It's on like Donkey Kong, y'all.

This weekend! Austin, Texas! My birthday and Renegade Craft Fair!! Boom:


Come find me in Booth #40 next to my friends Dowdy Studio and Cut Out and Collect! We'll be the ones making all the dang noise in the back left corner. Don't be surprised if you see me dancing to Kool + the Gang while I sell all my handmade stuff. That's how I roll.


Here's a sneak peak into my display set-up. If no one buys anything from me, I can just hold a "Necklace a Day" contest for the next year and a half.



Oh. Hello there, Beethoven.

Marketing Your Craft: Give It Value!

Okay you guys.

I'm getting real tired of seeing under-priced items riddling the aisles of craft shows and covering the pages of Etsy. While overpricing may hurt the individual seller, underpricing hurts us all.

WAL-MART MENTALITY
You don't have to be a marketing genius to understand that if your price is too low, the buyer is going to think your products are cheap. And "cheap" is the last thing we want people to associate with our handiwork.

When the general shopping public is exposed to an abundance of under-priced handmade work, they are going to start believing that handmade work is tantamount to bulk generic diapers at the Shop & Save. We have got to banish this Wal-Mart mentality when it comes to the art and craft we work so hard to produce.

A DELICATE BALANCE
Keep in mind, you still want to price your items fairly, and not alienate your potential customer base. Here are the things I consider when pricing my items:

+ How much do the materials cost? Include the gas it took you to drive to the place where you bought them, the postage you paid to have them shipped to you, and any other costs associated with acquiring the raw materials.

+ How much is the design worth? If you're working off a tutorial or pattern, this price point should be lower than if you designed the item yourself.

+ How long did it take you to complete the item from start (design) to finish (completion)? At a bare minimum, you should charge yourself no less than $10/hour. Making an item by hand is worth more than flipping burgers - give yourself a proper wage.

+ How are you selling your product? So you have your finished product, but you aren't anywhere near done. Build into the price the cost of maintaining a web site, creating good product photography, and selling at craft shows.

+ What about all that other stuff? Yes, long-term overhead costs should be built into your pricing. Think: business cards, office/studio space, gas/travel, paper, ink toner, computer, internet service, utilities. In other words - all the things you expense in order to create and promote your handmade product.

+ Finally, as a person who appreciates and understands handmade art/craft, I ask myself: What would I pay for this?

GET YOUR HEAD STRAIGHT
If you still feel uncomfortable paying yourself a fair wage for your handmade work and (gasp!) actually pricing it so you make a profit, do these three things:

(1) Say this out loud, "My art/craft has value. If I believe it's cheap, everyone else will, too." Repeat this to yourself until you get it.

(2) Tell the world your story. It's time to get comfortable talking to strangers, y'all. Do craft shows, work on your web copy - tell your story so everyone knows exactly why they should pay $35 for this handmade, originally-designed t-shirt.

(3) Pick up a book at the library on shopper psychology and read it. You'll soon learn why the same shoppers who shell out $98 for a mass-produced necklace at Anthropologie balk at your better-crafted $30 handmade necklace. It's the perception of value. Make people believe your stuff is worth buying, and they will buy it.

I'M BEING SELFISH
I'm not writing this to help you. Really, I'm not. I want all the sales for myself. Okay, that's not entirely true, but I'm not going to lie to you and say I did this altruistically. I want the handmade market to improve, and the only way to do that is for us all to collectively improve the way we sell our items and the story we tell the public.

So get to it! You have a lot of homework to do and the clock started ticking 2 minutes ago.

I Just Got Indie Fixxed!

Thanks to the lovely Jen over at Indie Fixx for choosing my Keats & Yeats fabric sculpture necklace to be featured! While you're checking out her great blog, check out my Spring Galleria shop, which will be up through May. Notice anything extra special on the left sidebar?


Visit my Etsy shop today to see all the lovely handmade things I have for sale: www.tefi.etsy.com

Overheard at Craft Shows

The following is a list of customer comments I've heard time and again at craft shows, and what I dub "the kiss of death". Craft show organizers - take note (please!).

