In My Studio: Updating my Packaging

So Handmade's New Packaging

In January I decided to give my packaging a much needed update. Getting the right packaging can benefit your craft business in many ways. I decided to go with these recycled boxes and mailers from EcoEnclose.

By spending a little more time and money on the end product could have a big difference in your brand identity at the end of the day.

Great packaging can:

1. Get your products 'noticed' in a sea of vendors at a craft fair or in the Etsy search pages.
2. Increase the perceived value of your products, enabling you to increase your profits
3. Be informative- giving the customer info about the product and your company for potential future orders.
4. Make your line of products more cohesive
5. Elevate your brand and make it memorable

Great Packaging from The Pudgy Rabbit

In order to achieve this the packaging should:

1. Be thought of as an integral part of the product and not just an afterthought.
2. It should reflect or complement your brand, your ethos and your style
3. Be easily replicated for future items
4. Affordable
5. Not too time consuming
6. As green as possible

Some different ideas for creating your own unique, eye catching and memorable packaging could include making your own stamps or block prints, printed materials, stickers, fabric bags and ribbons or even including a small 'freebie' with your product.

I posted on this blog a little while ago a tutorial to make your own fabric labels. This technique could be applied to making your own packaging ribbon and labels. Click this link to access the tutorial.

Also adding a gift wrap option in your listings can help customers who would like to send the purchase direct to the recipient and its a great way of adding value to your shop.

Adding a Gift Wrapping Option is a great way to add value to your Etsy Shop

Good luck and Good Making!

Good things come in small packages!

Sarah Omura - SO Handmade

In My Studio: Planning for the Year Ahead

Some of the tools I am using to plan for 2017

With the new year arriving I have been spending some time planning and organizing for the year ahead. I would love to share some of my new favorite tools to get the most productivity and creativity out of the year to come.

1) Many Moons 2017 Calendar from Cynla (top left) I love this calendar from our our Makers on Hudson teammate Cindy. Each month includes a beautiful illustration of the moon and dates of the moon phases are marked on.

2) 17 Actions and Insights for a Prosperous and Profitable 2017 (top right) e-book from The Merriweather Council  This is a really useful book to get you started with some easy actionable steps to help your small handmade business grow and prosper in 2017.It is written in a really straightforward no fluff manner with lots of  space for note taking. 

3) Get to Work Book (bottom left) from Elise Joy This planner is the planner of my dreams! As a prolific list writer this is the place I can corral all my lists and take pleasure as they are crossed off one by one. Full of inspiring quotes, pages for project planning and easy weekly layouts it has been a huge help in getting my work done.

4)  Etsy Seller Spreadsheet (bottom right) from Paper and Spark
I have been getting all my business paperwork in order from 2016 and these spreadsheets from Paper and Spark have helped enormously. They enable you to copy and paste all the relevant information from Etsy into a usable and legible document. Paper and Spark also includes video tutorials to walk you through many of the processes and has many free resources on the website for small handmade businesses.  

Here are some of the tools Patricia van Essche from PVE Design is using for planning her 2017

1) Spiral Organizer by Red Star Ink
Great for organizing your budget, paying bills and planning ahead.

2) Boxwood Maze Notebooks by PVE Design 
This stunning spiral bound notebook is wonderful for jotting down to-do lists, shopping lists or ideas for the new year ahead.

3) Small floral clipboards by Staples

Have a wonderful organized and prosperous 2017!
Good Luck and Good Making!

Sarah
So Handmade
  

"A goal without a plan is just a wish" Antoine de Saint-Exupery

In My Studio: Sight and Sound

Sewing a big pile of play mats while watching the Great British Sewing Bee

Since schools have gone back its been all systems go in my studio. I have been knuckling down to some hard work to getting stocked up before the fall and holiday craft fairs.

In this blog post I would like to share some of the things that have been keeping me entertained, inspired and sane while I have been working:

The Merriweather Council Podcast: The host Danielle Spurge is a craft business consultant with many years selling her embroidery on Etsy. She is a fountain of knowledge and with her new podcast shares some great tips to help other small handmade businesses thrive. This podcast was only launched a few weeks ago but she has already covered so much in her concise and 'no nonsense' manner. Episodes have included topics such as: shipping, pricing, blogging, inventory, feedback, creativity and photographing your products.

I highly recommend listening to this podcast for some great ideas and inspiration.

Available on the Merriweather Council website and Itunes.

