Some Crafty Business

I've been very busy trying to sell some of my crafts. It is my hope that I can earn enough money to compensate for me staying home with Josiah as well as the lack of income from daycare being so unreliable.

Using items that I think are cute, have seen an interest in, and believe I could make and sell successfully, I invested in the materials, made up a bunch of each for my inventory, and have started to advertise the things I've made. I've received a lot of positive feedback on my items and think I'm on the right track. I've also been reading a book on selling crafts and how to make a successful business of it, and it seems like I've been doing it right so far. I wanted to share a bit of what I've been doing and see what my blogging friends think of it all.

The sock monkeys started off as gifts for my friends for Christmas, but so many people saw them and wanted more that it became my first business venture. I was selling them really cheaply, at $10-15, but found that the demand was too high and I was overwhelmed by the amount of work for this price. Just FYI, it costs me anywhere from about $4-10 to make them, and I can do it in a matter of hours, minus whatever it takes to customize it for the person if needed (sometimes that can be easy and sometimes extremely complicated to execute). They sell for upwards of $30-50 on etsy. So I was thinking of selling them for $20 plain or $25 customized on etsy. That seems a little steep for friends and family members, so I've been doing $5 cheaper for people I know personally. What do you think? What would you be willing to pay?

Then, I decided to start making coffee cozies. I'm not a coffee drinker, but saw how popular these were on etsy or other craft sites. And they are pretty easy to make. Furthermore, in my area, people are BIG coffee drinkers AND are very conscience of recycling and the environment. So I thought there was a market for it here. Each one costs me about $1 to make, and I can do many in one day. I compared them to others on etsy, and mine seem to be higher quality since I not only use a printed fabric, but also a thin layer of batting, and a layer of fleece, as well as an elastic tie and button (rather than others who use 2 layers of fabric, with or without batting, or use fleece without batting, or use velcro). Most, like mine, sell for $3-5 on etsy. I was going to start off at $5, but wondered if it was better to do a little less. I also wondered how I can get people's attention when they are just searching to notice that mine are higher quality than others. Any thoughts on the price or on getting people to notice mine over someone elses?

And, my other big project right now is to make bibs and burp cloths. I think they are so cute and that people would be willing to buy them for baby shower gifts or expectant moms who want a nice item to celebrate their new baby. I'm still working on a way to personalize these, either with an embroidered emblem or a monogram of some kind (although I don't have this capability right now). Many people pair a matching onesie with it for about $18. I am going to try some onesies, but I originally thought about charging $14 without the onesie. I worried about this being too high for people I know, so I was thinking $10-12. I'd say that it costs me about $5, maybe $7 at the most, to make both a burp cloth and bib. So, what do you think? Would you be willing to buy one? What can I do to set my stuff apart? What would be a reasonable price?

None of these are on my etsy shop yet, because I've been trying to build up my inventory first. However, I have some blankets for sale, and 100% of the proceeds are going to the Lane Pregnancy Support Center. This is a Christian organization who helps people in crisis situations receive advice for alternatives other than abortion, receive clothes for moms and babies, diapers, formula, etc., referral to any legal or counseling services needed, and spiritual encouragement. My family began raising money last Christmas (in lieu of gifts for each other) for families in need. We were so encouraged by what God did in these situations that we decided to carry it on throughout this whole next year. The Pregnancy Support Center is our first outreach. My mom made these, and I can tell you that my craftiness originated with her! Check them out: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mrspeterson07. 

And this is what we've collected so far...

And I appreciate all of the advice and support!