NEWY McNEW NEW...

So what have I been up to for the last month???? Making stuff. Of course :). I have been experimenting with colors and different techniques. I'm approaching this like play time (which it is). Felt really truly is one of my favorite mediums to play with. I am preparing for the Philadelphia Buyers Market which will hopefully help me rake in some wholesale accounts and hopefully some CASH. Hopefully Etsy sales will start trickling in again...
Sunflower Express has also begun two other shops. We have one on ArtFire called The Felted Underground, and another on 1000markets called that as well. I am still adjusting to the managing the multiple venues deal. Tricky, Tricky.
I have been doing alot of reading lately about trends.
I mean seriously is anything really new? Is there really an original idea to be had? When it comes to colors, and shapes and styles isn't the designers job now just to regurgitate all of those things into something that doesn't resemble day old bread? I spend alot of time looking at pictures for inspiration of not just felt stuff but clothing and "real" jewelry (don't forget shoes, they are my favorite peice of architectural accessories). I fully realize my style vacillates between kitch and uptown girl but I'm doing that with felt so that (at least in my mind) still makes it cool. I think of it as a little hippie chick with a dash of gypsy and a pinch of bohemiana (I SWEAR TO GOD IF I START MY OWN LINE THAT IS What i'm calling it.)
Preparing the line for The wholesale show has gotten me really thinking about the details of it all the small things, the prepping, the making sure everything is just right and just so. It's nerve wracking and exhilarating at the same time... I'm like this all the time but for this I want it to be spectacular... I want it to be special. So I work my ass off lol... Here you can see some of the current work.

Things I'm learning Thru Our Etsy Shop

Ok so when I opened my first shop concentrating on my fine art and illustration it was tough... I didn't know how to market it, I was just kinda thowing coins in the air and seeing where they lay. It took me a year to get 6 sales on etsy. When we started the Sunflower Express shop Knowing what I have learned in Marketing the show and running that business on a completely different level, I think I started to approach the new etsy shop in a completely different way.
Marketing is key. I use all of my social skills to market sometimes it is completely overwhelming how much time I actually spend marketing. Of course this takes some of the fun out of the whole creating for a living thing but IT WORKS.
I love seeing what other people are working on and how they interpret life thru what they create... You can tell A lot about someone based on what they create. I'm drawn to the quirky stuff on etsy... I can spot a fellow quirkster a mile away.
Our intention was to create lots of stuff for kids but the whole CPSIA nonsense kinda killed that. I create stuff for adults mostly now... kids really love our cuff bracelets and button rings. Hopefully if the stupid law can get changed or repealed I can go back to doing that in the future. But the line is taking off.
We got some of our notecards in a boutique in Berlin Maryland called A Perfect Touch on Main Street. Its the cutie little town where they shot the movie Runaway Bride. Which is very cool if only for the fact that I love that movie.

I'm learning to branch out. To not be scared and to just get out there and mix it up. I know alot about alot of things just thru my experiences in graphic design and illustration thru SSC A&D. I don't mind sharing and I utilize etsy's forum to share my knowledge and also to draw from the knowledge of everyone else in that very diverse and knowledgeable community.
Most importantly I have learned that I've got good taste and if you work your ass off and are slightly anal retentive you can put out a whole lotta work! AND you can start to sell.
Our shop got off the ground for real in the beggining of May I now have 3 sales. Not bad in a month and a half especially with a line that is very different from most jewelry out there. I hope to continue to find out niche market and capitalize on the cool, unique factor of our stuff.

Sunflower Express will continue to get out there and do the whole craft circuit and I'm seriously persuing wholesaling now. I also would love to approach other blogs about doing a feature. I'm no media whore by any means... I'm waiting for the show to take off so we can hire a Ms. Crafty... (I'm joking, Maybe not joking lol...) But exposure is a plus!

Craftivism Part 2: Email Obama

Ok so I just sent my first email to the president using the contact me deal on the whitehouse.gov site (link at bottom of post).
Apparently the president@whitehous.gov may not work anymore (I'm going to try it to see anyway)


This is my form email... There are a ton out there more eloquent than mine. I included some links to sites I believe to be worthwhile in supporting the cause.
I will be sending this every day. feel free to dress it up, or create your own or if you find one you love use that. The point is that he gets one everyday from you!!!

Dear Mr. President,

I fully realize that you have alot on your plate right now in regard to the current state of the economy and its impact on your citizens. I am appealing to you on a matter of grave importance that will have dire consequences on an entire segment of your constituency and the public at large.

