! and that leads to more yarn purchases that are relatively easy with that Oh So Helpful internet. Ravelry was not helpful with a zillion fun swaps that I had to mail all over the country. In May my obsession was de-railed with 8 wonderful days in Hawaii where I just couldn’t bring myself to knit even though I was crazy and signed up for Sock Wars III even though I had never completed even one sock. Back at home I completed my last swap for the year with a hand knit dish cloth that proved to me that small projects were probably a better idea at this early stage. All three of my above blankets ended up on hold and my sock

was frogged. I did start a new sock but that didn’t turn out well either

so for now I’ll wait for more skills before attempting another sock. In July two wonderful aspects of my life changed. The office that was used for studying and wasn’t being used now that both James and I were finished with classes so we decided to turn it into

a craft room. We removed all the carpet, painted the walls blue, yes blue, and added wood flooring. The room is still a work in progress but I am looking forward to spending time there. The second was the discovery of how much I enjoy crocheting.

To date I’ve started about 9 shell pattern crocheted scarves/wraps three of which I’ve finished and two were gifts to friends. I also discovered that I love to start things but have trouble finishing things.

In September James and I headed to an Alpaca Farm Fair

where we enjoyed seeing the animals and I got to watch someone spin in person.

and they had pretty yarn that I had to take home.

The next weekend I got up nice to attend my very first spinning class. It was horribly unorganized and at someones home but I learned a little. Around that time I also wraped my own table loom after much grumbling and a lot of help from James. It’s really fun to weave but I now understand why people hate to warp a loom. IT IS A PAIN!!! My first project turned into a mouse pad for my dad and I’m sure he will never use it. Oh well. The second warp I did by myself with a lot of cursing and an emergency run for more yarn. It took about 6 hours while watching movies and I still haven’t started weaving.

Instead I’m working on another shell pattern wrap and a hemp pattern dish cloth both of which are so easy and I recommend to new knitters and crocheters.

So there is my year of fiber but I also started two other projects. The first is my own online stores at http://masoncj.etsy.com and http://indenturedmason.etsy.com for kitchen goods and jewelry.

The other was sewing, specifically for Halloween costumes but also for quilting. The craft room is really expanding!

Thankfully this year has been deemed The Year of Junk Removal and Organization.