Craft Focus magazine

www.craftfocus.com
Issue 22 December 10/January 11
CRAFTFOCUS
www.craftfocus.com
MAGA Z IN E
NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE
Exclusive Craft, Hobby + Stitch preview
Plus: win a VIP trip to the show
Eco crafting
products with morals
YEAR ROUND UP
Visual merchandising
your year in craft
priming your customers
to purchase
DELIGHTFUL
DECOUPAGE
TRIED & TESTED
Reviews of kids’
craft kits
PLUS
Latest products
Industry profiles
News & views
Official media partner for
Craft, Hobby + Stitch
International and
proud sponsor of the
New Product Showcase
18
December 2010/January 2011 Issue 22
Editor
Allison Jacobs
+44 (0)1376 535 609
editor@craftfocus.com
Editorial Assistant
Rianna Fry
+44 (0)1376 535 613
riannaf@craftfocus.com
Sales Manager
Mark White
+44 (0)1376 535 606
markw@craftfocus.com
Sales Executive
Tracy Voice
+44 (0)1376 535 618
tracyv@craftfocus.com
Design Manager
Vicky O’Connor
Deputy Design Manager
Sarah Barnes
contents
regulars
industry news
7
all the latest industry happenings, all in one place
brand spanking new
18
the latest products for your perusal
the library
24
the latest great reads to offer your customers
competition
26
win a VIP trip to International Craft, Hobby + Stitch
Senior Designer
Sophie Handley
tried & tested
54
our little terrors put kids’ craft kits to the test
Graphic Designers
Laura Perry, Steve Mckea,
Hayley Kilminster
+44 (0)1376 535 616
artwork@kdmediapublishing.com
getting fit for finance
86
business link advise on gaining financial backing
Studio Assistant
Leanne Walsh
word on the web
90
the latest news and research for online retailers
Production Manager
Stuart Weatherley
Subscriptions
Alice Henson, Charlotte Tannett
+44 (0)1376 514 000
KD Media Publishing Limited
Broseley House
Newlands Drive
Witham, Essex, CM8 2UL, UK
www.craftfocus.com
ISSN 1758-0900
Craft Focus is solely owned, published and
designed by KD Media Publishing Limited.
Whilst every effort was made to ensure the
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time of going to press, the publishers cannot
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Craft Focus magazine is proud to be
associated with and supporters of:
all the answers
96
our expert answers your retail questions
events
show dates for your diary
79
30
98
profiles
talking shop
44
retailer Margaret Binks tells us about her store, Norwich
Road Craft Shop
flower power
60
Susan Balfour of Katy Sue Designs tells us about the
amazing success of Flower Soft®
knit for a king
68
Lance Martin of King Cole talks about the world of wool
put your own stamp on it 76
Country Love Crafts has created endless possibilities for
using pottery blanks in a novel way, without the need for
a kiln
feline good
106
we find out about Pamela Harley’s digital crafting business,
Crafty Catz
MEDIA SUPPORTER
ANTI COPYING IN DESIGN
special feature
the bead’s knees
71
industry experts on what’s hot in jewellery making
craftfocus 3
features
making the most of Christmas
Nick Waller’s top five tips for retail success
28
decoupage delights
we dip into the world of decoupage
30
goodbye 2010, hello 2011
50
a cross section of the industry tell us about their year in craft, and what
they expect in 2011
visualise success
experts give their advice on visual merchandising for your store
63
the moral of the story
a showcase of products from companies who care
79
local business
why you should optimise for local web searches
87
be web wise
what you should consider before having a website built
93
6HHXVDWWKH6SULQJ)DLUDQG&UDIW+REE\DQG6WLWFK
44
shows
it’s showtime
37
our exclusive preview of the new products being launched at International
Craft, Hobby + Stitch
getting creative in Frankfurt
craft exhibitors get their own show at Paperworld Frankfurt
48
show time USA
85
it’s time for the Craft & Hobby Association Conference & Trade Show
4 craftfocus
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Season’s greetings...
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Already December is upon us,
and it’s time to gear up for the
busiest period of the retail year.
And what a year it has been.
The difficult economic climate
has been something of a doubleedged sword for craft retailers;
issues with cash flow in business,
and the decreased disposable
income of the nation have seen
retailers having to go the extra mile to survive, and
yet the renaissance of the ‘make do and mend’ trend
has meant that many areas of the craft industry
have flourished, with consumers getting creative
to make their pennies stretch further, and turning
back to traditional, home made past times. This
issue we speak to a cross section of retailers and
manufacturers to hear how 2010 was for them, and
also what they see on the horizon for 2011. You’ll
find this on page 50.
With the new year comes a raft of trade shows; the best places for
retailers to keep up with trends and source new products to tempt a
new wave of customers into their stores. In this issue we have a preview
of the New Product Showcase at Craft, Hobby + Stitch International,
where all the latest innovations in the craft market are launched. You’ll
find this beginning on page 37.
We’ve also got our usual snippets for everyone embracing online
retailing with Word on the Web, as well as some advice on optimising
your site for local internet searches. Whether you have a fully-fledged
e-commerce site, or simply a presence imparting information about
your bricks and mortar store, being found by local crafters is vital for
attracting new footfall. You’ll find this on page 87.
Starting on page 71 we take a look at the huge trend that is jewellery
making, and we also shine the spotlight on decoupage, both traditional
and modern, as well as crafting products with a moral story behind
them, in keeping with the rise of the ethical consumer.
Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of
you a busy, joyous and prosperous festive period, and a happy New Year.
Allison
Allison Jacobs
Editor
craftfocus 5
news&events
industry news
Our regular round-up of industry happenings
Ultimate Event for Southern Crafters
Consumer show Make It will be taking place from 25 to 27
February 2011 is the biggest craft event in Southern England,
attracting top companies in the craft world and thousands
of enthusiastic visitors each year. The unique of appeal of
Make It for visitors is the spacious shopping aisles, freedom of
movement for disabled visitors and convenient free parking
for all. The venue, Farnborough International Venue and
Events (FIVE) is located within easy access from a large area
of southern England so naturally attracts visitors from Kent to
Cornwall and further north too.
Kate Valentine Make It show organiser says, “Our visitor
research has revealed that although crafters are happy
to buy on line to ‘stock up’, especially if they see special
offers, nothing will replace visiting Make It. Our visitors
love the opportunity to see new products and designs
demonstrated and to obtain inspiration for their own
projects. Our workshops are hugely popular and virtually
every stand holds free demos and gives our visitors chance
to try for themselves. This makes our exhibition the perfect
place to launch new lines, designs and products. We find
our exhibitors as well as visitors appreciate the easy access
too. Held in the venue of the Farnborough air show, there
is plenty of space for parking and exhibitors can bring their
vehicles right up to the edge of the hall during build-up and
break-down”
Consumers can indulge in three fun-filled Make It
shopping days, pick up tips from free stand demos, learn new
techniques in the workshops, sit in on a free make 'n' take,
see all their favourite exhibitors and meet lots of new ones
too. There will be thousands of paper and card craft, bead
craft, home hobby craft products, kits and materials on display.
For more information go to www.make-it.org.uk.
Next year's National Minimum Wage rise must not be
greater than 1.7%
The BRC says that minimum wage restraint is needed to protect jobs
Next year’s increase in the National Minimum Wage must be no more than
1.7% to help retailers continue their vital job creating capacity, said the British
Retail Consortium (BRC).
The adult minimum wage increases rose in October this year to £5.93 from
£5.80 per hour – a rise of 2.2%. The Low Pay Commission (LPC) is currently
considering October 2011’s increase, which will be announced next spring.
The BRC said that it supports the principle of the minimum wage but warns
any increase above 1.7 per cent, the average rate of earnings increases over
the last 12 months, would seriously impede retailers’ ability to maintain and
create jobs.
British Retail Consortium Director General Stephen Robertson said: "There's
a delicate compromise between higher wages and more jobs. But the best
protection for wages is preserving jobs to keep people working.
“Anything up to a 1.7% increase in next year’s minimum wage strikes a
sensible balance between helping low-paid workers and enabling retailers to
create and maintain jobs. It’s the private sector that will drive the economic
growth that will provide the jobs and tax revenues of the future.
“But consumer confidence is fragile, while the impact of the government cuts
and nervousness about the housing market are creating a lot of uncertainty.
"Trading conditions are tough. Higher costs, such as next April’s National
Insurance increase, will pile on even more pressure. Even a small increase in
2011’s minimum wage could choke off retailers' vital potential to create jobs.”
craftfocus 7
industry news
Craft shops make
Yell.com video
comp shortlist
Three UK gift shops have
been shortlisted for the
first ever YOSCAs – the
small business version
of Hollywood’s annual
film ceremony. The Yell
Online Small Company
Advert awards have been created to honour the best films made this year
by independent companies, including arts and crafts shops across the nation.
‘Best Film’ nominees, Millers Creativity and Artrageous and ‘Best
Performance’ finalist, Allan’s Gift Centre will be representing the arts, crafts
and gifts sector against seven other business categories in the prestigious
awards.
Matthew Bottomley from Yell, which runs the awards said: “Short films
screened online to let customers see first-hand what businesses, their
bosses and staff are really like, are predicted to take over from ordinary
advertising.
“In the past, only the big companies could afford to make commercials
about themselves and pay to show them on television. Now even the
smallest shop or business can shoot its own film, put it up online and might
even get an audience of millions if it goes viral.”
The current entries were shortlisted by Nick Dance, the BAFTA
nominated director of hit TV series Skins and whose previous work includes
Shameless, Footballers Wives and Bad Girls judged the entries. Nick said
of the shortlist: “I don’t think the performances get more enthusiastic than
Kaitlin at Miller’s Creativity Shop; she really knew how to showcase their
products! The guys at Artrageous really managed to convey a creative, fun
atmosphere with the shop owners putting on a great puppet show to help
encourage imaginative people to pop along to see what else they’ve got
on offer. Carl from Allan’s Gift Centre’s performance of his rap was truly
entertaining; he could even give Jay-Z a run for his money! It is brilliant to
see the huge effort made by these small businesses.”
You can view the shortlist at www.yoscas.com.
Getting crafty at toy fair 2011
Toy Fair 2011 will be opening its doors between 25-27
January, with nearly 200 exhibitors launching hundreds of
not-to-be-missed arts and crafts toys. This year’s show is a
third bigger and features the world’s biggest toy brand, and
will include around 70 brand new exhibitors.
Companies with an arts and craft focus include Bandai,
DKL Marketing, John Crane, Jumbo Games, Kriya, Little Star
Creations, Maps Toys, Ravensburger, The In Thing, The Kidz
Painting Party Company, Treasure Trove Toys and Tykee Toys.
Don’t miss the winners of the prestigious Toy Fair Best
New Toy awards, which will be announced on the opening
morning of the show. Previous winners of the arts and crafts
category include the Splatter Man (University Games), the
Zubber Band Maker (Flair), the Moon Dough Pizza Oven
(Spin Master) and the Crayola Colour Wonder Magic Light
Brush (Vivid Imaginations).
Retailers can benefit further from pre-registering for the
show, by taking advantage of ‘at the show’ exclusive deals.
To register for a free visitor pass and save £15 on the door
simply visit www.toyfair.co.uk.
New Cologne show set for success
A new trade show for the creative handicraft and hobby
industry is taking place for the first time this April.
The show, h+h Cologne, is a joint venture by Koelnmesse
Ausstellungen and Initiative Handarbeit (Initiative Handicraft),
and booking figures are already pointing toward a strong
exhibition, with more than 215 exhibitors from 24 countries
having already reserved their stand space.
The show replaces the guest event Handarbeit & Hobby, and
will showcase innovation from knitting, embroidery, crochet and
handicraft suppliers, as well as auxiliary equipment.
There will also be a broad spectrum of special shows to
inspire visitors with creative ideas, such as the Big Trend Fashion
Show in which member companies of Initiative Handarbeit
present products and accessories with lively rhythms and
eccentric choreography – a real crowd-puller.
For further information on the show, visit www.hh-cologne.de.
8 craftfocus
industry news
Korbond launches re-branded packaging
There are exciting times ahead for Korbond Industries and their customers as the company launches
their re-branded packaging at the Craft Hobby & Stitch International trade show at the NEC 20-22
Feb 2011.
The evolution and modernisation of the new Korbond branding stems from an inherent company
vision to continually innovate their offering. The new branding and packaging delivers a softer design as
a strategy to ensure that the Korbond haberdashery and clothes care range appeals to a wide audience
across multiple sectors.
After conducting a research study and listening to consumer feedback it was deemed that on
pack communication was very important, particularly for new users to the category. Korbond have
incorporated this feedback into their new designs to increase on pack consumer communication and
usage ideas to aid their consumers.
New modelling method invented
High street sales grow for fourth month running
A UK engineer has developed a new process, called Wozice, that
uses ice as a template for the manufacture of a range of products
made from cement, concrete or other cold-poured hard set
materials. It offers a number of advantages over traditional molding
processes.
Colin Frizell from Colchester, Essex, says that the new process
provides a low-cost way of producing a bespoke range of unique
works of art, garden architecture and other objects, and is a low-tech
process with low energy costs. “After three years of development
in a small workshop, the idea is ready to go,” he says. “It doesn’t
require skilled labour, and is only limited by the artistic imagination of
the user.
“I’d like to give the idea away to a Government-run school of
art or craft, anywhere in the world,” says the inventor. “Craft or art
students could choose the Wozice method if it was available to them,
and I would be pleased to see the idea out there and being used.”
To find out more about Wozice, and to contact Colin, visit
www.wozice.com.
Sales on the high street were higher than a year ago in October,
according to the latest CBI monthly Distributive Trades Survey. The
figure was positive for the fourth month in a row.
The survey showed that 58% of retailers said that the volume of
sales rose during October, while 22% said it fell, giving a balance of
+36%. This was lower than the expected +47%, and September’s
balance of +49%.
A balance of +20% of retailers said sales were above average
for the time of the year - the highest balance since May 2007
(+21%).
As in previous months, the clothing and footwear & leather
sub-sectors saw particularly rapid sales growth, whereas sales of
durable household goods saw a slower increase (+22%), after four
months of stronger growth. Sales in sub-sectors including chemists
and hardware & DIY were lower than a year ago.
Lai Wah Co, CBI Head of Economic Analysis, said: “High street
sales in aggregate have performed well again this month, but sales
of durable household goods have slowed noticeably, in line with
more subdued housing market activity of late.
“Retailers expect sales growth to continue next month, in the
run-up to Christmas. We should also see more of a boost to
sales as shoppers look to beat the New Year VAT rise, but looking
beyond that, broader consumer caution may temper growth in
spending into 2011.”
Volumes of orders placed upon suppliers rose strongly on a year
ago for the fourth consecutive month (+30%), although this was
slightly below last month’s prediction of +40%.
Volumes of stocks increased in relation to expected demand
in October (+22%), the highest balance since April 2009 (+22%).
Stocks adequacy is now back above its long-run average (+18%)
after falling below this last month.
In wholesaling, sales volumes were broadly flat in October
contrary to expectations of growth. A balance of +3% of
wholesalers said volumes were higher than a year ago, with the
same figure expected next month. A balance of +8% of firms said
sales were above average for the time of year.
In motor trades, the volume of sales rose on a year ago (+15%),
which was broadly in line with expectations (+18%). Next month,
sales growth year-on-year is expected to continue (+13%).
10 craftfocus
Art
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news&events
Holidays for sewers and quilters
Willow sculpture celebrates graduate success
Two top national willow-weaving sculptors, and University of Derby graduates,
who have made their names crafting amazing art pieces across the UK, have
teamed up for the first time to create an absorbing new sculpture championing
graduate success at the University.
University of Derby Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Coyne said: “It is a real
pleasure and source of great pride for the University to be showcasing the work
of these talented artists. They will create a piece of art that reflects the values of
the University but will also change and evolve over time.
“The use of natural willow and the expectation that the form may be changed,
extended and re-worked over time as the willow matures and ages, will itself
mirror the natural evolution of a university such as ours. I am familiar with their
work elsewhere and I am genuinely excited by the prospect of it greeting me to
work each day.”
Brother’s campaign to get
customers crafting
Sewing machine specialist, Brother, has
announced the second of its quarterly
campaigns designed to drive customers
into high street stores.
The campaign will focus around
crafting a lap top bag and the
company has teamed up with online
textile expert Sally McCollin, to create
some exclusive designs for its agents’
customers.
Designed to encourage customers
to try out new functions and
techniques, Sally’s patterns include a
stitch panel that utilises the built-in
programming exclusive to the
Brother embroidery machines.
The two exclusive Brother designs will show customers how to make
the practical – with an over-the-shoulder strap that provides comfort and
frees hands up whilst on the move – yet stylish designs and will then be
encouraged to come up with their own ideas and designs and share them
with others.
To download your free copy of Sally’s exclusive patterns to distribute to
your customers and advice on how to run an embroidery campaign in your
store, agents should contact their account manager or a member of the
business management team on +44 (0)161 615 6250.
Travel-fans who love sewing and
quilting can now combine two of
their favourite activities. Arena Travel
has launched a range of patchwork
and quilting holidays, allowing crafters
to escape to exciting destinations
such as Canada, Italy and Bath, and
receive teaching from well-known
expert Karin Hellaby (pictured).
There’s something for everyone,
and single travellers are welcomed into the groups, safe in
the knowledge that they will share a passion for sewing,
knitting or quilting with their new travel companions.
A visit to the Festival of Quilts in Heritage Park, Calgary,
Canada, is a must for all quilters, with over 800 fabulous
works on display creating a dazzling blaze of colour. This
ten-day trip offers the chance to explore some of Canada’s
most breathtaking scenery while enjoying the very best in
quilting tuition with experts Karin Hellaby and Anne Dale.
It starts in the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver on
Canada’s Pacific coast where, after time for sightseeing,
travellers will board the ‘Rocky Mountaineer’ for the railway
trip to Calgary. The journey includes an overnight stop at
Kamloops in the Thompson Valley and passes through the
magnificent snow-topped Rocky Mountains, past glaciers
and towering canyons on what National Geographic
magazine has called one of the ‘world’s greatest trips’ After
a five-day stop in Calgary for sightseeing, workshops and a
visit to the Festival of Quilts, it’s time to fly back to London.
This trip is available from £2795.
Or, if you’re the kind of quilter who also has a love of
elegant architecture, fine art and good food, then Arena's
patchwork and quilting trip to Venice and Padua in Italy
fits the bill perfectly. This eight-day break includes four full
days of teaching led by Karin Hellaby, using Bernina sewing
machines and covering a multitude of techniques. The tour
also includes a boat trip to the island of Murano to discover
the craft of glass making, as well as walking tours taking in
Venice's captivating bridges and canals, and the historic
squares, streets and statues of Padua. This trip is available
from from £1199.
For more information call +44 (0)1473 660 800 or visit
www.arenatravel.com.
craftfocus 13
industry news
Serif PagePlus for small businesses
Small businesses looking for easy ways to
market themselves can benefit from the
new PagePlus X5 from Serif. The powerful
desktop publisher helps business professionals
easily create high quality marketing materials,
compelling advertising, stationery and
other printed documents, plus eye-catching
e-brochures.
Despite being easy to use, PagePlus X5 is a
serious desktop publisher with emphasis on
quality of output as well as the quality of the
user experience, giving ordinary PC users a low-cost, high-end publishing and
graphics package. PagePlus X5 offers powerful yet user-friendly creative design
with professional-looking results at an affordable price – making in-house desktop
publishing more attainable for start ups and small businesses.
“Marketing a business isn’t easy and many need a helping hand to create
compelling marketing materials and other professional publications,” says Gary
Bates, Managing Director at Serif. “PagePlus X5 really is the ultimate design
agency in a box, creating a range of press-ready and electronic documents that
cater for all kinds of professional requirements.”
PagePlus X5 is compatible with Windows 7/Vista/XP and retails at £79.99. It is
available directly from Serif at www.serif.com.
And sew to bed
The Liverpool Bluecoat
Bed-in in takes place
on 1st December, held
in celebration of John
Lennon’s upcoming 70th
birthday. The Craftivist
Collective will be taking
part in the event, which
aims to raise awareness of
global issues of inequality
and injustice. The collective will be sewing the last
of its 140 patches into a king-size protest duvet and two pillows. Each patch
will be on the theme of justice, equality and peace, and the duvet will be
filled with white feathers to symbolise hope for peace.
In the weeks running up to the event, patch makers have been filming
themselves in bed making the patch and discussing their themes, and
photographing the process for their blog.
The Craftivist Collective was
set up in 2008 with a simple
manifesto at its core: “To expose
the scandal of global poverty,
and human rights injustices
through the power of craft and
public art. This will be done
through proactive, non-violent
creative actions.’
For more information visit
www.craftivist-collective.com.
14 craftfocus
Crafts Council launches OnViewOnline
exhibition programme
The Crafts Council has launches two online exhibitions; OneLiner: Reflecting on Drawing in a Digital Age and Out of Print:
Bookbinding & Letterpress selected by Malcolm Garrett, at
www.onviewonline.org.uk
The online exhibition programme – OnViewOnline showcases objects from the Crafts Council’s Collection of
contemporary craft in new and innovative ways in order
to encourage debate and make new developments in
contemporary craft accessible worldwide.
One-Liner explores new concepts of drawing in the digital
age. Ceramicist Tavs Jørgensen seeks to establish how new
human computer interfaces can create a more personal and
expressive aesthetic using new technologies. The exhibition
will explore the digital drawing process with a film charting
the making of his ‘One-liner’ bowls alongside a debate on the
subject of drawing and its importance in contemporary craft
practice within a digital age.
Out of Print features six bookbinding and letterpress works
selected by renowned graphic designer Malcolm Garrett from
the Crafts Council Collection. Work by W&S Carter, John
Pearson, Robert Hadrill, Ron King and Faith Shannon will be
displayed in a dynamic format that includes the use of stopframe animation to give the viewer an idea of the material
quality of the books. Garrett also asked a selected panel of
prolific commentators, bloggers and current practitioners to
participate in a discussion about the themes raised in his 1991
Graphics World article “The Book is Dead?”
