Project 3
Party Invites and Thank You Cards
For this post I want to share some ideas on wheeling and dealing for your crafts.
This sounds a little unusual and is not for everyone. I know a lot of people just like to craft and enjoy the process and I understand the benefit of crafting for craft sake, but some of my enjoyment comes from making something for nothing and sharing that with others or selling then giving the profits from them for good causes. I get a bigger kick from giving in this way.
As well as Ebay I sell items on Etsy and clear excess craft items at Car Boots. I love a walk around a good Car Boot as not only do I get exercise but I can pick up some bargain items for my crafting. Sometimes this requires thinking out the box, like todays project.
I was wandering around my local car boot last Saturday and on a table was a collection of Beatrice Potter cards. To be honest I could not really see what they were but as the lady picked them up to tidy them and put them into a sleeve I saw there were several images and a good size so I asked how much. The reply was 50p, so I immediately handed over the cash and went on my way. At home I took them out to have a better look and sure enough there were 28 Beatrice Potter images, each card image is on a what looks like a playing card, and measures 3 1/4” x 5”.
I needed to do very little to them for the idea I had. Using some A6 cards and envelopes from my stash (Papermania A6 Cream card and envelopes). I cut the corners of the blank cards and layered the images on the top.. I left them perfectly plain other than that as I will use inserts to finish them.
I thought I would use 6 -8 cards as Birthday Party Invites and matching cards as Thank You cards. They would make lovely invites to a little ones party and should they be showered with gifts from family and friends they can write simple Thank You notes.
If you were seeing your invited guests you could print the invites onto quality paper and stick them to the back of card. In this way you would not need another card or envelope, and the whole process has cost 50p.
Other items I look for at car boots are pieces of costume jewellery that I can re-use for Journal and Memory Book adornments. Usually bracelets or necklaces that I can take apart and use the beads to make decorated pins and clips for the binders and pages. You can see some of the makes by checking out the post below.
Also ribbons can often be found, and of course books that can be re-purposed for journals or pages used to make shabby chic flowers etc. I have had some good finds with music books and pages of old prints and flower illustrations.
Occasionally, once or twice a year, I will attend a Car Boot as a seller. I am a fair weather seller, the weather making a difference to the sort of day you have, I select a day when I have dry, warm but not too hot a day. This way I can set up in comfort and manage the 3 or 4 hours there. It is essential to choose a well attended C B and to set out your items on the table as well as possible. Whilst people like to rummage for bundles and oddments if you are selling excess craft tools, dies etc they need to be clearly visible. I have had my share of good days and bad over the years, so it is only worth doing C B’s if you enjoy the day, as there is no guarantee of good sales and you can end up doing a days work for £30. You have to remember the time spent sorting items, and loading the car and unloading when you get home.
When I have done them it has been for a mixture of reasons.
To clear excess craft items
To sell my craft items
To meet other crafters
To promote a craft class I am holding - I take hand-outs to give to anyone looking at the craft items and having an interest in paper crafting.
Since Covid I have only sold at one CB, to be honest it was not a great day, but I had a friend with me so the time went quickly and we enjoyed the day. I have visited more and it it would appear that there are less people attending in general, children’s clothes and toys are the most regular selling items but buyers still enjoy the variation available in general and most people attending buy something.
Just be careful if you are buying, to think about the use of the items you are cnsidering purchasing or you will end up with lots of bits and pieces that together do not make a project. But if you can think a little outside the box it can be a great buying place.
I have also bought clearance boxes of notelets as they were £1 for 20 cards and envelopes. I bought several boxes as the prints were centred which meant I could cover them with my own paper projects, making them very cheap base cards.
Happy Crafting
Dee
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