The new CPSIA law has already forced many handmade artisans and crafters out of business and will continue to do so. I believe this law will have dire effects on the economic stability of many families. Many of these businesses are run by women out of their homes where they take care of their children, many of these women do this to help support their families. This law will make it impossible for them to continue their businesses. The average Crafter will not be able to continue to do business and be subject to the ridiculously expensive third party testing and those that can afford it will have to pass this burden on to the consumers.

The handmade movement is beneficial to our economy and our communities by connecting craftsmen and women directly to the consumer. By virtually amputating childrens products from our communities you are not only hurting the small business community but you are also removing genuinely creative, thoughtful products from the hands of our children. It will devastate many families who depend on the extra income, and place an unfair burden and advantage to companies who mass produce items who were the route of this problem to begin with.

I implore you to ammend this law! Please consider the thousands of Talented artists making creative, original, unique goods for children and the massive impact if these goods just fell away!

I have heard a lot of disparaging remarks about the handmade community and its efforts to fight this law. We are a community of Vibrant Artisans and Crafters desperate to not have our lively hoods taken away. There is a huge handmade movement that has been growing in this country and to basically shut down part of it would be a travesty.
Please check these Links for more information about the plight of handmade in america and the effects that CPSIA will have:

http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/
http://www.whatisthecpsia.com/

Please do not stand by and let this law go into effect in its current format. Ammend the CPSIA!

Thank You

[your name, etsy shop occupation HERE]


Copy and paste this (or write your own) and then
Click this link to send your email.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Thanks!
Lisa

p.s. post in the comments if you are following our little campaign! Don't forget to keep tweeting @barackobama!

Craftivism: Fight CPSIA

While many think its a done deal I and many others in the blogosphere think that silence is really the worst enemy here.

If you don't know what CPSIA is or think it doesn't effect you think again.
For the Handmade movement this package of wildly overzealous laws will deliver the death blow to thousands of Artisans and Crafters who make wonderful handmade items for children, punishing those who were the alternative to the made in China Madness that started the whole outcry over lead in children's toys.

The law aims to protect children from lead and Pthalates, but has a dirty consequence that was and is still widely underestimated. The effect it would have on small businesses across the country, subjecting all products manufactured for children under 12 to be subject to grossly expensive testing to assure consumers the products are lead and pthalate free, and a very extensive labeling process as well. The laws are very obtuse and generally impossible for the average cottage industrialist to keep up with. If you are a parent click here to see pictures of the items that you may never be able to buy for your tot : http://www.flickr.com/groups/986590@N23/pool/
and these are just a few!

For more information on CPSIA check the fololowing links:
First check out the mumbo jumbo the government says:
http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.HTML
Check out these links or just google it:
http://www.whatisthecpsia.com/ (thank you @curiouswork for this one!)
http://overlawyered.com/tag/cpsia/
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/


Now I am asking you to do me the small favor of tweeting @barackobama on twitter EVERYDAY.
I send our president links to Handmade Sites with information on the effects of CPSIA on the Handmade community. You can even just tweet the Phrase Ammend the CPSIA.
I think if the Person reading all of President Obama's tweets realizes that they are getting a hundred tweets a day in regard to this law maybe someone a bit higher on the totem pole will begin to take a listen to our pleas.
I know things don't change and many are discouraged by the information coming down and feeling as though we are not being heard. I firmly believe our government had no idea what it was doing when it did this. I forgive them for their ignorance but I do not forgive their inaction.

I will also be launching an email campaign with a form email, That I hope anyone reading this who is as outraged and perplexed that this law keeps moving closer and closer to fruition will take a look at and send to the White House once a day. Once its in your sent messages just keep hitting send everyday.

If I've learned anything from our president it's that grass roots campaigns really do work and hey remember that whole BE THE CHANGE THING? Don't throw your hands in the air! Do something about it!

Check back tomorrow for the form email or feel free to write your own! And Friday stay tuned for our the Facebook phase of this mini campaign. It's not much but its something. If you have a senator or congressman you would like to include please post the name here. If you are in on this mini campaign feel free to look me up on twitter http://twitter.com/sunflowerexpres and let me know what you are doing!

For a few minutes a day maybe we can make the dent a little bit bigger!
Thanks Sincerely
Lisa
Who can't wait to go back to making kids stuff!!!

New Products and New Demensions or why I love Felt!

Ok so felt used to be relegated to kindergarten arts and crafts projects but I have always had a lust for its vibrant colors and shades, it's durability and the sheer fun factor. So when sunflower express wanted to branch out into handmade products to support our mission I imeadiately turned to felt because it's wonderful qualities.

