Ain't no summer sales slump with these tips! June 8, 2022 12:40

Have you started to worry a bit about sales for your handmade business this summer? 

June officially kicks off the summer season and you might still be wondering how to show up for your business over the next few months. So I wanted to hit you with a few strategies that you can implement RIGHT NOW to make sure your sales are sizzling this summer!

The dreaded “j” months often bring slower sales.

In January customers are recovering from Holiday spending and in June & July people are often taking vacations, and exploring outdoors & schedules often change which means less time shopping online.

Slumps in sales this time of year are totally NORMAL!

Sometimes sales slumps this time of year are even welcomed!

You can use this time to prepare for a busy season, to invest more time in learning or implementing something you’ve been putting off or just spend more time with family. There's no rule that says you have to work your business the same way during every season of the year.

As a maker of more than 12 years, I’ve spent some summers inside filling orders and some summers running my daughter to sporting activities multiple times a day and I’ve also enjoyed weeks off and time by the pool. As the new season begins I always start by taking a few moments to consider what my capacity is for the summer. 

Check your capacity. 

This is a step that most handmade business owners miss. We think we're Wonder Woman and can do it all BUT the real question is "Do you want to?" How much do you WANT to work this summer? And how much are you able to work this summer? Take some time to evaluate how you will show up this summer and what your goals are. ​

Make a plan.
 
You need a plan for summer. And I don't just mean making sure you pack the sunscreen for your afternoon at the pool. How can you reach more potential customers with your products during these months? 

Summertime is a different beast when it comes to business and you need to take the time to plan for it. That means deciding how and when you will sell your handmade items. Consider these questions:

• Will you offer anything new to your customers? 
• Will you change up your launches so you can spend more time at the pool? 
• What sales or events do you plan to run?
• What can you prepare in advance?

Work your plan.

You have to actually work the plan you created. Us creative types love to make all sorts of fancy business plans with mapped-out social media posts, 10 new product ideas, and everything else in between. But when it actually comes time to EXECUTE the plan, we fall flat. Is anyone else easily distracted by shiny objects? Maker pal, I don’t want that for your business this summer. 

In my experience, if we can focus on the money-making activities first it will take care of sales. Have your plan written down so that when you have 15 minutes to spare you can use that pocket of time to do the most important activities for your business rather than scrolling on social media. 

The summer sales slump can be a daunting time for handmade business owners. This is especially true when you’re not sure what to do or where to start. Hopefully, these three tips will help you beat the slump and increase your sales. Check your capacity, make a plan, and execute the plan- it’s that simple! 

We hope these tips will help you reach your goals and continue growing your business during this challenging season. And if you need more help along the way, join our Facebook group exclusively for handmade business owners like yourself. I host weekly training to help you sell more of what you make online. 

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

Who needs expensive centerpieces when you can make your own? March 11, 2022 09:57

Spring is coming soon and today I have a statement-sized decor piece you can make for only a few dollars. It’s perfect for your Easter tablespace, perched on an entryway table or adorning your kitchen countertops for Springtime. You can easily create multiple to decorate around your house because when you see how easy this project comes together, you’re going to want to make MORE! 

Let me tell you about the supplies we need for today's project:

• 3- Small wire wreath forms from Dollar Tree (they come in packs of two and you need 3 wreaths total)
• One part of an embroidery hoop 
• Needle Nose Pliers
• Base for your birdcage (lots of possibilities for this from wood disk to glass plates)
• Crop-a-dile tool or drill for making holes
• Chalk Paint in the color of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Start by taking the small wire wreath forms from Dollar Tree, and a pair of needle nose pliers. You just need the largest ring that's around the outside of the wreath form for this project. Find the point where the wreath is welded together and snip, then you're going to go around the whole border and clip off the outside ring of wire from the wreath form as close as you can. Repeat on each of the wreath forms until you have three of the large rings loose.

