My Favorite Word Meme

Although I've been blogging for over a year, I'm still not quite sure how these meme things get started. LOL So I thought I'd start one of my own, short and sweet - nothing too complicated!

Here's how it goes - once you're tagged write a short blog post about your favorite word, and what makes it your favorite. Of course you can have more than one! Be as long-winded as you like! Just make sure to copy & paste this text into your post, and tag four friends!

My favorite word is luminous. I love the feel it evokes, and how many different things it can describe. It implies a quality of light that's soft, ethereal even. It makes me think of jellyfish and moonlight. I find most silk fabrics to have a luminous quality to them, something about the sheen and luster in the way they drape is so soft and pretty. Glass is another material I often find luminous, it can have so many different colors and textures and still pass light beautifully through it.

I'm tagging June, Karrie, Shirley and Star. Can't wait to hear your favorite words, ladies! :D

Whiplash - Altered Knitting Bag

Although I'm very creative and can come up with lots of things to make on my own; my favorite kind of craft lately is taking an item that might be a little bland, and making it perfect for me and my needs. I call it perfunctional crafting, because I love making things both more personal and functional at the same time. LOL This is my entry in June's Whiplash - Introduce Yourself.

When I first got this bag (for Christmas from my husband,) I thought it looked a little plain. The color was really nice, but it was just a plain solid. It has a bit of texture with a diagonal weave, but other than that - a little vanilla on the outside. Nothing really wrong, just not quite "me" yet. LOL Then, I spotted it on Craft Daisies, with some upgrades! And I knew I had to make mine really "mine!"

I had the fabric for a few months, for another home dec project, and had tons leftover. It's not a quite a barkcloth, but still a very stiff fabric. Not necessarily great for bulgy items, but perfect for patterns - they've never sat correctly inside the bag, with my knitting & yarn. Voila! Perfect pattern pocket for my knitting bag! LOL I sewed up the open side first, and then used fusible tape to attach it to the bag. I'm lucky it opens tightly, otherwise I would've had to hand sew the pocket into place. Blegh! (Can you tell how I feel about hand sewing? LOL) Even still, fusing the pocket down was a little tricky, and I managed to scorch the fabric slightly. Good thing it's a beige background with darker beige and mocha accents, it's not terribly noticeable.

At first, I couldn't decide what to do with the second side. The more I thought about it, though - I didn't want to clash with the print of the mod fabric. But I still wanted something really unique, jazzy & cool. I think I managed to pull those off, carrying the print up behind the second pocket, in only one repeat. Trying to explain it to my husband was a little tricky, and I didn't even really know what it would look like before I cut the piece out & pinned it in place. I was very pleased when I did though, because it turns out I like it even more than I thought I would! LOL

I used more fusible tape to attach the second pocket, and then used fabric glue to attach the print repeat behind & above it (so I could get it just right!) I think it turned out beautifully, and I'm really pleased with it. I love being able to personalize things, and make them work better for my needs. What mass-produced item could ever fit everyone perfectly? I say none, so tweak, twist, recycle and redo what you have to make it better!

First Ravelry Swap - Tree Branch Earrings

It's been a while since I made any Tree Branch Jewelry. I wrote the tutorial out last year, and had great plans of adding jewelry to my Etsy store. Well, it's been a few months since then, and I've taken a step back from the store; but I'm super excited to get back to making these. I messaged Amy on Ravelry, about her Douceur et Soie yarn (Ravelry has this great feature where you can mark your yarn for sale or trade.) She didn't need any extra yarn, and honestly I don't have that much of anything great in my stash, at least that I'd be willing to part with. LOL

She was interested in Tree Branch earrings though, and one of her favorite colors is Robin's egg blue. Ok, I'll confess… I have a few kinds of Robin's egg beads in my stash. LOL It's probably the color I have the most of, in different sizes & materials. I had the perfect little beads for her, although I'm not sure if they're glass or gemstone. They could be Swarovski, although I'm not that familiar with their color palette. I think they look quite nice with the sterling silver wire and findings, though. And they have me jazzed to add them to the store eventually, we'll just have to see how long it takes me to get my act together on that one! LOL

These are not the actual earrings I sent to Amy, I'll confess I liked them so much when I was making the first pair, that I had to make a second for myself. What can I say? I'm a sucker for Tiffany blue! (Totally, utterly gullible that is! LOL) She shipped the yarn out so fast, I wanted to make sure she wasn't waiting too long for her earrings, and I knew I'd just have to make another pair for me! LOL

Business Tips?!?!?!?