"I didn't know this show was going on." Uh-oh. This means the organizers didn't market to the immediate area, which are the people most likely to support locally-made goods. It also doesn't bode well for their marketing strategy in general. In other words, if they didn't reach people who live nearby, did they also miss those living in surrounding areas?

"Oh darn, I didn't bring money."Um, excuse me what? If this is a larger, broader type event (where artists are only a small part of the fun), the people who come out to the festival likely didn't know there would be art for purchase, and thus only brought their sunscreen, walking shoes and dog. Make sure festival-goers know there will be art for purchase, target people who appreciate buying locally-made goods, and make sure everyone knows to BRING CASH!!

"This is cute" or "You have nice stuff" or "I like your work" So sounds good, right? Not if you hear this over and over aaaaand...no one buys anything. This means the target shopper was not marketed to. Artists don't give up 9+ hours of their weekend just to "exhibit" their work. They woke up at the crack of dawn, loaded the car, hauled their stuff to their booth, set everything up, plastered a smile on their face, then gave up bathroom breaks and a real meal in the hopes they would sell their handmade goods. Make it worth their while or they aren't likely to return for your next show.

The season is heating up and spring/summer shows are in full swing. Carry plenty of cash with you in case you are lucky enough to make it to a local art/craft show. And remember that the things you see were made with love, care, and lots of work. The next big thing? 3rd Annual Spring Bash on April 30th in Dallas TX. More info: http://www.handmadebash.com/. See you there!

Does Your Art Have Value?

Here's a great blog article from artbizblog I came across recently. It's awesome! Read the entire article here for the juicy details, but in short here are seven ways to give your art value:

1. Make great art.
2. Treat your art with care.
3. Don't ever belittle your art.
4. Speak the words, "I'm an artist" with confidence.
5. Keep a price list handy.
6. Maintain a list of collectors and collections
7. Mention your venues and galleries.

No go forth all ye artists and be awesome!

What's In the Package?

I have always prided myself on pretty packaging (and alliterations!), making it a habit to include a handwritten "Thank You" for each purchase. This year, I'll be wrapping each purchase in pretty tissue paper and baker's twine. Each package will also include a post card with a bio and pic of yours truly. Visit my Etsy shop today and see if something strikes your fancy!

My New Year's Resolution for Other People

Be a nice email person by not ignoring emails people send me. And by "people" I mean "Stephanie." I will work on this resolution by doing the following: 1) Click unread message. 2) Read. 3) Think a little. 4) Hit reply. 5) Start typing words. 6) Hit send. 7) Feel confident I've been a nice email person. Just sayin', y'all. (C'mon now, don't pout. This is just for kicks and giggles. It's not directed at you! Unless you're my husband, in which case you wouldn't be reading my blog anyway so we're good, dear reader.)

New Web Design

I just updated my web site to showcase my logo font and the cool retro typewriter that inspired it. What do you think? http://tefidesigns.com/

I Love Happy Customers!

My Etsy shop offers a feature called "Customer Feedback" which has a sub-feature called "Appreciation Photos." Once a customer buys something, she can click on the Feedback button in the left sidebar of her profile and leave me comments on how much she loves her new Tefi piece! Some customers take it a step further and upload a pic wearing their new jewelry. This makes my heart smile. Big thanks go to Ginger for posting a photo wearing her new pottery shard piece. Ginger happens to be a local crafter who makes beautiful and stylish hats for gals under the shop name Millinerium. Pictured below is Ginger modeling her new necklace, along with two of her hats: Ginger's hats and my pottery shards can be purchased locally at Move Studio in north Dallas at Preston & Campbell near UTDallas.

This made my morning.

In addition to the crisp cool air and wonderfully dreary rain, the following customer feedback just made my morning: "Got your necklace today! It is so cute!!!!!!! I have already looked through your other inventory! I have my eye on a couple of things.....Your stuff is so cute and original! Oh, and I see you are a poetry fan as well as a Lynch fan too....cool." I live for customer feedback like this!