Mid Hudson Library System Digital Downloads: If you reside in the Mid-Hudson Valley and are a member of a local library you can use your membership number to access audio books (and ebooks) from their website. Using the Overdrive app (available in the app store) you can download and listen to these audio books on the device of your choosing.

I download them onto my ipad and listen to audio books while I work. It's a great (and free) way of listening to some really good books. You are entitled to borrow up to 10 titles at a time and can also put holds on titles that are currently checked out.

I recently listened to the thrilling third installment of the Comoran Strike books by Robert Galbraith 'Career of Evil' which I highly recommend.

Streaming TV Shows: Sometimes if I am on the sewing machine for a long period of time I also like to watch TV shows, especially 'crafty' ones (photo at the top). My favorites include Project Runway which is about to start a new season and The Great British Sewing Bee (available on you tube).


I would love to hear what inspires you while you work....

Good luck getting ready for the busy season and good listening! 

Sarah
So Handmade

In My Studio: Things I am loving this month

I wanted to share with you some of the things I have been loving in this the month of May:

My new Etsy Shop banner made on Canva

1) CANVA: I discovered Canva through recommendations and have been using it to design my new Etsy shop banner, new business cards and instagram posts. Canva is a website that enables you to create all manner of social media posts, etsy banners, facebook icons and also gives you the ability to create an image to your own custom size. It will give many different options to create the image of your choice, loads of different fonts and templates. There are many free templates and some which you can purchase for a couple of dollars. After your image is completed you are able to download it for free and use it whenever you need. It makes creating your shop branding fun and very easy.

Lucky Break Consulting

2) LELA BARKER on Periscope: I have been enjoying Lela Barkers periscopes this month. Lela Barker from Lucky Break Consulting is a business strategist for makers and designers. During May she has been doing a 10 day Periscope marathon talking and answering questions all about wholesale. Whether wholesale is right for you, pricing your products to succeed and pitching to a retailer. All her content is superb, very down to earth and useful if you are thinking of going into the wholesale market. All these periscopes are available to watch free from her website www.luckybreakconsulting.com/periscope

Some of my labels made on Avery 

3) AVERY: Yes the label people! I have been printing out lots of labels recently for packaging by products and I have discovered the Avery template website is incredible! After you purchase your Avery labels go to this page and input the code for your new labels. Use the website to design your custom labels or use the free templates. You can even download your Canva design. The website will then populate the whole page for you and you can print them out and save them if you might need them again.

                                 

                                        

4) DEAR SUGAR RADIO: Lastly I have loved been listening to this podcast recently. On this podcast Steve Almond and Cheryl Strayed give listeners advice to their varying problems. I love the sensible, empathetic and pragmatic advice they give using their own lives and experiences to help. 

Good Luck and Good Making!

Sarah

So Handmade

Congratulations GetGlassy and H+J Star Creations

Have you picked up the latest edition of The Journal News? We are very excited to see our very own Judy from H+J Star Creations and Patti from GetGlassy are featured in the article "Meet 7 Local Makers Finding  Home Grown Success."

Click to read full article.

In My Studio: Craft Fair Prep

So Handmade Christmas Tree Skirts at a craft fair

I am frantically getting ready for my first craft fair of the season at the moment. There are many holiday fairs that start around now and continue almost every weekend until Christmas. These holiday fairs can be the most lucrative time of year for selling and can also provide a great opportunity to network and market your business.

I was looking at an old blog post I did about craft fair prep and thought it would be good to share it again.

Here are some tips and challenges:

1. Which Holiday Fairs: Choosing the holiday fairs to participate in is the first challenge. Balancing the sometimes high cost of a spot with the potential for earnings. A great way to gauge which fairs are good and which to avoid is by talking to fellow vendors and don't overstretch yourself by applying for one every weekend between now and Christmas, pace yourself. On the weekends in between go and visit local fairs to see if doing them the following year might be worthwhile. Look at the other potential costs involved or doing the fairs such as the distance to the fair, hotel costs if it's a two day affair etc.

2. Plan your space. Once you have decided which fairs to do look at the size and shape of the booth you have been allocated. A good way to plan your booth is to mark it out on the floor of your house with masking tape. Arrange your booth furniture in the space allocated making sure that you are aware of where the flow of people will come and make your space easy to negotiate. A booth that's too cluttered will put people off from entering, make sure it's open enough to entice customers.