Quickie no-pic post today, I've got bunches of important stuff to finish this week. I just wanted to pose the question to all of you starting your own crafty businesses out there. Do all of your family and friends tell you how to run your business too? It's been really surprising to me, when I tell people that I'm starting a business; just how many of them have something to say about how I have to run my business. That's not to say I don't appreciate the advice, but it seems as if every single person I tell (who's not in the crafty blog-o-sphere,) thinks that I need some advice about my business. I should make big-ticket items to pump up the profit, I have to pitch to stores to make the sales, and for the most part - that sales equal success. I don't think that I'd want a wholesale order for 200 tsumami kanzashi flower snaps tomorrow. It'd be overwhelming and exhausting, because my products are so time & labor intensive to produce.

That's not to say I don't want to make more sales; far from it, actually. But what's important to me is what I get out of the experience, because I've already learned in my short life that money doesn't equal happiness. I want to feel satisfied with myself, and I just don't think running my business anybody else's way is right for me, right now. I don't know if it will stay this way forever, but right now I'm defining my own success. I guess I just wish that was easier for other people to see and understand. I've often felt like people derive their own interpretations and perspective on things, and that can sometimes alienate and isolate people (i.e. me.)

I wonder why people focus on what I'm doing wrong with my business, instead of the things that are more positive. I know it's tough to sell on the internet, I'm no dummy after all! LOL I also know a brand new kind of product coupled with being a brand new seller means I have the odds stacked against me. But I know I'm in it for the long haul, and that whatever it takes and wherever it takes me, I'll be there. Fighting my own fight, because that's what makes me feel like I'm being truest to myself, and those goals I've set myself on. (Wow, that sounded like Rocky climbing those damn stairs!!!) My highest goal is simply quality, across the board - I want to produce a quality product, sell it with a quality experience, and enjoy a quality of experience for myself within making and selling. I know it's a lofty goal, but to me that's more important than selling hundreds of dollars of product, or even having hundreds of sales. I want to get something out of it too; not just work my poor fingers to the bone for other people's enjoyment.

Any thoughts on starting your own crafty business? Please feel free to share, here or you can email me at - Crafty NOSPACE Ginger AT gmail DOT com.

A Tree Scarf and a Baby Dwarf Shrub!

When I recently found out I'd be meeting June, I knew I wanted to make her something but I also didn't have a lot of time. I've been trying to get my fabric stash cleaned up, and when I ran across just enough brown fleece to make a Tree scarf I knew it'd be perfect for her. One of the easiest sewing projects I've ever done, the soft fleece and added tsumami kanzashi flower snap are sure to please! (I hope! *crosses fingers*) She's on her way to Chicago right now, and I get to sneaky-post her surprise! Hahaha!

For a few scarves I've even added a beaded butterfly, although I sadly didn't have the time to get one done for June by today. (June, if you'd like I'd be more than happy to make one for you, just let me know what your 2 favorite colors are!) I've really enjoyed the nature theme developing in my crafting over the last year. Organic shapes are very forgiving of mistakes, they blend in or even add character to the finished object. It's tough for me to accept mistakes when it comes to my work, so having to work with them has been both interesting and challenging. I like the freedom, but it's also intimidating a lot of times. It's easy for me to work towards perfect, because that's a definable goal (at least most of the time;) the harder part is accepting flaws as part of life, and even working with them. I guess that's why I find my affinity for nature growing at an exponential rate! LOL

I got a dwarf lilac shrub from Park Seed a week ago, and I'm anxiously awaiting it's first bloom. I know it'll take longer than I want, but I still look it over every time I go into my kitchen. Hehe. Sorry for the sucky light levels...

I Can't Believe it's June...

