It would be great to make albums for fun all day, every day and still make money! 🙂 And it would be nice to get back some of the money you spent on all those awesome (and expensive) products you want to use. How about you relieve your husband of the burden of paying for all your purchases? 🙂Here are five ways you can make money scrapbooking.

1. Made to order .

By doing custom scrapbooking, you can satisfy your need for creativity and earn money at the same time. Onexample, by arranging a number of holiday photos into a beautiful album.Or perhaps offering gift design for a special occasion, such as the birth of a child, their graduation, or perhaps wedding cards or photographs.Many people have a huge number of photographs that are simply collecting dust in shoe boxes or simply stored on disks. In fact, there are a lot of such people, and more and more often they are starting to think about “how great it would be to collect pictures in one album, preserving them with history for posterity.”This is a great opportunity to help them organize their photos, and ultimately compile little stories from their lives in a beautifully decorated album. A similar idea is to create thematic albums, but without photographs, when the owner of the album will select photographs for each page of the album and write all the events with his own hand.

2. Conducting master classes .

3. Creation greeting cards .

Although this is not pure scrapbooking, the use of the same materials closely links scrapbooking and cardmaking.Create a series of Christmas cards, wedding themed cards, birthday cards, new baby cards, or christening cards. Walk around the stores and studios closest to you - perhaps they have departments with similar themes or someone will take them on for sale. Just make a competent portfolio in advance - with good photos, prices and a short description so that it would be possible to leave it in the studio. Well, don’t forget to bring business cards.

4. Sales through platforms .

In our age of total computerization, it is not difficult to organize sales of your works far beyond the borders of your town. Be sure to learn information about how to sell online, how to present your product, how to take photographs and process photos. This will be useful to you when exhibiting your works on sites for sale. It’s up to you to decide which of them to choose, but you shouldn’t count on the fact that orders will pour in right away. Although there are exceptions here too. The main thing is to approach everything wisely and be open to learning new skills.

5. Selling through your website or blog.

If you have a good command of the technical issues of website building or you have friends who can easily help you in any technical issue, you can create your own website or blog to sell your products. A website is a powerful tool in your hands if you are really focused on attracting more buyers (possibly from other cities or even countries!). It's yours business card, your portfolio and the advantageous presentation of yourself as a serious person.
The address (URL) of your website can be indicated on business cards, and you won’t have to drag portfolio folders and laptops around to clients.

Of course, these are not all the ways to make money from scrapbooking.There are many ways to make a little (a lot) of money from your hobby. These are just the most basic ones. Just remember that the choice is always yours: leave everything in its place or take action! 🙂

P.S. If you have any questions or ideas about anything we've already talked about here, please feel free to comment or email me.

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Many needlewomen and home handicraft masters often think about how they can sell their products to clients and finally start making decent money from their favorite hobby. To answer this question, first you need to figure out whether you can actually make good money from scrapbooking?

This type of needlework has recently become increasingly popular in our country. At first, people get into scrapbooking in order to have a good time and make something extraordinary for themselves with their own hands. Then there is a desire to sell your products and make a living in this way. But many beginning craftswomen do not know how to adequately evaluate their work.

To sell their creativity at a decent price, people often turn to experienced craftsmen and expect comprehensive answers. And some successful handmade masters are happy to share their experience and secrets of active sales. This is exactly what will be discussed in the article.

Where should you start to make money from your hobby?

First, you need to figure out how to properly evaluate your product before selling it?

Usually, the very first desire to realize his work appears in a master when he is already quite confident in his own abilities. Or those around him begin to compliment him and ask him to sell the thing he likes. It is at this moment that a person faces difficulties in adequately assessing his creativity. What should you do in this case?

Of course, the easiest way is to compare the finished product with those works that are successfully sold on the market of exclusive goods. Then it’s worth taking a closer look at what the seller is asking money for and does your product meet this level in quality?

You can also visit the scrap club closest to your home and look at the products that craftswomen offer for sale. This way, you will be able to form at least some idea of ​​the price and move on.

Over time, the level of skill of a scrapbooking enthusiast grows, and regular clients begin to appear. After this, you can safely increase the price of products to the possible level of customer solvency. And this is worth paying close attention to, since the financial capabilities of buyers determine demand. If these buyers are friends of the master, then you can without hesitation ask them the question: “How much are you willing to buy this thing for?”

An example is a situation in which the master himself brings his product to friends or colleagues to show off his achievements. Someone present may offer to buy this item for a certain amount. Thus, the master will have a clear idea of ​​how much he can sell his handicraft for. In any case, the main thing is to evaluate it objectively and not demand too much.

Based on the practice of selling handmade products, we can say that the methods for setting prices may be different. The famous postcard maker Olga Korobeynikova (Olgalucky) reveals the features of her pricing:

“The cost of handmade work depends from the materials that were used to create the postcard. The complexity of the product and the time spent on its manufacture also play a role. In addition, the demand factor is taken into account. If we talk about the price of the material, then you need to first calculate the price of paper, flowers, decorations and beads for the card. Consumables, such as tape, multi-colored ribbons, liquid pearls or glitter, can be assessed depending on the degree of consumption of the product. Usually their cost does not exceed fifty rubles per postcard (it all depends on the size).