Does your set up require an electrical outlet and where will it be? Remember to give yourself a designated space/ chair to sit, the fairs can stretch on and on and on and being comfortable is important. Take photos of your mock up so you can easily replicate it on the day. Finally make sure all the booth furniture is manageable and will fit into your car, doing extra trips costs more and wastes precious set up time.

3. Tablecloths: Make sure you have table cloths that cover the front and any visible sides of your tables all the way to the ground. This makes your space look more professional and also gives a great storage space for things you don't want to be on view. Choose the color wisely to best show off your products.

My craft fair display

4. Presentation: Work out beforehand where your products are going to go and if you need special stands/ baskets for them. Play around with the layout and once you are happy take photos so you can remember. Keep your products clean, ironed and stored carefully, presenting dusty, creased products at the fair will not help your sales.

5. Branding: Label your stand with your business name as visible as possible. Banners are a great way of doing this, Staples and other stationary stores are often giving good deals on printing them. Keep business cards easily accessible to visitors and put one in every customers bag. Donating an item to the obligatory raffle is also a good way of getting visibility for you business. Remember to have out a visitors book for e-mail addresses so you can start to build up a mailing list.

6. Price your products with labels that are easily visible, do this before the show to save time but also remember extra labels for any products you missed or for any changes/ discounts you want to make on the day.

7. Payment Options: Remember to bring with you a cash box with as much petty cash as possible, at least $50-$100 in a variety of different denominations and change. Look into ways that you can accept non-cash payments, this might be on a smart phone or iPad with a Square/Etsy card reader or similar but be aware of the additional costs. Remember to add the states sales tax to every purchase made, bring a calculator to easily work this out. Register online to file these payments.

8. Be your own advertisement: If possible wear one of your products (if it's jewelry or apparel) and remember to tell people that its available.

9. Don't Forget:

• Plastic or paper bags for customers purchases and packaging such as bubble wrap or tissue paper if needed 
• Business cards, banners and other branding items 
• Calculator, receipt book and notebook to keep track of sales 
• Pens, pins, safety pins, scissors, string, tape, small sewing kit 
• Food and drink to keep you going and a book for slow times 
• Extension lead for electrical supply if needed
• iPhone/card reader and cash box

I used my cart as a handy packaging station 

10. Network: Lastly don't forget to tell people where you will be at the weekend, make sure all your family and friends are going to visit the holiday fair and especially your booth. Post details of your schedule online and encourage visitors with promises of cookies!

Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.
Alexander Graham Bell

Good Luck and Good Making!

Sarah Omura - So Handmade

In My Studio: Periscope

In the last couple of months I have been obsessively watching Periscope. In case you don't know Periscope I am writing this blog post to show how it works and how it can be used by your own small craft business.

What is it?

Periscope is a free video streaming app which you can download onto your device from the app store. It allows users to watch or broadcast videos in real time. What this means is that a bit like Skype or Facetime you can watch something that is happening right now. Whilst you are watching you are able to add comments which the broadcaster can see their end and also tap your screen to add hearts if you are enjoying what you are seeing. These broadcasts are then available for anyone to watch within 24 hours after which they are deleted.

How could this apply to my small craft business?

As a viewer:

Follow like minded crafters and small business owners for great advice and info. A couple I would recommend are:

Caitlin Bacher  @caitlinbacher    Small business advice, especially about social media strategies

Merriweather Council @merriweatherc  Wonderful and practical advice about Etsy

Recent Periscope from the Merriweather Council about optimizing your shop for the holidays

Danielle of the Merriweather Council

As a broadcaster:

There are many ways you could use periscope to video stream live to potential customers, collaborators and followers, here are some ideas:

1. Show off or demo a new product
2. Launch a new collection
3. Small business discussion
4. Tour of your studio
5. Work in progress
6. Behind the scenes look at a photoshoot or a craft show
7. Question and Answer session
8. Focus group (feedback on a new product)
9. Teach a technique, do a demonstration
10. Talk about a blog post
11. Celebrate milestones

How this could be used by the HV Etsy Team?

1. Host meetings: As everyone lives so spread out across our region meeting up has proved difficult. Persicope is a way that we could bring everyone together. One of the group leaders could host a periscope that them all team members could watch. They would be able to join in the discussion through their comments..
2. Go behind the scenes at craft fairs, interview vendors and team members

I am yet to pluck up the courage to do a scope myself but would love to do one in the future so follow me on Periscope at @saraho32. I would love to see fellow members start to do scopes so please add your address in the comments and also add any recommendations of people to follow.

