You are at your wits end.  You have bought your handmade gifts and you are on the final stretch with one or two crafting friends to buy for.  But.... They have lots of supplies, you don't know what to get them, and you don't like to ask as this will spoil the surprise. How about a crafting calendar?

OK, I can see you raising your eyebrows but read on. Calendars are not just things you stick on the wall and check of the kid's dental appointments on, they can be a pathway to a whole new world of inspiration.

If you have a friend who knits and you want to buy something she can enjoy but not yarn, or patterns, which are a very personal choice, try the Stitch-a-Day calendar?  Something that will inspire a knitter all year with exotic, new and different patterns to use in their daily knitting. There are other knitting deks calendars that include patterns and stitch combos but with the Stitch a Day calendar will keep a seasoned knitter happy all year!

If you want to inspire a friend who can't spend much time crafting, maybe a busy stay at home mom, or busy executive type, then someting like a Card Making Calendar might be ideal.  The calendar includes ideas, inspiration and the necessary stuff to make cards for holidays, special occasions, 3-d cards and also polishes skills that will inspire even a busy person to invest in a bit of 'me time' to create. There is no pressure, but plenty of fun to be had.

My personal favourite is one I intend to buy next year too, it's the Beading Bead-a-Day Calendar.  I don't bead huge amounts but the range of patterns and skills taught is comprehensive, fun and so inspiring I am learning more and more as the year passes nd I want to know more so 2010 and it's crafting calendars already has me in its beading grip!

Custom 3D Month at a Glance Desktop Calendar - ScrampAddict on ArtFire

The 'net can be an inspiring place for artists, it's such a visual medium and you can't help but feel you are master of the internet - selling handmade wares and communicating with customers around the globe in moments.

The downside is you can feel overwhelmed by email, convo's and your commitment to social media.  So, you have to take control and master the internet rather than it eat into your precious crafting time, particularly if you try to hold down a full-time job too! 

Get a grip on your Email 

Organise your regular incoming email into folders as much as you can.  I am a Mac user but believe PC users can do the same (leave a comment if I'm wrong or if you have any further ideas!).  This does a load of preliminary email sorting.  Files for favourite crafting groups, online stores, regular correspondents and so on.  You can see, at a glance what you need to tackle now and what can wait.

Improve email spam filtering

This will make you an instant master of a chunk of time!  If your ISP doesn't go a good job - check out others.  Ask for recommendations from friends and compare any fees.  Remember free is free for a reason (they don't spend huge amounts filtering spam out to make your day worthwhile). How much is it worth not to have 50/100+ spam messages a day in your inbox?  I am a subscriber to MobileME an Apple service.  One of it's most vital service, to me, is the virtual absence of spam. It does much MUCH more but earns its daily keep keeping me spam free.

Control incoming email 

When you have decided which regular email lists and groups you want to keep, Unsubscribe from those you don't want or need anymore.  Be brutal - it's your life you are claiming back here!

Online Selling 

Unless you sell supplies, limit the number of shops you sell in.  Keeping a lot of shops open is labour intensive requiring more computer commitment to deal with emails, invoices and communication.  Handmade art takes time to create and you want to enjoy this, not play 'techno-catch-up'.

I have four shops ArtFire, Etsy, Felt and Zibbet and while I do have some overlap a small handful is enough while I supply gift stores.  This will ensure a solid online presence.  ArtFire's CEO himself encourages sellers to have more than one shop to reach a better and bigger audience - he is so right - just strike a balance.

Social Networking 

If you are keen on Twitter, Plurk and Facebook then allocate time to spend there.  It's a fun place to circulate, make yourself and your wares known - just remember leaping in and 'spamming' people with a list of your"best deals" will have you losing friends by the fistful - cherish the social element.

Oh and just a thought!!!  Add your shop widgets to your blog -  it's an instant ad and add to your online presence without demanding any time input!  Remember too that you can schedule Blogger posts for later dates - great for if you can draft a couple at one go.

Finally

According to Timothy Adam it is important to commit to spending a set amount of time on a given job and no more.  This is a vital discipline that means you are committing time to yourself and your craft; and valuing your customers, family and friends. Tim is full of valuable advice that is worth an investment of your time and effort, so please check out his website and his lively blog.

Now, get out there, master the 'net and don't let the 'net master you!  Be organised and disciplined and you will have time to spare for surfing for fun, relaxing or whatever, sure in the knowledge that you are in control and you are a master of the net!

 Silver Computer Key Ring by CreativeDexterity

The rise in awareness of the handmade market is encouraging and wonderful to see.  People are beginning to realise that artists and crafters are inspired to create by things that shoppers can identify with - the need to recycle, re-use, or the wish to interpret inventively an idea in a new and fun way.

