Gabs Fundraiser 2: Gaza

Well, as promised, the next instalment of this weekend's events: the St Gabriel's Hall Fundraiser. This year, the money is going to a charity that will set up water pumps in Gaza and therefore supply fresh water to school and hospitals in the area.

Last year, we raised money for the Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief. I offered to sell my cards at the event and the rest, as they say, is history. I got such a buzz from selling them that I had to do more so I found craft fairs and kept making cards - I was making so many that there was no way I could just send them by myself. 

Japanese Fundraiser - 2012

Gaza Fundraiser - 2013

So this year, I had to do it again. The only difference was that I had about 12 months experience this time around. It was interesting to look back and see just how much that experience had changed me and my cards. It's a bit like spot the difference looking at these two pictures!
I think the main thing that has definitely improved is my presentation - my cards now come pre packaged although, ironically, I'm taking them out of the wrapper to display them. I also have my lovely boxes to display - and store - all my cards. 

The event was - from my end of it anyway - a success, although it was quieter than last year and  I didn't sell as many this time around. I was also sharing a table with a girl that lives just down the corridor from me. I learnt today that she makes beautiful jewellery. She was explaining how she used to do it but stopped when doing her A-level and would only make pieces to give to friends for their birthdays. It sounded so familiar that I couldn't help but smiling! Between the two of us, our table raise £100. There is still the henna, food, entrance and a few other bits to be added to that tally so I can't wait to hear what the final count is - I will make sure to put it up on Facebook when I find out.

I also donated one of my paper pieced pictures - the Emma one - to the little market we also had going this evening. I noticed that it was snapped up very quickly, funnily enough, by the girl who did a lovely henna design on the back of my hand. 

Overall it was a really good evening and I even got to have a go at apple-bobbing - something I haven't done since I was in Brownies. It was just as well I wasn't wearing any make-up! I also got to try some delicious Spanish food - empanada and paella.

I should probably call it a night now, back to the day job, aka my studies, tomorrow. *Sigh. It's nice to have a break every now and then.

Back in the Game!

I was going to write about this weekend, well, once the weekend had finished but I decided that today's event needed a post all to itself. Besides, tomorrow's a pretty big day as well!

As you who are on my Facebook page will know (and those of you who aren't, why aren't you??), today was the first Manchester Maker's Market down in Fallowfield. I had high hopes for today, especially as the majority of the students at the universities live in or very near Fallowfield, hell, nearly all my friends live closer to the venue than I do! So I was looking forward to a good day.

It was a slow start. A very slow start. But being a Saturday morning/early afternoon it's not really that surprising when the average age of the local area is probably something like 25?? It soon picked up though and I even made a few sales! I think I've come the conclusion that it was probably my best fair yet (Victoria Baths was so incredible that non could compete so I've had to take it out the running!).

This is hopefully going to be a monthly or every-other-monthly event so I will definitely be signing up to the next one - it can only get better once word about it gets out!

I had a go at some different things on my stall today. The first of these was adding some height to my table. I did this by taking along boxes and with the spare fabric on my table cloth, to cover them up. It was an improvement but I really think I need a set of shelves or something similar. And bunting! Bunting looks so good around a stall . . . I might have to look into it. Where was I?
Right, different levels. Having this box on my table meant that I had a special place to put some of my products. 

Which leads me onto my next change. I had a revelation. What if I displayed all my Alice in Wonderland items together! Had the cards next to the frame! Why I never thought of this sooner I don't know but it looked good and caught people's attention. Although now I'm left with four Queen of Hearts and one Dormouse card as all the others have gone. Note to self: Make more. Especially Cheshire Cats.

The other thing I tried today was having some of my cards on display. Not in their plastic wrappers. I created mini displays on my table by using gift bags I had lying around my room. Trying to get them to co-ordinate was fun though! This, like the Alice in Wonderland display, looked quite good and it didn't deter buyers so I think this is something I am going to stick with as well. 

I mentioned tomorrow at the start of this entry. Tomorrow is the St Gabriel's Hall Fundraiser which, as some of you know, is the reason I am here today. But I will save all this for tomorrow evening - yes, I am spoiling you with two posts this weekend!

Valentine's Day

My life has fallen into chaos with all the work I have to do so once again, another over due post (this one should have gone out on Thursday, if you couldn't guess).