An exciting new British company with a fabulous brand new range of
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New images coming soon
industry news
In brief
Paperchase launches transactional website
Paperchase has launched a new transactional website. The
development of the website is seen as a major strategic
initiative for Paperchase which, over time, will grow and
offer customers a multi channel shopping experience. The
decision to launch the new website now is a reflection on
how the online market has matured and the UK has one of the highest worldwide
internet usage.
Boxmart launch new site
BoxMart, the leading trade suppliers of off-theshelf gift boxes and bespoke packaging solutions,
has unveiled a new-look website. The user-friendly
site, www.boxmart.co.uk, is designed to facilitate
customers’ ordering experience through the
use of a new Collections section, product links
and an efficient check-out process. The site is
complemented by the addition of stunning new
photography.
Topps Tiles Top Award
Making a positive contribution to local communities
served by their stores, Topps Tiles supports and
encourages mosaic art within community groups
nationwide. The Topps Tiles Awards for Achievement
in Mosaic competition provides beginners learning
mosaic as a craft skill, with the opportunity to showcase
their achievements throughout adult education classes,
community centres and workshop groups.
Beating off entries from over 250 budding artists
countrywide, Diane Rawson from South Elmsall,
Pontefract is the nation's top amateur mosaic artist
having scooped first place in the 2009–10 Topps
Tiles Awards for Achievement in Mosaic competition.
As Britain's most talented mosaic newcomer, Diane
triumphed by not only winning the ultimate £500
national prize, but her 'waterfall' mosaic artwork is soon
to be exhibited at the Topps headquarters near Leicester.
As a top community priority, Topps Tiles initiatives
include sponsorship of mosaic as public art, Help for
Heroes charity work, nationwide youth football support
as well as primary school mosaic projects.
National judge David Tuhill M.A (RCA) said of
Diane's work: "this is a complex piece and conveys
an extraordinary sense of tranquillity. The way falling
water flows through the textured landscape is
beautifully executed. Diane and her teacher are to be
congratulated."
Diane's work is an outstanding achievement,
particularly for a novice who is still in the process
of learning the craft. Jo Hepworth, mosaic artist and
Diane's teacher who also taught last year's national
winner, confirmed, "It's wonderful when a large national
company takes interest in education and sponsors a
competition that encourages creativity and talent."
16 craftfocus
Promote events for free
Listings site Ooh.com has opened up the
site to enable people to list and promote
free craft events and fairs. Emma Drew,
head of marketing at Ooh.com, says,
“People have already listed over 3,700
activities, events and things to do around
the world - many of them craft activities
- but lots more people have asked to use Ooh.com to promote free events
they’re organising. We’ve responded quickly to this demand because our focus is
on providing a site with the most interesting, unusual things going on, so if some of
these things are free, it’s really important we have them on our site.”
Great grannies
Finalists for the Startups Awards 2010 have been announced,
and a bespoke knitwear accessories company is in the running
in the Craft/Home Based Business of the Year. Grannies, Inc
is an online company that provides accessories hand made
by grannies around the UK. The range is one-of-a-kind, with
customers having the opportunity to tailor designs via a
simple online designer tool before having it transformed into
a one-off article by an eagerly awaiting granny. The awards will
be announced at a prestigious ceremony on 2nd December.
Visit www.startupsawards.co.uk to find out more.
CrossStitcher gets a makeover
Leading cross stitching magazine CrossStitcher has unveiled
a stylish new look following a major redesign. The new-look
mag, priced at £3.99, went on sale in October and features a
broad mix of exciting projects inspired by the latest trends,
and a ‘Savvy stitcher’ section introducing a new stitching
technique each month.
Take a look at some of the latest products around
brand spanking new
Seedling
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
Build Your Own Erupting Volcano
+44 (0)161 768 0121
RRP £29.95
A kit containing instant paper mache mix, base board, coloured vinegar, baking soda,
acrylic paints, paintbrushes and instructions.
This kit is designed to encourage ‘thinking and doing’ in children. It’s activity-based so
appeals to parents who want to give children a fun way to use their brains. The
‘eruption’ is caused by the natural chemical reaction that occurs when baking soda
meets vinegar.
All the products in the seedling range are design-led and activity-based rather than
toy-in-a-box gimmicks. Others in the range include Knit Your Own Designer Scarf,
Design Your Own Superhero Cape and Design & Build Your Own Glider.
Injabulo
Product:
Incomparable buttons
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
+44 (0)1832 274 881 or info@injabulo.com
£4.95 per card RRP
Hand made hand painted ceramic buttons
These buttons are fair trade and painted by hand so that each one is unique.
The fair trade aspect to this product is appealing and it comes with point of
sale promotional material. There are 250 designs ranging from novelty to
classic designs.
S.E. Simons
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
May Arts Ribbon
+44 (0)117 955 4710 or www.sesimons.co.uk
Various, enquire for details
Fabulous new range of ribbon designs, in spectacular colours from grosgrain
to silk.
These are new to the UK market and repeat orders are already flowing in.
The range is massive, with over 5,000 products, so there’s something for
everyone.
DMC
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
18 craftfocus
The Woodland Folk starter tapestry packs
+44 (0)116 275 4000 or sales@dmccreative.co.uk
£9.50 per pack RRP
Each pack contains four skeins of DMC Soft Cotton Thread, colour printed
canvas, instruction sheet and a tapestry needle. Unique selling points: full
colour printed canvas in blocks which makes the designs a perfect
introduction to tapestry for both children and beginners.
Woodland Folk is the best-selling DMC licence for 2010. The range is
featured in the DMC Creative World newsletter sent directly to consumers
and on the www.dmccreative.co.uk website.
There are five designs available of the Woodland Folk characters. The full
colour printed canvas in blocks make the designs the perfect introduction
to tapestry for both children and beginners.
news&events
Kanban
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
Mini shops collection
+44 (0)1274 582 415 or www.kanbancrafts.com
£2.99 RRP
A unique collection of 12 mini shop 3D concept cards. Each pack
contains one foiled and die cut concept card, foiled and die
cut embellishments, envelopes and instructions.
Beautifully made and acid and lignin free.
Each pack is packaged for retail sale in hanging A4 portrait format bags,
and the products can easily be adapted for scrapbook use.
Jack Dempsey Needle Art
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
Butterflies Quilt Blocks
+1 314 231 5116 or custserv@jdneedleart.com
On application.
Package contains six 18 inch x 18 inch quilt squares made of 50/50 cotton/poly broadcloth.
Also available are six matching products: pillowcases, dresser scarf and doilies in
both lace and finished perle edge, table runner, pillowtop and pillowcase doll.
There is a huge selection of more than 435 products, including quilt blocks, pillowcases,
samplers, crib quilt tops, baby bibs, nursery quilt squares and many more.
The company offers same day shipping.
Ladybug Crafts
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
Nikki & Friends
+44 (0)141 644 5399
£6.50 - £6.99 RRP
high quality polymer cling stamp
images are fun and whimsical and will suit all ages. They are easy to store, and it’s
easy to see where you stamp.
These appeal to a young and trendy market.
Gilliangladrag
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
Doris Dogletti
+44 (0)1306 898 144 or www.gilliangladrag.co.uk
£11.95 RRP
Felt making kit with real merino wool tops and full colour instructions detailing how to
“wetfelt” Doris.
An appealing gift and an easy project for a child to start with (may need a little help from
an adult). Eye-catching packaging and the Gilliangladrag brand name. Designed by
Gillian Harris – author of bestselling book “Complete Feltmaking”.
Designed specially for children from age 6+ (or adults!) with easy step-by-step instructions.
Attractive eye-catching packaging and unique design.
craftfocus 19
brand spanking new
Sharpie
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
Sharpie Pastels
+44 (0)844 412 1126
SRP £34.99
Four pens in must-have lilac, boysenberry, pink lemonade and mint.
Well-known and advertised brand.
These are the perfect tool for sketching new designs, customising tired old
accessories or brightening up dull school folders.
Artesano
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
Mother Goose patterns by Julie Ferguson
+44 (0)1189 503 350 or www.artesano.co.uk
£3.69 RRP per 50 gram ball.
Collection of six patterns for children up to five years old, all knitted in Artesano
Super wash yarn, available as single sheet patterns.
Patterns are easy to knit and appeal to all abilities.
The range of colours of the yarn means knitters can mix colour combinations, allowing
for greater creative license when creating garments.
Craft creations
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
Craft papers
+44 (0)1992 781 900 or www.craftcreations.com
35p each RRP
An extensive range of 42 new papers featuring dots and stripes in a wide
variety of colourways.
The new range of papers from Craft Creations gives crafters everything
they need to create great backgrounds, borders and more. The colours,
both strong and pastel, have been chosen to harmonise beautifully with
each other to give a contemporary look to any craft project.
There are quantity discounts available for orders of 10 or more sheets.
Historical Sampler
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
20 craftfocus
All You Need is Love
+44 (0)1268 711 918 or www.historicalsamplercompany.co.uk
£25 RRP
Kits contain either Zweigart 16 count aida or 32 count linen,
DMC pre-sorted threads, computer printed chart, full alphabet
and numbers for personalisation, gold plated wrapped needle and
full instructions.
These kits are packaged in attractive glossy red gift bags or plastic
hook bags.
The company offers a huge amount of cross stitch and tapestry designs.
Unique Paper has
appointed us their
exclusive distributor
for Unique glitter
card and paper.
Buy the top quality Glitter card
and paper made by Unique only
from Creative Films:
•
21 Colours of Card
•
21 Colours Paper
•
10 designs of glitter on Card
See everything on our
**NEW**
website including
Self adhesive sheets
Illusion film
Glitter
www.creativefilms.co.uk
Tel: 01298-214006 | Fax: 01298-73535
Email: enquiries@creativefilms.co.uk
Creative Films Limited, Woods Ginnell,
The Old Cattle Market, Buxton SK17 6HA
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brand spanking new
Creativity for Kids
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
Creativity for Kids Recycled Cardboard Dollhouse
+44 (0)1303 297 888
RRP £30.75
Sturdy cardboard dollhouse, colour-in playmat, decorative papers, four
sheets of creative colour-in cut-outs, punch-out furniture set, glue,
adhesive foam squares, 12 washable markers and instructions and ideas.
It’s a great addition to an already-popular and good-selling range. It’s
made from recycled cardboard and even the box is used for play.
The recycled aspect of this product will appeal to the green-thinking
customer.
MOO
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
MOO Mosaic Frame
www.moo.com
£16.99 + VAT RRP
An Acrylic frame that holds up to 20 MOO MiniCards that can be
personalised with the customer’s own images.
This is an original and modern-looking product
The MOO Mosaic frame is available in black or white and it can
be positioned as portrait or landscape.
Crafty Stamps
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
Scottish, Celtic and Welsh range of rubber stamps
+44 (0)131 221 9440 or www.craftystamps.com
£131.73 RRP
Wood-mounted, quality stamps.
Until 31st December first-time retail customers are being offered an
introductory pack which allows them to try a range of stamps at a
discounted price, without having to go through the whole process of
setting up an account.
This product appeals to those who seek high quality, long-lasting stamps.
Framecraft
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Cross stitch kits - Classic Christmas cards
+44 (0)1543 360842 or www.framecraft.com
£5.25 RRP
Specification:
Each beautiful kit comes complete with DMC
threads, including metallic threads to highlight the
designs, Mill Hill beads, pattern, aida, needle and
white tri-fold card with envelope. Card size is 9 cm x 13 cm.
These are small, cost-effective card kits, which can be sold individually or as sets.There is no minimum order value.
There are four designs: Christmas Garland, Christmas Candle, Christmas Bells and Christmas Rose.
Retailer benefits:
Other information:
22 craftfocus
29. 1 – 1. 2. 2011
The World of Art and Craft Supplies
Collect ideas!
More opportunities, more innovations,
a better overview: at Creativeworld –
the leading trade fair for hobby, craft and
art supplies. Don’t miss “Creativity meets
Design” with the coming trends for the
creative industry and the relevant design
techniques and decorations. Make sure
you’re here when the international
creative industry meets up.
Tel. +44 (0) 17 84 41 59 50
info@uk.messefrankfurt.com
www.creativeworld.messefrankfurt.com
Even more ideas on the same dates:
at Paperworld and Christmasworld.
Sew It, Stuff It
the library
Rianna Fry takes a look at craft books to
get your customers’ creative juices flowing...
Flower Cards
A compilation of six experienced
craft authors’ experiences and ideas,
Flower Cards To Make and Treasure
oozes valuable inspiration. Each design
is broken down into simple steps to
show the reader how to simply create
effective flower-themed cards, using a
rich variety of styles and techniques.
The wide variation of skills used
means that the book is accessible
to crafters with ranging abilities, and
hence has a wide audience. In total
there are 15 projects and along with
easy-to-follow instructions, the book
presents clear photographs and templates for ease of use.
Flower Cards To Make and Treasure has an RRP of £12.99 and is published
by Search Press. For more information telephone +44 (0)1892 510 850 or
visit the website www.searchpress.com
Make me I’m Yours...
Sewing
Stiching is a fabulous outlet for
creativity; all that is required to bring
to life dull bags and cushions is a
little sewing savvy and some creative
thoughts. But at some stage, crafters are
likely to become stuck for inspiration,
or they may not have acquired enough
skill variation; that’s where Make Me I’m
Yours... Sewing comes to good use. Cheryl Brown has brought together 20
gorgeous projects into one compact resource.
The designs are sectioned into product type – bags, gifts and pillows – and
have simple-to-follow instructions and a mix of illustrations and photos. Each
of the products have a modern design that’ll appeal to a wide audience. Plus
with a templates and techniques section, the book guides novices through
the sewing cycle until they virtually become faultless stitchers brimming
with skills.
Make me I’m Yours... Sewing has an RRP of £9.99 and is published by
David & Charles. For more information telephone +44 (0)1476 541 080 or
visit the website www.davidandcharles.co.uk
24 craftfocus
The childhood soft toy.
A nostalgic item that
is used as a comfort
to youngsters and
continues to be
treasured for a
lifetime. Sew It, Stuff
It arms crafters with
techniques, patterns
and instructions
needed to create
soft toys for
their loved ones
to cherish. Made up of 25 designs,
the book is divided into five main chapters; baby’s first
soft toy, nursery novelties, activity toys, creature comforts
and divine dollies. There are additional sections to cover
techniques, recommended suppliers and an index.
The bold colours and simple design of the book make
it a pleasure to flick through. The detailed illustrations,
alongside the clear instructions and pull-out patterns,
enable consumers with limited skill to create gorgeous
pieces. Each of the toys have been designed with a retrostyle which is very relevant.
Sew It, Stuff It has an RRP of £12.99 and is published by
Cico Books. For more information telephone +44 (0)1256
302 699 or visit the website www.cicobooks.co.uk
Homemade
Gifts With
Love
Living in an increasingly
materialistic
environment, and
with more and more
commercial events
to buy for, it’s easy
to loose sight of the
sentiment behind a
gift. Here, Catherine
Woram presents
more than 35 projects to create personal pieces that can be
handmade with thought for crafters’ loved ones.
Sectioned into five main chapters, seasonal celebrations,
special occasions, for the girls, at home and babies and
children; Catherine has ensured that pretty much every
event is covered. Plus, the variation in skills, techniques and
materials used means that there is something to suit a range
of crafters.
Homemade Gifts With Love has an RRP of £14.99 and is
published by Cico Books. For more information telephone
+44 (0)1256 302 699 or visit www.cicobooks.co.uk
Ceramic Bead
Jewellery
Consumers looking to learn
a new skill and try their
hand at a spot of jewellery
making are likely to snap
up this book. Inside there
are plenty of skills and
techniques for the reader
to pick up, so that they
can create ceramic beads
and, ultimately, lovely
pieces of jewellery.
Jennifer Heynen
provides the reader
with the know-how to
accomplish basic techniques such as hand-rolling, cutting, stamping,
press-molding and extruding, as well as surface embellishment. She
also shows how consumers can combine these these skills to create
30 colourful items of jewellery out of low-fire clay and an array of
coloured glazes.
Ceramic Bead Jewellery has an RRP of £9.99 and is published by
GMC Distribution. For more information telephone +44 (0)1273 402
878 or visit the website www.thegmcgroup.com
The Bag Making
Bible
Lisa Lam had put
together a collation
of stitching know-how
and inspiration to allow
consumers to create a range
of bags; all they’ll need is a
sewing machine and some
easy-to-obtain notions.
The book has a techniqueled approach to creating bags
and purses and introduces,
explains and demonstrates the
myriad materials, hardware,
tools and techniques available to the modern crafter. Although
some of the projects in this book are aimed at a confident
bag-maker, it’s crammed full of bag-making techniques suitable
for all levels and abilities. Each chapter contains illustrations and
ends with a step-by-step project on how to create a bag. Plus,
Lisa Lam has included additional tips tips for customisation.
Furthermore, there are full-size patterns on a pull-out section,
which allow readers to get started right away without the
unnecessary hassle of photocopying or enlarging patterns.
The Bag Making Bible has an RRP of £14.99 and is published
by David & Charles. For more information telephone +44
(0)1476 541 080 or visit www.davidandcharles.co.uk C
craftfocus 25
WIN!
A VIP trip to Craft, Hobby
+ Stitch International
Europe’s largest trade show for the craft
industry, Craft Hobby + Stitch International
is fast approaching and will be held from
20 – 22 February 2011 at the NEC in
Birmingham. Now in its 36th year, the show
draws manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers
and retailers from the creative art, craft,
needle-craft and hobby sectors. A key event
on the craft industry calendar, the show offers
a world-class forum at which to promote, sell,
buy and network with industry colleagues from
around the globe.
Brand new for 2011, Craft Hobby + Stitch
will launch dedicated Exhibitor Pavilions from
France and the USA. These Pavilions will host
a variety of exhibitors, some of which will
not have showcased in the UK before. The
ever-popular Bright Sparks Pavilion offers
fledgling companies the chance to showcase
their products and offers visitors the chance
to spot the latest up-and-coming design talent.
Exhibitors and visitors alike can take advantage
of free workshops and business seminars,
offering insights and inspiration as well as
information on the very latest creative craft
products on the market. The seminars require
no pre-booking, although to participate in the
workshops pre-booking is required. To find out
more visit the website online at www.chsi.co.uk
In 2011, exhibitors from as far afield as
Mexico and Australia will be descending on
Birmingham for the show. Direct flights from
around the world and connections from
most major European cities are available
into Birmingham International Airport which
is adjacent to the exhibition centre, while a
26 craftfocus
unique ‘Sky-rail’ monorail links the NEC to
the airport providing a stress-free transit from
plane to exhibition. Birmingham NEC is also at
the heart of the motorway and rail network. C
THE PRIZE
This issue two lucky winners will each
receive a one-night bed and breakfast stay
for two people on Sunday 20th February, at
the Manor Hotel in Meriden, in a double
or twin room. In addition, the winners and
their guests will be invited to attend a VIP
lunch on Monday 21st February at Craft
Hobby + Stitch International.
Dating back to 1745, the elegant 110
bedroom 4 Star Manor Hotel is perfectly
located in the country Village of Meriden,
the very Centre of England. Just 10
minutes from the National Exhibition
Centre, Birmingham International
Airport and train station and the Midland
motorway network.
The Manor’s two Restaurants, the AA
Rosette Regency and the relaxing and
comfortable Houstons Bar & Grill, make
it your ideal base. To find out more visit
www.manorhotelmeriden.co.uk
To enter the competition, simply visit
www.craftfocus.com, fill in your details
and answer the following question by 28th
January 2011:
Q. What Pavilion at Craft, Hobby + Stitch
International offers fledgling companies
the chance to showcase their products?
Terms and Conditions
1. Competitions are not open to employees of KD
Media Publishing Ltd (or their immediate families)
2. Entrants must be a member of the trade, and
over the age of 18.
3. The competition closing date is subject to change
without prior notice.
4. The winner will be notified in writing.
5. The editor’s decision is final. No correspondence
will be entered into.
6. The prize is not transferable and has no
monetary value.
7. The prize covers the bed and breakfast room
rate at the Manor Hotel only. Additional expenses
incurred while staying at the hotel are not included.
8. No purchase necessary, and there is no charge
to enter via the website at www.craftfocus.com.
making the most of
christmas
1
Satisfy every single
customer
Can you honestly say that when
there have been customers waiting
in line, you have gone for the sale
or gone the extra mile with every
single customer you have started
a conversation with? Each shopper
is an opportunity to expand your
customer base. Take advantage of
the increase in store traffic and
give each customer your very best
service.
Keep personal problems off
the floor
This is a time of year when tensions and
tempers can easily flare. Customers can’t
be expected to care about your personal
problems although they may be quick to let
their emotions show through when they’re
having a bad day. If you let your ‘bad day’ show
through, you’ll leave a poor impression of
both yourself and your business. The ability to
perform well, regardless of problems, has always
been a benchmark of the professional.
3
28 craftfocus
28 craftfocus
2
Don’t congregate on the
sales floor
It’s easy to get involved in conversations
with other members of staff. But
when customers need help, they feel
uncomfortable about interrupting staff
who are obviously engaged in personal
or business-related chat. Groups of staff
can be intimidating, and a customer who
is uncomfortable about interrupting your
conversation may feel angry about being
ignored and go elsewhere. There should
be an understanding among all staff to
stop the conversation when anyone walks
in, regardless of how important it is.
It’s time to go all-out
to maximise those
Christmas sales. Nick
Waller of Sales &
Service Solutions offers
his top five tips to guarantee your
customers receive first-class service
over the festive season
Acknowledge every customer
This is especially important when the store is
busy. It conveys friendliness and lets them know
you’re waiting, even when you’re
occupied with something else.
It’s also the biggest deterrent to
theft in retail stores. If a potential
thief knows you’ve observed their
presence, they’ll be inclined to
go and hunt for a different store
where they won’t be noticed.
Never qualify customers
Ever judge someone as not
being the ‘type’ to buy from you?
Sometimes it’s difficult not to
be prejudiced and we’re all guilty
in some way. The busy Christmas
period amplifies it; with more
customers to serve, staff have
a tendency to wait on those
customers whom they prejudge
as being a better prospect over
another customer. Never make
up your mind about a customer
based on factors like their
clothing, gender, accent,
weight or facial features, and
treat everyone to the same
great service.