Makin' lazy circles in the sky

If you're anywhere near Norman, OK this weekend, grab your {handmade} wallet and head to the 1st Annual Dustbowl Arts Market. This is the first show Tefi Designs has ever sponsored and I seriously want to see this show succeed! Oklahoma is fast becoming a haven for crafty ventures and I couldn't be more pleased to support the Market as a sponsor. There are three other reasons to hit the Dustbowl Arts Market this weekend. My friends and fellow Etsy Dallas leaders Pamela Michelle, Cut Out and Collect and Dowdy Studio will be there. Best of all, the three designers are unveiling their Super Sneaky Collaboration Project, which features one-of-a-kind, limited edition handmade items that the three sneaky-peeks created together. These designs are seriously drool-worthy. (I want! I want!) For now, you can only score these great items at the Dustbowl Arts Market, so best get a move on! Also on the OK horizon: The Girlie Show, in its commendable 6th year, on N0vember 6-7. Don't miss it!

Dallas Observer Splash

Whoo-hoooo! I'm so thrilled to see our first ever Spring Bash splashed across the masthead of the Dallas Observer web site. Super mega uber thanks to South Side on Lamar for setting this up for us. Since it can't be there forever and ever, I'm including a couple of screenshots below. Support your local handmade collective by stopping at the Bash and spending some time and dollars on great handmade goods. Free crafts! Free admission! Free raffle! Free goody bags! Free good times! Smiles by the gallon!

Uber thanks to Patricia and Susie for taking these screenshots for the team!

Pixies, Peacocks and Dragonflies

New Designs for Spring
The past two months have been all about my newborn, Ian. But somehow I've managed to make a few exclusive necklaces and earrings. They are all One-of-a-Kind and available in my Etsy shop.

Never shopped on Etsy before? It is the marketplace for all things handmade. It's just like any other shopping site (Amazon, eBay, Anthropologie) where you will need to create a login and password. Sweet and simple!

The Kessler Craftsman Gets Fired Up

Here is an article originally published in a newsletter for glass artists. I'm reproducing it here to show some love to my long-time crafty pal, Larry a.k.a. The Kessler Craftsman. Enjoy! As an artist with a long-time fascination around Japanese culture and art, I recently developed a line of fused glass pendants that feature painted Japanese kanji. This article will describe the process step-by-step. The kanji symbol I’m painting in the pictures is the symbol for “the present” or “here and now.” I start by using a template to cut my pieces of fusible glass in a square. The pendant pieces pictured have a background of black Spectrum 96 glass with a foreground of various Spectrum fusible colors. I have applied the same techniques to opaque, cathedral, clear, and dichroic glass as well. Depending on the style of bail or snap-ring used to attach the piece to the necklace cord, I may also drill a 2 mm hole for the snap ring before ever attaching the foreground piece and before firing. Once my pieces are cut to a uniform size, I use a tool called an Air Pen to apply my kanji characters. The Air Pen is air-operated and was originally developed for silk painting. It forces any kind of liquid through a very fine needle-shaped tip. The tool comes with various sized tips for liquids of varying viscosity and for thinner/thicker lines. I tend to use the finer tips to apply dark Glassline glass enamels. Once the kanji characters are applied and have fully dried (just a few minutes), I use gel-glue to glue the foreground piece to the background. I keep the glue off of dichroic glass because it tends to discolor the dichroic upon firing. I then assemble the pendants on the kiln shelf of my Paragon Fusion-10 or my Paragon Caldera and tack-fuse the pendants, insuring that the square pendants don’t excessively round while firing. Once the pieces have cooled in the kiln, I attach the bail or snap ring and then ready the pendant for final sale. I hope you enjoy this technique and adapt to your own work! www.kesslercraftsman.com/

Instant Karma

Things have been silent on the Tefi blog front as of late. Cannot believe how busy I've been with pregnancy, family crisis-y type stuff, Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash planning, and work - you'd think raising money for homeless kids would be easy, but in this economic climate? Eesh. Fuggedaboudit.

So my crafty endeavors have suffered a bit, become secondary. Short of a few chunky beaded necklaces for myself, I haven't done much at all lately! Shame too, since I have so many completed pieces yet to be photographed and shared with the world (and in my Etsy shop). But I continue to get a sale here and there, and it always makes me smile - instant karma! I feel lucky to be able to outfit and adorn women around the world with my jewelry.