Valentine's Day - or Single Awareness Day, depending on your relationship status - is probably one of the biggest days of the year for card shops, florists and, these days, anyone in the commercial industry. I think it's safe to say that I have now experienced Valentine's Day on three levels: single, taken and for the first time this year, on the other side of the shop counter (so to speak).
As you know from my last post, I had a craft fair a couple of weeks ago so naturally, I had to make a handful of V-Day cards for that. Word is spreading through my halls about my cards so as well as selling (very few) cards at the fair, I also sold some from the comfort of my own room. 

I'm not going to lie though, making lots of what I see as rather personal cards, was quite odd. The few times that I had sent a Valentine's card, it was more that just another card so making some that were for other people to send to their Valentines seemed quite strange. I didn't have any commissions, just the ones that I had made while watching TV in the evenings.

I guess I should probably share some now shouldn't I? Bring on the Hall of Cards . . . 

 I have now reached that point when if I am stuck for inspiration, I make an owl card to fit with that theme. I already have my design for Mother's Day!

 I really liked these two cards. I only had a couple of the heart embellishments otherwise I would have made more. I found the red, white and black colour scheme worked quite well for Valentine's cards. 

I was surprised that the calligraphy cards I made didn't sell. I only made two - the other one said Be Mine - but I thought, for something a bit different . . . ah well.
I plan on making lots more using calligraphy soon, especially for this weekend's fairs*.

Another owl one, yes, I know but I had to have two owls on a Valentine's Day card. I told a lie before; I did get a commission, from mum. She wanted an owl card but the two I had previously made had already gone so I had to make another one.











*That wasn't a typo, that 'fairs' was definitely a plural. Well when I say fairs, one of them is the new Manchester Maker's Market happening on Saturday. The event on Sunday isn't strictly a fair but is quite an important one for me: the St Gabriel's Annual Fundraiser. Those of you who have been with me from the beginning might remember that is was because of last year's fundraiser that I am where I am today, although don't go getting the birthday cards out yet though, the fundraiser is earlier this year!

Yet Another Flop

I was going to post this on Sunday but technical difficulties got in the way and I was laptop-less until yesterday. So here it is, a little late but here non the less.

Saturday's craft fair, if you hadn't guessed from the blog title, was a bit of a fail. I was there in plenty of time and I had a nice stall set up - like many of the other stalls - there was just no one about. I even bought my pretty heart shaped fairy lights because it'll be Valentine's Day soon.

The fair did give me a couple of things to think about with my stall (the learning curve is forever . . . er . . .curving?) and luckily - and as per usual - I had my trusty sketchbook on hand to make notes.

The first thing was that I should probably invest in a rack or small shelving unit to display my cards. This way, I can play around a bit more with my stall and try different layouts. 

To go along with this was the idea that I shouldn't wrap all of my cards up and leave some of them as display cards so people can see what they look like as cards - it's all very well showing them in the plastic wrapper but having them stood up on the table also gives me more options to play around with my display.

The other idea I had is a bit bitter. It came from watching the cake stall across from manage to get about 95% of the people to go over to her stall. How? She offered free samples. Rather than waiting for people to wander over and have a look, she invited them over with the promise of free samples. Yes I am slightly bitter about this but it's a technique that obviously works so I might try by putting chocolates or sweets in a dish on my stall. Even if it fails, it gives me something to munch on during the day!

I was able to keep myself occupied at the deathly quiet fair by doing a bit of crafting - treated myself to an extra magazine this month (those damn owls got the better of my once again, this time in the form of some really cute stamps) so I got to play around with the free gift. 

I was also productive in an architecture student sense by reading some Ruskin.

I was extra good and did a bit of networking as well by taking a wander and talking to the other crafters, picking up a couple of business cards while I was at it, although I still need to take a look on Facebook.

Despite the flop of last weekend, when I was able to get back on my laptop yesterday, I was greeted by a lovely e-mail about a new maker's market happening just down the road from me at the end of the month. Obviously, I replied immediately and I already have the form to book my place. One thing that this one definitely has going for it is that it is in student central so hopefully there will be plenty of people. Handmade is SO in right now!

