Elevator Pitch

I have come to the conclusion that I am hopeless at talking about my sewing and craft.
 A lot of my friends don't even realize I sew and sell my handmade goods. Very few know I have a Made It store, that I sell my childrens cloth books in a gallery in Sydney and handmade cards in a shop in Newcastle.

Most people love talking about the things they love doing and are passionate about. And the problem isn't that I am not passionate about what I make because I absolutely love sewing and craft. I am very proud of what I create. I just find it hard to tell people about. If people ask me "so what do you do?" I get a bit tongue tied and whaffle something about being a stay at home mum and filling my time with a bit of sewing.
I have been thinking why this is and have come to the conclusion that:
a) I don't want it to sound like some silly hobby I do while my kids are at school to fill in my time. (yet that is possibly exactly how I end up coming across).
b) I am a naturally shy and introverted person and I generally don't talk about myself. I am a great listener though.
c) I don't want to come across as if I am trying to get my friends and family to buy my items - selling to them. d) That old doubt that my handmade things aren't good enough to be sold! I don't believe this for a minute but it still creeps in there sometimes.
So it is obvious to me that I need to be a lot more 'out there' with my handmade goodies and I have been thinking about how to do that without sounding like I am doing the hard sell or pushing friends to buy.

 The first thing I have done is write an Elevator Pitch and practice saying it aloud. An elevator pitch is a concise and brief summary of what your business is. Essentially it should be only 30 to 60 seconds long. Just long enough to tell someone what your product is, who customers are and where your products are available. Short enough to explain your business in the time it takes to take an elevator (hence the name Elevator Pitch).
So this is my Elevator Pitch for Creative Wishes
.
I have a handmade sewing and craft business called Creative Wishes. I create fun, colourful and interactive items for children. I make baby and childrens games, toys and gifts and handcrafted greeting cards. I have an online shop at Madeit.com.au. MadeIt is a market place for Australians to sell their handcrafted items. I sell my greeting cards in a shop in Hunter Street, Newcastle called Ciaw Meow. I also sell childrens cloth books and baby items in a gallery in Sydney called I Heart Gallery.

I have had a look around for more elevator pitches for crafters and have come across a few.
Have a read of Jessica Van Dens here.
Camp Cupcake Designs has lots of good points too.
 Here is another here at Sew Chic and Unique.
FairyPants handmade clothing has a video elvator pitch you can watch.
Heartmade Blog tips.
I am sure athere are lots more out there. Maybe you have written an Elevator Pitch -if so I would love to read it.

The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is not to try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.

Debbie Fields

My Creative Space

Please write again soon. Though my own life is filled with activity, letters provide momentary escape into others lives and I come back to mine with greater contentment.

Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey. ' A woman of independent means'.

Letter writing and card sending isn't a dying art! Well not if I have any say in it. There is nothing nicer than going to the mail box at the end of a day and flicking through the mail. There is always a bill or a bank statement and junk mail. But when there is a personally written card or letter it makes my day.

My family, who all live interstate, send me letter and cards regularly. Not just because it is my birthday or Christmas but simply to catch up and let me know they are thinking of me. And I also send them letters and cards. I will often pop the card on the fridge or mantle peace where it can be admired and reread. Now, I don't see many people displaying emails from friends and yet emails are the in way of communicating!

So, this is my creative space this week. I have been making lovely writing sets consisting of 6 cards, six gift tags and a gorgeous envelope to store the cards and gift tags in.

And now a little challenge! Send someone a card or letter this week just because, not because it is a special date, but just to brighten up their day.

And be sure to get yourself right on over to Kootoyoo and visit more lovely blogs.

My Creative Space

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will go.

Dr. Seuss, I can read with my eyes shut.

There are some books that bring back a deep feeling of nostalgia for me. Lately it is the books from my childhood. As children we had a lot of Little Golden Books, I guess because they were cheap and available from the supermarket. Mum would buy then as treats for us and I remember the excitement of all sitting on the couch waiting for her to read them to us for the very first time. The stories were ones my mother could also relate to since they were popular in her childhood too.
In particular I remember the sweet illustrations of little babies and children by Eloise Wilkins. The Poky Little Puppy was a firm favourite too.