…and I get to meet June, of Crafty Bits @ Planet June! LOL I'm picking her up from O'Hare on Friday afternoon, and I have to cross my fingers that construction traffic won't be too bad. Who am I kidding, it'll be horrible… but I'm still super-psyched! LOL I'm lucky enough to not have to brave Chicago rush hour traffic on a regular basis, though. Make that, very lucky to not have to brave it! My husband uses the train as much as he can, to drive into the city from how far out we live can take 3 hours in rush hour traffic (only 35 miles! And it really should be "Rush hours"!!!) Nuts, I know…

Please forgive my recent blog-flakiness, I love posting more than I have been able to recently. But, I've had some catching up to do on my "Spring" cleaning, and most of my crafty projects have been swappy surprises lately. (I have another one for June, but you'll have to wait til Friday!) I already spilled the doll quilt surprise, and felt a little bummed for it. I have to remember that I still think it was worth it to enter Whiplash this month, I've been too busy to play lately, and that had me a little bummed too. (I use the term "Spring" very lightly here, I've been cleaning my kitchen up. A couple Saturdays ago I cleaned out my pantry, and this past Saturday I did the fridge.)

Plus, I have some decisions to make about my store in the near future. More than half of my inventory has expired in the last month, and I don't know if I want to simply relist it as-is, or spiffy up the text or pictures. I've also been flirting with the thought of just using that stock as craft fair fodder. I've been wanting to do one since my sister did one last November. I've also noticed the trend of a lot of crafters who work on products the night before the show. Not trying to make anyone feel bad, but I want to be more prepared; and I wonder if pre-made stock will help me do that.

I also wonder if I should donate them as prizes for a Craftster board challenge or Whiplash; or maybe even hold a contest here on my blog. They seem to be all the rage lately, I just wish I could come up with a question or theme! LOL

It's not as if I want to stop working on my store altogether, I just need a break. All I've been doing the last couple months is making myself feel bad, and it's left me exhausted and completely drained. Life doesn't go the way we want sometimes (ok, alot! LOL) and I've been too stubborn to admit it, and reevaluate where I'm at and where I want to be with both my crafting and business. Time to take a step back and relax!

Ravelry Rocks Hard!!!

A few weeks ago I got my Ravelry invite, and I quickly dove in. Unfortunately it's still in Beta right now, but they have an official sneak peek page up - here, so those of you still waiting for your invites can check it out. It's pretty amazing, and if you're a knitter and haven't heard about it, go check it out! LOL There's a home for everything, and everything in it's home! Now I wish there was a Ravelry for my sewing projects, beading and Blythe projects!



Don't get me wrong, I like Craftster and a few other forum style boards, but after being exposed to Ravelry, they seem so Web1.0 compared to Ravelry's Web2.0 style. (No BBC code! LOL) Browse anything you want, any way you want, leave comments on project, pattern or yarn pages, queue up projects you want to work on next and reorder them easily. Share the projects you're working on, finished or given up on, and meet new people interested in the same stuff you are. Flickr pictures are integrated, meaning no waiting for photo uploads! (Blog posts are integrated, too!) I'm so in love with Ravelry right now, can you tell? LOL



What I love the most is the visual control I have, over my projects in progress, yarn stash and To Knit Next list; I can look at one page and see it all in one place. Before, I'd try and make text lists, or lists on my computer with that sort of info. Listing all the yarns in my stash was daunting, and sometimes I can't recognize the yarn name/brand without seeing it. Not to mention how difficult it was to keep track of my To Knit Next list in my head, and forget about reordering it! LOL Ravelry has made knitting my favorite craft lately!

May Whiplash - Miniature Quilt

First up, I have to apologize to Star; this was supposed to be a surprise, but I missed Whiplash last month because I was sick, and I really wanted to enter this month. There's a few more surprises in the package I'm sending her, so hopefully it'll still be fun for her! (This is an entry in the Project category.)

This quilt actually started as log cabin coasters, but I saw on her blog that she'd already received a set, so I decided to turn the 4 pieces into a doll quilt. That, and the fact that I was running very low on muslin really determined the finished size - it's only 9 1/2" square. A little smaller than I was hoping for, but I think it still works as a Blythe doll blanket! LOL

It's completely machine pieced and quilted. I'd love to try a hand-pieced quilt sometimes, but my patience level has been somewhat lacking lately. The centers of the log cabin blocks are silk, I read somewhere that traditionally the center blocks were red to represent the home. I liked that thought, so I incorporated it. I'm really very pleased with how this little quilt came out, and I'm sure I'll be making a few more very soon!

I'll caution anyone wanting to try and make silk trim tape - it's a bit trickier than cotton. I should have known (or guessed!) this, but I thought it would look so pretty trimming the sides. Originally I wanted to go with 1/4" trim, but I'm glad I went for the 1/2" instead. I probably saved my sanity on that one! LOL These pictures don't really show the luster and shine of the silk trim - I snapped them right before a nasty storm came through. I'm really glad I decided to use the silk instead of cotton for the trim, I think it turned out very pretty!!! I hope Star does, too!

