crafty for christmas 2008

rainmac

money_saving_diva wrote: »

Hi all, I am sorry this is going off the subject but craft fairs were mentioned and I have a query.....if anyone can help? I have always made cards for friends and family and made my wedding staitonery etc. I am now a stay at home mum and when I get a minute or two (?!) I have always planned to make a stock of cards to try and sell - ideally at a craft fair. What do you have to do to get a stand and how/or do you declare what you earn (IF you earn anything??!) Do I have to set myself up as self employed and start my own business??!

Yes that is what you are supposed to do cos you would be working for yourself. It is easy to set up, just contact your tax office. What is harder is working out what is profit/income after taking all your costs into account. I think the tax office run free sessions to help you with this sort of stuff. As for getting stalls, be careful because some craft fairs want you to have your own public liability insurance and this can be expensive. There are other places to sell where your 'stall' costs are minimal such as a school fete, give a box of cards to a couple of friends to sell at work (you would prbably get commissions that way too)... Have you thought about selling online? www.artymiss.co.uk has a sellers section that is free to list handmade items and there's always ebay.

Good luck, hope that helps!

rainmac

sethsgran wrote: »

I am making one of these for my grandson which will include photos of his cousins aunts uncles etc. He will be almost 3 at christmas and he loves to look at books and photos....

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/744999?cat=10057

Love these sethsgran! Good luck making yours, lovely idea.

melissa75_2

I finally got round to scrapbooking last night. I made my 1st one - a little accordion book. It's a present for my Mum for xmas. I am really bitten by the bug now, and I want to make more and more. I'll post some pics later, I really loved doing it and it wasn't as hard as I thought!

melissa75_2

Hello, I've got a few bits to show everyone. I was in Woolworths today and I picked up these notebooks on offer. I thought I could decorate them, the cover is a hardbacked one, and the pages inside are lined.

Next I picked up one of the keepsake boxes from Home Bargains for £1.99 that I am planning on decorating and filling with handmade cards as xmas presents.

I wanted to show everyone the inside as it has a shelf that comes out. Its a lovely strong box that you could use for a keepsake box.

Next, I finished my first scrapbook yesterday, here's one page:

And another:

The scrapbook is going to my Mum for xmas.

mary43

Think I'll be trotting off to our woolworths tomorrow to see if they've got any notebooks in. I want to do a scrapbook for baby grandson for the end of this year and they can work out a bit costly if you buy the proper ones. Nice as they are I can't really afford it but I do have the paper and stuff to decorate a cheap notebook.
Love the mementobox............have to find out where there's a Home Bargains round here.I know we've not got one in town..........or maybe I could revamp an old stationary box ?

rainmac

Hi Melissa, don't know why you were worried about your scrapbooking abilities, those pages are fab!!! Bet you can't wait to get cracking on the next one! Did you find it easy to do, how did you decide what pics to put where and with what words/embellishments?

Also love the baby box - could you use the divider bit to separate cards from envelopes maybe? I've started making a few cards with the view that I'll give them as presents. Using the issue of Lets Make Cards I bought and other bits and bobs I had already. Made 6 last night - really enjoyed it! Will post pics once I've made a few more :T

rainmac

mary43 wrote: »

Think I'll be trotting off to our woolworths tomorrow to see if they've got any notebooks in. I want to do a scrapbook for baby grandson for the end of this year and they can work out a bit costly if you buy the proper ones. Nice as they are I can't really afford it but I do have the paper and stuff to decorate a cheap notebook.
Love the mementobox............have to find out where there's a Home Bargains round here.I know we've not got one in town..........or maybe I could revamp an old stationary box ?

Mary, the Home Bargains website has a store finder which should help you find your nearest one - well worth a trip...;)

http://www.homebargains.co.uk/

sammy_kaye18

I think i will be nipping into woolworths today to graba few of those notebooks too - can see a mad rush coming on - everyones buying notebooks!

The baby box is gorgeous too. Really must get a move on with my crafts

im hoping to make my 10 year old nephew an 'Artimus Foul' reading hamper - he is mad abotu the books and loves sitting to read - it also seems to be helping his ADHD/Aspergers adn Autism too and keeps him quiet so my mother in law is getting some peace.

melissa75_2

I thought the notebooks were a good buy, I mean you can pay a fortune for a notebook with a nice cover. I had a look in whsmiths and they had some lovely stuff, but its so expensive.
Rainmac - I know I can't wait to get more stuff. I've bid on a few items on ebay, but now obsession has taken hold and I want loads! Once I got started I found it quite easy. It was great having the kit because everything matched easily.
I thought about putting the cards on the top shelf of the box, and the envelopes on the bottom, and maybe tying the bundles in some fancy ribbon - I need ribbon now! I'm just not sure what to decorate the box with? I'll need some big papers. I saw some chipboard letters that I thought of putting on the top to spell out the recipients name.

MrsSambora

so excited i found this thread! decided to make home made gifts this christmas, is it too early to start do you think??:j

bought these bottles on ebay yesterday http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SET-4-DECORATIVE-GLASS-SPANISH-STYLE-WINE-BOTTLES-CORK_W0QQitemZ380037187297QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item380037187297&_trkparms=72%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

am planning to ttempt to make some flavoured vodka or something to put in them. Thought they were lovely and unusual and seller still has some left. If link doesnt work ebay item number is 380037187297