[Nfb-krafters-korner] sales and organization
Diane
dianefilipe at comcast.net
Wed Aug 8 21:46:38 UTC 2012
Holy cow!
I want a studio like your!
Diane
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ramona Walhof" <ramona.walhof at gmail.com>
To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2012 12:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] sales and organization
> Lynda, this is a dissertation
> from a professional. We should keep it somewhere to bring out for the
> next questioner so you don't have to rewrite it. Most of us don't reach
> this level of organization or do this much work. Butg you are a great
> yard stick for us all.
>
> Ramona----- Original Message -----
> From: "River Woman" <riverwoman at zoominternet.net>
> To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2012 7:54 AM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] sales and organization
>
>
>> Sounds like you are on a mission to really be organized, Terry! Good for
>> you and lots of great ideas here.
>>
>> Here are some of my tips for organization of art/craft things:
>>
>> YARN:
>> My yarn is organized in my fibers studio/office which is a room off by
>> itself. It used to be a back porch many years ago, and my husband tore
>> down the porch and built a room there and made it far larger than the
>> porch used to be. It steps down from my kitchen and is very private and
>> not part of my house. I love it.
>>
>> On two walls, he put in shelves that hold slide out drawers that are
>> transparent. I bought them at Dollar General for about $6. each. There
>> are 25 of these pullout drawers. Each is about 12 x 15 inches and 7
>> inches deep. They are wonderful and keep my yarns clean and safe. I have
>> quite a large STASH, as you can imagine. Since I can see contrasts if
>> they are very large, I made a sign for each box - white paper with large
>> black marker on it. I put this sign right inside the front of the drawer
>> so it shows up very well when the drawer is closed. I can see each sign
>> so I know what kind of yarn is in my drawer.
>>
>> (cotton; acrylic; fun fur; novelty yarns; Noro; lace; mohair, etc.)
>>
>> In addition to those shelves and drawers, I also have containers that
>> have three shelves in them, stacked one upon the other. Since those
>> drawers are not as deep as the single ones, I can keep knitting and
>> sewing implements in them, threads, and other smaller items. I really
>> like to have like things with like things - it makes life so much easier!
>>
>> We also bought a shelf unit from Home Depot and it was only about $25.
>> and it has five shelves on it - goes from floor to about 2 1/2 feet from
>> the ceiling. It is about 4 feet wide. On these shelves I have placed all
>> the three drawer containers, and lots of shoe box sized single
>> containers.
>>
>> On the bottom shelf of this unit I have binders - bought at Staples. In
>> the binders are my knitting patterns. I have a separate binder for each
>> kind of item. Example: Scarves; shawls; childrens' jackets; etc.) And,
>> finally, in archival storage boxes (bought from Graphic Dimensions mail
>> order or website) I have all my knitting magazines. Each is stored by
>> type in these archival boxes.
>>
>> Another good item was purchased at the Dollar General. I bought lots of
>> containers that look like they would hold cupckes. They stack very nicely
>> one on top of the other. I can put four of these containers in one
>> stack - they are fantastic and I love them. They have lids that snap
>> into place so they are wonderful for putting projects in - this way I can
>> just pick up a container and I have everything I need for my project
>> right there in that container.
>>
>> For the Beads:
>> I am currently having a studio built for just my beading equipment and a
>> place to work where nothing is disturbed and I can just be alone to work.
>> I have a really nice room in the lower level of the house where I used to
>> paint and do printmaking a long time ago. Bob is going to build a new
>> hardwood floor in that room (it is concrete now) and I will have it
>> painted a bright cheery color (yellow) and can then have all my bead
>> stuff in one place. It is maddening right now as my bead stuff is spread
>> out in three places! I long to have it all in one place.Right now, I am
>> working on the dining room table - and it is covered with beads all the
>> time - so when I am getting company or a business call, I have to clear
>> off my table - and that is driving my crazy! lol
>>
>> Bead Storage: All beads are stored in segmented containers which were
>> purchased at JoAnns. They are containers that have individual segments so
>> I can put like beads with like beads in those. Example: jade, malachite,
>> onyx, etc.) I do not mix types of beads but keep each separate for easy
>> use in the future.
>>
>> Right now, all my beads are stored in a different building - my pottery
>> studio. I have shelves there, with doors on them, so that everything
>> stays pretty clean. These will be moved into the bead studio once Bob
>> gets it built - cannot wait for that.
>>
>> Pottery Studio:
>> In my pottery studio everything is stored on those shelves I bought at
>> Home Depot. or in closed containers and stacked on the floor. Again, I do
>> not mix things. A container will have only one type of item in it.
>> Example: Bowls; Vases; Egg plates; etc.) This studio is on the second
>> floor of a barn shaped building on my property - it is perfect for
>> pottery making. Making pottery is a very dirty business - so it does not
>> matter how dirty the space gets up there, though I do keep it as clean as
>> possible and clean up after every session.
>>
>> As for selling things, I no longer do any kind of craft show or artist
>> markets, with the exception of two in November - I sell my work only in
>> galleries or museums, and normally it is a one person show, or a small
>> group show that I do. I did do artist's festivals for about 10 years.
>> These are normally not very profitable and require immense work to set up
>> and tear down tents and displays - not worth the effort and time and
>> dealing with rain, wind, and intense heat outdoors. Ugh!