Good Luck and Good Scoping!

Sarah

So Handmade

Be A Guest Writer For Hudson Valley Etsy's Blog!

We love blogging and sharing with you what is new with the team, but we are also looking for guest writers to contribute to our blog.  If you are based in the Hudson Valley with a small business or you provide a service in the Hudson Valley helping artist and small businesses, we would love to hear from you!

Maybe you're an Accountant in the Hudson Valley with some tax preparation tips for small businesses. Or you're a Wedding Photographer and would like to share how you scout locations in this beautiful part of New York state.  You can be a Farmer or Gardener - we love locally sourced food too!

We would also love to hear from charities in the Hudson Valley.  With the Holidays approaching, we know this time of the year puts people in the giving mood. We would love to help you spread the word for your cause.

Our goal is to not only support our local handmade makers, but the greater community that we live in.  If you are interested, please email us at hvetsy@gmail.com and we'll get back to you!

In My Studio: Listening to Podcasts

My varied podcast subscriptions

While I work in my studio I love listening to all manner of podcasts. I listen to business and entrepreneurship podcasts to get useful tips for running a small craft business. I listen to crafty podcasts to get inspiration and motivation for my products and I listen to drama podcasts for pure pleasure while I get busy in the studio.

In the blog today I want to share with you some of the popular ones that fellow Hudson Valley Etsy team members listen too:

First, Marilyn from Pulp Sushi recommended a podcast to her Instagram followers a while ago called Being Boss. I started listening to this one on her recommendation and love it! On it, two creative boss ladies - Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon, talk about their experiences starting and running their own businesses. As they themselves say:

 "Being Boss is hard. Blending work and life is messy. Making a dream job of your own isn't easy. But getting paid for it, becoming known for it and finding purpose in it, is so doable- if you do the work."

I highly recommend this one for some great advice, motivation and real life inspirational tips to grow your business.

Download: Available from iTunes (search Being Boss) or from www.lovebeingboss.com

Another podcast of a similar genre is called Elise Gets Crafty.

This is one that I have been following for a while and I also love it for its down to earth, no nonsense advice from blogging, to running an Etsy shop, to juggling motherhood and working. Elise Blaha Cripe is a creative entrepreneur with a successful blog www.elisejoy.com  she sells online courses as well as owning her own shop selling handmade items. Her podcasts mainly take the format of discussions with guests who are invited on the show to talk about specific topics.

Download: Available from iTunes (search Elise Gets Crafty) and from www.elisejoy.com

Elena Rosenberg loves listening to A Way with Words podcasts while she works. Although not directly related to crafts and making, it is all about words and language and their creative usage. Hundreds of thousands of language lovers from around the world tune in each week to hear author Martha Barnette and dictionary editor Grant Barrett take calls about slang, grammar, English usage, old sayings, word origins, regional dialects and family expressions.

Download: Available from ITunes (search A Way with Words) or from www.waywordradio.org

Beyond the Picket Fence enjoys listening to Fresh Rag. This creative and business minded podcast also gives lots of great tips and advice about running a small craft business. Dave Conrey, the shows creator says:

"If you’re an artist, designer, crafter or other independent, creative entrepreneur looking to build your business and make more sales, you’ve come to the right place.

If you’re tired of busting your butt, with an ever-increasing work load, for a business that was supposed to be your dream, and you’re looking for a way to ease the pain, you’re also in the right place."

Download: Available from ITunes (search Fresh Rag) or from  www.freshrag.com


Good Luck and Good Listening!

Sarah
SO Handmade

I Thought I was Too Savvy To Get Scammed

I pride myself on being pretty savvy. Hey, I grew up in New York City, went to college at 16 and have traveled the world. I thought I could see through all the ruses but here I am, shamefacedly confessing to the fact that I got scammed. I’m telling this story in hopes it will save some of my fellow small business owners from falling prey.

I got an email from a gentleman from Singapore who asked if my business took Credit Cards. There were three specific products he wanted produced in bulk. The order totaled over 100 pieces. It all sounded legit; particularly because of the specificity of his order. However, I called Square, who processes my Credit Card transactions and asked about any precautions I should take before putting this order through. I was told to just make sure my account was Credited with the funds and as long as they notified me that the funds were in my account, there should not be any problem. Sadly, that was not the case.

I worked for two weeks to fill the order. I had already been paid upfront. Still, there was a nagging anxiety about the transaction.




