Wow, I didn't realize how long I've been away. I've been doing a lot. A lot of little things. Let me tell you about it.
I still struggled with some illnesses/injuries, and am finally getting around to feeling better. I finished the "Secret Project" I was talking about in the previous blog post, it's been more than a year? Wow. I have to integrate my Facebook Knittingfoole page in here somehow, I've been posting there. More information about the "Secret Project" will have to wait, however. I've got something else to tell you about.
I still struggled with some illnesses/injuries, and am finally getting around to feeling better. I finished the "Secret Project" I was talking about in the previous blog post, it's been more than a year? Wow. I have to integrate my Facebook Knittingfoole page in here somehow, I've been posting there. More information about the "Secret Project" will have to wait, however. I've got something else to tell you about.
I've been working on postcards.
I'm going to be offering them for sale on a limited basis. Let me explain.
I've considered having an Etsy store. Actually, I had one for a few months a long time ago. I never sold even one thing on there. But it was only up for a very short time. However, I've heard that Etsy is not so great for small sellers nowadays. Also, I'd have to figure out taxes and whatnot.
I don't really want this to be a "business." My whole mode of operation is that I "solve problems" for people.
Someone asks me, "Can you make [something that solves a problem for them]?" and together we figure out what I can make to solve their problem. They pay me, either in some form of cash, a barter, or a combination thereof. Usually just enough to cover materials and a bit for my time. I'm not looking to make a bundle. But it would be nice to be able to not have to worry about where the money for materials to continue making things for people will come from.
So, I don't think I'm going to have a store on Etsy or anywhere else. I will probably figure out how to have a "Garage Sale" here on this website somehow.
In the meantime, let's talk Birthday Postcards.
I'm going to be offering them for sale on a limited basis. Let me explain.
I've considered having an Etsy store. Actually, I had one for a few months a long time ago. I never sold even one thing on there. But it was only up for a very short time. However, I've heard that Etsy is not so great for small sellers nowadays. Also, I'd have to figure out taxes and whatnot.
I don't really want this to be a "business." My whole mode of operation is that I "solve problems" for people.
Someone asks me, "Can you make [something that solves a problem for them]?" and together we figure out what I can make to solve their problem. They pay me, either in some form of cash, a barter, or a combination thereof. Usually just enough to cover materials and a bit for my time. I'm not looking to make a bundle. But it would be nice to be able to not have to worry about where the money for materials to continue making things for people will come from.
So, I don't think I'm going to have a store on Etsy or anywhere else. I will probably figure out how to have a "Garage Sale" here on this website somehow.
In the meantime, let's talk Birthday Postcards.
I'm offering these for sale. I only have this one set! If you're interested, contact me via the contact form on this website OR if you've found me through one of my social media accounts, contact me there. I've set up a Telegram account for this sort of thing, I'll link it to this website somehow, soon I hope. Keep a weather eye out for it. I've also got a Discord for chatting about Crafty Things, but I don't know how to use it yet. I'll let you know about that when I get it organized as well.
So many things! But, postcards.
So many things! But, postcards.
These are not up to my usual standards. They are what I would consider "Seconds." Do you remember Seconds in the department store? Those were things they would sell at a discount because they had some little defect that did not otherwise affect the use of the item. Like a pair of socks that had the wrong color on the heel or something but you could still wear them. Nowadays they call this "normal variation" and sell them full price. ::eye roll:: ANYWAY... See the little gel pen smudge? I don't like it. It's not really **that** bad. And whiteout would have made it worse. Believe me. I would send this postcard to someone. Maybe not an art critic, but to one of my kids or brothers or something....yeah, I would. The white gel pen on the black banner is not as good as I would have liked, either. It's getting harder and harder to find a good white pen lately. Even the Gelly Rolls seem to be slipping.
But I digress.
The little defects.
But I digress.
The little defects.
On this card, I forgot to erase the pencil guidelines before I treated it with Dorland's to seal it.
I could try erasing it. But after putting the wax on...no, I'd rather not wind up with that result. So, the pencil marks remain. I think it looks kind of quaint. Maybe that's just me.
Yeah, probably just me.
But, it's still usable.
Kinda rustic.
Maybe.
I could try erasing it. But after putting the wax on...no, I'd rather not wind up with that result. So, the pencil marks remain. I think it looks kind of quaint. Maybe that's just me.
Yeah, probably just me.
But, it's still usable.
Kinda rustic.
Maybe.
OK, So here's the deal
As I said, I've only got this one set. My plan is to make more sets, like for Thank You cards or just plain sending a note cards, Wish You Were Here when travelling, etc. I thought of maybe Condolence Cards, but that would be a regular folding card, not a postcard, I think. That would be tacky, in my opinion. But, I would prefer to do this kind of thing on commission so I could make what a person needed, not just some random thing. But I probably will make Birthday and Note cards available semi-regularly. My problem with pricing is shipping. For all six, it looks like it could cost up to $10 to ship them, because the envelope to send them in would be rigid and probably very close, if not more than, a quarter of an inch. Both those things can cause a price increase in shipping. They don't weigh much, though. I may have to go down to the post office and talk to a postal employee just to make sure I have my facts correct. I also want to make sure you can use a standard postcard stamp on these. I have the dimensions correct, but the fact that they're watercolor paper and a bit thicker than regular postcards might make a difference. Even so, all you'd have to do is use a regular stamp. Annoying, but not overly so. Oh! Another thing. I was thinking of selling these with postcard stamps on. But since these are Seconds, I'm not going to do that. To keep the price down I'm selling these without stamps. Later cards that I'm sure of the quality and that they qualify for postcard price will get the stamps attached and will cost quite a bit more.
Now, what next?
I'm going to make a Postcard Page with all the pics and details, and if you're interested, contact me via the contact form or on Facebook or Twitter. First come, first served. (If the cards have been sold, maybe we can make a deal about a custom pack for you! Please feel free to ask.) If I'm careful, I think I can keep shipping to about $5. I kind of looked around for standard pricing on handmade postcards and it varies widely. A few cents a card (for "homemade" printed cards) to 3 or 4 dollars per card (for hand painted ones). I think $15 for a set of 6 would not be out of line. I would also break them up, sell 3 for $9. (This would be WITHOUT stamps) Then there would be two sets. But wait! These are Seconds, after all. Therefore, the price would be $8 for a set of 6 and $4 for a set of 3. Then add shipping to that.
So, go HERE or following other links around the site to the Postcard Page. See you there!
Have a crafty day.
Now, what next?
I'm going to make a Postcard Page with all the pics and details, and if you're interested, contact me via the contact form or on Facebook or Twitter. First come, first served. (If the cards have been sold, maybe we can make a deal about a custom pack for you! Please feel free to ask.) If I'm careful, I think I can keep shipping to about $5. I kind of looked around for standard pricing on handmade postcards and it varies widely. A few cents a card (for "homemade" printed cards) to 3 or 4 dollars per card (for hand painted ones). I think $15 for a set of 6 would not be out of line. I would also break them up, sell 3 for $9. (This would be WITHOUT stamps) Then there would be two sets. But wait! These are Seconds, after all. Therefore, the price would be $8 for a set of 6 and $4 for a set of 3. Then add shipping to that.
So, go HERE or following other links around the site to the Postcard Page. See you there!
Have a crafty day.