Well... I've started my own home based business. What!! Last weekend Aaron completed the online paper work and I'm the official owner of a limited liability company called Rocky Mountain Wacky Warmers. I think I'm crazy - but I guess that is okay. I've always enjoyed making things and growing up I always had a great idea of what I should try to make and sell. In elementary school I sold lanyard key chains and earrings at my cousins' grandparent's fruit stand, in middle school I sold hair scrunchies and assorted chocolate covered foods and in high school I made practice shorts for my HS BFF and myself. If I think back hard enough I'm sure there are other crafty items I've tried to sell and usually made enough money to at least subsidise my current craft addiction.
Five weeks ago when my mom and I were trying to come up with photo props for Autumn's one week photo shoot - I remembered these hats I made for my nieces and nephews a few years back. I cut 2 out - a red one and a pink one. I tied ribbon around them, one together and the other in pig tails and then used a safety pin to hold them together in the back. There the idea was born - the photos of Autumn in the hats were adorable. Two weekends later on our 16 hour drive to and from my one of my best friends' wedding I kept thinking about the hats, crunched some numbers and dreamt about the possibilities. Doesn't every little girls basketball team need matching basketball hats with cute little ribbons to keep their heads warm after a game? Doesn't every baby need a fun little hat to take pictures in?
So there you have it - in the last 3 weeks I've started base level branding, marketing planning, designing, supply buying, display making and hat making. This weekend I was able to set up for my first craft show. Luckily I've been blessed with a marketing/web designing/small business knowledgeable husband, a mother and mother-in-law helping to sew, a father-in-law with a fancy camera, a grandfather that can build anything and a grandma and dad with small business advice. Without all their help - I would not have been able to pull off getting ready for my first show.
I called my mother-in-law this Friday morning as we both were driving to the craft fair and proclaimed my craziness. The night before we had dinner guests and then Autumn didn't fall asleep until 2am. I got up Friday morning at 7am and got everything in the car, drilled a hole in a 4x4 for my Christmas tree topper, got Autumn fed and dressed, got myself showered and dressed, frantically searched for the price cards I had printed the day before, resent the price cards to Sam's club because I couldn't find the originals and then took off for west Loveland. I really didn't want to do this craft fair since it was so soon and I wasn't sure I'd be ready. However, it was free and I really wanted to get an idea of what people liked before my bigger show at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch. The craft fair was a bust as far as customers - I don't think more than 150 people walked in to look at the vendors. But boy did I learn a ton!! The gal and fellow next to me are basket weavers and they had valuabe knowledge about local craft fairs, small business taxes and craft ideas. I also learned about the patterns and hats I think will sell best from the few customers and the other vendor's children. Most importantly I got the feeling that I have a viable part time home business - the feed back from people was very positive. I only sold a whooping 10 hats - but now I have little bit of exposure, I learned so much and have a small network of crafty friends!
So we shall see where Rocky Mountain Wacky Warmers goes from here!!! It will be fun - and hopefully it at least helps me to afford my current addiction (-:
Five weeks ago when my mom and I were trying to come up with photo props for Autumn's one week photo shoot - I remembered these hats I made for my nieces and nephews a few years back. I cut 2 out - a red one and a pink one. I tied ribbon around them, one together and the other in pig tails and then used a safety pin to hold them together in the back. There the idea was born - the photos of Autumn in the hats were adorable. Two weekends later on our 16 hour drive to and from my one of my best friends' wedding I kept thinking about the hats, crunched some numbers and dreamt about the possibilities. Doesn't every little girls basketball team need matching basketball hats with cute little ribbons to keep their heads warm after a game? Doesn't every baby need a fun little hat to take pictures in?
So there you have it - in the last 3 weeks I've started base level branding, marketing planning, designing, supply buying, display making and hat making. This weekend I was able to set up for my first craft show. Luckily I've been blessed with a marketing/web designing/small business knowledgeable husband, a mother and mother-in-law helping to sew, a father-in-law with a fancy camera, a grandfather that can build anything and a grandma and dad with small business advice. Without all their help - I would not have been able to pull off getting ready for my first show.
I called my mother-in-law this Friday morning as we both were driving to the craft fair and proclaimed my craziness. The night before we had dinner guests and then Autumn didn't fall asleep until 2am. I got up Friday morning at 7am and got everything in the car, drilled a hole in a 4x4 for my Christmas tree topper, got Autumn fed and dressed, got myself showered and dressed, frantically searched for the price cards I had printed the day before, resent the price cards to Sam's club because I couldn't find the originals and then took off for west Loveland. I really didn't want to do this craft fair since it was so soon and I wasn't sure I'd be ready. However, it was free and I really wanted to get an idea of what people liked before my bigger show at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch. The craft fair was a bust as far as customers - I don't think more than 150 people walked in to look at the vendors. But boy did I learn a ton!! The gal and fellow next to me are basket weavers and they had valuabe knowledge about local craft fairs, small business taxes and craft ideas. I also learned about the patterns and hats I think will sell best from the few customers and the other vendor's children. Most importantly I got the feeling that I have a viable part time home business - the feed back from people was very positive. I only sold a whooping 10 hats - but now I have little bit of exposure, I learned so much and have a small network of crafty friends!
So we shall see where Rocky Mountain Wacky Warmers goes from here!!! It will be fun - and hopefully it at least helps me to afford my current addiction (-:
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