The customer wanted to use his own shipper, as he claimed he had problems, particularly exorbitant custom fees with traditional carriers. Since he had already forwarded me the expedited shipping fees, I thought: “no problem with sending the shipper the money I had already received from the customer.

Now, the nagging anxiety becomes a major sinking feeling of “Oh no…this is not happening.” This realization came after an email from “the shipper” informed me that the owner of his company was in a car accident and their business was on hold; therefore, they would not be picking the merchandise up. That’s when I was sure the jig was up. About three weeks later, I received a message from Square, that due to a disputed charge, and the next day, although they asked for documentation regarding the dispute from my end…the entire sum of my order was removed by Square from my checking account.

Although I provided documentation of the order to Square, and offered to send additional materials if required, they told me that while I was welcome to do so in just about 100% of these types of cases, the vendor never received their monies back. I conceded defeat, knowing that I didn’t stand a chance.
Lessons learned: Get references on any new customers making large orders. Never, ever, ever pay for shipping with a money order even if you have been forwarded funds to do so. And lastly, do research on the company you are dealing with. I think that small businesses like mine can be so enamored of what they think might be their “big break” that ones usual discerning judgment can go awry. It did with me. And hopefully, sharing this story will prevent it from happening to you.

Roberta - RG Clay Creations Inc.

Nurturing Creativity while Running a Business

One of my business goals for 2015 is to set aside 2-3 hours each week to make "things" without worrying about finishing it, selling it, or promoting it. This might mean a few of my other goals take longer to complete (building out my About page on Etsy, getting my website up and running after a 2 year hiatus, using Instagram for marketing), but I think making time for creativity will spill into the business side of things and bring greater success - not to mention happiness!

I'm out of practice when it comes to simply enjoying the process of making things and not worrying about if it will sell. I haven't totally figured out how to get over this hump so for now I'm just trying new things.

Last night a friend of mine hosted a gathering to make vision boards. Over 20 of us showed up and we started with a meditation and then just went crazy on the pile of magazines. Honestly I still don't totally understand how to make a vision board or how to use a vision board, I am so creatively blocked that I found myself ripping out images and words that would look good together so I could show it off on Instagram. It looked good, but it wasn't authentic so I tore them off my poster board and started over.

The woman next to me brought a Marimekko magazine and once I got my hands on images of their patterns the flood gates opened. I was able to tap memories of being a middle school kid making collages and suddenly it started to make sense.

My vision board is still a work in progress, I had to go home to start dinner and tend to my sick toddler, but I also wanted to leave some room so that I can add more later this week when I take time to create freely. I'll keep everyone updated as I find new ways to spend my creative hours. If you have any ideas or want to share what works for you I'd love to hear them!

The question of making a living and rolling the dice....

 I have been trying to get into larger (read: more expensive) shows and fairs over the past two years.

My latest one was the Northern Virginia Christmas Market in Chantilly, VA.

 Anticipating a great many people coming through the gate and it being a three day fair

I went into high gear for production. I tripled what my normal inventory would be. I priced each and every item. The boxes were packed and organized. I ordered tables and chairs and walls from the organizers in

order to not have to cart all that. I made phone calls to get more info about said walls....and was assured that they were solid walls.

 After packing the car, we realized that we needed the van so unpack the car and pack the van. We got a late morning start and hit the DC Beltway at rush hour :(

 Three hours to go 50 miles....

The walls were drapes, I couldn't display a lot of my art but the booth looked ok. I did have two tremendous neighbors that made the weekend a lot of fun.

 Houndstooth the Owl and several of his cronies are now living in new homes in Virginia.

 A delicious South American restaurant was nearby and the lovely Lindsay and I enjoyed it very much!

The ride home was a rainy blurrrrr......

I realized that a three day fair is only good for the promoters who can up the 'rent' fee.

Saturday is always a great day, if we could only have three Saturdays...

I recovered my investment, with a little more left over but not by any means did I make enough to gamble at it again. I also didn't need to pay for a room since my son lives in the area, if I had it would have been a wash. Now the person on my right sold an incredible infused olive oil that was to die for and she did a tremendous business. But she was the only one in my aisle that did. 

This particular venue was a bit too country rustic for my eclectic whimsical art.

But there is one called Crafty Bastards that is right in DC.........now where did I put those dice?

Selling One-of-a-Kinds in Today’s Retail Market: What are our Options?