That said, here are a few of my favorite pieces for sale at my Etsy shop. Purchase a Tefi original today!

Let's Get Ready to Jingle!

Mark your calendars, folks. It's nearly time to kick off the holiday season!



Etsy Dallas, who first brought you the famous Beer-B-Q trunk show, is doing it again - even bigger and better this time. The First Annual Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash will be held at the historic Sons of Hermann Hall at 3414 Elm St. in Dallas on November 22nd from 3pm-10pm.

The show will feature over 40 local artists and crafters, live music, karaoke, great food, and a full bar. There is no cost to the public for admission or entertainment. While this show will be family-friendly, the vibe will be a fun, night-time holiday bash full of handmade love and good times. Think of it as a party - not your typical craft show!

Stay tuned to the Etsy Dallas blog for updates on this one-of-a-kind local shopping experience.

Show Pony Show

Stop by this Sunday and visit my booth at the Show Pony Show! This will be the last show I do this season until the big huge mega-super-duper 1st Annual Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash. Don't miss it! If you're on my mailing list, you're in for a special coupon to redeem at the show this Sunday. Splendid!



Psst - Sign up for my mailing list by clicking on the link to the left of this blog post.

Show Pony Show

Join me and my gal Brenda of B.Liscious for a day of handmade shopping fun! This August 17th we'll be at the Continental Lofts in Deep Ellum for the Show Pony Show from 11am-7pm.

This may be my last show for awhile SO PLEASE COME SEE ME and take advantage of all my great "Preggie Promotions." I'll have some items discounted up to 20%, a free pair of earrings for any purchase of $100 or more, AND a free necklace giveaway - give me your email address and I'll sign you up for a drawing to win one of my handmade beaded necklaces!

And don't miss out on some of my new items: fabric wall art, coffee cup cozies, coasters, and Kitty Nippers (copyright) catnip toys. Wow!

In addition to selling my own handmade goods, I'll be working the Etsy Dallas table with my fellow EDers helping out with a fun "progressive craft" project. Shoppers will be encouraged to make their own crafty bookmark to take home with them - at no charge! Look for the Etsy Dallas table to participate and also to enter to win all sorts of free goodies. Celebrate the handmade movement in Dallas!

Consignment Advice

Today Etsy Dallas members have been chatting on a group post about our consignment experiences and advice, and here's what I told the group. It was good to remember my experience and be able to share it with others. Wish someone had told me these things a year ago! (1) Never put your items in a shop without first signing a contract. Yikes! I made that mistake. (2) I would never put my stuff in a shop (again) that does not assume theft or damage liability. I had my jewelry in a local shop for several months and when it was all said and done, I lost about $120 worth of goods that were either damaged or "missing." Bad news bears, my friends. (3) I won't consign with someone who does not have merchandising experience or isn't open to letting me collaborate on displaying my goods. I had my stuff in this same shop and cringed whenever I walked in and saw how they were displaying my items. Horrible! (4) If you get a feeling that the people you are dealing with aren't exactly professional, you're probably right. Listen to those instincts. Basically, don't be so desperate or star-struck to get your items in a shop that you don't first think about what's right for you. You are doing them a favor by letting them sell your handmade goods and keeping a cut of the price! Right now I have my stuff at The House of Dang, and let me tell you those boys are simply awesome. Stop by and get you some cool vintage and handmade goods...uh, like my fabric button bobby pins!

Welcome Summer Solstice!

Today is officially the first day of summer. If you live anywhere near my corner of Texas, then you know that summer really began 2 months ago. But alas, the stars have aligned and it's time to whip out the leafy garlands and dance around a tree or something.

But it's too dang hot!

So instead, let's ring in the summer season with a Big Ol' Sale in my Etsy shop. I've slashed prices like mad, and made sure nothing was over $40 ($39.50 to be exact). Just look at these great deals:

Forever In Blue Jeans
WAS: $60 / NOW: $39.50


Live Oak
WAS: $48 / NOW: $39.50


Maura
WAS: $55 / NOW: $39.50