Read this issue of the Inspiri Craft Business Magazine online.

Each month Inspiri Craft Business Magazine brings you current and in-depth information and resources to help you build and grow your own home craft business. If you have a friend who would enjoy this newsletter, please feel free to forward it to them.

If someone has forwarded this newsletter to you, please subscribe here so you won't miss any of the tips in each issue.

New at Inspiri

You can still get all of the latest updates on new articles at Inspiri the original Inspiri blog: Newest Articles on Inspiri.

Two Ways to Share Your Craft Business Tips

1. Share a Craft Business Article

If you have a great craft business article (400 words or more) that you'd like to share, I've made it very easy for you to submit an article to Inspiri.

If you sell crafts online either on your own site, on a blog or on Etsy, simply include your site's URL and a description of your business with your article, and you'll receive a valuable backlink to your site when your article is published.

You can find out more about how to share a craft business article here.

2. Share a Quick Tip

If you have a quick tip you want to share but don't have a full article, you can add your tips here:
Quick Craft Business Tips

Please keep in mind, backlinks are not included on the quick tip forms, so if you'd like to receive a backlink to promote your craft business site, you'll need to use the full article submission option here.

Newest Articles at Inspiri

Resin Jewelry Making Tips
Making resin jewelry is surprisingly easy once you get the hang of it. It may take a little bit of trial and error to work out all of the details, but once you have experimented with a few batches of resin jewelry, you'll be amazed at what you can make with just a few simple and inexpensive supplies and pieces of equipment.

Craft Room Design and Organization
These 6 tips on craft room design and planning will help you to create a craft studio that works for you.

Photographing Arts, Crafts and Collectibles - Book Review
Photographing Arts, Crafts and Collectibles by Steve Meltzer is a fantastic resource on craft photography. I have researched plenty of sources, trying to find good information on craft photography for my own business, and this book, by far, is the most thorough, honest and helpful resource I've come across on the subject

Selling Art Online
When you are selling art online, your photographs of your work will be an extremely important factor in effectively promoting your work online. In fact, based on the many websites I've visited for independent artists and craft professionals, I'd say that accepting poor quality craft photography is one of the most common mistakes people make when selling art online.

Craft Show Application Tips
When applying to juried art and craft shows, it is absolutely essential to have great photos of your crafts. Learn more about getting great photos for craft show applications.

Your Contributions

Last month I introduced two ways to share your craft business tips, and readers have been very busy adding tips to the site. Here are some great craft business tips and resources shared by readers this month:

Easy Craft Ideas
Sun Screen Lip Balm Instructions
Making Scrapbooking and Card Making Accessories out of Junk Mail
The Least Expensive Way to Make Stamped Greeting Cards
Turning Heels on Knit Socks
Scrapbooking Basics to Get You Started
A Simple and Inexpensive Way to Get Wool for Felting

Book and Magazine Reviews
Bead and Button Magazine
And a Response from Ann Dee Allen, Editor of Bead and Button Magazine
Best Ever Craft Book For Kids, Paragon Publishing
Crochet World Magazine
Drawing Masterclass
Knitting for Dummies
Scrapbooks Etc.

Feature Article

How to Stay On Trend

What is selling in terms of trends changes fairly quickly. If it's important to you to be on trend, then you'll need to be ahead of the trends, that is, designing with trends in mind before they hit the stores. There's not much point in creating dozens of skull themed accessories after the pirate trend has lost momentum.

Industry magazines and web sites will help you to stay ahead of trends. Fashion and home magazines focused on the general public will give you information about current trends that are in stores now, but if you rely on those sources, you may get that information too late. By the time you read about a trend in a fashion or home decorating magazine, design and create a new product and get it out to the public, the trend may be well on its way out.

Instead of looking to resources aimed at the general public, review industry fashion and home magazines and web sites that are aimed at people who work in the industry, as opposed to the general public, (for example, Accessories Magazine or fashiontrendsetter.com) which will report on trends well before they hit the stores, giving you an opportunity to see what will be heavily promoted in the coming seasons.

Finding a good balance between being on trend and constantly pursuing the next big thing can take a bit of trial and error. Where that balance lies will depend upon your own priorities and vision for the growth of your business.

Online Craft Business Resource

Thanks for reading the Inspiri Craft Business Magazine.
I welcome your comments and questions.