Next, you’ll need your wood embroidery hoop to make our birdcage come together. Use a ruler to mark the spot for 6 holes evenly spaced around the diameter of the embroidery hoop. Then you’re going to create a small hole to feed the wire through at each place you marked your embroidery hoop. You can either drill or punch the holes into the hoop by using the Crop-o-dile. 

Once your holes are punched, make a bend in the wire about 1/2” from one end and feed through a hole in the hoop. Create a similar bend in the wire on the opposite and feed through the hole directly across. Crimp the wire with the needle-nose pliers to secure to each side of the hoop. Repeat the process with the wire until all the holes are filled and the wire is securely attached.

Once all your wires are secure, you can see how quickly this birdcage is coming together. We’re ready for some paint!  I used Elephant Gray Chalk Paint by Waverly. I like that chalk paint sticks to everything. So I feel like it’s a good choice when you're painting metal for sure and it’s available at Walmart. 

Take a makeup sponge and just start dabbing on paint to get a coat of coverage. I prefer rustic and chippy decor so it's not necessary it be perfect for me. I know I've shown recently in a video how to make faux rust with cinnamon and this would be a really fun project for that if you like rustic decor. You could do this base coat of gray and then add cinnamon to achieve that, here is the video to watch if you need further instruction.

Once the top of your birdcage is painted to your liking, set it aside to dry while you create a stand or base for the project. You could use anything from wood risers, or a wood slab slice from a tree, even a thrifted candlestick with a plate on top would work.  What I had on hand in my craft room was a couple of spare wooden circles, and a candlestick so I used these to create a stand similar to a cake stand. If you happen to have a cake stand in the pantry it may work well to set your birdcage onto for display. Use what you have!

As far as what to set inside your birdcage, it’s completely up to you! I had a ceramic bunny that fits perfectly so I set him in the center and I embellished my birdcage with a bow & some faux greenery in my go-to neutral color scheme. 

If you love more color for spring, you could adorn yours with colorful plaid ribbon and some faux tulips. A birdhouse, ceramic bird, or faux nest would look beautiful inside your newly created birdcage. The possibilities for decorating and embellishing this cloche project are endless!

Ready to decorate? We created a statement size piece for just a few dollars and I think it's beautiful for Spring decorating, especially as a centerpiece or nestled in the corner of a kitchen. If you create one, please send me a pic, we’d love to feature your project on our social media.

DIY Shelf Sitter Sign February 21, 2021 13:24

This chunky shelf sitter style sign makes a great everyday reminder displayed in your home year round! It's also easy to create with items you can find at Walmart or the local Dollar Tree. No special machines or stencils required.

MATERIALS:

• 6x6 wood sign from Walmart
• 4x4 mini canvas from Walmart
• Alphabet Letter Rub ons from Dollar Tree
• Greenery
• Knob
• Drill
• Twine
• Hot Glue & Glue Gun
• Black & White Acrylic Paint
• Paint brush - these are some of my favorites!

These wood signs come in a variety of sizes in the craft department at my Walmart store. They are also available in white or this stained look. You can use as is or paint them. They are chunky and stand on their own so they make a great place to start for lots of crafty projects.

I also did a video tutorial for this sign! Watch along or you can read the instructions below to see how easy it easy to create you own customized wood sign.

INSTRUCTIONS:

I took a small amount of white paint on a brush and highlighted around the edges and between the slats to add more definition but it's totally optional!

After highlighting my wood block, I added a white based coat to the mini canvas an allowed it to dry. 

Then apply the rub on letters. I used the word "faith" and handprinted in the perfectly imperfect cross in place of the T but you can do whatever word, or quote strikes your fancy. I hadn't used run on transfer letters for YEARS but I was pleasantly surprised how easy they are. I'll keep them on hand for easy DIY's from now on.

Once my mini canvas was complete, I glued it to the center of the wood sign. Then I drilled a hole for the knob in the center top of the sign. I thought these additional elements took the sign from boring and basic to totally adorable!

Then I embellished with bits and pieces of greenery left overs and some twine to help hide some hot glue. And ta-dah! It's done. 

