It has been brought to my attention that posting on this Blog page is very difficult to understand.  I will do my best to help you to be able to post a comment here.

First of all, you can not post a new Blog.  You can only post a comment to a Blog already posted.  I, as the web master, am the only one who can start a new Blog.  You as a visitor, can only post a comment under anyone of the Blogs.  I can however take your comment and make it into a Blog if you start a new subject or question.  To the right under each blog are the words Post Comment.  Click on, give it time to come in, and post comment.

If there are any comments posted under any blog, go to the right again under each blog find View Comments (1).  Click on, give it time to come in and find comments.

I hope this has helped you understand how this blog page works.  If not, email me and we will get it explained better.   SHARING IS CARING!

Shop Keeper

I would like to hear from you!  Do you have a question about some craft item I can help you with?  I will do my best to find an answer for you.  I have some questions of my own I would like someone to answer for me.

QUESTION - What kind of glue do you use to hold fake fur to glass?  I would like to glue an animal to a glass plate.

What types of things does a copyright protect? According to the U.S. Copyright Office, a copyright can be used to protect "original works of authorship that are fixed in a tangible form of expression". The categories are very broad and, yes, craft designs can be protected by a copyright.

What do you have to do to register a copyright? Actually, when the work is created, it is automatically copyrighted. That's right, all of your original pieces of work are automatically copyrighted without registering a copyright. However, to offer any real protection, you must register your copyright.

Crafts would fall under the "Visual Arts, Drawings, Photographs, Sculpture, etc." category.

Once registered, how do you protect your copyright? A copyright itself does not automatically keep someone from stealing your designs any more than a law keeps crime from happening. You must take steps to protect your copyright from infringement. This would involve not only finding people who may be infringing, but also enforcing the copyright through proper channels.

For the average craftsperson, the amount of work involved in detecting infringement and enforcement is not feasible. However, a copyright will deter some people from copying your work. The choice is yours. If you have a piece of work that you fear will be copied, especially if you will be targeting a large market, you may want to consider registration.

http://www.copyright.gov

SHOP KEEPER

I have been interested in how other crafters price their merchandise. I'm not completely sure a set rule is always best. I have been doing this a lot of years and I have found that the market area, other crafters, and eye appeal all have a lot to do with what we can get for our items.

I always look around at others and see what they sell items similar to mine for, and also I visit craft shows and shops and notice pricing, quality,& materials.

I wholesale many items I make to shops and those prices are usually doubled for retail.  Therefore we have to be careful about the cost of the materials in those items.

As a rule, craft show prices are about 75% of what a shop retail would be. Also, if an item sells too fast, then the price may be a little low. If it doesn't sell, then it may be a little high.

I have also found eye appeal is very important. If an item catches the eye of the customer - that is more important than the price. Display often helps eye-appeal, too. If your space looks good and draws people to it, then your merchandise will sell and you should be able to make a good profit.

Quite a bit has been said about tags and this is also important. They don't have to be fancy, but eye-appealing. I started out cutting tags out of brown grocery bags with pinking shears and printing each one separately. I have finally advanced to computer-made tags which look good and I can have a variety of tags - one for each different item or category of items - and many different colors and print styles.

I feel that we should all make our crafts of high quality materials and workmanship,then charge a fair price. The consumer will buy when the item is good and the price is fair.

SHOP KEEPER

When you have finished a project and the finish feels rough, use a piece of brown paper bag as you would sand paper.  It will remove the roughness, smooth things out and not remove any varnish or paint.  Works for me!

Shop Keeper - Dixie

HOUSE PAINT - If you have a project that is bigger than your bottle of craft paint, don't be affaid to use left over house paint.  If the project is an outdoor item, don't forget to prime the bare wood first.  I have even used house paint on cement outdoor items.  No need to prime them.  But if you spray them with a sealer first it will take less coats of paint.

IT WORKS FOR ME!

Dixie