4
5
Though these points may be sometimes easy to forget when you
have five customers in the store for every member of staff, the true
professional will find a way to satisfy each and every one of them. Best
wishes for a happy, prosperous selling season! C
Further information
Sales & Service Solutions are specialists in improving sales and service
performance. Nick can be contacted on +44 (0)7811 251 367.
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decoupage
delights
The trend toward reusing and recycling has seen a resurgence
of interest in decoupage. A relatively easy craft to undertake, it
produces stunning results and is a popular way to revamp old
items to fit with the vintage trend. Mary Harrison, an expert on
the traditional craft, explains more
The word decoupage is used to cover a
wide range of different paper crafts practised
today. The sort of decoupage we deal with
here is the traditional craft of decoupage
under varnish. It is thought to have its origins
in 17th century Italy, where paper cut-outs
were placed on painted backgrounds as an
inexpensive alternative to the hand-painted
furniture which was then being imported from
China and Japan. In late 18th and 19th century
it was also popular as a hobby for young
ladies and is mentioned in Jane Austen’s Pride
and Prejudice when Mr Bingley lists ‘covering
screens’ as one of the accomplishments of
a young lady. It was popular in the court
of Marie Antoinette who it is said cut up
original paintings of Fragonard and Boucher –
reason enough to send her to the guillotine!
Decoupage is a worldwide pastime and is
especially popular in USA, Australia and South
Africa (see www.decoupage.org for more
information). The Guild of British Decoupeurs
30 craftfocus
also has a keen following and have regular
meetings and workshops.
From the French ‘decouper’ meaning simply
‘to cut out’, decoupage is the creative art of
assembling and composing paper cut-outs
onto objects for decoration. It can be used
to decorate furniture and articles such as
boxes, lamp bases, firescreens, vases, tea trays,
decorative plates, and just about anything
you like.
Firstly, the object must be primed and
painted. Paint effects such as rag rolling or
stippling for example can be used at this stage.
When dry, the paper cut-outs are applied and
glued using wallpaper paste or acrylic glue.
After you are satisfied with your design the
object should be sealed and then numerous
coats of acrylic varnish are applied. After
15 – 20 coats the object is sanded using 400
grit wet and dry sandpaper. Another 10 coats
are added and the same process of sanding
using finer and finer sandpaper up to 0000 grit
Decoupage ca
n be
used to decora
te
furniture and
ar ticles
such as boxes,
lamp
bases, vases; ju
st about
anything you
like
until a smooth and completely level surface is
achieved. A glass-like surface can be achieved
using Micromesh right at the end.
Additional techniques can also be used to
finish the article, such as crackle varnishing
and ageing and gold leafing, to achieve
stunning effects.
My favourite sources for decoupage are
flowery wrapping papers, cherubs and fairies,
and photocopies from books and magazines.
The Dover Bookshop, in Earlham Street,
London, is a treasure trove for the traditional
decoupeur. I also like using photocopies of preRaphaelite paintings, Arthur Rackham’s fairies
and designs from the Art Nouveau period.
Decoupage is a wonderful way of being
creative where you may feel you cannot draw
or paint to save your life, and yet have an urge
to create something beautiful that will last for
future generations.
For further information visit Mary Harrison’s
website at www.decoupagedelights.co.uk.
decoupage
most wanted
Decoupage products to delight your customers
Decopatch tree from Country Love Crafts.
Further information
For further information call +44 (0)1235 861 700.
Countr y
ts
L o ve C r a f
Dufex
Dufex decoupage sheets make beautiful three-dimensional
pictures. It is the incredible sense of depth and movement,
combined with the metallic finish, that makes them stand out from
the crowd. The sheets are made using a combination of an unusual
printing process and the skills of a team of specialist engravers.
Hand-engraved designs and patterns are embossed on to
foil sheets to create the distinctive Dufex quality of depth and
movement through the diffraction of light on the image surface. To
create the picture prints and stickers, images are first printed on to
the metallic foil using transparent links, which allow the reflective
quality of the foil to be retained. Specialist engravers are then able
to pick out the details of each image by hand to bring it to life on
the finished print.
Further information
For more information on decoupage products from Dufex, call
+44 (0)1462 410 070 or visit www.dufexcrafts.com.
craftfocus 31
most wanted
Applicr
Pinflair
Ian Lloyd-Jones of Pinflair
“We stock quite an extensive range of decoupage that includes Flower
Fairies, Sarah Kay, Disney, Oriental as well as the more traditional Floral
and Christmas designs. Most of these are available as die cut, non die
cut and pyramid style format. In short, we try to stock a selection of
decoupage that will appeal to all ages and will be suitable for all types
of occasions. Also, because we have formed good relationships with
suppliers, we are always kept up to date with the latest designs and
trends.
“The demand for die cut Decoupage is growing all the time, and
this is the biggest challenge facing manufacturers of decoupage at the
moment. Because images and decoupage designs can be so intricate
and detailed, finding the right companies that can produce good
quality die cuts is always going to be challenge for retailers.
“One of the key things in producing decoupage these days is using
the right imagery; licensing has allowed manufactures to gain access to
a whole new library of designs, whether they be from up-and-coming
artists, or from the more well-established designers, such as Disney,
Flower Fairies or Sarah Kay.
“Decoupage appeals to all ages, not only because of the large
variety of themes and designs now available, but also because the
introduction of die cuts has made it much more accessible to all types
of crafters.
“Whether you are an old-fashioned crafter who enjoy the rewards
of cutting out by hand, or one that simply wants to take advantage of
the quick and easy attractions of die cut decoupage, one thing’s for
sure, 3D decoupage will always be the perfect way to finish off any
card-making or craft project.”
Further information
For further information call +44 (0)1992 582 712 or visit
www.pinflair.co.uk
32 craftfocus
aft
Vee Wilson of Applicraft
“Decoupage is wonderfully
therapeutic form of recycling. All
that is needed is paper, glue and an
item that needs a new look.
“A single coat of Applicraft’s
Decoupage Finish equals several
coats of most finishes, and helps
the customer create a professional
look far more quickly. It’s available
in both matt and gloss finishes.
It dries quickly and can be used on
a wide range of surfaces from wood and MDF to acrylic, card
and canvas.
“Memories can be retained by photocopying photos of family
members, pets, gardens or holidays. Old antiques often develop
fine cracks, so the opportunity exists to recreate that finish with
Applicraft’s water-based craquelure.”
Further information
For further information, call +44 (0)1932 872 572 or visit
www.applicraft.co.uk.
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Suppliers of Card Making, Scrapbooking, Craft and Bridal Supplies
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Craft and Bridal Supplies
Card Making
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Floral Products
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sales@e-crafts.co.uk | 01384 230000
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napkin art
What you will need
5trinket box 5acrylic paint
5solvent-based ink 5rubber stamp
5strawberry patterned napkin 5small paintbrush
5Decoart Clear Coat Patio paint 5scissors
Andy Skinner, tutor and demonstrator for Country
Love Crafts, shows you how to create a piece of
napkin art, a twist on traditional decoupage
step 1: Gather your
items for the project.
trinket box with Americana
paint, allow to dry.
Blue and Baby Pink acr ylic
Step 2: Base coat the Bisque
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a pair of
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it
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to the coated surface bef
Adhere the strawberries
Step 5: Apply Decoart Cle
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Step 6: Finish off with 2 coa
ween coats.
clear coat. Allow drying bet
Further information:
All products used have been supplied by Country Love Crafts
with exception to the Stazon ink, which was supplied by Personal
Impressions, and the Cath Kidston napkins were purchased from
Cargo at www.cargohomeshop.com. For further information call
Country Love Crafts on +44 (0)1235 861 700.
34 craftfocus
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UK Manufacturer of quality fabric dyes and paints for art, textile and
design. Range includes Fabric Transfer Dyes and Paints, Procion Dyes,
Liquid and Powder Batik Dyes, Acid Dyes, Easifix All-in-one Acid
Dyes, Starter Kits and auxiliary products.
Email: enquiries@colourcraft-ltd.com| Tel: 0114 2421431
for further information, prices or to set up an account.
Colourcraft Colours & Adhesives Limited
Units 5&6, 555-557 Carlisle Street East, Sheffield, S4 8DT
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Craft Creations
Phone: 01992 781909 - Email: trade@craftcreations.com
Our exclusive preview of Craft, Hobby + Stitch International
2011’s New Product Showcase
This February’s Craft, Hobby + Stitch
International 2011, Europe’s foremost trade
show for the creative craft industry, is looking
the biggest and best ever.
Andrew Morton, sales manager said, ‘”It
really is fantastic news that more people are
starting small businesses in the craft sector, and
definitely something we should shout about.
We’ve seen a big increase in stand bookings
this year which is really encouraging, with
strong interest in particular from International
companies confirming space.”
Craft Focus is sponsoring the New Product
Showcase; the area where brand new and
innovative products will be exhibited. Read on
for our exclusive preview of what can be found
at the show.
Fat Cat Cross Stitch
+44 (0)1568 780 183
www.fatcatcross-stitch.co.uk
New from Fat Cat Cross Stitch is a set of
three bold, bright, fun house designs. All the
designs are stitched on 16 count white Aida
and are approximately 12cm x 23cm. The
recommended retail price for each kit is
£16.95. Each house is different and would be
perfect as a house warming gift or all could
be stitched as a set to hang together.
Beads Unlimited
+44 (0)1273 740 777
www.beadsunlimited.co.uk
Down in price from £9.95 to £6.50, Beads
Unlimited’s professional crimping pliers make
a lovely neat, rounded and comfortable job of
your crimping work. If used with crimp covers,
the finishing touches to jewellery will have a
highly professional quality.
Country Love Crafts
+44 (0)1235 861 700
www.countryloveceramics.co.uk
SoSoft Fabric Acrylics are opaque fabric paints
that give both excellent coverage and washing
durability on fabric. The paints are soft, like
fabric dyes, but do not require heat setting
or mixing with other mediums. SoSoft Fabric
Acrylics are permanent and can be brushed,
stamped, sponged or stencilled.
The non-toxic colours bond to most fabrics,
such as clothing (including silks), lampshades,
bed linen, table linen, curtains, quilts, canvas
shoes and accessories. Glitters, neons, metallics,
shimmers, dimension and puff paint options are
available. There’s no RRP, and average selling
price is £2.99 per bottle.
craftfocus 37
new product showcase
it’s showtime
At a glance
Craft, Hobby + Stitch International 2011
20-22 February 2011
Birmingham NEC
www.chsi.co.uk
it’s showtime
OttLite Technologies
001 813 621 0058
www.ottlite.co.uk
Lighting on the go has
never been this easy.
Lightweight and portable,
the new OttLite LED
Task Lamp comes with
30 super bright OttLite
LEDs – each hand picked
to meet OttLite’s strict
standards for colour,
temperature, brightness
and light output to give
the ultimate LED lighting
experience. The sleek
design features a silver carry
handle for easy portability. The lamp stands
25.73 cm tall and opens up and down to
adjust illumination.
China Butterfly
+44 (0)1704 831 709
www.chinabutterfly.co.uk
Treasure Cards are a
brand new concept from
China Butterfly, A card and
jewellery making kit rolled
into one, each kit creates
an elegant decoupage card
with a handmade piece of
jewellery incorporated into
the design, creating a unique
card and gift in one. Kits
contain beads, findings, card,
envelope, decoupage sheet
and instructions. They are
available in necklace, earring
and bracelet single and
double kits, and with RRPs starting at just £5, these make truly affordable gifts.
These kits will appeal to both card and jewellery makers, offering you a wider target
audience, and with simple easy to follow instructions they are suitable for even beginners.
Creative Products Distribution
+44 (0)208 953 21043
www.creative-distribution.co.uk
Fabri-Tac bonds to fabric, wood, leather, lace, suede, tile, felt,
pearls and gems, plaster, glass, ribbons and hats and much more.
It won’t stain or soak in to fabrics and is perfect for hems, seams
and other clothing repairs. It prevents fraying and maintains
its strength through countless washing cycles. It can be used
in the creation of dolls, stuffed animals, wreaths, dried floral
arrangements, picture frames, ornaments and for many other
projects too.
Lanamania
+49 89 7670 4459
www.lanamania.com
Zealana yarns are entirely natural products made up of
different blends of possum fibre with merino, silk, cotton
or cashmere. They offer affordable luxury of exceptional
thermal properties, due to the hollow nature of the possum
fibre. Zealana possum yarns are 55% warmer than 100%
merino wool and 35% warmer than 100% cashmere.
The unique finishing process gives Zealana yarns a very
soft touch. They are very light, but hardwearing. It has been
proven that they have a higher resistance to pilling than
other natural fibres. The WWF supports the buying of
possum products to help sustain the unique environment of
New Zealand.
38 craftfocus
Stitchtastic
+44 (0)114 2353 958
www.stitchtastic.com
Stitchtastic is launching
new caricature designs
at the show. The bright,
contemporary designs that
are synonymous with the
company always attract
attention, and these
three latest designs were
suggested by fans of
Stiitchtastic’s Facebook
page. “We’ve found Facebook to be a fantastic
way of getting feedback on our products,” says Sarah Scott, designer at
Stitchtastic. The company will be debuting a new selection of designs at the
show that look to become best-sellers.
new product showcase
Letraset
+44(0) 1233 624 421
www.letraset.com/craft/
Letraset, the UK manufacturer of ProMarker,
has launched its new AquaMarker, an acid-free,
water-based marker that will greatly appeal
to scrapbookers and rubber stampers alike.
The key difference with AquaMarkers is that
the ink is water-soluble, so they’re great for
water-colour style colouring and illustration.
They’re also a fantastic way to create marbled
backdrops simply by spritzing with water and
allowing the colours to run. AquaMarkers’
other main advantage is that they use pigment
colour, making them acid free and extremely
lightfast, perfect for adding a touch of colour to
scrapbook pages.
La Pashe
+44 (0)191 491 0027
www.lapashe.com
These colourful decoupage designs
are perfect for any occasion. La
Pashe offers 16 of the world’s
most unique and popular flowers,
making sure there is a blossom
to suit anyone. They are perfect
for great gift box ideas and card
making, and the realistic results will
make someone’s day.
M.I.C.
+44 (0)1707 269 999
New from M.I.C. Is its 99p craft range,
which offer great value to savvy customers.
The low-cost papercraft range has so far
been very popular with crafters, and their
bows, ribbons and sewing boxes ranges
have new additions too.
Marabu
+44 (0)1908 251 180
www.marabu.co.uk
Marabu is launching a new glass paint that can
be applied via stencils of directly onto windows,
tiles, or patio doors. The company will be running
special retailer offers at the show, and there is
a brand new range of stencils, which retail from
as little as £2.99. The products are ideal for the
growing home decoration market. Retailers are
also invited to try the paint at the show and take
home a glass tattoo of their own.
craftfocus 41
it’s showtime
DMC
+44 (0)116 275 4000
www.dmccreative.co.uk
DMC Creative World
is launching a fantastic
new collection of four
Lumina Crochet packs.
Each pack contains
everything needed to
complete two fashioninspired crochet projects.
The designs include scarves,
hat, gloves, evening purse, corsage and cushion covers.
Offering good value for money the packs include a ball
of metallic Lumina yarn as well as balls of DMC Petra thread.
The gift packaging is perfect for retailers to display in store. The colours included with each
design have been inspired by current fashion trends and offer fresh colours, feminine glamour,
countryside colours and bright shades as well as highlights of soft metallic Lumina yarn.
Stix2
+44 (0)191 267 1028
www.stix2.co.uk
Stix2 is launching its brand new removable
photo glue at the show, which complements
the rest of the Stix2 range. The glue is
removable, allowing the removal of photos
without damage. It is also very easy to rub away
any excess glue.
Korbond Industries
+44 (0)1476 573 227
www.korbond.co.uk
Korbond Industries have launched a new
16-piece alteration kit, which is ideal for
altering, labelling and mending school
uniforms, sportswear and a multitude of
other garments. This is a kit of convenience,
meaning everything can be kept in one
place for all the alterations and mending
that needs doing year round. There is no
minimum order on this kit.
Simplicity
+44 (0)161 480 8734
www.simplicitynewlook.com
New from Simplicity is a range of craft machines for creative crafters. Suitable for dressmakers,
cardmakers, scrapbookers and quilters, the ‘fantastic five’ includes a bias tape maker and both
standard and deluxe editions of sidewinder and rotary cutter. All are electrically operated and
are great crafting aids. The bias tape maker folds and presses bias strips automatically, the rotary
cutters will cut strips to varying widths fast and easily and the sidewinder is a stand-alone bobbin
winder that quickly winds bobbins without interrupting sewing.
42 craftfocus
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talking shop
Craft Focus speaks to independent retailer Margaret
Binks about her store, Norwich Road Craft Shop
When did you open?
We opened in May 2006 so we have been
trading now for four and a half years. Initially
we sold only paper crafting products for
card making and scrapbooking, but just over
two years ago we added a beading range for
jewellery making, and we are now considering
adding wool.
Was it your first retailing venture?
Yes, I had not had a business before, although I
had worked for about 18 months in a TV shop
about 20 years ago. I come from an accounts
and payroll background, having left a job as
office manager to open the shop.
Are you an avid crafter yourself, and how did
your interest begin?
I have always been interested in crafting but
lacked confidence in my ability as at school I
was told I wasn’t artistic or ‘crafty’. About 14
years ago a friend’s daughter made me a small
cross stitch sampler and I thought that if a 14
year old could do it, so could I. So I started
on cross stitch and eventually made my own
designs using a computer program. Watching
crafting on TV got me hooked on stamping,
and I started making cards. I was totally hooked
and started selling cards at work and craft fairs.
I had always wanted a shop and the rest, as
they say, is history!
What was your personal brief when first
starting out in terms of product lines, aims
and objectives?
Once we found the shop we didn’t have a
lot of time to get organised. Opening a shop
had been a dream, and when it happened it
was very sudden. What was a dream became
reality in about 6 weeks, 4 of which I was
working full-time. We therefore had to make
some quick decisions. The biggest one was to
44 craftfocus
decide on what products to stock. We could
stock a little of a lot covering a wide area of
crafting, or stock a lot of a little, specialising
more. We decided on the latter, concentrating
on scrapbooking and card making. The aim was
to have a well stocked shop to fill a gap in the
market in the area.
How important is your location and what is
your main customer base?
Location is important – ideally we would
like to be in the town centre, or a little
nearer as we would get more passing trade.
Unfortunately the high rents and rates for
those premises are beyond our means at the
moment. We are located in a residential area
about a 10 minute walk from the town with
unrestricted parking outside. Crafters will
travel to a good specialist shop and what we
lose in passing trade we do gain in regular
customers. Having parking is important
nowadays. Customers are from all walks of
life, the majority being mature ladies who are
retired or semi-retired with time on their
hands. However, since adding the jewellery we
are getting more young people coming in, and
we have a few men who are keen crafters too.
What are the latest craft trends you’ve
noticed?
Card making is still popular, but more
customers are looking for die cut products.
Four years ago decoupage was very much
work it out yourself, cutting from four or six
identical panels. Then step-by-step decoupage
became popular followed by die-cut. Following
the increased postage charges for large or thick
post the trend has gone to die cut toppers to
reduce the postal charge. The past few months
has seen a trend for fancy shaped cards and
large cards. In jewellery, semi-precious chips
and beads are becoming increasingly popular.
What are your views on the current state of
the market?
Crafting is continuing to be popular, but
customers are looking for more cost effective
products. We are continuing to turn over
about the same as last year, but I don’t think it
will improve any until things settle down with
the benefit cuts and VAT increase and any
other changes the Government are proposing
to make are agreed and consumers start to
get more confidence in the economy.
How and where do you source new
products?
Initially I had to rely on suppliers that I was
familiar with, and it was hard to get any to
take us seriously, and we had to pay up front,
but after a few months that changed and now
suppliers are frequently contacting us with
information on their products. I regularly watch
the craft shopping channels to see what new
products are on the market, as well as looking
at suppliers’ websites. We also attend Stitches
[Craft, Hobby + Stitch International] every
year.
What are you best selling lines?
Decoupage without a doubt.
Which shows do you attend?
Stitches at the NEC in February. As we are
open six days a week and situated in East
Anglia it is difficult to get to any, but we
make an annual trip to Stitches and tell our
customers that we are sourcing new products.
What yardstick do you use for measuring the
potential of a new product?
It varies. A lot is ‘gut’ instinct. I have a good idea
of what customers like, and, have gradually
learned to choose products with my head and
not my heart. I also listen to my customers
retailer interview
and if I get asked for something several times I
try and stock it. We usually have only a few of
anything new to start with, so if it doesn’t sell
we are not left with large stocks. Anything that
is more pricey we may only have one of, and
take orders from our customers.
What sort of relationship do you enjoy with
your suppliers?
We have a good relationship with them. We
try, where possible, to use suppliers who
have a wide range of products, so we don’t
have to spend a lot on one type to meet the
minimum carriage paid orders. That way we
can stock a lot of different products. Several of
the suppliers give us a discount if we pay cash,
which we take advantage of where possible.
Those we have a trade account with we pay
strictly on time. We find most of our suppliers
are flexible and will help us out if we require
an item urgently.
How do you ensure that you can compete
with the larger craft multiples?
By offering excellent customer service.
The smaller retailer can provide that which
the larger stores can’t always. Also product
knowledge. I can’t physically try all the
products, but I do use as many as I can, and
make use of samples from suppliers where
possible. I also find out what is available from
other stores/internet/TV channels and try
to offer similar products and prices where
possible. The advantage of buying from smaller
retail outlets is, although the prices may be a
little higher, there are no high postal charges,
and taking that into consideration we are
very competitive, price wise. Add product
knowledge and customer service we then have
the edge on many of the larger multiples.
We also operate a policy of supplying,
where possible, British sourced goods. Most of
our suppliers are in the UK, and many of the
products are manufactured in the UK. This has
been very popular with our customers. We still
sell products from other countries, but, where
possible, use British products.
Do you offer a workshop programme?