For those of us that cannot wean ourselves from the love of making artisan crafts by hand, the constant dilemna is: How to market effectively and maybe…just maybe, have the chance of actually making a small profit through our businesses. Having gone the Craft Show, Home Show, Wholesale and Online Route, I cannot say I have the definitive answer, as it is different for everyone depending on how labor intensive your work is, how important it is that you are there to describe your process, and whether or not you have an item that can be mass produced in quantity or must be created as either one-of-a- kind or in small batches. But I have learned a lot in the 15 years I’ve been doing this since I left my position as a full time Art Teacher and set up a Ceramic Studio in my home. And I believe in Sharing because we’re not in competition, though it’s easy to fall into that trap. Really, We’re on the HVNY Etsy Team to encourage and enhance each others work and lives.

My business is making one-of-a-kind pieces of handmade ceramic and fused glass jewelry, and it is a multi-step process with creating pendant from raw clay, two eight hour firings, composing the necklace or bracelet or ring into a unique design. I plan to chronicle some of my ongoing marketing techniques, including successes and failures, and in so doing, hopefully shorten the learning curve for others. Currently, I have a Website, an Etsy site, I coordinate Craft Shows for others, (though am moving away from doing many myself), sell in some consignment boutiques, wholesale to Galleries and Crafts Shows and sell to a limited number of stores in the large Whole Food chain (in their Whole Body Depts.).

I guess what people might be most interested in right off the bat is how I got into Whole Foods as a vendor, which was an interesting process. I used to go fairly regularly to the Whole Foods in Ridgewood, NJ (where I lived until I moved up here to my little slice of Heaven in Warwick). I walked into their Whole Body Dept. one day when I was making a delivery to a consignment Gallery nearby. And of course, I was wearing one of my necklaces, which is always my most successful door to opening a dialogue about my business. I recognized the woman at the register and struck up a conversation.

Well, about 5 minutes into the convo, she commented that she loved the necklace I was wearing, and called over the Team Manager to look at it. The Team Mgr, in turn, said she thought the buyer would love the style and I made an appointment to meet with David. And I was IN. I said, “You mean I’m IN?” " Oh…you’re in", he said. Scads of paperwork, insurance forms, and getting UPC Codes later, I was selling at Whole Foods. Next, I approached another couple of stores in the chain who were eager to try out the line as well. And basically, that’s how it happened. So, the pros and cons.

The biggest PRO is the PR value of saying that you sell to Whole Foods, which of course, most people have heard of. Also, a lot of people with money shop there, and you never know WHO might walk in and discover your line, so to speak. It definitely inspired me to keep on my toes, bringing new designs all the time to keep the buyers interested. And now the CONS, of which there are many. Since my pieces are on-of-a-kind, I need to bring them to each store so that they can hand select. I have offered to email pics or send a “Pick Box” which I’ve done with other stores, but so far, No Go. I also need to sell my work to them at 50% of their Retail Price. Because my pieces are so labor intensive, and because I don’t like to move above the $50-$55 retail price, I end up with little or no profit once travel time, gas, time spent making the pieces, and materials are factored in. So, unless you can really rack them out, and have a great, easy to stock “Point of Purchase” display, it is very difficult to make any money, in selling handcrafted and “made with love” items to larger Chain Stores. Again, it’s nice to put in your Resume, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity, but for the type of product I market…definitely not a money maker. More of my musings to ponder next week….

Roberta Green from RGClay Creations

Setting up a Commuter Office

Like many creative entrepreneurs, I have a full-time "real job" that helps support my family while I work on building my small business. I am grateful for my job, but the long commute is my least favorite part of the day. Spending over 3 hours every day on a train isn't that fun in general, but what's worse is that I can't stop thinking about how much I would love to be spending those 3 hours filling orders for my shop, designing new products, or just building my brand.

I recently decided to take control of my commuting hours and make them "office" hours.The bright side is that every commuting day I get about 3 uninterrupted hours to spend on my business. The working conditions may not be ideal and yes, I'm pretty exhausted by the time I get on my train home, but I'm actually getting things done.

Here are my Top 5 Tips for a Successful Commuting Office:

1. To Do List. 
Keep a notebook handy at all times where you can jot down things you need to do for your business. Every morning I use the first part of my commute to pick the tasks I think I can handle on my morning and evening commute. Then I make a list for the day.