This would make a sweet gift to give. Even better it can easily be personalized with their last night and established date. Lots of potential for this mini sized DIY.

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Spring DIY Kits February 10, 2021 13:13

I am currently bundled up in our tiny laser cutting office during an ICE day here in NW Arkansas. What the??? It's the first time I recall everything being cancelled for ice in a decade or more but needless to say, I'm dreaming of sunshine and warmer temps as I huddle around the heater.

So I could not be anymore excited to show you our SPRING collection of DIY blanks!

These new items give me all the Spring vibes I need right now and I hope you will love them too.

This week we have released DIY kits for:

• Spring DIY Tiered Tray Set
• Hello Spring Round Door Hanger
• Spring Porch Sign
• Spring Banner

We provide the smooth, laser cut wood blanks that make it super EASY for painting and you provide the creativity (and a little paint and glue). You can quickly go from raw wood to WOW with these blanks!

No matter what style of tiered tray you have (this ladder style one the Junque Hunk made for me is adorbs right!?) these perfectly sized for tiered tray signs will make styling your tray so easy!

Just paint, glue and decorate. 

I used a combination of corals, sage green, and dusty blue but of course you can use whatever color match your home decor this Spring.

Say hello to Spring with this 18" wood round set.

I don't know about you but my porch is looking pretty drab at the moment. This round wood sign makes the perfect door hanger to perk up any porch!  

The color combos are endless with this DIY Door hanger set and I cannot wait to see what you create for your front door.

Here is a peek at the spring banner! I used a pattern aqua blue plaid paper to incorporate pattern into this laser cut wood banner but you can paint or Mod Podge on your favorite spring fabric, napkin or tissue paper to customize your own banner for Spring. 

These are a great size for displaying on a mantle or the front of a hutch or buffet. Anywhere you need a bit more Spring cheer!

Make sure you follow us over at Junque 2 Jewels on Facebook as I'll be going live showing you different paint techniques and tips for these Spring DIY sets. I'm also looking forward to our next release which is EASTER! 

Kitchen Sign Craft - YUM! February 7, 2021 17:30

I am about 2 weeks into the moving process and while I'm surrounded by boxes my decor loving brain is ready to craft and decorate the new space.

The plus side to moving is that I FOUND so many craft supplies that were buried in my stash. Today I pulled out a cutting board from Michaels to create a sign for the new kitchen using copper as an accent. I love the warmth of copper and hoping it brings some character to my very white, blank slate of a kitchen. 

  I styled the finished sign in a little corner of the kitchen under the cabinets with an old scale, plaid measuring cups from Hobby Lobby and some other cutting boards I've collected of the years. 

I think you will enjoy learning about how you can create wood with character and age from blanks you find in the craft store too.

Check out the video to see how easy it is to create your own version for your kitchen!

DIY Rag Bow Tutorial February 4, 2021 16:01

These shabby chic rag bows are perfect for adorning wreaths, signs, door hangers or adding to your home decor. I can even imagine rag bows made in white for wedding decor. Almost every creative project looks cuter with a rag bow! 

I've made these over the top fabric bows shades of orange and mustard for fall and layered them on fabric pumpkins, I recently added one to a Valentine Sign, and I've even used them to adorn a bunny sign for my front porch. Every season deserves it's own!

If you want to learn how you can quickly and easily make fluffy and beautiful rag bows, you're in the right place.

Let's gather your supplies...

Supplies:

• 1/8 yard of cotton fabric in 3-4 colors (fat quarters also work well for this project)
• Pom Poms, ric-rac or ribbon of your choice (optional)
• Scissors

Prepare your fabric by ripping into 1" wide strips. You'll want to start with 6-8 strips of each fabric you plan to use. 

Check out the video for full instructions. (I did this amid a Valentine tutorial so the rag bow portion starts at about 10 minutes in if you want to get right to the good stuff.)