We have tried workshops, but they are
not very well attended. I have an on-going
workshop programme, mainly for beginners,
which is booked as required. I have tried
running workshops by outside tutors, but
they have been very poorly supported. We
don’t have space to hold them in the shop
(unless it is a beginner on a one-to-one basis),
so I have to hire a hall, which, with the cost
of a tutor, makes it too expensive for most
of our customers. We do offer free advice
to customers. I hold regular demonstrations
which are free to attend, and these are more
popular. I have offers on the product(s) I am
demonstrating and that generally draws people
in. Occasionally I have a guest demonstrator,
which is always popular and shows me
different ways of using items too.
More popular are the craft clubs we hold.
We started a fortnightly evening club three
years ago and we average 15 or 16 every two
weeks. It is hard work, as we hold it in the
shop, so have to clear space and erect tables
after close of business, which takes about an
hour to do, and another hour to clear up
afterwards. However, it is very popular and, as
the shop is open, good for trade too. Some of
the members only come to the shop on club
nights, so it is important they can see what
is available. We have also done some fund
raising as a group and raised just over £1,000
for the local hospital by holding craft fairs,
coffee mornings and selling cards. Following
the success of this club we started another in
the day time, also held fortnightly. This started
as a jewellery club, but has evolved into a craft
club. We don’t have as many attend this one,
but we have a regular group, who have all tried
both jewellery and card making. We hire a
small room near the shop which is handy for
them making purchases, or for me to pop back
to the shop if I forget something or am asked
to demonstrate anything.
Describe the style and presentation of your
shop – how important is visual merchandising
to you?
We have a small shop, so can’t really utilise
much visual merchandising. We do change the
layout occasionally, and have any sale or special
craftfocus 45
‘The smaller retailer can provide that which
the larger stores can’t always.’
promotions near the till. We have a large bay
window, but it faces south and we find stock
fades very quickly, so tend to have posters
and items that won’t deteriorate in there. I do
have a Christmas display and this year had a
football display because of the World Cup. We
are hoping to do some alterations in the future
to maximise the space we have and use some
of the window space as a seating area for
customers to sit and look at decoupage books.
What steps do you take to ensure the
highest standards of customer service?
Customer service is very important to me.
As a customer myself in other stores I know
what standards I expect and try to treat
customers as I would like to be treated. We
have very few products returned, but when
there is a problem we will change the item
or refund it without question, and take it up
with the supplier later. Many of our customers
I now know by name, and know about their
families, and the items they like, so will use that
knowledge in greeting them. There are steps
into the shop, so we help customers with
mobility problems, or with buggies. We have a
few customers who have very limited mobility.
They are seated once inside the shop and we
will bring items to them, and those who are
unable to get into the shop we will bring items
to the door for them. We have been known to
make customers a drink when it is cold – or
very hot, and let them use our toilet facilities.
For customers with small children I will hold
them or amuse them, and have a few toys to
distract them so that mum or dad can shop in
peace. We like to think that shopping with us is
a fun and pleasant experience.
How important is your online presence?
Initially it wasn’t important, but in the last
46 craftfocus
couple of years so many more potential
customers are online, so it has been essential
to keep up with technology. We have had a
basic web site for about three years, and last
year added an on-line shop on a separate
website. I have worked very hard at getting
the website noticed on search engines, and
that has paid off as now we come up top on
Google by searching ‘craft shop, Lowestoft’. I
have taken advantage of every free advertising
web site I can find. Over the past 6 months
or so about 90% of our new customers have
come to us by finding us first on the internet.
I make sure that my website,
www.norwichroadcraftshop.zoomshare.com,
is updated regularly and is easy to navigate. I
use it as an informative site only – adding new
pictures, club dates, stock updates etc. as often
as necessary. The online shop,
www.crafting4u.co.uk, has been slower to take
off. We don’t have a lot of stock on there, and I
do find it hard to keep updated, but it is linked
to the other site, and we tell customers to
e-mail or telephone us and we will add items
that are not on it for them.
Are you utilising social media?
I think social media is very important for any
business now. We use Facebook, and we have
just over 100 followers so far. I use it as an
informative site – craft club this week; new
stock in, etc. We do have a Twitter account, but
I haven’t yet got to grips with that properly,
apart from linking it to Facebook, so everything
I put on Facebook goes automatically on to
Twitter. I have gained a few customers from
outside the area through Facebook, and that is
a great advantage in itself.
How do you market your store?
Marketing is very expensive, and we don’t have
a huge budget for it. Word of mouth is the
best advert.
About twice a year when I have a special
event planned we place an ad in the local
paper. We have tried leaflet drops, printing
them ourselves and delivering them. I have
handed out leaflets in the town centre,
placed posters in friends work places, all of
which have worked to some extent, but not
brought us a great deal of business. I carry my
business cards everywhere, and hand them
out whenever I get the opportunity – the
local supermarket, a restaurant, anywhere I
get chatting to someone and I find they are
interested in crafting. I go regularly to local
craft fairs and car boots, and again give out
my cards. My hairdresser has a supply of them,
and recently a bridal shop has had some, and
I have had a few enquiries regarding wedding
invitations from them. I take their cards and
have them in the shop to help them out too.
This year our local paper has a ‘Shop Local
for Christmas’ campaign and I am participating
in this. The paper is providing all posters for
the scheme, and there is coverage and cheap
adverts in the paper. Customers collect a
‘passport’ and get them stamped every time
they spend £10 in any participating shop. Once
completed it goes in a draw to win £1,000.
I also have a demo planned at the end of
November and will probably run a Xmas raffle
to be drawn on that date.
What are your plans for the future?
My ideal plan would be to move to larger
premises nearer the town centre. The few
available premises are very expensive but
occasionally some possibilities come up.
Obviously, moving to larger premises would
mean employing someone – at present I
run the shop with occasional help from my
husband. This makes it hard to get time off,
or to take a holiday, so I would like to be
in the position to be able to have a break.
When we opened four and a half years ago
we didn’t have any plans beyond two years,
and the fact we are still here and survived the
worst time in retail for many years makes me
hopeful that we can expand when things settle
down. However, we will take things slowly and
not over-reach ourselves. To still be trading
in another four years would be the most
ambitious plan I could have at the moment,
and if that is in better and bigger premises, that
would be a bonus. C
Further information
To find out more about Norwich Road Craft
Shop, call +44 (0)1502 567 123 or visit
www.norwichroadcraftshop.zoomshare.com
and www.crafting4u.co.uk.
Eco-Fi: High quality
polyester fibre made
from 100% post-consumer
recycled plastic bottles
used in the manufacturing
process of Kunin Craft Felt.
For further information about Kunin Craft Felt
please contact
Fashion Futures Limited, Units 1 and 2 Mace Industrial
Estate, Ashford, Kent TN24 8EP.
fashion.futures@btconnect.com
Tel +44 (0) 1233 625227. Fax +44 (0) 1233 612352
getting creative
in Frankfurt
Taking place at the end of January, Paperworld Frankfurt will
have its own dedicated hobby and craft exhibition, called
Creativeworld, for the first time ever
Paperworld, the world of office and paper
products, takes place at the end of January,
and the organisers, Messe Frankfurt, invited
members of the press to a special briefing and
lunch at The Hospital Club in London’s Covent
Garden.
During the briefing, Michael Reichhold, show
director, told journalists about a new show
within the show, to be called Creativeworld.
Michael explained that last year the Creative
Hall, where hobby and craft suppliers
were situated, was such a huge magnet for
numerous show visitors that it was glaringly
obvious the sector deserved a show of its
own. “In 2010, 220 exhibitors, 141 of them
from outside Germany, presented their latest
products to trade visitors from all over the
world,” explained Michael. “I’m delighted with
Messe Frankfurt’s decision to put the spotlight
on the segment and provide it with its own
international trade fair.
This is the first time in 23 years that the
show will have its own dedicated craft and
hobby exhibition – although of course there
have always been arts and craft exhibitors
dotted in between the stationery and office
products stands.
Paperworld was launched as an independent
event in 1997, and has been a hub for
everyone in the office supplies and paper
48 craftfocus
products industry, as well as the arts and craft
world, to meet new suppliers and unearth new
products from around the world.
At the briefing, Paperworld show director
Michael Reichhold explained that, with typical
Messe trend-spotting efficiency, the trend
towards creative hobbies continues unabated
and ‘Homing’ and ‘Do it yourself ’ will continue
to be buzzwords in the coming year. “Lots of
things are happening in the creative sector –
new products and concepts are infecting more
and more consumers with handicrafts fever,”
he said.
Also held concurrently at the same venue
will be Christmasworld, the huge show for
the international decorations sector, which
promises to be a glitzy affair. C
DON’T MISS...
Creative Trends - Creativity meets Design
special show, and be there when the
‘Creative Impulse’ Innovation Award is given
for the most creative products of the year.
At a glance
Creativeworld
when: 29th January to 1st
February 2011
where: Frankfurt Trade
Fair site
website: www.creativewo
rld.
messefrankfurt.com
EXHIBITOR PROFILE
Derwent
+44 (0)1900 609 590
Derwent’s new Creative Card Making Kits
are perfect for those wanting to make
their own cards.
Each kit contains everything needed
to make five beautiful cards including
six Derwent pencils, a paintbrush, five
cards with matching envelopes and step
by step instructions including a template
that can be traced. There are three
charming designs, each one created by
leading pencil artist Linda Stevens. Each
kit contains a different range of Derwent
pencils selected to perfectly complement
the image.
/21'2175,00,1*6
:+2/(6$/(/7'
26-28 CAMBRIDGE HEATH ROAD, WHITECHAPEL, LONDON E1 5QH
Tel: 0207 7919766 / 0207 7902233
Email: terisa@londontrimmings.co.uk
enquiries@londontrimmings.co.uk
:KROHVDOH5HWDLO
+DEHUGDVKHU\&UDIW6XSSOLHUV
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Feathers
Sequin Braids
Buckles
Buttons
Embellishments
Wool
Zips
Threads
Knitting Accessories
Ribbons
Diamante Buckles
Haberdashery
Flowers
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Bows
Dress Net
Handbag Accessories
Scissors
Elastic
Colour Dye
Snap Fasteners
Cotton Webbing
Lace
Cord
Labels
Bias Bindings
Insertion Piping
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Eyelets
Interlining/Wadding
Toy Filling
Trouser Patches
Jeans Buttons & Rivets
Shoulder Pads
Embroidery Accessories
Hook & Loop
Covered Buttons
Curtain Accessories
Toggles
Hangers
Garment Cover Bags
0DUDWKRQ0DFKLQH(PEURLGHU\7KUHDGDQGPXFKPRUH
3OHDVHJLYHXVDFDOOZHDUHDOZD\VKDSS\WRKHOS
goodbye 2010, hello 2011
It’s been an eventful year, 2010. We’ve
witnessed a new Government coming into
power, and the effects of the recession are
still being felt throughout the retail trade.
Although the make and mend trend, and the
renaissance of making at home, has meant
that the craft industry has fared better than
many others, what most in the trade have
realised is that to simply open the door and
expect customers to arrive is no longer
enough to succeed. Customers now have
more choice than ever, across a multitude of
platforms, and embracing these changes is the
way to succeed in business.
And so as we wave goodbye to 2010, we
ask four companies; Ribbon Circus, a retail
outlet, Hobbycraft, the country’s largest
multiple retailer in the craft sector, Backstitch,
an online retailer, and Crafter’s Companion,
an award-winning manufacturer, how 2010
has been for them, and what they believe
2011 will bring.
50 craftfocus
Amy Leader of
Ribbon Circus
Ribbon Circus is just
coming to the end of its
second year of trading
“Ribbon Circus started
as a haberdashery,
specialising in ribbons
for all kinds of crafting. Dress makers need
washing instructions on their trimmings, card
makers look at width and design like nobody
else and gift wrappers look for something
special for inspiration. Since the local wool
shop in Hebden Bridge closed its doors last
year I’ve also started stocking yarn and knitting
supplies.
This year, Katia’s Ondas scarf yarn has
taken the knitters and non-knitters by storm.
The variegated colours and silky finish are
absolutely spot on. The finished product looks
so beautiful that it’s even persuaded people
who’ve never shown an interest in picking up
needles to get knitting.
Making characters is still popular, whether
it be knitted amiguri, felt Japanese kokeshi or
sewn matrioshka dolls. I encourage young
and old crafters to get stuck in and these little
projects are great for a short attention span
and to learn new skills.
I certainly know my customers are looking
for maximum effect for minimum effort
(aren’t we all?) and Katia has encapsulated this
perfectly in Ondas, where it’s the yarn that
does all the work rather than the knitter.
I’m a relatively new business, just coming
to the end of my second year of trading, and
Ribbon Circus is growing steadily and strongly.
I work closely with Overgate Hospice, a
local charity, and the highlight this year was
sponsoring their Rainbow of Ribbons event,
which raised over £12,000. They open the
hospice gardens for a day and people tie
ribbons on the trees in memory of a loved
year round up
one, with the garden looking spectacular,
covered in floating, colourful ribbons. It’s a
really special day for everyone involved.
I started stocking yarn at the beginning of
2010, and this has changed the strategy and
priority for the shop enormously. I already
had a knitting group that met in the shop, but
when the local wool shop closed I jumped
at the opportunity to take over the knitting
business in town. It’s proved a great success
and brought new customers in that didn’t
previously realise the range of haberdashery I
stock.
I’m not just doing something special for
Christmas this year, I’m encouraging crafting
throughout the winter season by holding
special events throughout the autumn and
winter months. This reminds locals I’m here,
and what I do, and gives my regulars a bit of
fun. I had a meet the alpaca day, as I stock
alpaca yarn from a herd only four miles away.
It was a great day, with loads of families who’d
never been to my shop before coming to take
a look at what was going on. Much fun was
had by all.
Looking ahead, there’s a number lines I want
to expand, especially for dressmakers and
quilters. I think crafting will continue to retain
its popularity in 2011. People are facing tough
times ahead, but if you’re going to cut your
going out budget, you still need some things to
keep you occupied at home.
I have a Twitter account, but I’ve found my
Facebook page is the best method of keeping
in touch with my customers far and wide. I’ve
had experiences of posting something in the
morning and I’ll get people commenting on it
in the shop that afternoon; it’s quite scary how
fast communication can spread.
Giving people inspiration for what to make
will always help sales – retailers need to be
offering constant ideas in 2011.
It’s impossible not to worry about business
in 2011, but keeping a positive attitude is vital.
Crafters want lots of choice, and keeping
your stock levels up could be a struggle, but a
necessity for your regulars to feel that they’ll
get something new each time they visit.”
Lisa Looker,
HobbyCraft.
HobbyCraft opened
its 50th store in
Chelmsford, Essex last
month, and is opening
another store this
month in Norwich. The
retailer boasts more
than 35,000 products catering for more than
250 different activities.
“Over the past year we have seen a bigger
appetite for many crafts fuelled by much media
hype for the ‘make do and mend’ trend, and
TV programmes such as Kirstie’s Homemade
Home and James May’s toy story. However,
a sweeping trend which we believe is still
growing and attracting new participants is
baking and cupcake making. We have seen
significant growth in this category over the last
year and it seems to continually refresh itself
with new interest in giving individual cupcakes
as gifts, and Whoopi pies, and indeed we are
now launching a new candy making range
which we believe will appeal in much the same
way.
The media has been the biggest influence
on crafting trends. TV programming and glossy
magazines have embraced ‘making and doing’
as both a great way to spend time, and create
something really unique and personal.
Coming to the end of the year, I’d say we are
definitely more ‘inspiration and ideas’ focused.
I think you can see that in our new in-store
ideas, our great new Halloween and Christmas
ranges, the way we encourage our staff to get
involved, and the new HobbyCraft magazine
which we feel is the celebration of everything
that can be achieved with HobbyCraft.
Looking ahead to 2011, we will be focusing
on giving reasons for people to craft through
great ideas and great results. We believe it’s
not so much about which individual craft will
be the biggest, but more how relevant it is
to today’s modern consumer. We’re aiming
to produce things to make that are on-trend,
are current and that have a desirability about
them. Many of those might cross categories
and techniques; however it’s about creating
something you want to make. Add to this an
increasing appetite to spend time enjoying
some of life’s simpler pleasures - whether
that’s baking a treat with the kids or making
a piece of jewellery for a gift - then the one
thing I am certain of is that creative activities,
in all their forms, will gain even more traction
with our existing customers and attract new
participants. The challenge for us is to meet
and exceed their expectations..
We have started to embrace social media
with our new Facebook and Flickr pages. We
tweet and have just launched a mini series of
Christmas video demonstrations on YouTube.
We have also created an online brochure
which will also show videos. It’s early days for
us but we think it’s a really fun medium and a
good way to share ideas and engage with our
customers.”
Alice Synge of
Backstitch
Alice opened Backstitch
in March this year,
selling fabric, sewing
patterns and printed
and plain cottons,
and at present retails
exclusively online at
www.backstitch.co.uk
“We have started out as an online store, but
who knows where we will end up… to one
day have a bricks and mortar shop would be
very exciting! For us, this year was all about
getting launched and building up our customer
base and that has remained our focus. It has
been a fantastic process getting launched, and
I couldn’t have asked for better success from
our first six months.
Social media is integral to our business
strategy. As an online only retailer it is the
easiest way to interact with our customers and
it is an essential marketing tool. Backstitch is
currently on Facebook, Twitter and has its own
blog. Through 2011 we will be expanding our
craftfocus 51
year round up
presence in these channels.
I feel there is real excitement around making
clothes at the moment. People are appreciating
the quality they can achieve and enjoyment
they can glean from dressmaking. This has
definitely shown through in our sales of dress
patterns which has been far higher than we
predicted.
This year craft has become a much
more social activity. People are really taking
advantage of the classes that are becoming
more and more available. There is also a move
for getting together in informal groups to share
ideas and enthusiasm.
In previous years we have seen the growth
in like-minded people connecting via the
internet through blogs and social media. Now
people new to crafting not only want to
meet and learn from each other online, but
in person too. This has led to the demand for
formal instruction and face to face interaction.
Crafters are notoriously organised when it
comes to gifting. Many of our customers are
already well underway with their Christmas
making, so some supplies for homemade gifts
have already been purchased. However, we
will be promoting our cocktail fabric bundles
during December as these are great gifts in
themselves.
This coming year will be all about growth.
Becoming a larger enterprise will enable us to
expand our offering to our customers. Our
current ranges will continue to grow and we
plan to bring in new fabrics such as quality
linens and wool. We will be developing our
kits which will include the fabric and sewing
pattern along with all haberdashery needed to
complete a garment. Our events calendar will
also be a new feature for 2011, starting with
our sewing club for local customers.
The crafting industry is a really exciting one
to be involved in at the moment. There are
more and more enterprises starting and more
and more people getting involved. The industry
is definitely in growth and we are sure to
see this continue. As for new directions, who
knows where it will go? I would certainly like
to see crafting, sewing in particular, given time
in schools again. I know that my generation
really missed out on this during their schooling.
Right now it is important as a retailer to
host events and courses centered around your
52 craftfocus
specialist craft. To create a thriving social scene
helps maintain your customer base and build
your relationship with your customers.
The increase in VAT next year is obviously
the primary concern for us as a small business.
This is likely to have an effect on both
wholesale and retail prices but we will be
doing all we can to maintain value for our
customers through this change.”
Sara Davies,
Crafter’s
Companion
Crafter’s Companion is
a multi award-winning
manufacturer in the
craft industry
“One of the biggest
trends in 2010 has been
rubber stamping. With lots of different styles
and designs available, there’s something for all
tastes. Many new companies have come into
the market bringing new styles of stamps, and
many companies have taken popular licensed
brands and brought them into the stamping
market, for example Beatrix Potter, Popcorn
the Bear and Charlie’s Ark.
As stamping has grown as a technique, so
has the use of various colouring mediums,
for example distress inks, alcohol pens (e.g.
Copic pens and Pro Markers) and watercolour
pencils. Along with this, the introduction of
specialist papers such as Neenah card for
alcohol pens and Watercolour card (both
available from Crafter’s Companion) have
made the effects that can be achieved with
these mediums even greater. By making the
technique more accessible, it has led to an
increase in crafters undertaking the technique.
The dip in the economy has assisted the
increase in popularity of stamping, as crafters
have noted the value that can be taken from a
stamped image. A single stamp can be used in
a variety of ways and give a variety of effects,
so in times when disposable income is short
this has proven popular with crafters.
Crafter’s Companion has had a very
successful year, both in the UK and overseas.
After winning four categories in the Craft
Awards by Aceville Publications, as well as the
Best Online Retailer award from Origin Craft
Awards at the beginning of the year, as voted
for by consumers, I also won the UK Emerging
Entrepreneur award in the Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur awards. It has been an absolute
honour to win these awards, and we are
striving to continue this success in future years.
Commercially, we have also had a successful
year, as we were approached by Frederick
Warne to take the Beatrix Potter licence.
It’s been amazing working with the original
artwork from Beatrix Potter and we’re looking
forward to working more with it in the future.
We have noted the importance of social
media as a marketing tool, and as such we now
have a Facebook group and I have a Twitter
account (@SaraDaviesCC) where I keep
followers updated on where I am and what
I’m doing. We also have a very active forum
as part of our web site, and interact with the
users on a regular basis. We have two blogs
– a News, Views and Inspirations blog and
a Monthly Challenge blog – which are both
steadily growing in terms of the number of
followers we have on them. It’s very important
to realise the importance social media has
now, and take advantage of its popularity in
getting your message and products out there!
We have focused on enhancing our
product range during 2010, as well as
taking on the UK distribution on behalf of a
number of companies around the world, for
example Collall glues, Reddy decoupage and
Core’dinations.
We are looking to expand even further in
the year ahead. We are looking to diversify our
product offering throughout the next year, as
well as taking on more licensed products, so
there’s lots of exciting things in the pipeline!
I think that stamping will continue to be
popular in 2011, as it will continue its reemergence. Die-cutting and embossing has
become more and more popular in the last
year, and I think this trend will continue in 2011
as well.
For retailers, demonstrating instore is a
key selling technique. By demonstrating to
customers how easy products are to use,
and the kind of effects that can be created,
customers are more likely to make purchases,
especially with higher value products – they
need to see the benefit of outlaying such
high costs.” C
just kidding
They say you should never work with
children or animals, but we decided to
take the plunge and unleashed eight little
terrors on some unsuspecting craft kits
for kids. Meet the expert panel, and then
read on to hear their verdicts...
