Recap 2013

Reviewing 2013, I find it was an unusually slow year for business but believe it was due to lack the right
items for sale and the limited time to create items as I was helping my daughter a lot with her new baby.  With all this in mind I must remember and reflect on what is most important.  Is it my small business or spending special time with my new grandson.  I value the time this year I had with him and cherish every minute for soon in this new year they will be moved, daughter and family to another state.  I'm   thankful for the time I have had with him.

  Now, as I think about life and business changes and going through up and downs I need to reflect on what to improve upon or keep the same.  I found that I needed another medium to sell besides aprons.  I added collars and cuffs that were Victorian style for weddings or special occasions.

Later in this year,  I began two Life Groups, one group for making dresses for girls around the world and the other for making blankets for cancer patients.  With these in mind and with  my daughter's help gave me the idea of making children's clothing.  This idea was such a hit I made many holiday pillowcase dresses.  So even though it was slow at times it did pick up and turned out to be a good year.

Custom Business Aprons

Sometimes we need aprons for other occasions other than the everyday kitchen accessory.  It's great to have an apron personalized for a special person or for your business.  This one was designed with Mary Kay in mind.  Mary Kay's new decorating theme is hot pink and zebra print.  So I incorporated the two prints in this cute apron.  Also on this apron are the "MK" letters for Mary Kay.  You too can have a custom apron for your special some one or for your business.  Just contact me at HeartandSowDesigns@yahoo.com

 

The reverse side of this apron is just as cute even without the letters.  

This other side can be used for everyday kitchen use or hostessing your next party.

My New Business

Recently I have started a new business.  I still am an artisan but now I'm a personal constultant too.  I help other people market their business online.  Many people have businesses or are starting businesses but need computer help with marketing their business.  I'm able help my clients with facebook, twitter, etsy, artfire, ecrater, zibbet, bonanza, picnik, picasa, blogger, just to name a few.

My clients have been very pleased with my work.  This new business is a one on one in the client's office or home.  I really enjoy helping people and seeing them accompish their goals. If you live in the Stillwater area and need help be sure and contact me, I would be glad to help you too.

4 Tips to Help Your Business

This is a New Year and as a business owner I always want to think of ways to improve my business and add to its success.  So when there is some great reading materials out there I try and read all I can.

The other day I was reading from a seller who had large sales over at Etsy and she had some great tips for us online marketers.

                                           1. Give things away

                                           2.  No free giveaways

                                           3. Celebrate Sales

                                           4. Listen to customers

                                           5.  Be found

                                           6. Advertise

Give item away:  here its recomended to give a few products away so people will have your product in there hands and these people can encourage and share with others the great products you carry.

I have done this and I do believe that giving items away does help your sales.  I encourage others to think about what to give away and to who.  The more your items are out in the market the more sales you will get.

Don't do free giveaways:  Don't have a contest where you give a free item away to one lucky winner.  They just might not like the gift and be an unhappy customer.

I have done this too and don't recomemd the free giveway contest either.

Celebrate sales:  Have a goal and when you reach it celebrate by having a special appreciation gift offered for your customers.  Start with several special items ( maybe 10) and offer it at a really low price but you still will win and not loose money.  So it would be a win win situation.  Then plan for the next goal and what special item you will offer.

This is new thing for me.  I will have to set a goal and think of what to offer special to my customers.

Listen to customers:  Take into consideration what customers say about your products.  Take note of what sells and what does not.  Make adjustments to your line of products on the cue of your customers.

This is something I was already considering.  In thinking of the new year,  I was thinking about what to add and what to drop in my shop.  It's hard to know what to do at times but you must think of your customer and what are their needs. 

Help customers find you:  Make sure you market your product in various places and in different venues.  Include facebook, twitter, blog,  website, public email address.

I already do this.  I have a facebook page, twitter, blog, and have a public email.  I do not have a website because I have not found having a private website as marketable for me as belonging to different marketplaces to advertise my products.

Advertise:  Buy advertisement clicks on websites like facebook.  Choose the clicks that are very low priced like .10 or .20 instead of the $1 and $2 per click.  These help generate more sales.