Is That Grass Really Greener?

Even though I started my blog as a place to share projects and ideas, lately I've been spending more and more time thinking about the writing that I put into it. At first, it was just a matter of "This is made from this material, and it took me X number of days to make," and I was totally ok with that. Recently I've been writing more posts analyzing both myself and the crafty Blog-O-sphere I love so much. A year ago I would've been embarrassed to post without pictures, but I find myself writing more and more, that I just don't have the right photo for. And that's ok, too! LOL

It's really interesting to me, how positive most everyone tries to be. Not that I want to bring anyone down, but I think it's normal to have negative thoughts, and even express them. Not that I want this to turn into a bitch-fest, but it feels good to get the bad stuff off your chest every once in a while. (Feel free to leave now, if rants aren't your thing!)

First, a confession; I get so jealous of people sometimes. I mean, really jealous. And it's not as if I think badly of these people because of their successes; merely that I wish I felt more successful myself. It's such a trap I fall into. I check the "How's Your Etsy Shop Doing?" thread on Craftster frequently, and while I'm proud our community as a whole is growing; it's so easy for me to feel so envious that I haven't made a sale in over a month. That I haven't felt as much a part of the community, as I really want to. That I don't feel successful, even though I've made huge progress in the last year. Those emotions are like quicksand for me, and it sucks me down into a spiral of "I'm not good enough." (Don't even get me started on other Tsumami Kanzashi sellers on Etsy… I could turn green just thinking about how many more sales they get, than I do.)

Those times, I try and remember I am successful, even if I haven't reached a lot of my goals yet. Even if I haven't ever won Whiplash, even if it really seems the grass is greener on someone else's side; it doesn't mean it is. I think about how hard some small business owners push themselves to get where they want to be, and how I so blindly fell into that trap. I think about how overwhelming it all feels sometimes, and I wonder how I'd really feel about wholesaling 200 pieces (of anything! LOL) or not being able to keep up with demand. That might be right for some sellers, but for me it's about the customer. I want every Crafty Ginger customer to be 100% satisfied with everything I put into my products. I love writing little notes saying Thank You! to my buyers, because I'd love to try and make their day as good as they made mine by purchasing from me. I like having total control over my packaging, that I can print up small batches, and make them personal. I'd really love to sell more, but I don't want to sacrifice quality of product, or the buying experience.

I guess what I'm saying is - define your own success, and don't let others do it for you. Only you can know what truly makes you happy, and if that's selling hundreds of products in a week - that's great for you! But if you want each an every buyer to feel special, that's ok too! I think in this day and age, it's easy to let outside factors determine how we feel. I think that's a copout though, as it's always harder to stay true to yourself and be an individual. I think that's what this community is really about though, embracing who you are, and what you love. Be who you are, and do what you love - in whatever way that's true to you.

WIP Wednesday - Pleated Skirt

When I first saw this skirt on Wendy's blog, I knew I had to have it. I ended up going to Stitches Midwest a few weeks later with my Mom & sister, and lo and behold - I found it at one of the first booths we stopped at. I knew right away I wanted it in turquoise, although violet was a close second. I almost got both to do the inset pleats in purple against the body of the skirt in turquoise, but I'd never knit a real garment before, just scarves & wraps.

I let it sit around for a while, probably because I was very intimidated by the pattern text. It's really strange, but it seemed like a foreign language to me at first; and trying to take the whole page in made my head hurt. After I knit my Clapotis though, I don't have as much trepidation about working patterns anymore. I just look up any abbreviations I don't know before I cast on, and if I do hit one I don't know mid-project, it's pretty easy to hop over to Knitting Help for videos (in both English & continental styles!) I really prefer visual instructions, I learn things so much quicker, and I can remember it better, later. Learning things has always been easier when I can see something done, and then replicate it myself.