Heather
Age: 13 years 8 months
AKA: Hebs
Likes: table tennis, swimming, and making
cards to sell, reading, anything creative
and chocolate
Dislikes: being forced to listen to football
on the radio by Dad and brother, boring
video games
THE PANEL
Chloe
Ffion
Age: 10 years 5 months
Likes: swimming, sweets
and dancing
Dislikes: cleaning her room,
vegetables and waking up
for school
Age: 7 years 7 months
AKA: Mali Mouse
Likes: Swimming, Cheryl Cole, Lady
Gaga, sweets and colouring
Dislikes: Homework, being shouted at
and glue because it sticks to her fingers
Courtney
Nia
Age: 10 years 2 months
AKA: Courts
Likes: dancing, gymnastics
and tigers
Dislikes: homework,
spiders and being cold
Age: 6 years
AKA: Haffy Hamster
Likes: Writing, hamsters,
Penguin chocolate bars and
Lily Allen
Dislikes: Spiders and homework
Sian
Age: 13 and a half
Likes: netball, Kayne
Raime, N-Dubz and
Pixie Lott
Dislikes: School, roast
dinners and homework
54 craftfocus
Owen and Hannah
Ages: Nine years 10 months and
seven years seven months
Like: drawing, painting, gluing everything that includes art.
Dislike: Homework
tried & tested
Truly Ethical
+44 (0)7948 343 653
www.trulyethical.co.uk
NAME: Make Fair Trade
Fish Decorations
DESCRIPTION:
Tissue paper, string and
cut-outs of fish to make
hanging decorations
It was really fun to make the decorations, I liked sticking the tissue paper with the glue and the
bright colours were really good. I needed a little bit of help with cutting out, and reading the
instructions. I liked the hanging fish that I made. Ffion
Jolly Red
Staedtler
+44(0)1460 281 111
www.jollyred.co.uk
NAME: Gypsy Heart
Needlepoint for
Beginners
DESCRIPTION: A
beginner’s needlepoint
canvas with a heart design
+44 (0)1656 778 668
NAME: Fimo
Modelling Clay
DESCRIPTION:
Modelling clay
I found this kit quite hard
to do at first, and I needed
help to get started. What
I had to do was sort
out the coloured wool
and stitch the different
colours on to the canvas.
I really liked the bright
colours, and I liked having
something to make in my
own spare time. I think
it’s a good product for
children my age because
it’s very fun and good for
the weekend. Courtney
I decided to make a cat and a pig with the
clay. It’s very simple – all you have to do
is break off some Fimo and mould it into
shape with your fingers, and once you’ve
finished you bake it for 30 minutes at 110
degrees so it goes hard. It was really fun
as it’s so easy to use and not too tricky to
add detail, such as paw prints on the cat
and eyebrows on the pig. There’s also no
mess and you can do it virtually anywhere.
Plus, there are loads of different coloured
blocks so you can try out loads of new
things. You can make things like keyrings
and fridge magnets, which are nice hand
made presents for people. It does say on
the product that Fimo isn’t suitable for
children under the age of eight, although
it doesn’t explain why, and I thought that
under-eights would really enjoy using Fimo
with adult supervision. Heather
craftfocus 55
UK Distributor for
Opal, Sock Yarn
Zitron (Including Trekking Sock Yarn)
Schoeller & Stahl Sock Yarn
Rachel John Extreme Knitting
Sock Yarn Specialists
WoollyWormhead
Books & Patterns
Lucy Neatby
Books, Patterns & DVDs
Frances Fletcher
Patterns
Susan Crawford
Books & patterns
Knitting Needles
& Accessories
Knitting Needles
& Accessories
Trade enquiries
e: viridianltd@gmail.com
t: 0117 3005244
www.viridianyarn.com
tried & tested
Bead Time
www.beadtime.co.uk
+44 (0)1784 252 438
NAME: Bead Time Beaded Flower Doll
DESCRIPTION: Contains beads, wire and
instructions for making up a doll
To make this I had to use the
beads and wire to create a
beaded flower doll. I really
liked the end product. In terms of
how difficult it was to make, I’d say it was average; some
things were tricky, whereas others were easy. I think it’s a
good product for kids of my age. Sian.
Past Times Quilling
+44 (0)1332 840 582
www.pasttimesquilling.com
NAME: The Children’s Quilling Workbook
DESCRIPTION: Quilling kit to make a
picture or card
Basically, you have a very long thin strip of paper and you wrap it
around a quilling stick to create a coil. Once you’ve made enough,
you arrange them to make a picture. I like how it looks when it’s
finished – the coils work very well as leaves, and it’s fun designing
them onto a page. The kit came with everything I needed;
glue, paper, quilling stick, even card to stick your coils on. The
instructions were very clear and easy to follow, and after a few
attempts I could make nice tight coils. I made a daisy and put it on
an octagon-shaped card, which became a thank you card.
I wasn’t keen on the fiddly nature of quilling; often, just as I’d
finished a coil it would pop straight out of the slot in the quilling
stick and I’d have to start again. It’s quite tricky and young children
would find it difficult without adult help. I think it’s a great thing to
do if you are creative and aren’t too impatient, and are good with
your hands. The finished designs look great so it’s worth all the
sighing and starting again! Heather.
Heritage Crafts
+44 (0)1889 575 256
www.hcrafts.com
NAME: Mini Embroidery Kit
DESCRIPTION: A small
embroidery kit
I really liked the design of this pattern, and the colours, and it looked lovely
when it was finished. I did find it a bit fiddly as there wasn’t a line to follow,
and so it was difficult to get started and follow the pattern. I found it a little
bit too hard for my age, although I liked the product still. Chloe.
craftfocus 57
just kidding
Stitchtastic
+44 (0)114 2353 958 or www.stitchtastic.com
NAME: Volkswagen Split Screen Camper Van Keyring Kit
DESCRIPTION: Thread and canvas and keyring
For this I had to create an image of a camper van using cross stitch. I think this
is nice is you want to make a little present for someone – perhaps good for
children who want to make something for a relative. I haven’t really done cross
stitch before, and so I found it quite tricky as it’s very small, but for someone
who loves to stitch, this is a nice way to make a keyring. Sian.
Truly Ethical
+44 (0)7948 343 653
www.trulyethical.co.uk
NAME: Make a Fair Trade
Bracelet and Bag Charm
DESCRIPTION: Beads and
string to make charms
I had to thread beads on a string and tie knots. I liked
that I can wear the product, and I liked the rainbow
colours and threading the beads. I found it a bit hard
to do because it was quite fiddly, but what I made was
really nice. Nia.
58 craftfocus
Mosaic Mad Romans
+44 (0)1273 586 181
www.mosaicmadromans.com
NAME: Marcus Annoyus, Roman
Centurion, and Flowerpot Bouquet
Mosaic Kit
DESCRIPTION: Fun mini mosaic kits
I made the Roman Centurion. I followed the instructions and
it was a bit fiddly, but when I put the arms on and the shield
on, it certainly began coming to life. It took a while to dry
but it was dry in the end. All the materials needed to make
the Roman were there, in fact there were too many red
beads for the body. I did it with some help from mum. I had
problems at first getting the arms to stay on, but once they
were dry it was OK. Mum was guiding me so that I did not
make any mistakes.
Hannah my sister had to make a flowerpot bouquet.
Hannah’s was easier to make and it was much quicker to do
and she liked it because it was girlie and pretty. It was fun
making these kits, I would certainly like to do it again. If they
have a racing car I would definitely get it. I love making stuff!
Owen.
Presents a One-Stop Shop for all your Quilling needs
BF
Cushion kits ♥ Starter kits ♥ Christmas stockings
Teacosies ♥ Needlepoint postcards
4XLOOLQJ+DQGERRNV%HJLQQHUVDQG$GYDQFHGDQG&KLOGUHQV
$&RPSUHKHQVLYHUDQJHRI4XLOOLQJNLWVIRUDOODJHVDQGDELOLWLHV
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Very best wishes for a Happy Christmas
and a prosperous New Year to all our stockists
- past, present and future
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9LVLWXVDWZZZSDVWWLPHVTXLOOLQJFRPRUFRQWDFWXVDW
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75$'(:,5(6&28.
75$'(:,5(6&28.
Tel: (+44) (0) 1460 281 111
sales@jollyred.co.uk ♥ www.jollyred.co.uk
Jolly Red, Unit 1, Monk’s Dairy Workshops,
Isle Brewers, Somerset, TA3 6QL
flower power
We catch up with Susan Balfour at Katy Sue Designs, who is
sprinkling the success of Flower Soft® all around the world
Who founded Katy
Sue, when, and what
prompted them to
do so?
Katy Sue Designs
was a follow on
from our first
company Katy Sue
Dolls, which made
Sue with her mum,
miniature porcelain
Doreen Thompson,
dolls for collectors
creative director of
(we had customers
Katy Sue Designs.
in 28 countries). The
collectors’ market slowed and we looked about
to change direction to something else that
would still allow us to be creative. Flower Soft®
was originally invented by our managing director
Susan Balfour to work with our porcelain dolls,
but once she saw how great it worked on
paper, that was it.
60 craftfocus
How has the product offering evolved since
this time?
We had one 2g bag of mixed Flower Soft®
initially and within 6 months that had expanded
into eight colours and bespoke paper craft
designs. We now have 30 colours and 12
Ultrafine, plus designs in die cut decoupage,
stamps, CDs and card toppers.
How do you think the craft business has
changed in general?
The craft business continues to grow with
more and more consumers discovering the
hobby through magazines and television, but
the product lifecycle just keeps getting shorter
and shorter... everybody wants what’s new! A
very large part of our customer communication
is now online, as we try to stay in touch with
customers all over the world through our web
site, blog, craft forum and Facebook pages.
Do you have any advice for retailers venturing
into the online marketplace?
I would say engage your customers by keeping
online material current and fresh with lots of
inspiration - perhaps run a card making class with consumers following a certain template
and the best card winning a prize, for example.
There are of course things like discounts
and incentives, and I would say spend a week
checking out some of the real masters in online
sales and follow their lead.
How many retail outlets stock your products?
That’s hard to say as our distributors in New
Zealand, Australia, Canada, South Africa and
parts of Europe also supply thousands of shops
on our behalf, but we personally have around
800 stores supplied from our UK Company and
a further 800 supplied from our USA Company
Flower Soft inc.
profile
What are your best-selling lines?
Flower Soft…because it’s Fantastic!
Have you embraced social media?
We love social media! It is such an easy way
to be close to our customers and really get
to know what they want from us. We have
everything from a blog through to Facebook,
and although we aren’t on Twitter as a company
our USA manager Mark Lee often tweets for us.
What special initiatives have you undertaken in
the run up to Christmas?
We have had extra staff brought in to keep up
with the demand once we launched Gold and
Silver Flower Soft®…we learnt our lesson from
last year when we were always running out of
Polar White!
What will be the next big thing in crafting?
Following on from the popularity of paper
crafting CDs, I think downloads could become
very popular, which means the manufacturers
and retailers will focus more on embellishments
to accessorise these.
How do you support your retailers?
We run regular special offers which often
include finished card samples for display, and
have worked hard this year to bring down our
minimum orders to £50. We also have our own
internet craft show on Flower Soft TV, whose
mission it is to educate crafters around the
world about our products and to inspire them
to be even more creative.
How do you make sure you stay competitively
priced?
Our products are known for quality.You get an
awful lot of Flower Soft® inside a jar and this
is something customers are always delighted
with, so I would say we are about right on our
pricing-versus-value.
What’s your take on the current state of the
market?
Every country is different in what they want.
Certain colours will work in one and not
another; some countries want CDs some won’t
go there; some products won’t work because
of the language and the sentiments inside but
generally the craft market is fast paced and
competitive but full of enthusiasm and fun.
What steps are you taking to weather the
storm?
We are putting our efforts into our design
team, and will be working hard to keep coming
up with designs that consumers want, but in
a much shorter period than we have done
previously.
How do you plan to grow your existing
retailer base?
We continue to exhibit at the major trade
shows and regularly sign up new stores in the
UK, but most of our current growth is in the
USA, where we are being careful not to expand
too rapidly. The growth last year was so fast that
it actually put quite a strain on the organisation,
so we are trying to keep things a bit more
manageable this year. That said, we have some
wonderful strategic partnerships developing
over in the USA that could see Flower Soft®
being introduced to tens of thousands of new
crafters in 2011.
How would you like the company to develop
over the next few years?
We have developed some fantastic relationships
with other craft companies in the last few years
and it’s exciting to work in partnership with
people like Spellbinders and Duncan’s. I would
love to see that kind of collaboration continue
as I believe it to be great for retailers and
crafters when products can work together. My
dream for Flower Soft® has always been that
it becomes a much-loved global brand name
that people value and trust - and its mission has
always been to bring a sprinkle of imagination to
crafters around the world. C
Further information
For more information call +44 (0)191
427 4571 or visit the website at
www.katysuedesigns.com.
craftfocus 61
Industry experts Clare Rayner and Kelly Molson offer their
advice on visual merchandising for your store
The way your store looks can make all the
difference between selling and not selling, and
footfall and no footfall. While it’s not easy to
create the most eye-catching, beautiful displays,
there are a few basic principles even the most
inartistic among us can follow to ensure we
present our stores, and our products, in an
appealing light to customers.
The importance of visual merchandising
Clare: In considering the importance of
visual merchandising on retail businesses the
single and most important reason is to engage
and inspire shoppers, to encourage them to
buy more of your products, and increase your
sales and margin – after all, you are running a
business! That engagement process, of course,
starts even before they have set foot in
your store.
Kelly: First impressions count. The exterior of
your premises should be instantly appealing
with clear, consistent branding applied to your
signage. The entrance reflects the personality
of your store and must entice the passer-by
to enter.
Creative and inventive window display
is an excellent opportunity to bring more
custom to your store. Customers have only
a few seconds to view and be attracted by
your displays so keep them simple, bold and
uncluttered. Cluttered, stale, or badly-organised
displays are liable to do the exact opposite and
turn those potential customers away.
Ensure any special offers are clearly readable
and not too big or small, bearing in mind
the demographic of your target audience. If
your window space is limited try using bright
colours and lighting to draw the eye - maybe
even motion. Change the displays frequently
based on how often your customers visit the
store. A fantastic but dated display could do
more harm than good.
Seasonal displays are a perfect opportunity
to turn a browser into a customer. Use every
opportunity that you can buy a card for – think
Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day, Easter, Halloween,
Christmas. I can remember my Mum taking me
to Selfridges every Christmas just to see their
displays! Could you make your store the one
to visit?
Avoid overwhelming/confusing the customer
Clare: It’s very easy to be attracted to new
product opportunities and be constantly
adding to the choice you offer. The issue is that
the sales you are achieving are simply shared
between more stock keeping units, making
your business more complex and putting you
at risk of carrying excess stock.
Range proliferation can strangle a business
from a cash flow perspective, so getting the
balance right is critical. Too little choice will put
customers off, too much will confuse them.
Ideally you should analyse your retail space to
understand what the maximum number of
products you can present at any given time
is. Then be ruthless. Every product is costing
you money both to stock, and also it occupies
your high cost retail real estate – if it hasn’t
earned the right to be there, and it isn’t a
product typically connected to the purchase
of a high margin line (therefore earning its
right by virtue of a related sale) then get rid of
it – make way for a product that will earn you
some money.
Kelly: It’s important your store is inviting
and uncluttered. There’s nothing worse than
walking into a messy store and feeling totally
lost and overwhelmed with the amount of
stuff in your line of sight! It will make potential
customers walk out – I’ve been that customer
in the past.
Try to reference the layout by colour within
a product category to ease the shopper’s
identification of products they need, or of
complementary products. Take a leaf out of
the online world of store design, and display
products with other products that they work
well or look good with.
Make them linger
Clare: Once you’ve got the potential customer
in the store and have presented a beautiful,
profitable range, you need to retain them for
as long as possible – typically, the longer they
stay, the more they will spend.
Kelly: If you make your customers feel at ease,
they will linger longer. Music, lighting, colours
etc can all have a huge effect on the stress
levels of the shopper. How many times have
you left a store because it was too bright or
the music too loud?
Try appealing to all five senses
sympathetically and be aware that the
demographic of your target market will feel
different in different atmospheres. For example,
music in stores has a huge impact on our stress
levels. You may assume that a toy store would
play children’s songs, or even nursery rhymes?
In fact, parents will feel a lot less stressed
if something softer is played, perhaps even
classical music.
Smell is a powerful tool in selling too. Vanilla,
lavender and citrus notes are used to uplift,
and seasonal fragrances help evoke a sense of
magic, so try cinnamon around Christmas time.
Navigation and understanding
Kelly: Your in store signage must be clear
and concise. Too many signs will act like a
hundred shouting voices; not enough and your
customer won’t know where to go. Keep it
simple and in line with your existing store
branding. Use fonts and colours that are easily
readable from a distance, and avoid script or
fussy, ornate styles.
Products need to be presented in a way
that the customer can understand exactly
what they do and how they help them. This
is where good point of sale and freestanding
merchandise displays really come in to play.
Use the point of sale area to display
new products, special offers or ‘no-brainer’
craftfocus 63
visual merchandising
visualise success
“
Range proliferation can strangle a business from a cash flow
perspective, so getting the balance right is critical. Too little choice
will put customers off, too much will confuse them
Top tips
”
There are a number of things you can do to make significant impact for little cost.
purchases, for example lip balms, pens and
other small handbag-sized items. You can be
really creative with these displays. Keep them
simple and bold. There are hundreds of off-theshelf display products you can purchase, usually
in plastic or cardboard.
Be creative with the products themselves.
For example, if you were selling paper napkins,
create origami animals from them – they’re
instantly more appealing. If you have own brand
products, invest in working with a design agency
that specialises in packaging design so that
your product appeals exactly to your target
customer. The right packaging design can make
or break a product, especially if it’s new to the
market or has huge competition. A good brand
and packaging designer will draw out the brand
story and encapsulate that into the design,
giving your product maximum shelf appeal.
In summary
Clare: Visual merchandising can make a good
retail outlet great. Investing a little time and
effort in giving your store a face lift can make a
world of difference. Engaging some professional
services to help with your branding, your
window displays or your in store signage can
make you really stand out from the crowd.
Ruthlessly looking at your products’ profitability
in the context of what presence on the display
space you give them could give you competitive
advantage. In a crowded market you need to
pull out all the stops to give your customer the
shopping experience they really want – but you
can expect to reap the rewards when you get
it right.
64 craftfocus
• Make the interior (and exterior) of your store as inviting as you can. A tidy store is a must.
De-clutter and move anything that isn’t adding to your brand.
• Sounds obvious, but make sure you keep the decor, floors and windows clean. Ensure the
flooring is suitable for you target customers. Try out different fragrances to keep the store
smelling fresh.
• Make the most of the space you have but allow plenty of room for movement;
remember your customers may have buggies or pushchairs with them. Don’t make them
feel claustrophobic – sometimes there is commercial benefit to having empty space!
• Ensure you have good lighting that helps the customers navigate the store and highlights
key promotions. Use lighting to draw them into the store, and don’t have any dark corners.
• Use music to enhance the atmosphere – unless you are running a library a little
background noise makes customers more comfortable to have conversations as they
feel they are less easily overheard. Ensure your choice of music is relevant to your target
customer and of course, make sure you’re not in breach of any public performance rights.
• Products must be clearly and correctly labelled, with more product information available
as required. Pricing and offers must be understandable, otherwise customers could become
frustrated.
• Shelves should be well stocked but not over-full and cramped, as this will not only
look bad but detract from the product itself. The last thing you need is for a customer to
attempt to take a product off the shelf and cause an avalanche – they will be embarrassed
and your product may well get damaged.
• Analyse everything and know the commercial basis for every decision you make –
because after all, you are running a business.
• Know the cash margins every product contributes, the volumes you sell and determine
what value each product has in your range. Don’t forget to consider the value-add of
certain products, for example ones that tend to be purchased with other key items.
• Define the maximum stock keeping unit count your store can accommodate and stick
to that. If you want to list a new item ask yourself what it replaces. Always consider the
impact on your profitability when you change stock, as well as your aesthetics and product
presentation when making a range.
About the authors
This article is co-written by Clare Rayner, “The Retail Champion” and Kelly Molson, founder
and managing director of Rubber Cheese.
Clare has made regular guest appearances on BBC radio and TV. She has contributed to
various retail-focused articles and opinion pieces. As a speaker, mentor, consultant and trainer,
Clare shares her expertise in developing strategies with retailers of all sizes to increase profit,
customer base, revenue streams & channels to market. Clare is also an owner-director of
several businesses servicing the retail sector including Retail Acumen, The Retail Conference
and e-mphasis Internet Marketing.
Kelly is founder and MD of Rubber Cheese, a design agency specialising in retail packaging,
POS, branding, and e-commerce design. Kelly and her team support retail clients in the
delivery of anything from a simple interior facelift, to a specific in-store point of sale
campaign, to a total business re-branding exercise. C
inspiration for less
Karl McKeever, brand director at Visual Thinking, looks at the
trends in visual merchandising that will be gracing stores over the
festive period
Christmas is the key selling time for retailers
– especially craft and hobby stores. And, with
household budgets for many families being
even tighter this year, it’s highly likely that more
people will be making their own gifts, greetings
cards and searching for creative gift wrapping
solutions. As a result, shoppers will be looking
for inspiration ‘on the cheap’ in store this year.
Therefore, with belts tightening and
shoppers having less money in their pockets,
materials for home made gifts could really take
off this year. However, with retailers also feeling
the pinch, it’s always wise to be well prepared
with a few simple design tricks up your sleeve
for Christmas displays that don’t cost the earth.
For Christmas, red and green is the tried
and tested, traditional colour scheme. Purple
and teal is rich and opulent, and very much
on trend this season with its rich Chinese
influence. You could opt for classic black and
gold, or for a more contemporary look, opt for
orange and hot fuschia pink.
However, in my view, many retailers (and
especially big mainstream stores) will choose
caution over experimentation this year,
making the safest colours to get behind this
Christmas combinations of red and gold; a
sure fire commercial winner! Christmas HAS
to pay this year for many retailers – especially
independent stores. So if you want to be both
on-trend and to play safe at the same time,
red will be the big colour story for Christmas
this year and is sure to deliver great sales
performance.