>>
>> MONEY:
>> One tip I highly recommend is that you price your items in rounded off
>> numbers - so you are dealing only with bills and not making change. It is
>> very smart to sell something for a rounded off number - you don't have to
>> waste time making change, and you don't have to fiddle around with
>> carrying coins - a nuisance. And, I learned to add in the tax and just
>> round the price up to include the tax so that you don't have to fiddle
>> around with adding it on at the festival - this way, a person knows
>> exactly how much the itmes cost right up front, and not have to worry
>> about how much it will be with tax. Make things as easy for you and your
>> customer as you can.
>>
>> I highly recommend that you take credit cards through your I-Phone. You
>> will have far more sales if you take credit cards. Using your phone puts
>> the money directly into your BANK ACCOUNT, right away.
>>
>> Smart tips to increase sales:
>>
>> When I had a one person show last year at a museum, I had five people in
>> charge of my sales. This way, I could greet the guests, discuss my work,
>> and enjoy my opening. I did not have to worry about anything - the five
>> people made all the sales. One person was in charge of all credit card
>> sales using her I-Phone. Another person was in charge of cash sales -
>> only whole numbers, so not need for change or writing up taxes, etc.
>>
>> Two people in charge of wrapping and packaging all items sold. (The
>> major pieces are not taken home that night, but are on display in the
>> gallery for a month. But, a very smart thing to do is to have a display
>> area where you are selling smaller items and those things can be taken
>> home that night. Those items ranged from $20 - 100.) We sell tons of
>> things this way - people love to take something home with them from the
>> show that night.
>> Larger items in the gallery are taken home when the show has ended - they
>> come back to the gallery and pick up the work from the office there. All
>> work is paid for up front on the night of the opening or when a person
>> visits the show during that month. Once the work is paid for, then a red
>> sticker is placed on the name card beside the piece - so everyone knows
>> the work is SOLD. It is motivating and encourages sales - people get
>> excited when they see lots of red stickers and it makes THEM want a piece
>> of my work, too!
>>
>> Each of the five people who work at my sales come in and out of the
>> gallery during the entire evening - putting up red stickers on the sold
>> items.
>> The attendance at my last solo show was record breaking for the gallery -
>> largest attendance in the 25 years the director has been there. and she
>> said I had the highest sales in the galleries history. So my methods work
>> very well. I am prepareing right now for a six person exhibition that
>> will open in October. We'll do the same sales tactics at this show, too.
>> If it ain't broke, then don't fix it.
>>
>> OK, passing along these thought to you today in hopes something here
>> might help you. Blessings and have a sparkley day. Lynda River Woman
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Lynda Lambert
>> River Road Studio, Since 1976
>> Village of Wurtemburg, PA 16117
>>
>> Visit my Web Site at: http://lyndalambert.com
>> Visit my Blog at: http://www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
>>
>> www.lyndalambert.com
>> www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Powers, Terry (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E]" <Terry.Powers at nih.gov>
>> To: "'List for blind crafters and artists'"
>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2012 8:29 AM
>> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] sales and organization
>>
>>
>>>
>>> I am in the midts of sourting out all my yarn and organizing it. I got
>>> 2 book cases that were my nieces, that are broken down into squares.
>>> Thay came from Target and you can buy folding baskets to fit in the
>>> squares of the book case. I bought different colored baskets to go
>>> along with most of my yarn colors. I have blue for blue, red for red
>>> and yellow, green for green, purple for purple, and I have not desided
>>> what colors I will use for cotton or thick and quick or verigated yarn.
>>> I am working on getting my beads in one location even if they are not
>>> labeled.
>>> Also, I found the Id mate will read some yarn colors, especially the
>>> Lion brand 3 and 4 ply.
>>>
>>> I am just getting started, using the pen friend, to make labels for
>>> yarn. This is good, because the labels can be erased and used again. I
>>> bought plastic lables from the NFB, but later thought of using the
>>> plastic name badge holders for my pen friend labels. They can be cliped
>>> to an item or wrapped around an item or just put in a plastic bag of
>>> yarn.
>>> Identifying beads is the hard job. dimo tape does not stick for long!
>>>
>>> When selling items, usually at an NFB function, I use index cards and
>>> braille a description and the price. I also print the price for the
>>> sighted. Remember, they can see the item, so the description is for the
>>> blind and for me to identify the item. Some items are to small to label
>>> or the label would hide the item, so I do not label them. These are
>>> ornaments and I can identify them by feal and looking at them, closely
>>> for color, if necessary.
>>>
>>> Money;
>>> Somewhere, I came upon a whalet that has 3 large zippers, so I can
>>> organize my bills and change. It is pretty large, but can fit in a
>>> large pocket or bag and I do not have the hassle of opening a register
>>> each time. The mo ney is in my hands, all the time. No one can reach
>>> over the table and grab from the register.
>>>
>>> Set up
>>> I try to set up my table with all related items, together. I put small
>>> items in containers, so they will not fall off the table and get lost or
>>> get mixed up. I find this keeps my table, neet and orderly.
>>>
>>> Hope some of these ideas help, someone.
>>> Any ideas on organizing beads?
>>>
>>> Terry P.
>>>
>>>
>>> Theresa L. Powers (Terry)
>>> Grants Clerk
>>> Tobacco Control Research Branch
>>> NIH/NCI/DCCPS/BRP/TCRB/DEAS
>>> 6130 Executive Blvd, MSC 7337
>>> EPN 4039B
>>> Bethesda, MD 20892-7337
>>>
>>> Rockville, MD 20852-7337 (express mail)
>>>
>>> Phone: 301-496-8584
>>> FAX: 301-496-8675
>>> E-mail: terry.powers at nih.gov<mailto:terry.powers at nih.gov>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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