Fall Ribbon Sources August 18, 2019 11:59

Did y'all see our 60 second bow video??? It's our most viewed video EVER! So I'm thinking y'all wanna make some bows with your new fancy skills...and being the helpful gal I am, I've created a resource to help you find some of the cutest & on trend ribbons for this fall that would be perfect for making bows.

Below is a list of a variety of ribbons that are perfect for making bows to add to your wreaths or door hangers or whatever type of fall decor your adding to your home. These ribbons are 1.5-2.5 inches wide and wired which makes them perfect for your fall decor and especially bow making.

Mustard Yellow Diagnoal Plaid

Fall Ribbon with Leaves - the colors in this are so unique & would be great on a neutral project.

Argyle Ribbon with Glitter - even I love a little sparkle in a fall ribbon!

Vintage Truck ribbon - these old trucks are popular for any season but adding pumpkins for fall just makes them even more adorable! It's even available with a teal truck too!

Stitched Ribbon - this style is probably my favorite for a subtle pattern that doesn't compete with bolder patterns in bows. This color works great for fall but other colors are available no matter what season you're creating bows.

Pumpkin Ribbon - This pumpkin pattern ribbon screams fall to me in the neutral color but they also have a pretty rust & cream version too!

Plaid Fall Ribbon - multi color plaids are great to tie together multiple colors of ribbon or paint in your project

Here is one with a touch of glitter

or this one with a bit of teal is a great option for fall crafting.

Any finally a good black and white Buffalo check or gingham ribbon works for every single season. This is a great one and it's 50 yards so tons of crafting potential!

Hope you enjoyed this ribbon recap of some of our favorites for fall. Please note that some links may contain affiliate links. 

Junque 2 Jewels

What most sellers are doing WRONG on Facebook…(And how to fix it) July 7, 2019 14:46

As a handmade business strategist I am constantly looking at Facebook pages of sellers and makers. I see this MISTAKES being made over and over again. 

It’s not your fault, I get that as a makers you’re probably on Facebook because you want to sell more of your stuff so most posts I see are a bit like this:

Post: Picture of your pretty thing. 

Caption: Buy my pretty thing, here ____.

This strategy may get you a few sales but if you’re here reading this blog you’re most likely looking to up your Facebook game and would love to make MORE SALES. Right?

Okay, then we need to consider a few things each time you create a post. 

1. Facebook wants people (aka potential shoppers & customers) to stay on their platform as long as possible. So you trying to send them to your website or Etsy by including links or salesly jargon in your post are probably killing your reach.
2. Customers aren’t on Facebook to shop most of the time. People start scrolling to check in with friends & family or to be entertained and inspired.

So what’s the fix? 

A few ideas for fixing this.

• Look at the words you're using and cut out the no-no words and replace them with Facebook friendly versions.For example: replace SHOP with GRAB ONE, replace SALE with ROCK BOTTOM, replace FREE with UNBELIEVABLE. Or consider adding emojis an symbols to break up those words. SALE becomes S-A-L-E, SHOP NOW becomes s h o p  n o w and DISCOUNT becomes >>D I S C O U N T<<.
• Make sure 75-80% of your posts are non-salesy related. Inspire them with cute decor, share inspirational spaces, show them behind the scenes of your business or projects in progress, ask for their opinion, show the ups and downs along with the mess. 

I like to think about taking my customers along with me for this crazy ride of being a maker. I try to document the journey rather than just presenting a finished pretty project all the time. That shift in mindset will help you get your posts on track with what customers and Facebook like best.

We have even created a list of 30 days of post ideas specifically for makers you can use and recycle for each month again and again!

The second problem I see when I check out other makers business pages on Facebook is lack of posting. I get it. If you’re posting and not getting reactions, you get frustrated and fall off. Facebook becomes a non priority so you post only when you get time, if you get time. 

This is a recipe for a DEAD page. I understand the frustration, Facebook is a slow grow for most but inconsistently posting on your business page is NOT a Facebook strategy. 