2. Block all social media.
It's too easy to burn 45 minutes mindlessly scrolling through Facebook. I went as far as deleting Facebook and Twitter permanently from my phone (I kept Instagram). If you don't want to delete the apps then keep your phone in your bag and out of reach.

3. Reading for inspiration.
I'm a big believer in reading non-fiction and biographies. So much motivation can come from reading about other people with ambitious dreams. My recent favorite reads were Jim Henson by Brian Jay Jones, and The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. If you're a car/driving commuter then pop in some audio books!

4. Tools of the trade.
I often tote my laptop and Wacom tablet on the train so I can get some design work done, or just sketch. If you're a knitter then the train is an ideal place to get knitting or crocheting done. If your craft isn't portable then just try bringing a journal to make lists, dream, or doodle new ideas.

5. Give your brain a break.
Let's be honest, it's exhausting working multiple jobs, worrying about time and money, caring for our families and pets, making dinner, getting enough sleep - the list is endless. It's important to allow yourself a break from the madness and just zone out. Take a 20 minute nap, listen to some relaxing music, or flip through a magazine. 

Ryan - WickedMint

The Balancing Act

The key to keeping your balance is knowing when you have lost it – anonymous

When working full-time and also trying to grow a small business, it is easy to spread yourself too thin. Besides all of the hours that are spent working at a job that may not be your real joy, you may also push yourself to exhaustion and irritability, while working on the very thing that may be your heart’s desire.
We all have choices, and the often the relief of having a steady paycheck can trap a person into believing that this is more important than doing what you really love.

When the hours that are available to work on your craft are regulated by everything else that must be done, it can feel as though little is being accomplished, or that the process is moving too slowly.

Part of the balancing act of life includes family obligations, social activities, necessary chores, appointments, and unexpected events.

As I prepare to take a week and a half for summer vacation, I am accepting of the fact that the time spent exploring, relaxing, enjoying, will recharge me. In order to have energy for fresh new ideas, it is important to take time to relax, and realize that taking a brief break can be positive.

The act of balancing all aspects of life can be a challenging dilemma. Time passes quickly, and often while looking towards the future, we forget to experience the now.

Jenny - Reclaimed Designs

Inspirations for 2014, the computer saved the radio!

With the New Year comes an evaluation of the last year, followed by plans to improve the upcoming year.  Lately I have been improving my outlook on the world through many different outlets on the internet.  Many of them have been very inspiring for me to plan my year and take a new look on how I go through my life.

As a busy business owner and mother, it’s hard for me to go to lectures and workshops.  Lucky for me in today’s savvy media world, I can put on my headphones and take a class, listen to a lecture or have a discussion in a topic of my interest.   Radio shows about human struggles and accomplishments can inspire you in your everyday.  Now with streaming, I can listen  to most radio programs on my schedule.  I listen to my favorite programs or podcasts while working in my workshop.  Two I enjoy often are Hidden Kitchens and This American Life.  Don't miss King's Candy: A New Orleans Kitchen Vision.

Ted Talks offers diverse subjects and many inspirational speakers. 

Jarret J. Krosocczka offers his amazing journey from kid to an artist here.

Amy Cuddy’s Ted Talk about body language ends with a personal story at the end that is so inspiring. 

When I want to learn something new and want more then a how to book, I have been turning to online courses. Craftsy has been great. Classes I can watch or rewatch, paced on my own time.  They also offer free courses to get you hooked.

A new site I found is Skillshare.  They have designed their learning experience to be a project.  There are videos followed by assignments that apply to how you want to use the skill they are sharing.  I promised myself that I would become better organized so I needed a system to get all the to dos out of my head so I could be less stressed and get the important things done to achieve my goals.  I got myself set up with a system with Tiago Forte’s Get Stuff Done Like A Boss:Design your Workflow and double your productivity in 21 days.  

I have also enjoyed Jeff Staple’s A Staple of Branding: How to Start Your Fashion Company.

His story with mistakes and successes in business is useful beyond just making apparel.

A friend has started Creative Life Coaching, Karmen Lizzul where she does radio broadcasts with people about creativity.  One broadcast was  with Erin Cochran of Revealing design.  If you have ever found your workspace has gotten a little out of hand this is the lady to listen to.  She has some great ideas and revelations on how to create a space that lets you enjoy and focus on what you do.  

Listen Here

I've got my space cleaned out, my goals set, my inspirations and mentors playing in my ears.  2014 is going to rock!

Karen - LarkPractial