When I finished the pleats, I thought I might want to add some short rows, so it didn't ride up my butt (a tip from Wendy, great idea!) There was only one problem… I didn't know how to do them without getting holes in the work, and holes on my butt - not desirable!!! LOL Normally I would've just looked it up, but I'd read so many comments from people scared of them too, that I wondered whether it would slow my project to a halt. Then fate intervened, as Knit Picks added illustrated instructions on how to add short rows without holes (to their latest catalog.) It was like the sky opened up, and a choir started singing angelically. LOL

So, I did my very first short rows on this project, and I'm both proud of achieving the desired effect, and surprised by how easy it really was. I'm really glad I added them in, as I'm knitting the 15" version, and don't need it creeping up my backside! Now, if only I could even out my knit-to-purl transitions! LOL (BTW - It's the Blue Sky Alpacas Pleated Skirt pattern.)I'll be casting on for the front side after I finish my stuff up for Star - I owe her big time, both because she totally spoiled me, and because I'm taking my sweet-ass time getting her stuff finished for our personal swap. I'm just being nit-picky about getting Blythe doll clothes perfect, and they're so tiny it's driving me a little nuts! LOL

Learning the Lesson

First I must admit, that I really struggled with whether to share this or not. I certainly don't want to scare anybody off (starting their own business,) but I've been through so much in the last few months; that I thought if I could share the lessons I've learned, it would be worth it.

Last year, I decided to start my own business, and came up with my first product - tsumami kanzashi flower snaps. I knew things wouldn't start fast, I was a new name with a new product, and I knew there would be a learning curve to get over. It took me a few months to get products together for the store, and I was pleased to make my first sale in the first week after I listed my first round of items. Fast forward to this January, I had a great plan to promote my products, first with The Sampler, and then Etsy's Showcase.

And then, in mid-February, my grandmother died. We weren't very close in the last few years, but I was very surprised by how hard it hit me. What was even more surprising, I now think I made it even worse for myself, because I didn't allow myself to really own up to what I was feeling after her death. I tried to push everything back down inside, and focus on my store. That was probably the worst thing I could have done, because I ended up wrapping all of my hopes and goals for the store, in all of the negative emotions I didn't want to release.

Consequently, I pushed myself so hard to find new products, and come up with new ways to promote my store. I put all of my happiness in that, and was shocked to find it wasn't making me happy, just to stress about how it's not doing as well as I'd hoped. It was so hard to find amidst all of my personal disappointment, the real truth - I can't decide where my happiness comes from, but I do have to open my eyes, and see that it won't be one thing. Whether that's my business, or my house, my blog - not one thing can ever make me truly happy. It's the balance that I'm looking for. Strong when I need to be, but also vulnerable sometimes, which has always been the tougher side for me to express; hopeful about my goals, but realistic with how I approach them. That's the balance I realized I'm longing for.

A few years back I caught a documentary about Bruce Lee. While he was a bit before my time, I was amazed by how smart he seemed. He had a quote I really love, and I knew I had to share it here. He said,

Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.

Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend.

So, I've decided to not push so hard on my store stuff. I'm still taking custom orders, and shipping anything that sells, but I won't be spending too much time developing it until I can find a balance between it, and the other parts of my life. (It won't affect the blog though, I seem to have found a pretty good balance here, and with my other activities and responsibilities.)

Best Friend Bag - Now with Handles!

My sister gave me this lovely little bag last year, the Best Friend bag from Knitty - in aqua cashmere!!! I knew I needed to add handles, though; I was too afraid of leaving it in some restaurant, or on a checkout counter somewhere. So, I asked if I could trade her for the rest of the yarn, so I could make handles. (Jenn, I don't think I ever gave you anything for this, lemme know if you have any ideas!)

I let it sit for a few months, it wasn't very high on my priority list, and I'd never done I-cords before. I only realized this after editing my Ravelry profile, that I've been knitting for 4 years, without trying such a basic technique. It sort of bothered me, so I put a few other things aside for an evening, and knit up a pair of 9" I-cords (5 sts on sz2 needles.) Turns out, they're easy peasy! I should've figured, but I'm a fairly shy knitter. I'm trying to remedy that, though! I did my first short rows on the Blue Sky Alpacas Pleated Skirt I'm working on (watch for more details on Wednesday!)

Anyhoo, I used the tail ends to sew jump rings onto the ends, and then threaded them up through the I-cord itself. When I moved both ends to the middle, I knotted them and stretched the handles slightly, to draw the knotted ends up into the I-cord. I wanted the handles to be sturdy, and not stretch too much when I wanted to carry heavier items like my camera or sunglasses. I'm very pleased with the results, I feel like they won't stretch unless the knots pull out - and I took my Mom's advice and tied my knots in the opposite direction of one another. Did you know if you tie them the same they can pull out, easy as punch?!?! Thanks, Mom! It's an awesome tip to learn & know!!! Thanks also to Jenn, who's one of the most talented knitters I know!

