Fun With Arts and Crafts
It's mid October already, and I'm nowhere near being ready for the arts and crafts show scheduled for mid November. I've just not spent much time in the shop, creating the items I have floating around inside my head. I have all the materials, but so many other things have been going on, not to mention I've simply not felt inclined to open up the shop and work. I do this--this being going through periods of just not having the gumption to create--every now and then, with now being my most recent dry spell. I try not to get too down on myself about not writing, not creating, not cycling. I figure sooner or later the pendulum will swing the other way, and I'll be back to doing each of these things again.
I did get one item finished today. Well, nearly finished. I just need to complete some small details. I drew out several new items I wanted to create for this year's show, a key ring holder made from tubes, valves, and other miscellaneous bicycle parts being one of them. I have enough valves to make two more holders, and they don't take a lot of time to put together, so I'll go ahead and make a couple more. I think they're pretty cool and would make a nice Christmas gift for someone who loves to ride a bike. I'm hoping those attending the arts and crafts show think the same thing.
In addition to the key ring holders, I've been making refrigerator magnets from bicycle chain. I've shaped the chain into letters of the alphabet then attached a small, strong magnet. These have turned out nicely. I put a couple on our fridge just to see how they will hold up. They're the strongest magnets we have in our kitchen, not to mention they have that industrial look I like. Hopefully, others like it, too.
One other new item that I'm having a ton of trouble with is a bracelet made from bicycle tubes. I have several cut to size, with some nice designs to give them an urban-y, edgy look, but I can't get the darn snaps in place. For some reason, I can get the male part of the snap put together, but the female part of the combo doesn't clamp together. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. I've tried everything and so far nothing has solved my problem. I really like these bracelets and want them for the show, so somehow, some way, I'm going to get the snaps figured out.
Once I get these small items out of the way, I'm going to get busy on the bigger ones. I'll have several one-of-a-kinds, so I'm looking forward to seeing how these go over. Last year, I had the stained glass wheels that sold well, but I'm not doing any this year (at least not at this point; however, I could change my mind). I also had the the wind chimes last year, and they sold well, but I might not do any this year, or if I do, I'll only do three or four. Not to have some items that sold really well last year does seem kind of silly. After all, the end goal is to have products people want to buy, right?
One positive about this year's show is I was given the same space during the show that I had last year, so location is definitely working in my favor. Now, can I create the product that will entice people to visit my space and want to buy?
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| Key ring holder |
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| Fridge magnets |
One other new item that I'm having a ton of trouble with is a bracelet made from bicycle tubes. I have several cut to size, with some nice designs to give them an urban-y, edgy look, but I can't get the darn snaps in place. For some reason, I can get the male part of the snap put together, but the female part of the combo doesn't clamp together. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. I've tried everything and so far nothing has solved my problem. I really like these bracelets and want them for the show, so somehow, some way, I'm going to get the snaps figured out.
Once I get these small items out of the way, I'm going to get busy on the bigger ones. I'll have several one-of-a-kinds, so I'm looking forward to seeing how these go over. Last year, I had the stained glass wheels that sold well, but I'm not doing any this year (at least not at this point; however, I could change my mind). I also had the the wind chimes last year, and they sold well, but I might not do any this year, or if I do, I'll only do three or four. Not to have some items that sold really well last year does seem kind of silly. After all, the end goal is to have products people want to buy, right?
One positive about this year's show is I was given the same space during the show that I had last year, so location is definitely working in my favor. Now, can I create the product that will entice people to visit my space and want to buy?
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