Don't Count Your Pennies, even if you have to keep track of them.

I can't say for sure that this is sound advice, however, it is advice that works for me. 

It is advice I try and give myself when I get that sick feeling in my stomach as if I have lost out in someway by tipping someone more then I meant to or when I have committed to buying something that is a few more dollars then expected. I don't know where this reaction comes from, but when it happens I remind myself not to count my pennies.

I am not trying to say I should not know where my money is going. In fact keeping track of money and what is being done with it is major component in the recipe for success in a business and financially healthy home. More on this another time.

What I mean by not counting your pennies is: be generous, be aware, but give where you can, don't focus on the cost alone, focus on value.

How is this advice useful to me in a business sense? I am growing a business for myself and my family because I love fibre and I want to share that love. Of course the bottom line matters, but it is not all that matters. To me, Don't count your pennies is a reminder that the bottom line is not the major driving force behind my business decisions. Ethics, fair transactions, sustainability, community. These are the major driving factors, pennies play a role, but they are not the first consideration. 

While I will be keeping track of my pennies, I will not be counting them. 

Don't Let the Fear of Failure Hold You Back

http://www.likeaboss.com/entertainment/16-creativity-inspiring-quotes-with-pictures/

How many times have I let my fear of failing hold me back? 

Too many to count, but NOT any more.

Google definition:

fail·ure

ˈfālyər/

noun

1. 1.

   lack of success.
2. 
   

Every FAILURE is actually a

 LEARNING experience and so not a failure at all. 

Failure has a negative connotation, but it is simply a word to describe an attempt at something that did not have the expected outcome.

This is not negative it is positive, this is how we learn and grow.

Babies are a prime example of this! How many times do they fail to roll over, to sit up, to crawl, to walk, to talk before they do it? Do you ever see it stop them from trying in the first place or again? NO. So get in touch with your inner paper and don't stop before you start!

I want to hear from you...Tell me... 

here or on facebook...

What would you try if failure was out of the equation? 

What have you always wanted to do, but fear of failure has stopped you from even starting?

New Traditions in the Making

Huckleberry Picking with my sister and my little one. It was beautiful to get out in the late afternoon sunshine and enjoy the mountain air. 

Fibre Fridays Tip of the Week

I recently, last week actually, started Fibre Fridays on my facebook page. I am also going to share my Fibre Fridays Tip of the Week here on my blog.

Here is last weeks tip:

When working with raw alpaca tumble it before washing. Use a small laundry basket with a cloth tied to the top and shake the fibres around, with enough force to dislodge dust and vegetation, but not so hard that you shake the fibre out the laundry basket slits. Since Alpacas do not have lanolin after the pre shake you may not even need to wash it before spinning or felting.

Here is yesterdays tip:

When spinning wear a cooking or baking apron to keep the hairs off your clothes. I love to do this because it works really well. I don't have to be constantly brushing or rolling fibres of my cloths and I can spin in anything. This also gives me another reason to add to my apron collection

If you have a tip idea for Fibre Friday just contact me and I will feature you and your tip of the week:)!

30% OFF Your First Purchase!!!

Spinning a Fabulous Textured Art Batt with Feathers from Nessaland on my Ashford E Spinner

I will be launching Sarah Elizabeth Fibre Works in September

and I need everyones help... as much of it as I can get

I need your opinions, information and general wants and needs
when it comes to locks, batts, roving, yarn...

Please Fill out One or More (If more then one are applies to you) of the Surveys Below

just click on the link to be taken to the survey page

Fibre Arts Enthusiast, Fibre Lover and Hobby Artist

Fibre Artist or Fibre Arts Business 

Fibre Farm or those in need of Fibre Washing or Processing

I will be publishing the summarized results, sans personal information, on my blog in August so that all can benefit from the information I gather.

If you feel that you fall under the category of competition, for example you make your living or a significant portion of your living selling your one of a kind fibre products. Then lets help each other. Fill out the survey, share it with your other fibre business friends and I will share the results of the following survey with you. 
You are also eligible to receive 30% off when I launch in September. 

The State of the Fibre Art Business

Thank you for your support and help making my business a success!!!

Please see survey for details on qualifying to receive 30% off your first purchase

Farmers' Market Season is in full swing! Now what? You have your table for the season, you are committed, you are meeting people, getting your name out there. A familiar rhythm may be developing. Maybe you are just at one Farmers' Market or many, either way there are a few more things to consider. Your product, your brand and your display.