Blogger Spotlight - Kathryn Ivy

Alice and Grace's blog is one of my favorites these days. Knitting, sewing and spinning, I'm not sure there's a craft out there these two won't try. Which I love, because I'm totally like that too, just can't confine myself to one craft, no matter how hard I try. Grace's recent Vintage Velvet scarf (from Scarf Style,) had me drooling! In the book, I merely liked the pattern; but in a more vibrant color, and lots more photos - it's simply stunning, and I must make one for myself. LOL

They have a great extras section, with tutorials and patterns. My (current) favorite is the DPN pouches. Clear directions and pictures, and tips to make them larger or smaller; if you're a beginner, this would be a fantastic first sewn project. Even if you're more experienced, the envelope pouch could be used for all sorts of storage needs. How about pen pockets, or pouches for makeup or even wider pouches for DVDs!

They also have a Review section, which is such an awesome idea! Right now, it's yarns and needles, but I have no doubt books will follow soon. It can be tough to decide what yarn, pattern or book to buy, so more information can be a great help! Their blog is relatively new, but I can already tell it's going to be a great resource for lots of crafters. I think sharing projects and ideas can really spark inspiration, and love finding new blogs that do just that! Alice & Grace, I LOVE your blog, and can't wait to see what you'll both do next!

Go check out their Etsy store for their first knit patterns, Hawkeye and Kiddie Cadet Hats. They're super cute, and great for boys and girls! I should get the pattern to make a lilac one for myself, but I'm fairly scared of short-rows! (I know, I'm a knitting chicken! LOL)

A Few Ups and Downs of Starting Your Own Craft Business

Having been a member of Craftster for the last year, and an Etsy seller of 6 months, I've seen a bunch of projects (& products) get really popular. That by itself is great, but the downside is that sometimes ideas or patterns are used in a way that takes advantage of the originator. This could be someone selling finished items using your tutorial, or maybe a kit with a pattern. Either way, there's very little to be done to prevent such intellectual property theft from occurring. That's not to say you're helpless; as the copyright holder you do have rights. But, they can be very hard to enforce, and you'll likely never see a dime for the profit someone else makes ripping you off.

Sound harsh? Well good; the craft-blogging community can sometimes seem very light, not covering some of the more negative sides of doing business for yourself. The point is, it's worth considering that if your product gains enough popularity, you will likely get copied. It's true that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, but it can be little comfort when you stumble across your pattern for sale by someone else. The second, and more important point, is that you shouldn't let it discourage you from developing your product, and going for it. The simple fact is, your unique ideas are worth the risk, to share with crafters all around the world. I conclude that point based on observations that most people are good, and you'll never be able to stop all of the people that don't hold themselves to higher standards. So hold yourself to a higher standard, and prepare yourself for what it might mean to be self-employed with a crafty business of your own.

Here's all the products I sent off for the March Sampler.
So far as I can tell, I haven't made a single sale from it.
I might try it again sometime, but definitely with a different product.

My very first product I came up with was tsumami kanzashi flower snaps. I love the tsumami technique, but I didn't want to copy all of the great sellers I'd already seen on Etsy. I wanted my products to be unique, and completely my own. That's not to say I'm the first (or last,) person to put snaps on the backs of folded fabric flowers; on the contrary, I expect if I ever sell enough it's an inevitability that I will be copied. I don't look forward to that, but there's lots of bad things that can happen along the way to starting your own business. What I do look forward to, is selling more, and if that means I get copied - so be it.

Another one of the pitfalls can be difficult customers, although I'm lucky enough to have avoided this so far. People's expectations can vary widely, as well as their reactions and responses. Don't take it personally, it's a lesson on what to do differently the next time. If you learn something from it, mistakes can be good. They challenge us to evaluate, and I think that's a skill you absolutely need in starting your own business. I think learning to communicate well with lots of different kinds of people is also a crucial skill.

Recently, Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge shared some of her thoughts on starting a business with me.

What were some of the positive aspects about starting your own business?

