Three Halloween Arts and Craft Project for Kids

As Halloween nears, young minds drift toward costumes and candy, and parents often find themselves at wit’s end in the attempt to calm those young enthusiasts into near-normalcy. Directing their attention and energy into Halloween arts and craft activities can help both young and old alike. This year, steer their imaginations and energies toward fun and creative pastimes that have a Halloween theme.
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6 Tips for Outstanding Craft Business Customer Service

One reason people like to shop from handmade businesses is the personal attention they receive. You can easily become known for your phenomenal customer care and personal touches that keep customers coming back for more.

Here are a few ways you can take care of your customers:

1) Try to learn and remember every first-time customer’s name (or, if you’re terrible with names, some other important detail about him or her). When you greet them the next time they shop from you, your memory of them will demonstrate how important they are to you.

2) Find small extra things you can do for your customers, above and beyond what they expect. When the art teacher at my son’s school asked me to redesign some old beads into new necklaces, I also created a pair of matching earrings from some of the beads, which she hadn’t thought to ask for. She was thrilled with that thoughtful extra touch.
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Digital Scrapbooking vs. Traditional Scrapbooking

Technology has revolutionized our use of paper. In today’s world, we have more choices than ever to end our reliance on parchment and turn to electronic sources. The digital world now offers electronic newspapers, books, and mail. Some observers argue that paper will eventually be replaced by its electronic counterpart. Others contend that there is still value to having tangible paper products.

Today, scrapbooking also comes in a digital form. Which form of scrapbooking is preferred? In this article, we will target some key questions to help scrapbookers decide between digital and traditional scrapbooking.

What is the difference between digital scrapbooking verses traditional scrapbooking?

Scrapbooking, in general, is the art of preserving photographic memories. Unlike a photo album, a scrapbook album adds color, background, themes, journaling, and embellishments to the displayed photographs. Traditional scrapbooking uses physical objects to create the memory album. Taking their printed photos, traditional scrapbookers use adhesives to fasten down the picture along with embellishments to cardstock. Digital scrapbooking, also known as digi scrapbooking, starts on the computer. The digi scrapbooker uses photo editing software to add clipart and templates to their digital photo.
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Craft Show Jewelry Ideas for Kids

Kids love to wear (and make) jewelry just as much as grownups do – and a cool product name can make more sales of children’s jewelry items!

Here are some products kids can make, either from kits you’ve put together ahead of time, or by choosing their own supplies from a selection. (However, be warned – whenever you let people choose their own components, they often take a VERY long time to make their choices!)

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Featured Crafter: Julie from Miss PrettyPretty

In this Featured Crafter, we hear from Julie from Miss PrettyPretty. Julie’s playhouses are incredibly imaginative, be sure to check out her store to view all her themed houses. They are customizable so your little one can have their own unique playhouse.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.
My name is Julie. I am married to a really wonderful man, and we have two children, a boy who is 5 and a girl who is 4. I am an “older” mom who feels very lucky to have started a business that enables me to be at home with my kids!

Where can we find you? (website, craft shows, etc.)
You can find me at missprettypretty.etsy.com . I am too busy with my online business these days to do craft fairs, but I am definitely an arts/crafts fair veteran! I earned extra money and sometime supported myself on craft fairs for about 20 years. Back then, I made a lot of embellished clothing, denim shirts, sweatshirts, etc. All of that applique work was a good foundation for making my playhouses.
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5 Tips for a Better Jewelry Booth

Are you ready to have a successful, profitable jewelry show? Here are some things you can do at home, in the days before the show, to make setting up your booth easier, more professional, and more profitable:
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Featured Crafter: Amy from ThePinkCamellia

In this Featured Crafter, we hear from Amy from ThePinkCamellia. Read on to hear how Amy’s Mother’s creations opened her eyes to the wonderful creative world. Amy is also offering a discount to all FreeCraftFair readers so be sure to check out her shop!

Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I am a thirty-something career girl, born and raised here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Though I have a full time, very fulfilling job, I often have the need to create something. I think all of us need to find hobbies and interests outside of work, and The Pink Camellia has quickly become mine! My brother and I were raised by our Mom, a hardworking (and very talented) single Mom that always encouraged our creative pursuits. As a little girl I used to watch her sew. She was a very talented seamstress, and used to make us things to wear that would bring such lovely comments. I think that is where all of my creative juices really started flowing, sorting through my Moms “button tin”, helping cut patterns and ironing fabrics. I can remember getting sent home from school with notes from my teachers, thinking I was somehow in trouble, and wondering what I had done. When my Mom would open the letter however, it would be a compliment on a cute outfit she had made for me, my teacher wondering where she could get something similar for her own daughter! I still remember being so proud of that. My inspirations for items really all stem from things I have made for friends and family in the past. Or I might just see something sparkly one day and decide I HAVE to make something from it!
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Craft Fair Displays

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Handmade Nation Documentary and Book

First-time director Faythe Levine traveled across the U.S. in 2006 to document what she calls “the new wave of art, craft, and design” in America. What resulted from this journey is Handmade Nation, the much anticipated documentary and it’s accompanying book available through Amazon.
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Easter Craft Ideas

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Parents Magazine has a few Easter craft ideas to entertain and delight your children.

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