I started with pendants. I love the fact that people don't know that they are felt when they look at them... They are substantial statement pieces that are totally affordable and with everyone selling off their gold and silver why not have a blinged out textile piece that says fun or elegant, that also can't be pawned in a moment of deperation!

Since the pendants I have started to move on with the addition of bracelets or felt cuffs with fun and sophisticated patterns for adults and kids. Currently I am designing earings and even rings embellished with buttons and beads. I primarily use wool and eco fi. I realy enjoy the wool felt as it is way more durable and the colors a bit more subdued than the lollipop kaleidescope of Polyester felt!

Felt is such a luscious material it deserves better treatment and to be moved from the bottom of the craft food chain.

visit my etsy shop to see what I mean!

www.sunflowerexpress.etsy.com

Modern Networking or this Crap really does work...

So I've always wondered about ways to draw more attention to our little show and shop... but how do you do that without being chained to a computer 24/7 and still have a family a life outside yourself and still get your craft on?

Ok so I've read alot about setting up a facebook fan page. That was step one. It's pretty simple just make sure you follow facebooks instructions and click on the linky poo for the create a page for a business. It's pretty easy after that... you upload a few pictures and put some content up there and there you go!

The second step which is equally helpful especially if you are craft fairing this season, Mix and Mingle and slap that business card and/or flyer in that bag! We have gotten some really great business leads just from talking to customers and fellow crafters about what we are doing. Being social is key! Make sure you have a mailing list for people to sign up on and hand your flyers out to everyone who stops by... yes this is marketing in real time vs. webtime... BUT... people who see your work and like it, but don't have a need for something you are selling, might come back around later on if they stumble upon your card or you signed them up for a mailing list and are regularly sending them information. Even in this modern era this still works!

Ok so I read some really great information about twitter on Timothy Adams blog, It was basically about how to get followers.... Seems simple right???? But this can be daunting... It's pretty simple just find people who's things you love or who have businesses you like to get started add some of their followers. I basically searched for etsy and went thru some of those... Get your friends, look for people who do what you do or who do something similar. Initially might take you a few minutes of searching and following people but most of the time those people follow you right back! Most people do have twitter and post your twitter feed info on your facebook... Post your twitter follow me button or feed on your blog, on your website and tell everyone you can follow me on twitter. In a few hours I'm up to 88 followers... in a few hours! I'm hoping this will lead to more traffic here and to the sunflowerexpress website and eventually to sales popping off in my etsy shop.

Break the marketing down in to phases and set yourself some acheivable goals and if you are anything like me you will only have to spend a couple of hours online a week devoted to managing your "networking empire".

I'll post updates on our progress!

Notes from the Montpelier Festival of Herbs, Tea and the Arts

Greetings!
I figured our first post should be from a Craft Fair! We survived the threat of rain and the turn out has been better than expected. It stayed cloudy and cool and It was so fun to meet other crafters and just being outdoors in the beautiful Montpelier Setting was amazing!

Well as you know we are relatively new to the craft fair circuit and thru trial and error have realized that picking great fairs has alot to do with your target audience. We have been to a few bummers that had us doubting our confidence... But the trick is to remember that your products are not always going to be a right fit for the fairs you are attending and even careful research can yeild a hit or miss.
Our Strategy is that generally we sell products that appeal to adults and we sell lots of kid stuff but our market is a more indie, city dwellers than country market. Our goal for our Craft fair scheduling this season is to stick to what we know and stay in the DC Metro Area. For the remainder of our craft fair season we will be mostly in PG County and then a couple of stops near the chesapeake.
Another tip we learned in tweaking our display this week was to dial back on the table cloth motif... we went with a crazy display last time that had way to many colors and distracted from the colorful nature of our product line. I love light blue and thought that light blue would be a subtle color that would help our stuff stand out but not be too busy. After a quick trip to Joanns where we settled on an okay color... we got to the cutting table and realized that the fabric would cost us 50!!! dollars... I was like okkkkkkk lets go to target and get a sheet. Cynt and I picked out the most perfect minty blue and I really think that that change made people linger longer over our table.

We had some really great conversations and the one product we didn't think we'd sell that much of, our logo T shirts for kids we actually sold 3!!! Since our TV show is new and noone has heard of it we didn't know how it would go over. It just goes to show how far a good design will go! We've had several adults ask for big people sizes and we are mulling it over...

I will be a busy girl this week replacing stock and I am very much looking forward to the Main Street festival in Laurel next weekend. This week you may see several posts on products for the upcoming fairs!!!