Digital Cards

My Final Design

It's a little bit late into the New Year to be posting Christmas cards but I wanted to share a special project that my mum commissioned. She wanted to send very simple Christmas cards out to friends and family this year and asked me to design one. As it was to be mass produced, my only option was to use my computer to design a digital card. Having never really done anything like this on a semi-professional level before was exciting and a little be challenging, so with my trusty sketchbook in hand, I made a start designing it.
Mum had wanted a simple dove on the front of the card so first things first, I had to try and draw one that didn't look too odd - birds have never been my strong point! I was able to scan it in and get it onto Photoshop  to edit it and make it look pretty. The great thing I found about making digital cards, is that you don't have to worry about finding the right design first time. There is a wonderful thing called the undo button! I was also able to come up with a few designs and email them onto mum so that she could pick the one she liked the most. She was then able to get them printed. The money she saved from buying cards was then donated to the flood relief fund as my area was hit pretty bad by the flooding in November.

Don't worry though! I am still sticking to my handmade cards but that option is available for mass produced cards - my mum sends a LOT of Christmas cards!

Progress

Hello, stranger!

I have barely had time to breathe since coming back to the big city. It feels like I've been back far longer than the eight days it's been. Unfortunately, lack of breathing - apart from not being good for you - means lack of card making. My total count this year is a pathetic 3, although that will be going up to 4 this evening (a friend's birthday). 'Tis not good! I have however been on the prowl for craft fairs and written myself a lil' old business plan. 

But first the craft fairs. All but paid and filled in the form for one 3rd February so if you are in the area, come and have a gander. I also found a few farmers markets which happen on a regular basis so I might try and get onto one of those. Whilst looking though, many of the craft fairs/markets want stall holders to have Public and Product Liability insurance. I have heard of this before but it's not been something that I have properly looked into. Business-wise, Made by Emma is still in it's early days, but I think I will have to start thinking about it soon, if only so that I can get stalls at fairs and markets.

I finally had a bit of a chilled evening earlier in the week, which allowed me to go back over the notes from the self-employment workshop I went too and start on my business plan. It's basically a Word Document which says what I do and, what I think is the interesting bit, my future plans. Sure, it's really just a posh, long term version of my New Year's resolutions but it was good to see it all written down on paper and now I have something that I can refer back too. 

I have three deadlines, so to speak: Within my first year, so goals to achieve by March; A year from now, goals to have achieved by this time next year; and within 3 years, this time in 2016. My - very - short term targets are to get at least two more craft fairs (getting sorted) and to get some proper business cards printed - not just the black and white paper ones I have at the moment.

Anyhow, must dash, I have a birthday card to make before I head out to celebrate said friend's birthday.

Toodle Pip!

2013: Bring It On

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I had the week off from card making and I haven't actually made a card this year (Fear not, this will soon be amended!). I haven't been totally lazy so far this year; I've been trying to think about my resolutions and what I want to achieve this year. Having already celebrated my first Christmas, so to speak, 2013 should be pretty exciting. I will have been going 1 year in March - and to think this time last year Made by Emma only existed as a label on the back of my cards!

So, on with the resolutions:

1 - I aim to attend at least one craft fair a month. The difficulty with this is trying to find local fairs but I shall endeavour. Finding the time should be, well, I'll cope.
2 - NETWORK! After the workshop I went to back in November, I set up a LinkedIn account and I have to be honest, I still haven't really got a clue on how it works. Not that I have been on it any time recently (oops). So that is another of my targets, to meet more people and to network more.
3 - This one is more of a goal more than a target and kind of linked with the last one: to reach 300 likes on my Facebook page which technically should be do-able, considering that I have 151 in less that a year (https://www.facebook.com/madebyemmacards - in case you have forgotten! Hint hint wink wink nudge nudge). And while we're on the topic of followers/likes/etc, I'm aiming for 100+ on Twitter and 50+ on Tumblr.
4 - Attend the Manchester Entrepreneurs meetings. I found the society purely by accident and decided it would be a good idea to go along. It will make my Tuesdays unbearably long but bear it I must!
5 - Generally be (even) more productive, whilst keeping the work/study/life ratio in balance. This will, of course, include regular blog posts - I feel like there has been some neglection recently which is never good.

With those now written down (and mainly for me to refer to!), no doubt, I will think up some more to add to the list. 12 months (ish) from now, I plan on looking back at these and seeing how far I have come and whether I achieved them or not.

Is it ok to be excited about all of this?