Facebook is a powerful source of customers & sales if you use it correctly to build community and connection. You can create repeat customers for life and a platform of people who are excited to buy from you and tell others about your pretty things. 

The best remedy for this is putting Facebook on the calendar. You need to be posting 2-4 times a day, every single day! Wondering what to post? Remember we created this hand dandy LIST for 30 days of post content we created specifically for makers.

You can also schedule Facebook posts out in advance right on the Facebook Page Manager App or from your desktop so even when you’re not available, your potential customers are hearing from you. Consistency is key my creative friend.

As I'm sure you know QUALITY content is important too. But what does that mean? When you are posting, check in with yourself, think; would I comment on this post? Would I just scroll right past it? Is this something I would share with my friends? There is lots of competition for attention on Facebook so make sure you’re standing out. It cannot be all about YOU. It cannot be all about your product. 

Keep in mind Facebook is customizing each persons newsfeed based on their engagement. You are shown more of what you interact with in your newsfeed and that is going to be different for each person. The more engagement (reactions, likes, comments, shares & time spent) with your page the more of your followers that will see your posts. The best way to do this is consistently posting quality content!

I can’t wait to hear how these fixes help you improve your strategy on Facebook and get you started creating relationships with your customers and sell more of what you make creative lady.

Happy posting!

Friday Favs: FREE Shipping Edition! July 5, 2019 13:29

We just arrived home from a week of fun in the sun in Cancun, I kept unplugged most of the time from social, screen time and checking emails. How did I use my travel time home? Plugged right back in to catch up and searching out good deals online!!!

4th of July weekend is prime shopping time and my virtual cart is loaded up. I thought I'd share a few of those favorite finds (that also have free shipping) with you too.

Part of sharing responsibly is letting you know that this blog contains affiliate links which means if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission (at no charge to you). Thank you for your support in this way!

Name Towels

For pool days and vacay these personalized towels are great for kiddos and adults alike!

Macrame Earrings

 I have a fondness for the Macrame Trend and these adorable earrings would be an adorable way to add a boho vibe to your next outfit choice. 

Monogram Backpack

I've been on the lookout for something to stuff my laptop into for trips to the coffee shop and this cute backpack totally fits the bill. It would also work well for teens and even as a diaper bag! 

 Sports Mom Tees

If you have a soccer, baseball, softball or football player you cheer on these game day tees are staples for the season. Available in a bunch of colors and extended sizes for a variety of sports you're sure to find one that's perfect t-shirt to support your #1 athlete.

The 5 business tools I use every single day... June 27, 2019 13:35

This one Etsy tip can EXPLODE your email list June 19, 2019 11:19

Sign Makers Society June 12, 2019 11:51 9 Comments

DOORS ARE OPEN TO OUR SIGN MAKER SOCIETY.

An online community of MAKERS just like yourself. We will be working together each month to develop business savvy, better mindset habits and challenge your creative skills.

Included with your membership in Sign Maker Society:

• A private Facebook group with like minded makers
• Monthly Training via LIVE videos
• LIVE group call with Q&A each month
• Accountability & Monthly challenges
• A unique creative video tutorial
• Monthly workbook downloadable
• Exclusive svgs, product mock ups, social media content

Stamped book stacks Tutorial - How to create custom stamped books for your home decor February 26, 2019 13:01 4 Comments

Paint your own Easter Bunny door hanger, Video Tutorial February 20, 2019 14:35

DIY Bleached flannel tutorial December 29, 2018 13:54 1 Comment

Do you love a good flannel?

Add a monogram, and I'm even MORE smitten. We know you'd adore this fashionable project as much as we do so we created this DIY Bleached Flannel Tutorial you can easily follow to create a one of a kind comfy shirt for yourself (or as a gift).

Supplies list is short and sweet:

• Flannel shirt of your choice
• Monogram stencil
• Bleach in spray bottle

You will probably want a pair of plastic gloves and a covered area to work on as well.

The tutorial for this project can be found on our facebook page.