Adopting a recycled theme could work
well, as ‘re-imaging’ raw materials in retail
environments, store fittings and visual
merchandising schemes is no longer just the
preserve of eco warriors. Create an updated
recycled natural look with items made from
unpainted plywood and unbleached cardboard,
66 craftfocus
highlighted with shiny pillar box red. This look
is both modern and environmentally friendly,
and this season is being used by brands such
as Habitat and DKNY - proving its style
credentials.
Many retailers will choose
caution over experimentation
this year, making the safest
colours to get behind this
Christmas combinations of
red and gold
Display themes can be developed from all
types of ideas, from nature trends of berries,
holly and mistletoe, and seasonal weather
e.g. snowflakes, icicles and frost, to children’s
favourites such as snowmen, Santa and
reindeer. Pantomimes, jewels, heraldry and
pop art would also work and you could even
arrange a tie in promotion with a theatre to
create a strong local message.
Choose one of these themes that tie in well
with your brand image, and think about your
customers and competitors to help decide on
the idea.
Here are my top golden rules for ‘non-tacky’
displays to get you started:
YDon’t mix up themes – have one that is
dominant and do it with conviction!
YAvoid mixing up the decorations - don’t mix
too many types of materials together.
YKeep it bold and punchy - have fewer but
bolder features rather than a thin and limited
presence around the store.
YDon’t cram the whole shop assortment into
the window – keep it simple with a few items
that regularly change.
YNever tape tinsel or garlands to shelf edges.
YDon’t drape strings of electric lights around
fixtures - consider the health and safety aspect
in any seasonal display.
YAvoid using battered and torn POS from
previous years – buy new where possible.
YTry not to hang too much from the ceilings
as it will make the shop untidy.
YAvoid too many religious symbols as this
could potentially alienate customers and could
be seen as a rather insensitive gesture.
YDon’t allow staff to wear bauble earrings
and tinsel in their hair – leave them for the
work Christmas party!
Overall, remember that the bigger you make
your Christmas displays, January and February
are likely to make your shop look plain and
uninteresting, so keep a sense of balance and
moderation.
Finally, my top tip for this Christmas is to
negotiate with the well-known department
stores over getting your hands on their
second-hand decorations. As larger shops buy
new schemes each year, they tend to dispose
of decorations after the festive period. It’s a
great time to make friends with your bigger
retail neighbours!
Simply store them safely until required, and
they will look totally new in the context of
your own shop - you’ll be well prepared for
the following Christmas with minimum fuss and
quality decorations for a fraction of the price. C
The UK’s leading magazine
for the craft industry
C
To advertise here
telephone Tracy Voice
on +44 (0)1376 535 618
www.craftfocus.com
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Who founded King Cole, and when?
King Cole was founded by a couple of wool merchants in 1935, who
initially purchased oddments from Bradford spinners and sold to the
retail trade. Over the ensuing 75 years, the company developed into a
partnership with a leading spinner who produced ranges specifically for
King Cole.
More recently the company has become a leading distributor of
quality knitting products which are sourced and manufactured for King
Cole under licence abroad.
knit for
a king
Craft Focus talks to
Lance Martin about
what’s happening in the
world of wool, and why
the supplier-retailer
relationship should be
regarded as a partnership
68 craftfocus
How has the product offering evolved since this time?
We’ve seen huge increases in the amount and diversity of products in
the portfolio, from basic, acrylic-based ranges through fibre blends to the
finest natural fibre yarns like Merino wool blends and Baby Alpaca.
Do you have any advice for retailers venturing into the online
market place?
There is a continuing increase in online ordering as younger retailers
come into the market. Our advice to those people looking to start in
that market is basically the same as to new bricks and mortar retailers;
choose your supplier with care; one who will see you as a partner and
work with you.
How many retail outlets sell your products?
Our retailer base is circa 1500 customers.
Our customers are considered partners; what
is good for them is good for King Cole
What are your best-selling lines?
The best-selling lines vary according to customer type and location.
There are areas where natural fibre yarns are strong, others where
only basic blends will sell. However there is one common denominator
and that is Baby yarn sales. These are strong week in week out in every
corner of the market and King Cole’s Baby Comfort range is the perfect
standby product for new accounts.
Christmas itself is not the most important sales period for hand
knitting; by this I mean that knitting for Christmas gifts is done over a
period of time. Nevertheless, we stock a series of patterns aimed at this
time of year and it sells extremely well.
profile
What steps are you taking to weather the storm?
Working together with the UK members of that Association, we are
fostering the long-term development of knitting to try to ensure its
future. Hopefully, growth in the desire to knit will also bring more retail
customers to the trade who wish to supply the demand.
This anticipated growth plus the continued development of new
yarns and designs is expected to give King Cole the sort of growth we
are hoping for. Still there will be no room for complacency, we must
continue to be a proactive force in the sourcing and marketing of new
and exciting products. C
How do you support your retailers?
As stated earlier, the retailer should choose suppliers with care, and
King Cole has a simple philosophy in this regard. Our customers are
considered partners; what is good for them is good for King Cole.
Therefore in answer to your question, we support them in a myriad of
ways from first class service to promotional help and provision
of fixtures.
How do you make sure you stay competitively priced?
We remain competitively priced by virtue of running a streamlined
and efficient business. There is no point in having a profitable supplier
with non-profit making customers or indeed vice-versa. The whole
thing would soon come to a standstill if the partnership were not to be
mutually successful.
What’s your take on the current state of the market?
At present the hand knit market is buoyant and still growing. This is
due in some degree to the excellent work of promoting the craft
undertaken by the UK Hand Knitting Association.
Further information
For more information call +44 (0)1535 650 230 or visit
www.kingcole.co.uk.
craftfocus 69
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www.aartij.com
retail &
wholesale available
...Aarti J’s...
Specialists in Beads, Trimmings, Flatback Gems
and Appliqués.
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new
jewellery
productmaking
showcase
the bead’s knees
Jewellery making is huge at the moment. We ask some experts
about what’s happening right now in the craft
Jewellery making has gone from strength to
strength this year, with many crafters turning
to the hobby and fashioning their own unique
necklaces, bracelets, brooches and more to put
a unique stamp on their look.
The popularity of fashion jewellery has
meant that consumers can recreate looks
they’ve seen in high street shops with relative
ease, pretty beads and components being so
plentiful. So what exactly is driving this trend? “I
think the reason that it has become so popular
is because visability of the hobby has increased
dramatically, with many new dedicated
magazines being stocked in the supermarkets,”
says Diane Grimshaw, editor of Creative Beads
& Jewellery, a popular consumer magazine.
“The general make and mend trend has spread
to almost everything, and there are now lots
There are so many people
who learn to make jewellery
and then want to have their
own bead shop, be it on the
high street or online
of non-specialist shops, such as Sainsbury’s
and The Range, and local garden centres too,
which now stock kits for making jewellery, and
this of course reaches a much wider audience
than before, and gives more consumers the
opportunity to sample the hobby.”
And whereas once someone might make
a one-off item for themselves or as a present
for a friend, the market has matured into one
in which the consumer wants recognition and
payment for their efforts, which has lead to a
more demanding and fussy consumer, as Diane
explains. “Many more people now make to
sell, rather than to keep themselves. They sell
through local events, craft fairs, school events
and party planning.
“More and more jewellery makers have now
got their own websites, and sell to shops, on
eBay, on etsy, and the market has changed in
many ways over the years. It has matured, and
now the beader wants more, or everything.
They are no longer satisfied with the basics,
and they’ll hunt all over the internet, and in
bead shops, to discover new and interesting
beads and findings.
“The die-hard makers will travel far and
wide for classes in their hobby, and pay a lot
of money for classes in Precious Metal Clay,
lampwork, and other more skilled techniques.
“Twitter and Facebook have groups of
crafters who meet up at shows, and share their
ideas daily – it’s like craft therapy! The buyer
is far more savvy too now, as in other areas
of craft. Gone are the days when you could
rely on a bricks and mortar approach alone;
retailers need to harness the web to survive,
and the competition is massive. There are so
many people who learn to make jewellery and
then want to have their own bead shop, be it
on the highstreet or online.”
And so to stay ahead, it’s important to know
what the consumer is looking for right now, as
Diane explains. “Fashion magazines influence
trends in jewellery making more than anything
else.
“Haberdashery meets jewellery making is
big right now – there’s more sewing and using
unique trimmings and pretty things in the
designs,” she says. “Textiles, large links, chains,
long necklaces, pearls, metal charms and foodinspired beads, such as polymer clay cupcakes
and sweets, are really popular, and collars and
bibs which combine fabric and beading are also
very much gaining in popularity.”
Further information
Creative Beads and Jewellery magazine is
published by Practical Publishing. For more
information call +44 (0)844 5611 202
RICHARD BURHOUSE OF
BURHOUSE BEADS
+44 (0)1484 655 675
www.burhousebeads.com
Which products do you sell?
Burhouse Beads sells a diverse range of
jewellery components and findings in a
number of different materials. From sterling
silver, rolled gold and gold filled to a variety of
plated finishes including burnished, antique and
satin. We offer a great selection of gemstones,
semi-precious beads, fresh water pearls and a
contemporary range of sterling silver ready to
wear jewellery, all complemented with a full
range of hardware items, including tools and
luxury gift packaging, perfect for all jewellery
craftfocus 71
www.beadtimewholesale.co.uk
We are dedicated to supplying the retailer and web companies with a truly gorgeous
range of findings, and now we can supply you with gorgeous beads!
NEW RANGE - Steampunk findings now available
For a catalogue contact
Bead Time Ltd
Unit 16 Shepperton Business Park
Govett Avenue
Shepperton
Middlesex
TW17 8BA
Tel: 01932 506362 / 506596
new
jewellery
productmaking
showcase
the bead’s knees
Burhouse Beads
makers and designers. Here at Burhouse we
are always trying to source the latest items
new to the market and encourage customer
feedback to keep ahead of new trends.
How much has the jewellery making trend
grown in recent times?
The jewellery making market has seen
considerable growth over recent years. There
has been a definite increase in the number
of people making handmade jewellery as a
second source of income.
People welcome the fact they can increase
their income with craft fairs and jewellery
parties during these tough economic times.
People have discovered that what was initially
an enjoyable hobby can easily be turned into
a money making venture. Our customers
are finding that as the high-street prices are
creeping up, making jewellery themselves is
now a viable and cost effective alternative.
Where do consumers find the inspiration for
their jewellery making?
It used to be the case that jewellery makers
and designers were very much self taught
trades people, perfecting their skills over
time with each new collection. However, due
to increased demand there are now many
jewellery making classes and workshops
available throughout the country suiting both
beginners and experienced professionals.
Magazines and books now give detailed step
by step guides and give inspiration not only to
new jewellery makers, but also to established
designers.
The internet and other media outlets
also give great advice and easy to follow
instructions making the craft accessible to
everyone. You will also find a lot of jewellery
retailers have introduced jewellery making
kits, great to get you started as the design
has already been produced for you. A lot of
our customers make a social occasion out
of jewellery making and go to day classes to
meet similar minded people and have fun. They
always enjoy tea and cake too.
Which products are the most in-demand at
the moment?
Customers currently have access to the largest
ever range of jewellery making materials
and are often using standard materials in an
unconventional manner to create new designs.
We are seeing continuous demand for plated
components such as pendants, bangles, ear
fittings, brooches and cufflinks. As a result we
have responded by recently extending our
plated range to offer customers more choice
than ever. These lightweight pieces aimed at
the fashion market are cheaper than other
settings, making them ideal for the fashions
which season by season will come and go. In
addition, our hottest items now are our new
faceted glass and faceted agate lines.
a current trend for feature clasps; making
a statement out of a clasp and keeping
the jewellery piece simple. This gives a real
designer element to any necklace or bracelet.
In addition our faceted glass range is also on
trend; with the party season approaching
everyone loves the glitzy shimmer of the high
quality faceted glass. Due to its popularity
this range has now been extended to include
faceted glass donuts and a matching donut
bails.
With which demographic is jewellery making
the most popular?
As previously mentioned, jewellery making
materials are now so easily accessible to
everybody, with a large number of retailers
both online and on the high street. From
indoor markets and local haberdasheries, to
jewellery supply specialists and wholesalers
such as ourselves. This gives consumers a
great deal of choice and they are taking full
advantage of the ‘making jewellery’ craze. The
demographic that has seen the most growth
must be the new jewellery enthusiasts whose
love for making jewellery has now turned into
a career choice.
Burhouse Beads
Which of your products fit well with current
trends?
Still on trend at the moment are small kitsch
charms worn clustered and layered. Here at
Burhouse Beads we have a great selection
of cute charms, including teddy bears, hearts
and stars amongst many others. There is also
craftfocus 73
KERI KENNEDY OF BEADS UNLIMITED
+44 (0)1273 740 774
www.beadsunlimited.co.uk
Which products do you sell?
Beads Unlimited is a much-loved institution
with over 3,000 lines of stock crammed into
our extensive on-line shop and retail outlet.
From craft and professional pliers, threads,
findings and hundreds of types of beads,
charms and pendants, we really do cater for
all tastes and ages in the wholesale and retail
market.
How much has the jewellery making trend
grown in recent times?
The craft business as a whole has boomed
over the past few years. It has become
more and more fashionable to make do and
mend, make your own clothing, jewellery and
household items. The recession has played
a part in this; people are spending less on
what could be an expensive item of jewellery
because they can make something far cheaper
and original themselves.
Where do consumers find the inspiration for
their jewellery making?
Our consumers can find inspiration from our
extensive range of projects created by our
resident designers Gemma Gray and Jo Porter.
Jo also runs our blog www.beadbarmy.com
which features tons of inspirational features
and links to some fantastic creations. Projects
can be found on www.beadsunlimited.co.uk
where they can be printed out with step by
step instructions to create a range of items
from Bollywood-inspired bling necklaces to
sophisticated Swarovski pieces.
Our retail outlet, The Brighton Bead Shop,
runs jewellery making classes throughout
the year. Our in house tutor and expert Jane
Lievens teaches a range of techniques from the
basics to advanced wire work, chain maille and
lots more in between.
Which materials and products are you finding
to be the most in-demand at the moment?
There is high demand for all of our products
at the moment! Czech glass is consistently
popular, and miracle beads are selling well. At
this time of year in the run up to the festive
season we have high demand for our gift
boxes that come in a range of four colours.
Also our beginner’s packs, available in mini and
regular sizes, contain pliers, threads, beads and
more - all a new beader needs to start making
their own jewellery.
Which of your products fit well with the
current trends?
Our new selection of charms are very popular
and fit in with the current vintage trend. We
stock antique gold and silver finish leaves,
anchors, owls and much more. These are
complemented with our extensive range of
antique finish chain and findings.
With which demographic is jewellery making
the most popular?
Our customer base spans a huge demographic
of all ages, whether retail or wholesale. Because
our stock is so varied we couldn’t narrow our
customers down to one age group. However,
the craft and jewellery business is becoming
more popular with a younger generation than
in previous years. This is shown by continuous
breadth of jewellery making magazines and
websites that are available. C
74 craftfocus
Mode Int’l
Importer and Manufacturer of High Quality Glass Beads
www.modebeads.com
5111-4th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11220
T: 718.765.0124 F: 718.765.0126
Order: 800.MODE.527
mode@modebeads.com
put your own
stamp on it
A UK craft wholesaler, specialising in ceramics, has adapted some well-known stamping and
paper craft techniques for use on pottery blanks. It has created endless possibilities for using
pottery blanks in a novel way, without the need for a kiln, and takes stamping to a new level.
Craft Focus speaks to Jenny Hawkins to find out more about Country Love Crafts
Who founded Country Love Crafts, and what
prompted them to do so?
Country Love Ceramics was founded in 1991.
Its founder, Frank Denton-Powell, needed a
new direction following a 38-year career as an
Officer and Engineer in the Royal Air Force.
Having broadened the range of products, the
business was renamed this year as Country
Love Crafts.
How has the company evolved during this
time?
Initially the business manufactured blank
pottery designs from clay and slip (liquid
clay poured into moulds). It also encouraged
customers to make their own pottery pieces
which were then decorated and fired in a
kiln. Demand soon escalated and within a few
years, ceramic shapes were being imported
from Italy.
76 craftfocus
A number of training courses were then
devised - the most popular being 'New
Business' training (a one-day, low cost, intensive
course offering business advice and practical
guidance for anyone wanting to start their own
home-based or static site studio).
Today the business still sells pottery blanks
and still offers training. However, both the
founder and small rural location have long
gone. The home conservatory has been
replaced by 20,000sq ft of warehousing/office
space and container shipments regularly arrive
laden with stock from the Far East. In 2007 the
business was bought by EM Richford, better
known as Personal Impressions.
How has the product offering evolved since
this time?
Although ceramic blanks remain the core
product range, the stock inventory has
expanded over the years to include kilns,
kiln accessories, underglazes, glazes, brushes,
decorating tools and craft paints. More recently,
Country Love was proud to have secured
three exciting new distributorships: DecoArt,
Decopatch and Duncan. DecoArt is already an
established brand in the UK. The distributorship
offers improved supplies for crafters and
includes suitable products for most craft
surfaces e.g. paper, wood, ceramics, metal,
foam, plaster, canvas, glass, fabric, terracotta and
masonry. We offer discounted retail stands for
new stockists.
Decopatch is very popular craft in France
but a reasonably new addition to the UK
market. It is a modern take on the traditional
craft of decoupage and creates a strong
surface, smooth texture and wonderful paint
effect. The printed papers are durable and can
be applied to most surfaces.
Duncan is one of America’s leading
manufacturers specialising in fired and nonfired colour, bisque and speciality products. It is
an exciting addition for the already established
kiln fired range of products currently offered at
Country Love.
How do you think business has changed since
you began?
The internet has changed all businesses (not
just craft) and in particular, the shopping
experience has been transformed. The
shopper now uses the internet to research and
compare suppliers so business owners need to
showcase products and services on a current,
user-friendly and high-ranking website. More
traditional businesses are less accessibile on the
high street and have generally been replaced
by national chain stores so the internet is
providing an important outlet for specialist
products. A cycle of demand has emerged in
that more traditional skills seem to alternate in
popularity with modern crafts.
What steps have you taken to compete in the
online market place?
Country Love has always embraced online
shopping and was the first UK ceramic
supplier to have an internet shop. We are in
the process of modernising the site, aiming
for a 'go live' date in early 2011. Our parent
company, Personal Impressions, have had
profile
incredible success with their online shop so it
will be great to see both the reaction to, and
impact of, the new site.
Currently there appears to be an equal split
between orders received through the website,
telephone or via e-mail. Interestingly, a number
of established Country Love customers say
they do not have a PC at home, let alone in
their business. For that reason, a new catalogue
was printed in October this year and has been
posted to all active customers.
What are you best selling-lines?
Best selling lines can be split into two trade
groups – those businesses that own a kiln and
those that don’t. With kiln-owning businesses,
tableware like mugs, plates and bowls are
sold in their tens of thousands each month.
These pieces are always in demand because
they are functional items and make beautiful,
sentimental keepsakes – many businesses
reproduce a baby’s or child’s footprint or
handprint on a piece of pottery for a unique
and precious gift.
With businesses without a kiln, the demand
for cupcakes has remained high and is one
of company’s best-selling lines. In addition,
butterflies, dinosaurs, trinket boxes and money
boxes all sell well. These are all easy-to-paint
items that are loved by all age groups. More
recently, flat objects have been selling well as
they are perfect for stamping with inks and
papercraft products.
Have you embraced social media yet?
Country Love has embraced social media
and we're present on Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn. A Country Love blog was created
a few months back and there are plans to
include more regular updates. Andy Skinner,
a freelance tutor for Country Love, has a
regularly updated blog at www.andyskinner.org.
What do you think is the next big thing in
crafting?
Stamping and papercrafts seem to be the most
popular crafts in the UK – they are certainly
well represented in the national press and at
craft events or exhibitions. As far as trends are
concerned, it appears that the UK takes its
lead from the US and random UK advertising
campaigns - for example, there have been
numerous requests for ceramic meerkats
in the last 12 months, and a national radio
company recently reported that meerkats
were selling better than garden gnomes!
How do you support your retailers?
We offer a great deal of support. A good
proportion of incoming calls and e-mails are
for advice or support. Regular newsletters are
sent out with inspiring ideas, images of finished
samples, recommended website links and
special offers.
Andy Skinner, freelance tutor/artist (and excrafts high street business owner) is on hand
to provide training or business consultancy and
the training programme offers regular craft and
business workshops for business owners, not
forgetting the popular open days. In addition,
The Guild of Ceramics Studios was launched
in 2003 with the aim to provide a UK-wide
supportive network for ceramic studios, party
planners and ceramic decorators.
What is your take on the current state of the
market?
Having spoken to a number of businesses
(both inside and outside the crafts industry) it
seems that the middle market maybe suffering.
There is demand for value priced goods and
this is represented by the expansion on the
high street of ‘99p stores’ or ‘Poundland’ shops
and the growth of make and take craft projects
within the arts and crafts industry. On the
other hand, the shopper is still willing to spend
money on luxury items or high quality goods.
This is supported by the continued popularity
of more expensive brands including designer
labels like Versace and heritage brands like
Burberry.
How would you like the company to develop
over the next few years?
As the core product range is ceramics, it would
be great to dispel the belief that ceramics can
only be decorated by a potter, ceramicist or
someone with a kiln. Pottery blanks offer a
versatile surface, often cheaper and smoother
than wood and more functional than paper.
Crafters be aware …you heard it here first! C
Further information
For more information about Country Love
Crafts call +44 (0)1235 861 700 and visit
the Personal Impressions or DecoArt stand
at Hobby, Craft + Stitch International at the
NEC in February.
craftfocus 77
eco-crafting
the moral of the story
Status stories are the new
status symbols. Read on to
find out the stories behind
these great products
Consumers have never been so aware of,
or so concerned about, the origins of the
products they buy. Whether a product is
Fair Trade, meaning that its producers have
been paid a fair wage for producing it, or
whether it simply has an ‘eco’ story, such as
recycled packaging, the added value for many
consumers is huge.