Essay #2: Product Continuity

Product Theme and a Sneak Peak at the Importance of Branding and Display

I have been to a number of Farmers' Markets over the years and what I have noticed is that not all booths display a cohesive theme. Some may be cluttered, or overwhelmed by multiple products that seem to have no relation to one another. Tags are beautifully handcrafted, but inconsistent. The table looks thrown together, messy even. What message do you send your customer when your product theme is inconsistent, when your tags are miss matched and your table looks like a haphazard display? 

A farmers' market stall with multiple product types that are not well organized or labeled can: 

• Discourage customers from approaching your booth
• Devalue your products
• Impede customer relations and repeat sales

There are few simple things you can do to mitigate these potential problems.

• Choose one type of product to carry, keep any additional products within the same genre. 
• If displaying multiply products separate them distinctly into groups on your table, let your overarching theme be: Hand Made, Locally Crafted, etc.
• Use consistent labelling throughout
• Put thought and effort into your display

By eliminating extra product you will make it easier for your customers to remember you and the products that you offer. You will also have a clear focus for when you are creating and restocking your table.

Multiple products need to be clearly categorized so that customers to your booth can clearly identify your many products, consider having signs stating what each product is, even include a suggested use. Place like products or ones that can be used together next to one another. For example place your hand made soap next to your hand knitted wash cloths, maybe even create a package deal such as buy any three soaps and get a wash cloth free. Customers need you to create the links for ease of shopping. If a customer has to create their own product link they may have left the market before it occurs to them that your knitted wash cloths and soap would make the perfect gift. 

Consistent labelling helps customers to identify your product, think of it as branding. Yes I said it, BRAND (Essay #3) yourself. Recent experience has shown me that branding seems to have a bad rap with the buy local, support artisan crowd. Personal branding is not about becoming something you are not or changing your base values. Branding is about expressing your product values and beliefs to the world in an easy to recognize way that helps customers who share the same values find you. 

Create a display that reflects your brand and your product, in other words, you. Do you prefer modern and streamlined? Does that compliment and show your product in its best light? Or does a victorian era style work better? Is your product eclectic and need a simple display? Does wood show off your product the best? More on display in Essay #4.

My Real World Examples of Product Theme

Market Day in Nelson - July 1st - http://riverstone-yarns.tumblr.com/

Susan from Riverstone Yarns focuses solely on selling her locally dyed and even some hand-spun yarns. She may also have hand-dyed roving available, this however fits neatly with her fibre arts supply theme. She often displays examples of how her yarn can be used in one of a kind knits. Her display is easy to set up and simple, meaning that her yarns are given the spotlight. Her booth is full, but not crowded. She uses that same style label for all products and keeps a similar colour scheme from sign to shade sheet to table cloth. Her booth layout is dynamic and makes it easy for more then one customer to accesses her products. 

You can find Susan and Clyde in their Riverstone Yarn Market Stall almost every Wednesday at the Nelson Farmers' Market in the West Kootenay Region of beautiful British Columbia.  If you are not in the area to meet them in person make sure to check out their website. If they don't have what you want in stock, just send them a quick message or even create your own custom order!!! Their burly yarn is my personal favourite!

Hand Made Soap - http://trbyhand.com/category/sales/soap/

Tricia of TR by Hand displays her hand made soaps and homemade berry vinegars alongside her hand-spun yarns, handwoven blankets, and nuno felted scarves. Tricia groups her unique products by category. For example she displays all her vinegars together on a table and uses a logo and similar style label for all her products.

Although she has multiple products she keeps her table uncluttered by hanging her scarves from the tent and putting her hand spun yarn in a basket. Tricia creates some luxurious soaps from natural ingredients. Her hand spun blankets and nuno felted scarves are also fabulously one of a kind. 

You can find Tricia at the Rossland Mountain Market, in Rossland, BC. Make sure to check with Tricia first as her presence at the market fluctuates based on her availability.

A Note on Market Tents

Tents are a necessity on hot sunny days, not just for you as a vendor, but for your customer. Investing in a tent that is easy to set up and has optional sides makes for a versatile piece of equipment that will make your sunny and rainy day Farmer's Markets and Festivals more pleasant.

CARD Fibre Support Unboxing

I just love how Grace snuggles with it:) I cannot wait to see how she dyes and uses these locks in her upcoming book CARD... so much to look forward too.

The fibres in the box are: (not necessarily in order of unveiling)

BFL Lamb - Handyed - from Chase, BC

Gotland - Natural Black - from Chase, BC

Icelandic - Natural Grey with Brown Tips - from Nelson, BC

Rambouillet - Natural Brown - from Salmon Arm, BC

Rambouillet - Natural Grey - from Salmon Arm, BC

Make sure you check out her first two books ROVING and BATT 

They are chalked full of fabulous instructions and illustrations on how to spin the yarn you want from the roving and batts you love!