There's nothing quite as satisfying (and frustrating) as being your own boss. You can set your own hours, your own pace, your own goals and you have only yourself to answer to. I've loved that I can work on projects that excite me and choose assignments and jobs based on my own desires- not my boss'. Running my own business has reminded me that if you set your mind to something, do your research and plan well you can do most anything you set your mind to.

What were you most surprised by?

How much work it would be. No matter how much you plan and ask around, it's always much more work than you can even imagine. But it's good to throw yourself in and learn quickly- if you're passionate about what you're doing it won't feel that bad.

How do you balance your crafty business with the ups and downs of life?

Having a good support group inside and outside of the industry is crucial. I try to have friends outside of the design world who won't care to listen to me talk about the shop or the blog all the time- they remind me that there is in fact life outside of work ;) But it also helps to have other friends doing the same thing who understand the ups and downs of running a small business. It's incredibly helpful to have people to bounce ideas off of and commiserate with when things go wrong.

How did you establish your "brand" or individual identity in your blog or store? Or, how are are you continuing to do so?

I think the most important thing with any business is to stick to your original goal and stay true to your mission. It's tough to resist the lure of any number of options that might bring you more money or more attention but would require you to alter your image, your brand or abandon your audience. I recently had to pass on a wonderful offer because of something like that. It was tough at first but at the end of the day it feels good to know that you've stayed true to what you believe in and what you set out to do.

What were some negative experiences, and how did you face them? More specifically, did you have any experience with people selling your work as their own, people reselling without your consent, or other malicious events? How did you deal with it? Also, how did you find out about it?

Thankfully I haven't had anything too awful happen with the shop yet. The blog world can be pretty catty so there are plenty of stories there but I try to stay out of the fray and just keep my head down and work. I think and the craft and indie design community continues to grow there will need to be more regulations and rules for copying and things like that, but things are still pretty fresh and new and they'll need to come with time. But thank goodness nothing too horrible has happened to me yet. Knock on wood...

Any other thoughts on starting a craft business?

I think you can never, ever research too much. Talking to people who run businesses, who work in every aspect of the industry. They'll often pass on the most priceless pieces of information. Other shop owners can share what businesses or services to avoid and which ones will make your life easier. It always pays to be prepared.

Any other thoughts in general?

Not to get too Fiona Apple on anyone, but always, always be true to yourself and your goals. If you have something unique and worthwhile to share it will be noticed. There is always room for more creative, unique voices in the craft and design world but the last thing anyone needs is more of the same thing. If you stay true to your own unique style you can never go wrong.

Thank you so much Grace! I found your advice so very insightful and personally helpful, and I'm sure I'm not the only one! If you haven't before, go check out Design*Sponge! Also, I'd love to hear what you think about starting a craft business. Leave a comment here, link me to your blog or email me (Crafty[NOSPACE]Ginger[AT]Gmail[DOT]com)!!!

Ravelry Rocks!

As you may already know, some things get around the Blog-O-Sphere pretty quick. Ravelry is one of them, maybe it's because there's so many knitting blogs out there, or maybe because we like to share great finds with other knitters. Either way, Ravelry rocks! LOL I finally scored my invite over the weekend, and I couldn't be more impressed. A place for everything, and everything in it's place, just how I like it.

Basically, it's an online knitting journal, keeping track of all of your projects all in one place. It integrates Flickr pictures and blog posts, and lets you share all sorts of info with your fellow knitters (all you hookers, too! LOL) Yarn & pattern specs, with easy ranking systems for how much you like the yarn and/or project. A growing community, it's still in Beta right now, but I know it'll only get bigger & better. It sort of reminds me of a young Etsy, even though it's not a selling/auction site; I can tell how much Jess & Casey really care about making the concept the best it can be. What I like most, is how helpful Ravelry will be for those who don't blog. Some people don't like it, or can't keep up with it, but it's still nice to see what they're making anyway! (Wink, wink Jenn!)

The Stash section is probably my favorite, as I've been trying to take a real inventory of my stash for a couple years now! Add pictures, mark it all as used up, add notes - so many features I'm still learning them all! I'm super excited to have such a great system to catalog my knitting projects & materials. My second favorite feature is the Queue - where you can line up all of the projects you want to work on next! Normally, I'd just stuff all of those ideas up into my head, and end up forgetting at least one in the process. LOL Now, I can line up as many as I want, and I can add details & notes, so as not to forget even the tiniest thought. Awesome!