Mary Portas recently wrote, in an open
letter to the handmade industry, that
customers are much more willing to pay a
higher premium for an ethical story. Using the
example of three egg cosies costing £25, she
said, “I find £25 for three egg cosies a bit steep.
However, if under the product there was a
beautiful design, fabric and source story which I
as a customer can pass onto my friends, then I
might not shirk at that cost. Remember, Status
Stories are the new Status Symbols, replacing
logos, brands and general bling.”
And so a product’s story, rather than its
price tag, is now what creates its true value,
and so we’ve put together a showcase of
crafting products each with a story of their
own, be it ethical or environmental, from a
cross section of the trade.
Truly Ethical
Truly Ethical launched in June of this year
and offers children’s craft kits comprised of
only fairly traded, recycled or sustainable
components. The company is the sister
company of Ethical Party Bags, which retails
fair trade and organic chocolate, toys and gifts
for children.
Everything sold by Truly Ethical has a heartwarming story. The beads in the jewellery
making kits are made out of recycled
magazines by a group of women in Uganda,
and the revenue they raise from this is a vital
part of their income, helping to support their
local community.
The tissue paper used in the
company’s kits is fairly traded from Nepal,
being handmade there by a small cooperative
that works to support a school for refugee
children in the community. These are just
a couple of examples of the care taken to
ensure that this company’s products are ‘truly’
ethical. If an ethical component can’t be found
for an idea, then the idea is scrapped. “Sourcing
components was, and still is, the real challenge,”
says Anna Smith, owner of Truly Ethical. “We
have so many good ideas, but a lot aren’t
feasible because we won’t include anything
that isn’t traceable. We’re highly transparent in
everything we do.”
Anna is quick to point out that simply
producing products which fit the ethical trend
isn’t enough on its own, and that first and
foremost, a craft product such as this needed
to stand out on its own intrinsic merits too.
“Our research showed us that our products
had to firstly stand up against other competing
products in this market,” says Anna, “and that
the ethical credentials were an added value.”
And the company has certainly put in a
lot of thought and groundwork to ensure its
products do stand up. “We’ve designed these
kits so that children can open the product
and get straight on with making it,” says Anna.
“The instructions are extremely clear and
straightforward, with a high frequency of words
that children learning to read will know.
“This means that children can work
independently on their project, helping them to
develop their independence.
“Plus, we’ve found that children really like
the ethical story behind the products; they like
to know they are helping people too.”
Further information
For more information call +44 (0)7948 343
653 or visit www.trulyethical.co.uk
craftfocus 79
the moral of the story
The Tiny Box Company
At the end of
October The Tiny
Box Company
celebrated its third
year as the UK’s
only supplier of
solely recycled
and recyclable
packaging.
Established in
2007, The Tiny
Box Company
was set up by Rachel Watkyn, who found that
sourcing recycled packaging for her fair trade
jewellery company was an impossible task. “My
aim was for the company to be as ethical and
environmentally responsible as possible”, said
Rachel. “So the idea that the packaging should
be recycled was a no brainer.” Finding that all
lines of enquiry within the UK resulted in
dead ends, she realised that the only course
of action was to source recycled packaging
from international suppliers and import it
herself. Such was the overwhelming demand
from retailers and individuals alike for ecofriendly packaging, Rachel founded The Tiny
Box Company.
Based in West Sussex, The Tiny Box
Company secured funding on the BBC’s
Dragons Den in 2008 and has since gone from
strength to strength, supplying well known
brands such as Google, Harrods and the Tate
Galleries. In July 2010, the company picked up
the prize for Small Business Recycler of the
Year at the National Recycling Awards, held at
the Hilton Hotel, London.
Further information
For more information call +44 (0)1342 810
900 or visit www.tinyboxcompany.co.uk.
Phoenix Papercraft
Phonix Papercraft’s products have Forest
Stewardship Council accreditation. The Forest
Stewardship Council is an international,
non-governmental organisation dedicated
to promoting responsible management
of the world’s forests. It was founded in
1993 in response to public concern about
deforestation and demand for a trustworthy
wood-labelling scheme. FSC has developed
a system of forest certification and product
80 craftfocus
labelling that allows consumers to identify
wood and wood-based products from wellmanaged forests.
Further information
For more information call +44 (0)1603 256
870 or visit www.phoenixpapercraft.co.uk.
Shains
The Shains range is based on recycled rubber
bracelets, cuffs, necklaces, key rings and
brooches punctured with holes
in to which interchangeable
letters and icons are pressed.
The range is aimed at
children, tweens, teens and
young adults, and comes in
12 cool colours.
Northern Irelandbased distributors, Tick
Tock Trading, have been
awarded exclusive rights
throughout the UK and
Ireland by American company,
Shainware, to distribute the product. “Shains
offer retailers a totally new innovative jewellery
and accessory concept at reasonable price
points,” says Maire Gallen, who runs Tick Tock
Trading. “This is a young, fun and funky brand.
“The environmental ethos behind Shains is
an integral part of the brand, and a percentage
of net profits are donated to worthy
environmental organisations.”
The packaging of these products is also
made of recycled and recyclable materials too.
Further information
For more information call +44 (0)2871 312
680 or visit maire.gallen@ticktocktrading.com
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KAL Media specialise in high quality craft magazines,
including Sew Hip, Yarn Forward, Inside Crochet and the
Knitting Collection. For more information on any of our
titles please contact Kerrie Allman.
eco-crafting
The company also processes Prince Charles’
wool from Home Farm Highgrove. The
wool is offered in all standard weights, and in
numerous colours.
Further information
For more information call +44 (0)1736 367
069 or visit www.cornishorganicwool.co.uk
Mama K/Nochicima
Cornish Organic Wool
Knitters with an environmental conscience will
love Cornish Organic Wool’s offering; handspun, hand-dyed organic wool, each ball of
which is 100% traceable to the exact farm and
shearing date of the sheep it came from.
The benefit for retailers is that Cornish
Organic Wool offers you the opportunity to
place your own shop’s branding onto the wool
itself, effectively enabling you to sell your very
own Soil Association certified organic, 100%
traceable, 100% British wool.
“We’re the first in the UK to offer this
service,” explains Matt Hopson, owner of the
company. “Our wool is also 100% British. Some
other wool that makes this claim may actually
leave the country for various processes to be
undertaken upon it before it comes back to be
sold, but we prepare all of the wool here on
our premises, including hand-dyeing.
“It’s a great selling point – people want
to know where the products they buy have
come from. We don’t want to force retailers
to commit to this by imposing large minimum
order quantities on this, and we’re really
championing British manufacturing. Most woolspinners in this country are now in their sixties,
and this worries us – what will happen 10
years from now? All production will have to be
moved abroad.
“And so we’re now talking to the Soil
Association to see if we can negotiate funding
for apprenticeships so that we can help bring
the trade back to the UK by getting young
people involved again.”
Kari Erickson-Valenzuela, aka Mama K, created
this unique scented play clay for use with her
own three year old child. She avoided using
artificial ingredients and soda scents which are
frequently marketed to children, and produced
a natural clay with subtle aromatherapy scents.
Mama K’s Aromatic Play Clay combines
aromatherapy with activity to soothe the
mind. The all-natural scents include soothing
lavender, relaxing chamomile and tensioneasing bergamot, and the product is produced
in small batches in Seattle, Washington.
Ingredients in the clay include glutenfree flours, extra virgin olive oil, vegetable
colourants and organic essential oils.
These clays make great creative gifts for little
ones, but are equally useful as natural tensionrelievers in the office.
Further information
For more information call +44 (0)1753 648
878 or visit www.nochicima.com.
Rethink Rubbish
One product that is capturing the imagination
of eco-crafters is an initiative conceived by
designer Barley Massey. Rethink Rubbish kits
are craft kits packed with inspirational ideas to
encourage people to reuse materials which
are readily available and often end up in landfill
sites. The enclosed materials are sourced from
Barley’s own production scraps and a local
textile recycling factory. The kits are suitable for
beginners and experts alike and contain easy-tofollow step-by-step illustrations and instructions.
There are currently five kits in the range;
‘Create a fabulous fascinator ’, ‘Learn to weave
on a simple frame loom’, ‘Knit your own mp3/
phone case’, ‘Make your own recycled rosette’
and ‘Sustainable gift wrapping’. Barley’s aim is to
empower people with simple making skills and
demonstrate how you can turn that which you
previously regarded as rubbish into a beautiful,
useable and personal object, all whilst having fun.
Barley has been running her own sustainable
textile business for 10 years, and has her own
shop, Fabrications, on Broadway Market, East
London. She creates interior products from
upcycled materials, and launched Rethink
Rubbish craft kits at the Pulse trade show
last year. C
Further information
For more information call +44 (0)207 275
8043 or visit www.fabrications1.co.uk.
craftfocus 83
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show preview
show time USA
The Craft & Hobby Association’s winter show takes
place at the end of January with an even greater focus on
education and events
The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) has
announced an official name change of the
Craft & Hobby Association Convention
& Trade Show. The new name effective
immediately is the Craft & Hobby Association
Conference & Trade Show. This change reflects
the growing importance of education in
helping craft and hobby professionals cope
and succeed in today’s challenging marketplace
by providing greater number of industry
professionals with access to CHA’s Trade Show,
educational sessions, networking opportunities
and special events.
Specific craft and hobby industry education
is vital to the health of the industry and
respective businesses. According to the 2010
CHA Member Satisfaction Survey, providing
educational programs pertinent to the craft
industry was in the top two requested
member benefits. While the majority of
respondents reported providing educational
programs as an important Association
function, 42% have never participated in CHA
education. Previous surveys report the two
main reasons for not taking classes as schedule
conflicts and price.
CHA will implement an exciting new
Conference model for its 2011 Winter Show
in Los Angeles that will provide all attendees
with greater value, more convenient hours,
greater networking opportunities, and
unlimited access to the CHA Trade Show
floor, Conference programs, networking
opportunities and special events. This new
CHA Conference model mirrors other
successful programs currently being used by
many leading trade show organisations.
The CHA 2011 Winter Conference will
feature educational sessions customised for
member types, hands-on craft technique
training, a variety of networking opportunities,
and provide attendees with unlimited access
to all seminars, workshops, and special events
for only $25 (an approximate $250 value).
This fee is waived for all CHA Trade Show
exhibitors. Now all attendees and exhibitors
will have access to the CHA Conference
including business sessions, networking events,
and special events that include the Keynote
presentation, Show Event/Party, International
Reception and the Welcome Reception for
one price.
To help accommodate this focus on
education and to eliminate conflicts, the
Trade Show floor hours have been moved
an hour later and will run from 10:00am to
6:00pm during the first three days of the
show. The new show floor hours will provide
attendees and exhibitors a full eight hours of
show floor access along with greater flexibility
to participate in education and networking
opportunities only offered at CHA Shows.
“We believe the new Conference model
and Trade Show enhancements are very
valuable new benefits to our members,” said
Steve Berger, President and CEO of CHA.
“They were designed to help all attendees
and exhibitors take advantage of as many
educational and networking opportunities
as possible without the burden of additional
costs.”
“Having unlimited access to valuable
business education and networking
opportunities will provide CHA members
with the information and insights they need to
successfully navigate challenges and grow their
businesses during challenging economic times,”
explained Michael McCooey, CHA Board Chair.
At a glance
Craft & Hobby Asso
ciation
Conference & Trad
e Show
when: 29th January st
- 1 February
where: Los Angeles
Convention
Center Los Angeles
, CA
website: www.craft
andhobby.org
EXHIBITOR PROFILE
Grafix will be bringing its popular
Black Shrink Film back to the show this
February, which is the perfect product to
fit in with growing jewellery making trend.
The film is fun and easy to create, but
an bake, and designs will shrink to half of
their original size and become durable
plastic embellishments in minutes. Unique
jewellery pieces, key chains, zipper pulls,
magnets and more can be created.
Grafix Shrink Film is offered in Clear,
Matte, White and Black, as well as Clear
and White Inkjet printable and 6 bright
colors (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue
and Purple) in packs of 6, 10 or 50,
8.5x11” sheets.
Further information: info@grafixarts.com
or www.grafixarts.com C
craftfocus 85
getting fit for finance
Roma Bhowmick, Business Link advisor, explains the protocol to follow when
seeking outside investment for your business
Whether you’re just starting out in business or
you’re already trading, you may need additional
funding at some point. You might be expanding,
undertaking a major re-fit or moving to new
premises: whatever your situation, raising
finance is likely to involve a meeting with
lenders or investors. Before you approach
investors you must be clear about why you
need funding, how much money you’re looking
for and how you are going to raise it.
There are a number of sources of finance,
each designed to meet different needs and
with different pros and cons. Small businesses
are most likely to gain funding through:
Raising money within your business – using
your own assets, investments or savings.
Approaching friends or family – they may be
able to offer support.
Bank finance – this includes loans and
overdrafts. The lender will expect the loan to
be repaid and there will be conditions applied
to the loan.
Joint ventures – pooling your resources and
expertise with one or more other individuals
or businesses to achieve a particular goal.
You will probably use a combination of finance
options, rather than a single source. Whatever
source of funding you choose you need to
make sure you’re ‘investment ready’. This means
understanding what investors are looking for,
knowing your numbers and persuading them
that your business is a sound proposition.
Business Plan
Whatever your source of finance, you should
have a business plan. It is one of the most
useful tools for helping you to manage your
business and provides a roadmap for your
business development, whether you are
86 craftfocus
starting up or already established. The financial
part of the plan will also help you make an
informed decision about whether raising
additional finance is viable for your business.
Your plan should include:
;A description of your business
;Its objectives, plans and goals
;Strategies on to how to achieve them
;Your market sector
;Any barriers and competition: this could be
covered in a SWOT analysis
;Profit and loss, sales and cash flow forecasts
and, if your business is already running, the
previous years’ accounts
;Details about your experience and/or
management CVs
A well-prepared business plan will show
that you know your business thoroughly and
understand your market.
So what are lenders and investors looking
for?
Whether you are approaching banks or less
formal lenders, such as family and friends,
their primary concern will be whether or not
you will meet your loan repayments, so they
will be looking at the credit-worthiness of
your business and will expect credible financial
forecasts and a clearly-defined repayment
plan. A lender who doesn’t know you or your
business will also be looking for evidence
of strong management and good market
knowledge from you.
How to pitch to investors
Pitching your business proposal can be a
testing process and you need to be prepared
for searching questions when meeting with
potential investors or lenders. You will have
to explain how you’re going to spend the
funds, as investors are not going to part
with cash if they’re not comfortable about
how it’s going to be spent. Showing a lack of
knowledge, exaggerating, being evasive or even
misinforming investors could ruin your chances,
so be clear and honest about your proposal.
Your investors will also need to know that
you have a good grasp of the commercial
viability of the business, so make sure you
know your profit margins, your turnover and
what your business is worth.
When meeting the bank or other investors
you must:
;Look presentable and behave professionally,
as first impressions count.
;Have a clear, well-rehearsed presentation
which:
;Gives a quick summary of your business.
;Explains why customers come to you.
;Says who else is in the market and what
distinguishes you from those businesses.
;Gives details of existing customers, showing
that you are in touch with the market and
what customers want.
;Explains how much capital you are looking
for and how you plan to invest it.
;Specifies what kind of return or repayment
period investors can expect: back this up with
your financial forecasts.
;Be prepared for questions.
;Speak knowledgeably and passionately
about your business.
;Stay polite and respectful throughout.
By thinking about the questions that lenders
and investors are likely to ask you can prepare
Checklist: top tips when approaching lenders or investors
;Make sure you have all your documents together: business plan,
accounts and forecasts, SWOT analysis and management CVs.
;Have a well-rehearsed presentation and be prepared for questions.
;Deliver a compelling pitch and be clear about your plans and goals.
;Know your numbers and explain how you plan to spend the
money.
Tell them about the expertise and experience within your business.
answers and reassure them that your business is in a good position to
repay the money. Probable questions include:
How much profit will your company make?
Existing businesses will already have this information based on previous
years’ accounts. If you’re projecting your profit, you need to base it on
achievable sales forecasts.
How much money do you have invested in your venture?
This demonstrates your commitment to the business and helps
investors’ confidence.
What is your experience in this field?
It’s extremely important that you show that you (and your
management team) have relevant experience and a proven record in
your sector.
What are the long term goals of the business?
Investors will not only be interested in your goals but also exit
opportunities for themselves. You need to think about where the
business will be in five or more years’ time.
How will you handle scaling up the business? Do you have the
resources?
By being well-prepared and getting yourself ‘fit for finance’ you will be
in a strong position to persuade banks or other lenders to invest in
your business. C
Further information
For further information and advice on raising finance visit the
website www.businesslink.gov.uk or phone +44 (0)845 600 9006.
the web
local business
Even if you don’t sell online, being found on the internet is vital for footfall. Andrew Rayner of
e-mphasis explains the importance of local internet marketing
While many shoppers
now buy online, nothing
beats the service and
expertise to be found in
a good bricks-and-mortar
independent craft shop.
New customers will look
first to the internet to
find your store before they make the journey,
and this is why local internet marketing has
never been so important.
Here are some practical tasks you can
address to ensure that your business
makes the most of local internet marketing
opportunities, letting people in the area
know your store exists, and thus potentially
attracting a wealth of new customers and
repeat business.
These are my top four suggestions in priority
order to get you seen by local consumers:
Get a Google place: formerly called Google
Local Business Centre, it is probably the
most frequented local information on the web,
including visits via mobile devices. With nearly
43% of all searches on Google delivering at
least one local map-based result, no business
can afford not be listed. Most established
businesses will already have a map-based
listing on Google’s own business directory
since information is regularly sourced by
Google from UK directories. If your business
is new or recently moved, however, you may
find that this is not the case. Even if you do
have an established business it is possible
that Google has not found you or that the
description, address or business category they
have used is not ideal. To set up your Google
Place visit maps.google.co.uk and click on “put
your business on Google Maps.” Note: you
will need a Google account to associate your
listing to, and make sure you follow Google’s
listing guidelines. For more information on this,
1
see our help page at www.e-mphasis.com/
google-places-help. Of course, the other major
search engines, Bing and Yahoo, also have local
business listings but you will find these are
complex to set up and may even be sourced
through local directory services (e.g. see
thomsonlocal.co.uk below for Bing).
Local domain: It may be relevant to set up
your website (or even an additional one!)
on a locally-focused domain like e.g.
www.stalbanscrafts.co.uk. You are more likely
to be found for searches where the text of the
search is found in the web page address, and
although it doesn’t have to be in the registered
domain part, it certainly helps.
Do your research; make sure that you pick
the right phrase. However, selecting a phrase
you like that no-one searches for is not going
to help you get found online. Also, buying
the domain is not enough and you should
research or get help with SEO (search engine
optimisation) to make sure that the site
content and links that point to the pages of
your site support the phrases you are hoping
to target.
2
Location based social media: provides
a means to engage more closely with
existing customers and to entice potential new
clients. Although not strictly a search, these
tools often have a captive and highly engaged
audience who will rather spend their money
with a connected business than shop with
the traditional multiples. Although somewhat
more relevant to retail and hospitality business,
sites like foursquare.com, qype.com and
gowalla.com provide a unique opportunity
to enhance customer service, reward regular
shoppers and generate useful live feedback.
Providing potential shoppers with incentives in
an environment they are already using means
that you can tap into a ready made resource.
3
However, do be careful to invest your
time wisely since not all businesses
stand to benefit greatly from this sort of
consumer engagement.
Online business directories: There are a
number of established business directories
that have unique benefits and should be used
by all online business in order to improve
their presence, either from a search or traffic
perspective. My top 10 recommended list of
directories to register FREE with are:
• Thomsonlocal.com
• Touchlocal.com
• Local.co.uk
• Yell.com
• Thebestof.co.uk
• Ufindus.com
• Citylocal.co.uk
• Localpeople.co.uk
• Freeindex.co.uk
• Businessmagnet.co.uk
Do however watch out for unscrupulous
sales people trying to get you to upgrade
your listing; on the web this is far less effective
than in the press and mostly I consider it
unnecessary. Some are more effective for
search than others as they provide a
credible SEO-focused platform, and in
particular Freeindex offers a fantastic leads
and reviews facility. C
4
Further information
Andrew Rayner is the Founder and
Managing Director at e-mphasis, an internet
marketing agency specialising in providing
Local Search Marketing and Social Media
Marketing. e-mphasis is a finalist in the
National Business Awards 2010 in the UK
for Excellence in Marketing. For further
information visit www.e-mphasis.com.
craftfocus 89
word on the web
Word on the web is our new roundup for everyone retailing online. Here you will find the latest
research, products and services for everyone looking to get ahead in the online marketplace
Flash doesn’t always mean cash
Latest online sales trends
Online sales growth slowed in October of this year
according to the British Retail Consortium’s latest figues.
The BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor reported
that non-food sales over the internet, mail order and
telephone rose by 12.8% during that month, compared
with October 2009. It shows a falling-back in expansion
since the 19.1% growth in sales reported in September
2010.
On the high street, the report found sales were up by
just 0.8% on a like-for-like basis – stripping out the effect
of store openings and closures – while total sales rose
by 2.4%. In October 2009 like-for-like sales growth on
the previous year came in at 3.8% growth.
Stephen Robertson, director general of the BRC, said
weak consumer confidence was holding back growth
in sales. The latest BRC Nielsen Consumer Confidence
Survey, he pointed out, showed 84% of consumers
thought the economy was still in recession, while 26%
said they had no spare cash.
Robertson said: “There’s no escaping the difficult
trading conditions, even online, where sales growth has
eased off after two strong months. The comparison
is with a strong performance a year ago, but this is
the second weakest figure of 2010. Online retailers
will be hoping to reverse that trend in the run up to
Christmas, but, with consumer confidence low, many will
be promoting even harder to coax wary shoppers into
spending on discretionary items.”
Non-store sales, the BRC category that includes
online, currently account for around 6% of total UK
retail sales.
90 craftfocus
More than half of customers abandon sales
from websites because they have to download
additional plug-ins to view rich media features,
according to the 2010 Brandbank Retail
Media Report.