This week my Creative Space has been a messy, paint, glue and varnish filled one. I have been using some salvaged pages from some old scribbled and torn LGB's to make some Baby nursery Canvases.

They make me smile and bring back happy memories.
Be sure to pop on over to Kootoyoo and visit all the wonderful Creative Spaces. YOu will be pleased you did!

Made It Finds

Everyday we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture and, if possible, speak a few sensible words.

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe.

Today I have just about managed all of the above!

And Made It has helped with the seeing exquisite pictures part. But more than one though!
Here are a few I have been admiring and thought you would too.

Baby Nursery Canvas newly listed by Creative Wishes.
There will be a few more listed in the next few days too.

Sailing Away by Vintage Green Creations
Those sailing boats make me want to be out on the lake right now!

Pomegranates Fine Arts Print by Pomegranate Photo.com

I love the others in the range too.

Special Boards by Monkey Chops.

Kitchen Mother by Huckleberry Jones. I love the vintage and aged look.
A very subtle difference can make the picture or not.
Annie Leibovitz

Flowers

Today I am crafting with flowers. Selecting and sticking and glueing and admiring. Generally having a little fun. I have been a wee bit sick and nothing cheers me more than fresh flowers in the house. How lucky am I!

I am also pondering how to continue make my craft unique and individual. It seems that so much has already been done - same colour combinations, same styles, same ideas. It really is difficult sometimes to have a great idea and start to make something only to realise that it has already been done. I am having fun in the process though. Doing a little bit each day crafty really does make me a happy person.

Everything has been thought of before, but the difficulty is to think of it again. Goethe

My Creative Space

My Creative Space this week is concerned about using up lots of bits of material from other projects. The current fabric (above and below) was brought about 9 years ago. I made a cute quilt for my then baby niece. Nine years down the track I have come across in the bowels of my cupboard the left over material. I am making them into little cloth books, baby activity cubes and cute little tag blankies.

Pop on over to Kootoyoo to check out other lovely bloggers creative spaces.

Second life

I do love a good browse in second hand shops, garage sales, market stalls etc. One persons junk is often my treasure.

I especially love council clean up days (which we have twice a year in our area). A lot of people put things out specifically for others to take and sometimes I am the lucky recipitant.

My latest findings include the table below.
At the moment it is a little ugly, slightly rusty cafe table that has seen better days. It is sitting in the pool area. I have great plans of mosaicing the top of the table and painting the legs. You may remember my first mosaic project (a tad ambitious for a first off project). Well this mosaic project is much smaller! Just need to decide on what to mosiac on the top - thinking blues and water theme since the table is in the pool area.


The other thing I found was this cement pillar.

Maybe it was a stand for a pot plant or a water feature? All I know is that it was very heavy! My second munchkin helped me load it into the boot of the car. It has found a place in the garden. I have plans of finding a bird bath to sit on top.

When I need a little second hand inspiration I pop on over to Rummage blog. Her photos are lovely!

It is Autumn

Hurray for Autumn! I love autumn and spring the very best. I am looking forward to the weather cooling down and the humidity dropping.

I am looking forward to going for walks without sweating.

I am looking forward to sleeping with more than a sheet covering me.

I am looking forward to autumn leaves falling off the trees.

I am really looking forward to some rain.

This summer has been very dry for us here and my garden would be very grateful for a lovely rain shower!

Over at Made It I have been inspired by many lovely autumn finds.

Crotchet leaves necklace by Off The Hook.

This is just stunning and so gorgoeus!

Girls Floral Flares by Funky Monkey
How I wish I had a little girl just so I could dress her up!

Hand Knitted Socks by The Potty Knitter.

These look so comfortable and I love the autumn colours in them.

Lavender sachets by Pork Chop.