| Spending your time doing what you love and | | | | just a selection of your crafts.When you have to |
| getting paid for it seems like the ultimate dream | | | | make lots of the same item, get a production line |
| job, but as you start crafting for profit, the | | | | going. Once you know an item sells well, rather |
| pleasure can so easily wither away. Once you're a | | | | than having to replace it every other day, put in |
| professional crafter, your focus is on your | | | | one really good session and make loads. OK, so it |
| business and making money, and your creativity | | | | will be even more tedious while you're doing it, but |
| and enjoyment usually suffers first.When you first | | | | you'll get them finished much quicker this way, |
| start selling your crafts you get such a buzz from | | | | and then won't have to make any more for |
| it! But what happens when you are making that | | | | ages!Outsource the production of popular items. |
| same item again and again (and again!) You | | | | That way you can pay someone to replicate your |
| started crafting because you enjoy the creative | | | | popular designs while you concentrate on creating |
| process, but now you feel like a factory worker, | | | | new ones.And if you've run out of inspiration, here |
| just churning stuff out.And then there are those | | | | are some ideas for getting it back:As a |
| customers who want something different. 'Great!' | | | | preventative measure, set aside a block of time |
| you think, 'a chance to create something unique | | | | (daily or weekly) that is purely creative time. Don't |
| again.' But it's the customer who ends up | | | | worry about whether what you're making will sell |
| 'designing', while you just follow orders and | | | | or not, and don't think about the other things you |
| assemble it. Again, you're back in the | | | | need to do, just throw yourself into doing |
| factory!Finally, you hit a quiet period and have a | | | | whatever feels good. I find that once I start I get |
| chance to create some new designs and 'do your | | | | carried away with all sorts of new ideas!Read |
| own thing' again. And what happens? Your muse | | | | books and magazines about your crafts. This |
| deserts you and you go completely blank. You | | | | feels wonderfully indulgent, and you may think |
| can't for the life of you think of anything new to | | | | time spent reading is wasted, but it's so important |
| do, and don't even know where to start.Does any | | | | in order to generate new ideas and to keep |
| of this sound familiar? I've been through each of | | | | abreast of new techniques and trends. So when |
| these stages and they're no fun - you end up | | | | you're feeling a bit jaded, grab a cup of coffee |
| wondering why you ever wanted to sell your | | | | and settle down with your favourite (craft |
| crafts in the first place! But it doesn't have to be | | | | related) glossy.Invest in some new and different |
| this way. Over the years I've developed some | | | | materials or supplies. I always get excited when a |
| tricks to pull me out of these slumps and back | | | | parcel full of new beads arrives, and can't wait to |
| into creative heaven.Firstly, to avoid the boredom | | | | try them out!Have a clear out. You'll find things |
| that often comes with crafting for profit, see | | | | you'd forgotten you had, and seeing your |
| whether any of these ideas will work for | | | | materials arranged differently can often inspire |
| you:Reward yourself with creative sessions. For | | | | you to try new combinations or techniques that |
| every day spent doing the more repetitive jobs, | | | | you haven't thought of before.Take a course. |
| give yourself a few hours of fun crafting. This | | | | Learning a new technique, or brushing up on old |
| way you'll be motivated to finish the boring stuff | | | | ones can help you rediscover your inspiration. And |
| quickly.Also alternate custom orders with time | | | | you'll find it refreshing to mix with others who are |
| spent letting your creativity go wild. As custom | | | | excited about the same craft as you.When you're |
| orders aren't particularly time efficient anyway, | | | | crafting for profit, you do need to resign yourself |
| you don't necessarily need to do all of them | | | | to some of the less exciting tasks, but do |
| together in one session. Perhaps reward yourself | | | | everything you can to keep yourself at your |
| for every custom order finished with a block of | | | | creative best. If you don't love what you're doing, |
| time to do your own thing.Make sure you account | | | | it will show in your work.Don't feel guilty about |
| for the extra time custom orders take in your | | | | treating yourself to a craft magazine subscription, |
| pricing (including time spent sourcing materials) in | | | | a day off, or whatever else you need to keep |
| order to make it worth the hassle. You're much | | | | those creative juices flowing, because as a |
| less likely to become dissatisfied if you're being | | | | professional crafter you are the number one |
| richly rewarded!You could consider limiting yourself | | | | asset in your business!Louise Longworth |
| to doing one-offs or limited editions. That way the | | | | |
| customer gets extra value for their purchase and | | | | Louise Longworth is a work at home mother |
| you don't get fed up doing the same thing over | | | | who sells her handmade jewelry at home parties |
| and over. Or if this isn't practical for you in terms | | | | and has published a website to help others sell |
| of earning a good income, consider doing this for | | | | their crafts the same way. |