Despite the many industry voices calling
for a move towards rich media capabilities in
e-commerce platforms, the report, which polled
2,255 UK consumers with research group YouGov, shows that without careful
planning these features can actually be detrimental to sales.
Rather than demanding more interactive experiences, consumers’ main
priorities when they shop online are seeing multiple product images and correct,
comprehensive product information. More than two thirds (67%) of consumers say
that they are put off buying a product where no product image is given and 61%
are put off buying a product with limited textual information.
Other top consumer gripes include poor quality product images (58%) and outof-date product information (58%). Having a lifestyle image to accompany a packshot is also important with almost one in two (48%) consumers saying that they
would not buy a product without seeing images of it being used in a real-life setting.
Compared to these basic priorities, rich media features such as zoom,
360-degree image rotation, video and audio come further down the priorities list
with consumers and can actually lead to negative experiences and loss of sales. 39%
of consumers are deterred from buying by having to wait a long time for product
videos or images to load, while more than half (58%) are put off by having to
download additional software or plug-ins to view product images or video.
Social media spend still low
While most companies have increased the
amount they spend on social media over
the last year, the figures are still modest
compared to investment in other channels.
Econsultancy’s Social Media and Online
PR report, produced in association
with bigmouthmedia, finds that 28% of
companies are not spending anything on social media marketing while a further
33% are spending less than £5,000 a year.
The majority of responding companies are not spending anything at all on social
media, or less than £5,000 per annum. Just 10% of companies are spending £50,000.
This lack of investment partly stems from a lack of understanding of how to
measure social media success. 47% of companies say “the jury is still out” specifically
because they have not been able to measure results from their social media activity.
This modest investment in social media is also proving to be a barrier to social
media success. 49% of company respondents say that lack of resources is a major
barrier to success, and 30% say lack of budget is a significant issue.
Other barriers include lack of knowledge, company culture, and measurement
problems. Some companies have cited high profile ‘PR fails’ as a further reason that
they are cautious about engaging in social media.
Efreeonline.com has launched to help new and existing retailers successfully sell online, regardless of
technical expertise, by designing, building and managing web-stores for less than £30 set-up cost.
The site, set up by Managing Director, Brent Eaton, enables businesses to benefit from the boom in
online shopping, by setting up personalised web-stores quickly and easily, as well as handling security
and payment processing. All retailers have to do is register, choose a unique web address and create a
distinctive store by selecting from a range of templates, options and icons.
Unlike most competitors, efreeonline.com does not charge a fee to list products, the only cost after
set-up is a small commission on successful sales. The company also uses the latest security technology to protect retailers and their customers. The
service also ensures that shoppers looking for products via a search engine will be directed to the web-stores, helping boost business.
Eaton says “My father wanted to expand his craft business by selling online but had no experience. When I looked into it, I realised that the
number of steps and the potential personal risk involved in setting up a business online could be complicated and daunting, but the benefits of being
able to sell that way are huge. Efreeonline.com is all about simplifying and speeding up the process so that retailers can get on with what they want
to do – sell.”
After the £29.98 set-up cost, which covers the web-store domain name and a credit check to protect against money-laundering risks, the key
features Efreeonline.com offers are free and include: web-hosting, web design, security, search engine optimisation, access to an internet merchant
account – necessary to accept credit and debit card payments, and an unlimited number of products and categories per web-store.
To celebrate the launch of Efreeonline.com, businesses that register by the end of December 31st 2010 will be entered into a draw to be one of
ten web-stores reimbursed for all set-up costs.
Internet will
save out of
town stores
The latest research
published by Verdict
has reported that
online retail services
will be a key factor in
helping out of town
stores to enjoy success
in the coming years.
The retail analyst
says that after being badly hit by the recession, out-of-town shops
will start to do better as the crowds start to return, spending an
extra £14.7bn in such locations over the next four years.
It found that spending growth in out-of-town retail parks fell to
1.7% in 2009 from 3% in 2008. Verdict forecasts a 2.9% growth
this year, and by 3% in 2011.
Online services such as ‘click and collect’ will give a boost to
retailers in out-of-town parks because they are easier for them
to offer. As consumers use the internet to compare and research
prices, this will help to drive sales, says the Verdict report.
Matt Piner, analyst at Verdict, said out-of-town sales were
improving partly because supermarkets were expanding in
order to offer more non-food products. “As supermarkets at
out-of-town retailer parks get bigger, consumers are more often
tempted to visit them due to greater convenience and choice
of products.
Therefore there are greater opportunities to increase sales in
neighbouring shops.”
But, he warned, it was no longer enough for those trading
in such locations to compete purely on price. Consumers are
no longer buying things simply because they want them – but
because they need them. “Out-of-town retailers will need to put
greater effort into customer service and the shopping experience
as well as variety and quality of products,” he said.
Missed deliveries to cost £132
million this Christmas
Missed deliveries will cost online UK businesses
£132.5 million this Christmas, according to the
latest ecommerce research.
The cost is attributed to the price of replacing
and redirecting poorly addressed parcels, “not at
home” delivery, and late packages which result
in the loss of repeat business from disgruntled
customers. The findings have been drawn from
studies carried out by Worcester-based address
specialists Postcode Anywhere and Interactive
Media in Retail Group (IMRG) earlier this year.
Postcode Anywhere’s MD Guy Mucklow said:
“It is taken as a fact of life that goods go astray in the order and fulfilment
process. But for the hundreds of thousands of consumers who lose their
orders, this is simply unacceptable – and at Christmas, doubly so.
“Our studies show this will translate into direct costs for online
businesses this festive season. By improving procedures across the whole
ordering process, from sign-up to check-out, ecommerce vendors can save
a considerable sum of money, while improving their online reputation and
retaining the customers they already have.
“At one extreme of the fulfilment chain, processes could be improved
by ensuring goods are delivered by a company offering guaranteed delivery
slots. At the other, it could mean revising the online checkout so address
details can be captured accurately, using tools such as address auto-fill.
“Despite our sophisticated postal system, incorrect addresses are still a
huge problem in the UK. Consider that missing just one letter in a postcode
could be the difference between, for example, a Manchester and a Milton
Keynes address. That’s a wasted 300-mile round trip for the courier and
over a week’s delay for the customer – annoying at the best of times, and
unacceptable for a last-minute Christmas gift.
“Although mistyped data is often the ‘fault’ of the consumer, it is up to
the e-commerce vendor to make sure they collect an accurate address,
because they bear a responsibility to their customers along with the cost of
replacement or redirection if things go wrong.”
craftfocus 91
internet retailing
Help for web newbies
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FDWDORJDQGDIUHH3DSHU*DUGHQERRN
online retailing
be web wise
Ben Johnson, search engine optimisation specialist and website copywriter, offers
some helpful pointers for anyone looking to launch a website for their business
Part and parcel of owning a business these
days is to have a website, and although it can
seem that it’s an easy task to set up a site
for your company, there’s an awful lot more
to it than simply putting a page together in
Microsoft Word, uploading it to a free hosting
website and hoping for the best – or at least
there can be.
The first thing you need to do with your
business’ website is quite simple – you need
to decide what it’s for. Obviously, it’s there to
promote your business, but are you planning
to simply use it to have a virtual presence to
tell people about your physical store, or are
you looking into making something more out
of it? Is your website just another tick in the
box when it comes to the ‘things my business
should have and do’ or are you looking to
make it an entity in its own right as part of a
larger internet marketing campaign? Both are
good choices for your site, but both also come
with their own best practise guidelines in order
to help your business succeed.
Think About What You Want
It sounds simple, but you wouldn’t believe
the amount of people that decide they want
a website and either make it themselves, or
commission an agency, with no clear idea of
what it is they actually want out of their site.
At the agency I work at, the amount of
times designers and developers hear ‘I just
want something simple’ but deal with so many
changes through the build process that the
end result – and indeed the build as a whole –
ends up being anything but simple is absolutely
staggering. Simply put, if you know what you
want before you start the process, it’ll all go a
lot smoother and you’ll end up with a much
better site.
One of the best ways to get a
clear image of what it is that you
want is to look at as many of your
competitors’ websites as possible
That’s not to say you have to have every
single aspect of your site rock-solid before
you even begin talking to designers and such
forth, but saying “I just want a couple of pages,
really” and then deciding that you want a
whole e-commerce store with a fully-functional
discussion forum and an automatic newsletter
craftfocus 93
online retailing
distribution function ten minutes before the
site is due to go live is a big no-no.
One of the best ways to get a clear image of
what it is that you want is to look at as many
of your competitors’ websites as possible, and
think about what it is about them that works
well, what you like about them and what you
don’t, and compiling a list of features that you
would like to consider for your own website.
Look at the layouts, the designs, the amount
of links to other pages that they have on
their home page. Think about which colours
are going to be welcoming to your potential
customers.
You know your own industry better than
a website design agency will, and it’s best to
bear this in mind when you are talking to them
about what you would like on the site. Some
things which may seem obvious to you possibly
won’t occur to them, as their speciality is
technology, not retail.
A clear idea of what functionality you want
your site to have before you start the design
and build process is the best way to ensure
that the site is built as quickly as possible and
also makes things less likely to go wrong for
your users.
Your User is the Most Important Part of Your
Site
This is a common mistake when it comes to
the web, especially with small business sites.
The best advice anyone can possibly give you
when it comes to your new website is to not
make your user think too much. If you’ve got
a site with a shop on it, your users should
be thinking more about what it is they want
to buy from there, and less about how to
actually use the website, and it’s the same if
you’ve opted for a simpler ‘virtual shop-front’
approach – the information that they are going
to go on your site for should be very easy for
them to find.
There is a myriad of choice on the web,
and consumers have become accustomed to
finding what they are looking for quickly. Give
them too much to think about, or make it
94 craftfocus
difficult to find the information they need, and
they will quickly become frustrated and move
on to the next site.
Have your site built with simplicity in mind.
Trying to cram everything into one or two
pages or, worse, having too many pages with
too little information on them to justify their
existence, is not making your site user friendly.
Remember, you want people to visit your shop
or to get in touch with you, you don’t want
to tell them absolutely everything they could
possibly need to know about your company
or your products. You should tell them just
enough to interest them and give them the
ability to make an informed decision to decide
whether they want it or want to shop with
you. If they need any extra information, that’s
when they get in touch with you.
If information is difficult to find,
customers quickly become
frustrated and move on to the
next site
Spread the Word
Making your site functional and accessible for
your users is obviously a vital component of
making it work for your business, but all of that
means nothing if no one knows your site is
there.
Search engine optimisation should always
be a serious consideration with any website.
You might think you’re happy with having your
site as something for your existing customers
to view, but wouldn’t you rather that it was
actively helping you to attract new ones? A
page one position on Google and the other
search engines is a sure fire way of bringing
more traffic to your site, as is a well-managed
off-site advertising campaign. A good agency
will be able to achieve this for you. You
also of course need to make sure that any
promotional material for your company bears
your URL as well as any other contact details.
Search engine optimisation was once
the buzz-term in the internet industry, and
deemed to be the be-all and end-all of web
success. There are now many more factors to
consider, because even if your site does rank
top in Google for related search terms, if these
terms are irrelevant to what the consumer
is actually searching for, or if your website is
difficult to navigate once found, search engine
optimisation becomes somewhat redundant
in terms of how successful your site is. If you
are using a website agency, look for one which
talks about other strategies as well as search
engine optimisation, such as conversion rate
optimisation, which will look at maximising the
amount of conversions (these can be sales,
or phone enquiries, depending on the nature
and purpose of your site) you achieve through
clever and logical design.
Ultimately, your website is another avenue
for your customers to get in touch with you
and for your potential customers to find out
more about who you are and what you do.
Whatever kind of site you’re running, whether
it just tells your customers where you are
and when you’re open, or it’s an all-singing,
all-dancing e-commerce platform, something
as simple as making sure that it’s exactly what
you want before you start having it developed,
and that the site is built to suit the user’s needs
rather than the whims of some wacky designer,
will go a long way towards making sure that
your site actually helps your business succeed
rather than just being another tick in the box. C
all the answers
Our expert tackles some of your retail-related queries...
Image courtesy of
Gail D'Almaine
Clare Rayner – The Retail Champion – has
made regular guest appearances on BBC
radio, TV and has contributed to various
retail-focused articles and opinion pieces. As a
speaker, mentor, trainer and business advisor,
Clare shares her expertise in developing
strategies with retailers of all sizes to increase
profit, customer base, revenue streams and
channels to market. Clare is also owner/
director of several businesses servicing the
retail sector including Retail Acumen, The Retail
Conference and e-mphasis Internet Marketing.
I own and run a very seasonal business and have to invest in
stock well in advance of sales to merchandise my store. Have
you got any advice how I can better manage cash flow when
buying in advance of the demand?
It is very difficult for a seasonal business to manage cash flow in
the pre-season buying period. There are a few strategies you can
adopt to help.
1. Agree a total quantity with the supplier for the season, as a
commitment, but only place the orders you need when you
need them – so in the first instance just enough to cover your
merchandise display quantities and a little extra to cover for
early sales (the sales you would make between merchandising
the product and the next order quantity arriving). You may still
be committed to the whole season quantity, meaning you have
to purchase the stock at some point, but at least the phasing is
less loaded to the start of the season and the cash is spread a
little more throughout the on-sale period
2. Better still, agree a flexible commitment with the supplier –
such that you can cancel out of a proportion of the estimated
requirement, or indeed increase on your pre-season estimates,
to enable you to reduce any risk of high end of season stocks
if a line doesn’t perform as well as you’d expect, or conversely,
if a line does very well, you can keep it stocked throughout the
season and ensure you don’t lose sales.
3. Possibly the best approach is to find some suppliers who
will offer a sale or return – completely reducing your risk – it is
highly unlikely you’ll be able to get a sale or return agreement
across the majority of your assortment, but anything you can get
it on of course is well worth having!
4. One alternative approach, if none of the above work for you,
is to agree extended payment terms with suppliers. It is often
difficult to put such terms in place for a smaller retailer. Even
if you can, the supplier may increase the overall buying price
they quote you, after all, the suppliers have to cash flow their
businesses too, but the benefit to your cash flow may make this
worthwhile. If suppliers won’t support with extended payment
terms you can always seek support from the banks... in spite
of what you may hear in the press, the banks are still lending
where a business has a good enough case.
Q
If you have a question about any aspect of your business, simply write to: Q&A
Special, Craft Focus Magazine, Broseley House, Newlands Drive, Witham, Essex CM8
2UL. Alternatively, send your queries to editor@craftfocus.com.
96 craftfocus
Q
A
Cash flow
Q&A special
Q
Clearing stock
When it comes to the end of season I am
never sure by what amount to reduce the
end of season items in order to clear them
from stock without losing too much margin,
selling through too fast to avoid gaps on my
shelves before I can merchandise the new
product but also not being left with loads
of stock when I am ready to merchandise
next season. Are there any ways I can better
manage clearance?
A
There is a method that is based on price
elasticity that enables you to analyse the
uplift in sales based on reduction in price – of
course if your data is based on past products
it is never exact, as no matter how similar
products are this season compared to last, the
consumer buying behaviour will vary, and is
influenced by external factors.
As a rule you should assess the amount of
stock you must clear, what it ‘owes’ you (as in
what cash do you want to recover from the
stock – cost, more than cost, less than cost etc)
and over what time period you are planning to
run the clearance event.
If you have little stock to clear and time
to clear it you might consider reducing by
just 10-20%, or even including a more of a
promotional activity than a clearance event, e.g.
buy one get something else for a special price.
Of course, if you have more product and
reasonable time to run an end of season event,
then the traditional approach is to start with
reductions of say 30%, increasing to 50% as
you reach the end of the period allocated for
clearance, and finally in the last few days, when
very limited stock remains, marking down
items to as low as 70% off – the speed of
sell through and the discounts you apply will
be dependent on your product, pricing and
your customers’ likelihood to respond to such
activity of course.
Finally, and something that is becoming
increasingly popular, is the use of dedicated
clearance channels. This is particularly beneficial
if you have a larger amount of stock to clear,
and it owes you more cash than you think
you’d recover in traditional clearance through
the store there are creative alternatives.
Many retailers, including the major multiples,
are leveraging the phenomenal traffic on
eBay to create a clearance channel. If you can
remove the old stock from the store and sell
through eBay you may recover more margin
than via store-based clearance events, and
you will get the opportunity to completely
remerchandise the whole store literally over
night, giving you a very clean seasonal transition
as well as very effectively addressing the issue
of clearing end of season stock.
Q
Securing shelf space
retail outlets to merchandise my product
where there is guaranteed footfall. How do I
go about that?
A
I am interested in getting retail space in major
A
You need to ask – it sounds simple – and it
can be.
Before you ask however, you need to
prepare. The larger retailers are regularly
keen to consider ways to intensify trading and
increase their return on space. Many outlets
are over-spaced in respect of the range they
carry. If you know what you are willing to
pay for the space then that is a start. You can
propose what you would pay for a proportion
of the surplus space to any retailer. You should
only make an approach where your product
is entirely complementary and in no way
competitive to their range. You would need to
be able to convince the retailer that you would
maintain your fixture, keeping it well stocked
and looking consistent with the rest of the
outlet. They may prefer that you simply provide
your product to them on a sale or return basis
– to get space for your product in any retail
outlet you are going to have to be flexible
and accommodating of the retailer’s demands.
Basically, if you ask enough times, if you have
a good product, if the product fits alongside
the rest of the range and you are offering a
fair price for the space (more than the current
return they achieve for the space) then you
are in with a chance. C
craftfocus 97
Craft, Hobby &
Stitch international
dates for your diary
Toy Fair
Upcoming shows and exhibitions
January
February
21-23 Craft, Hobby & Stitch international,
Birmingham
16 Sincerely Yours Papercrafts, Hinckley
3-5 The Stitch & Creative Crafts Show,
Manchester
March
11-13 Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts,
Brighton
3-6 Creative Stitches, Glasgow
20-22 The Stitch & Creative Crafts Show,
Sandown Park
3-6 Hobbycrafts, Glasgow
25-27 Toy Fair, Olympia’s Grand Hall, London
29 Jan - 1 Feb The CHA Winter Show, Los
Angeles, USA
17-19 The Stitch & Creative Crafts Show,
Braintree
10-12 The Stitch & Creative Crafts Show,
Malvern
13 Sincerely Yours Papercrafts, Lancashire
24-27 Hobbycrafts, Birmingham
April
7-10 The Stitch & Creative Crafts Show,
Shepton Mallet
9-10 The Big Stamp & Scrapbooking Show,
London
14-16 The Stitch & Creative Crafts Show,
Belfast
17 Sincerely Yours Papercrafts, Thetford
The Stitch & Creative
Crafts Show
98 craftfocus
30 Sincerely Yours Papercrafts, Edinburgh C
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raising funds to support men and women paralysed in
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29 September - 2 October 2011
Cycle
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3 day
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craftfocus 103
next issue…
Spring glean: a look at what will be on
display at Spring Fair International
The show issue:
an in-depth look
at Craft, Hobby &
Stitch International
Easter crafting: eggciting products to
inspire your customers
Dressmaking: why this craft is sew
popular right now
Issue 23
February/March 2011
Available from: 27th January
Advertising deadline: 12th January
104 craftfocus
Plus
• Expert advice
• Industry news
• Latest products
Thanks, mum:
making special gifts of
love for Mother’s Day
feline good
Pamela Harley launched digital crafting business Crafty Catz
this year, and is now seeking retail partners to stock her
innovative CDs. We find out more...
What inspired you to
start Crafty Catz?
I had been crafting for
years and had tried all
sorts of crafting and
home décor before
settling on paper crafting.
I started off with rubber
stamps and was soon hooked, but 15 years
or so ago, backing papers were a lot more
expensive and not as many craft retailers were
available. I got into decoupage, but again, found
that there was always a nervousness about
making a mistake as the sheet would then be
ruined. I loved the idea of CD Roms as they
made it more affordable, as you could print off
sheets as often as you wanted. I have bought a
lot of CDs in the past and whenever I bought
one I kept thinking: ‘I could do that!’ and was
full of ideas about what I would do differently.
I was working for a large IT company at the
time but decided in my spare time to start
working on my very first craft CD to see how
it went. Crafty Catz was born and I am now on
my sixth CD.
Which products do you offer?
It is mostly craft CDs and digital downloads,
and I have started on a small range of rubber
stamps.
Where do you sell your products?
At the moment I only supply to Create and
Craft TV and through my own website. I have
only gone full time with Crafty Catz from
June 2010 so I am now working at getting my
products out to retailers.
Which are your best-selling lines?
The best-selling disks have been Alpha Bears,
which was the first disk. I think because there
is so much on the disk; you have the adorable
106 craftfocus
bears coupled with all other usual things you
would expect from a good Craft CD; papers,
greetings, but also word and number book
templates.
Got it Covered was and still is very popular,
again jam packed with 65 different characters
covering everyone you could make cards for,
and split into character menus; brilliant for
teenagers, or men - all the hard-to-make-for
people.
The More Than Pets again is popular as
people do love their animals, and the cards
made from them are stunning. It is really close
to call which is most popular as they have all
been very well received.
to people who are also my customers, other
designers and other crafters.
How would you like to develop the company
over the next few years?
I want to keep bringing quality CDs offering
value for money to the market. I have recently
started drawing my own artwork; this can
be seen on the new What a Hoot CD and
my new Christmas one too. Hopefully I will
continue building up my customer base and
building the brand Crafty Catz. C
What do you think is going to be the next big
thing in crafting?
I find that hard to say as there are so many
new people to crafting and we are all
into different things. Some people like 3D
sculptured origami-type projects, whereas
others like to stick to making cards. I do think
we will keep seeing different fold cards as side
steppers, and easel cards are still very popular.
Paper crafting covers such a huge selection of
different techniques.
What is your take on the current state of the
market?
Even though we are in a recession, people still
want to craft and continue to pursue their
hobby. People are still spending but I think
just making their purchases count more, and
making wiser purchases rather than buying for
the sake of it.
Have you embraced social media as part of
your marketing?
I have a Facebook page which I use every day
to inform people of what I am up to, any offers
available and new products, and basically to talk
Further information
For more information call +44 (0)1324 829
342 or visit www.craftycatz.co.uk.