Planning your BEST YEAR EVER as a maker December 28, 2018 11:02 2 Comments

CRAFTmas Week, Day 3: A DIY trio of painted trees November 7, 2018 15:22

CRAFTmas Week, Day 4: Bike wheel snowman November 7, 2018 14:39

It's no secret I love old junk (or Junque, if you will).So finding a few old bike wheels around our house wasn't a challenge once we re-imagined a way to use them for Day 4 of CRAFTmas week as a snowman. This big guy is oh-so-cute!

We did a full video on how to make him - INCLUDING the fancy top hat we created from a metal coffee can! See all the details in this video:

CRAFTmas Week: Day 2, Using gift wrapping supplies to make Christmas Decor November 5, 2018 14:31

Christmas is my favorite time to craft and the craftiness continues with CRAFTmas week day 2. Today we're turning gift wrapping supplies into some holiday decor that's sure to impress. Like these $1.92 gift bags we created rustic holiday signs with. 

Regardless of your craftiness skill level you can totally make these for your own home, or gifting this holiday season. Watch and see how simple it is with this tutorial:

You can also Pin any of these images so you can watch later!

CRAFTmas Week: Day 1, Let's make some snowglobes November 5, 2018 14:13 1 Comment

If you want to PIN the idea for later - we'd love that too!

Buffalo Plaid Painting Tutorial August 26, 2018 15:33 17 Comments

The Buffalo Check pattern is so on trend and I've pretty much mastered the look I like and it's not too hard! I promise you totally got this...

Fall Pumpkin Door Hanger Tutorial August 26, 2018 13:55

Easy rustic lantern project June 13, 2018 14:21

Building makes me feel remarkably handy & strong! Seriously…I’ve never experienced a “runners high” but I’d imagine it to be pretty similar to how I feel after building something with power tools. Especially when it turns out as CUTE as these rustic lanterns!

Here are the dimensions for the sizes I build – each one needs 3 garden stakes (I used the 4ft length, some stores may also have them available in a 6ft length). These suckers were under $2  a piece at Lowes making this also a CHEAP building project to test out your skills.

Rustic Lantern Cutting Details:

• Four – 6” lengths
• Four – 8” lengths
• Four - 12-14” lengths (depending on how tall you want your lantern to be
• Four – 7” lengths angled to 45 degrees on the ends
• One – Topper piece cut to your preferred length

 Watch the full video below for step by step assembly instructions.

Check out these fun examples from our viewers!

Farmhouse Round - Virtual DIY p-ART-y! May 21, 2018 16:15 1 Comment

YOU are invited to make with us - no make up or public-ally acceptable clothing is required! We're having a VIRTUAL live DIY party that you can enjoy from the comfort of our own home. That's my kind of crafting!

To make it SUPER EASY - below are details on the supplies for the party and here is the link to a video explaining in further detail if you're not sure on any aspect. We'd love to have you join us as we create together virtually.

The LIVE event will be fun but keep in mind, if you cannot be on to view at that time, you're more than welcome to complete your project ANY time that is convenient as the video will continue to be available in our F-R-E-E group. 

List of supplies

• Wood Round - 17 3/4"
• Ruler or Yard stick
• Heavy Duty Stapler
• Wire/Floral Cutters
• Rope or Sisal to hang
• Paint Brushes - recommend a 2" bristle brush for back ground then a smaller flat or angled 1/4" brush for details
• Black Paint 
• White Paint
• Greenery 
• Cotton Stem
• Ribbon of your choice (mine is from Hobby Lobby in the fabric department)
• Small Squeegee
• Chalk Paste or Couture Ink in color of your choice
• Chalk Transfer - see some recommendations below

Great Transfer choices for this projects

1. Established Wreath
2. Home Sweet Home
3. Farmer's Market (Rooster)
4. Stay Awhile
5. It's so Good to be Home
6. Love Grows Here
7. Vintage Truck - we also have some SUPER cute add ons to fill the bed of the truck that would be great with this!
8. Farm House

I look forward to DIYing soon!

Katie