This one I haven't done but have thought about it.  I will need to look into this one more.

Source:  Lisa Jacobs, 450 Sales in the First Three Months on Etsy

Front Page of Perkins Journal

I made it on the front page of the Perkins Journal.  Local businesses were gathered together to welcome back the teachers to school and let them know of the products they have available for them.  I am sharing with  two teachers my products that would help the teacher in the classroom.   I'm wearing my  latest creation, my business apron.

Regrouping and Refocusing

I have decided to regroup and refocus my shop. I'm going to get back to the purpose of my business. I want my business to be more of a blessing than just a business. I want to inspire people and make them feel good about themselves.

I'm not going to hide the fact that I'm a Christian nor flood my shop with all Christian items either. I want to celebrate who I am and who you are too. I want my products to be a blessing to you and to those who you give them too.

I don't want to compromise who I am to get a sell either. I can have principles and values that others will appreciate because my godly principles are good old fashion, honesty, trustworthiness, integrity, helpfulness, understanding and compassion.

Who also has been an inspiration to me is my son. He has been doing the same thing with his life. He has decided to refocus his whole life and start a business too. Right now he has begun to blog to share his thoughts and desires. My son's blog: mightymetcalf Take a look if you dare.

I hope I've made sense and not rambled on. There will be some new items in my shop soon. Just keep checking and you will see my new inspirations.

You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God, Jehovah, has commanded you, that you may live, and that it be well with you. De. 5:33

Know Your Shows & Programs

Before you sign up for a booth, table, or display area find out what exactly you will be doing and what you are getting into. Don't go on preconceived ideas but find out all the facts.

As business women our time is very valuable, whether its a home business or store front business our time is valuable. You need to decide if the activity you are participating in is really worth the time and money spent to participate.

Take for instance a holiday show for business women or a business women's seminar with booths. Is this just a social group gathering or is it a sales meeting or a training seminar? Find out who will be in attendance at this function. Look at the time of day it is being hosted and where it is located, and read between the lines. If a show is scheduled during the day during normal business hours and open to they general public realize that the average person is working and that they will not be in attendance so don't count on many sales. Every person in attendance has their own agenda, promoting there own business. So take this in consideration if you want to spend the time to meet the other business women and network or if you really are interested in getting your products sold. If you want to get many sales than this is not the place for you.



A real craft show or even a women's show will be in the evening and or on the weekend when those who are attending are looking to buy and can actually come to buy. The middle of the week between 9-5 is just for those are wanting to connect and network.

I recently went to a business women's seminar thinking that I would get sales but in reality it was more a social group of networking women. There were good speakers but not about what I was interested in. Topics included priorities, getting the most our of your salon, getting physically fit, all of which I already knew about.

The things I was interested in are web marketing, planning and organizing your business, tax deductions, but these were not offered. I was naive to think that this seminar would be a great selling place but it was not.

I will keep looking into where to get the real help for my business. I am looking into my local technology center and my local university co-op too. And not all information is costly to attain, much information is free for the asking, or have a nominal fee. Oh, one more thing, don't join a group who promises to mentor you for a fee and also wants to tap into your knowledge without paying you for your information. Your information is valuable too, and if your not being paid maybe you should be. If you choose to give it away freely then you should be able to get it back freely too.

It's Beginning to Look like Christmas

I'm finally getting around to posting my holiday decorations. It took me forever to finish it all, even with it all being less than normal. Too much pretties to put out and then take down so this year I decorated sparingly but it still looks good if I say so myself. I started Thanksgiving weekend and finished it about a week afterwards but then I would add touch ups as the days went by.


Main tree in the living room


Fireplace in the living room


Dinning table decor



Buffet decor, if you haven't already noticed I love the Victorian look.


Patriotic tree in the family room



Nut crackers on the entertainment center. The family room is decorated in things my husband loves and my room is the rest of the house. hehe. Well at least I gave him a room. We did share the office but I just recently took it totally over too. I had to have a place for my business.

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