Not everyone thinks the same way however, or so it seems. I am beginning to hear news from the crafting world that some buyers, whether it is of handmade goods; or attending handmade classes to create items of their own, are beginning to take advantage of their positions as buyers to abuse crafters. 

Now, both you and I will be shocked and surprised to read this, but if recent reports from a craft fair, and from a reputable and renowned teacher are anything to go by, people are treating their ability or 'power' to purchase as a stick to beat those who are inspired to 'go handmade'. 

I have been hearing that people not satisfied with a class they attended to learn a style or technique - were rude to the teacher because they were disappointed in their results, and people almost pulling apart crafter's work at fairs to find out how it was done - in full view of the seller! 

Nothing is guaranteed to dampen the inspiration of a crafter more than abuse of this nature, and it must stop.  If a buyer wants to know how something is made, a crafter will be thrilled and delighted that they have inspired such interest, and they will often be glad to share knowledge and tips. 

No-one, however, has the right to abuse a fellow human being and treat them and their work with contempt.  Crafters create wonderful things and pay to have stalls at markets, they travel to these markets inspired by their wish to share their work with us the buyers - so please, share their joy in creativity, inspire them to keep going with the Holiday season almost upon us. 

The fact is, life is tough for all of us, so don't take it out on someone doing their best to make a fulfilling and honest living.

Love the crafters and they will love you, keeping faith with the need to create beautiful things for us to enjoy now and into the future.

Help! Time is running out, you have some small but special presents to buy!  Call them stocking stuffers, or in the UK stocking fillers, whatever, they are small gifts that either accompany a larger one; or for a friend or colleague at work, they are a 'nice to work with you' or a 'thank you for the ride' gift.  

Whatever it is, I hope you are aiming for something slightly unusual, a stocking stuffer that looks as though you have been inspired to look that bit further by friendship and love.  This means you might either have to scour every local gift shop in your town (and hope they haven't been there too!) or you can be inspired by the huge number of stocking stuffers available online.

OK. Easy steps to finding your dream gifts.

1. Set aside some online time - say 2 hours.  (You will be surprised how time slips by so be honest) be disiplined you will get more done! 
2. Sit down with your list of recipients and your budget.   It's important to decide how much you wish to spend, then, focus 100% on your search and do not get distracted!
3. Browse your favourite online stores. ArtFire is packed with goodies, Etsy is also a promising bet, and upcoming Zibbet where I sell my copper pins has plenty to offer. One site I discovered in the U.K. for seriously nice chocolate is Thorntons who do online sales.
4. Bookmark potential purchases as you go but keep searching.
5. Now, sit back near the end of your allotted time.
6. Take a deep breath and, without looking back at your bookmarked possible buys, did anything stock in your mind? Did any stocking stuffer press that inspirational button that made you think YES - that would be ideal for......
7. Make your purchases. Take your time, remember the location of a seller might be international so allow extra time for the gift to arrive.
8. Enjoy wrapping your awesome online stock stuffers for your friends and family!

 Totally Special Lampwork Octopuss by Glasstastic

Everyone has to do their first craft fair sometime.  It can be nerve wracking so find out as much as you can before you actually arrive at the venue - ask the organisers what you need to bring.  Tables may be provided but not covers - find out

Here is a brief checklist and I know you will be able to add to it yourself as you gain experience.

• Stock.  Make sure you have enough. You can't predict sales but take more than you need and you will be fine. Have a range of prices from less expensive to the top of your range.  
• Business cards and handouts.  Take these to put on your table.  People may not, for various reasons, be able to buy on the day.  Make sure you have contact details available for your online store.  Moo Cards make awesome business cards that give you instant professional polish - check them out.
• Smile.  You will be surprised just how much people don't seem to be looking at you, but they are  People respond positively to a smile, they pick up on the positive.  Regardless of how down you might feel keep smiling and maintain a professional attitude.  People don't like grumpy whingers - they don't buy from them either.                                              
• US Sellers maybe have access to credit card sales via things like ProPay.  Wherever you are selling, find out if your fair has credit card facilities and/or other payment options - if you can afford to take your own do so.  Payment types vary widely from country to country - check this out.  If you can't accept credit cards don't sweat it - some of us started out with a small cash float and a lot of hope!                                        
• Price Tags Try to make sure your items are clearly priced.  Small items may be grouped together with one label of they are very small.  Check ArtFire and Etsy for people who will print them for you if you can't do your own.                                                               
• Remember that every fair is different.  I do a terrific fair here in New Zealand called Craft2.0 and each fair is different, one time I will make heaps of cash, the next time I can barely cover my costs.  So, do not be discouraged by one bad fair, persevere, the good times will come!