Next, the time spent is assessed. Of course, it is impossible to calculate everything objectively and accurately. Every minute of your personal life spent on making a card is priceless, because you can spend this time with your family and children. In other words, you can simply add another 30% of the cost of the materials used to the price. The result is the most optimal price for the time, labor and materials spent. If you rate the work too highly, the client will not be completely satisfied with his purchase. He may not buy the card at all because he doesn’t think it’s worth the money, especially with postage or delivery.”

Anna Panchenko (anhen) believes that after calculating the cost of the materials spent, it is necessary to multiply this number by two. Then you can safely add another 20% to the resulting amount. This amount of “markup” will already include the cost of delivery (shipping, travel by metro or taxi) to the meeting point with the buyer. The price will also include bills for telephone conversations or purchasing additional materials. If the order is urgent, then 50% can be added to its cost. For non-urgent orders, the price can be reduced by 10-15%, since long time manufacturing, you can find cheaper materials or wait for them to be sent from abroad.

Anna's approach to pricing her products is the most rational. But there are other opinions.

Album maker Irina Muzalevskaya (muzamama) believes that the price should be set as follows: “First you need to calculate the cost of materials and your work. Then you need to think about how much you want to earn per month from selling products and evaluate your ability to work (the number of albums produced). In this way, you can calculate the approximate number of products that will be sold to customers at a certain price. This method is the most wonderful, because it allows you to increase your own productivity and achieve your goals.”

It is necessary to take into account several useful recommendations about how to install good price for your products. If we consider pricing using the example of making a handmade album, then we need to estimate the cost of all its sheets. The first page will cost a lot because it is the most exclusive. The same can be said about handmade cards. The cost of a finished handmade album should not be less than the price set for a postcard, since the album contains many pages.

There are also options for determining the price of a product, which take into account the depreciation of the master’s working tools and the percentage of trimming (damage) of the materials used. Of course, if the artist has his own studio, then you need to take into account the cost of renting it, all kinds of mandatory payments and other expenses. Prim mass release handmade products, this must be taken into account.

Another important issue that greatly affects the price of the finished product is its uniqueness. Different masters prefer to choose different paths, but basically it all depends on the possibilities specific person and the goals pursued. Some craftsmen prefer to make a large volume of goods for sale and, with the help of such a solid “circulation”, increase their profits. But such products can no longer be called exclusive and highly artistic. It is absolutely clear that their price will be an order of magnitude lower than that of rare and single items. All handmade craftsmen and connoisseurs are well aware that the uniqueness of the work determines its cost and quality.

If the master has already achieved certain results and knows how to do unusual things, then this is a signal for more thoughtful actions. Skillful works are bought by equally sophisticated customers. Since they are well versed in unique things, they know their value. How to install it correctly in this case?

The simplest option– production of work to order. If there is a buyer who is ready to appreciate the uniqueness of the master’s work and pay good money for it, then you can negotiate the price in advance. One buyer needs an inexpensive and beautiful exclusive postcard, another needs something unusual for which he can overpay. A master, at his discretion, can make a rare postcard for 100 rubles, but this will already fall into the category of charity and a waste of time. Many masters behave differently and evaluate their work by how solvent the client himself is. If his financial condition is quite stable and he constantly places orders, then you can ask for more for the work. And if desired, he can be given a discount for consistency.

Another option is to produce items for sale not to order. In this case, you should immediately think about who, where and when you can sell this thing. Perhaps people will not be able to objectively evaluate the work, so you should not spend a lot of money and give all your best.

As an example of a discrepancy between the price of a work and the place where it is sold, a very common case can be cited. Many craftsmen often make the mistake of selling their products in the wrong place. For example, during a fair, where a wide variety of goods are presented, a stand with handmade products is exhibited. It can be beautifully decorated and filled with a variety of exclusive products. But in the light of the surrounding environment, this stand will get lost.

Buyers will get the impression that this stand is just part of the general “bazaar”, where it is impossible to buy something exclusive and expensive. Where they sell everything from food to drinks and things, you cannot sell your exclusive work. A vulnerable craftsman may hear a lot of unflattering reviews about his crafts and become completely disappointed in his own talent.

As soon as a person doubts his ability to work and create well, his work will immediately lose value. Often disappointed craftsmen sell their products for almost nothing, despite the fact that they spent a lot of personal time and money on them. Some even manage to organize promotions and sales like “Three postcards for 200 rubles, and the fourth as a gift.”

But scrap works are not goods for general consumption. Exclusive cards cannot please everyone. In order not to be disappointed with your own work, you need to find a relatively free consumer niche and find solvent buyers. You also need to remember that connoisseurs do not go to bazaars.

Is it possible to make money from scrapbooking?

This thought sooner or later comes to all craftsmen who are seriously engaged in the manufacture of exclusive items. Moreover, many of them got into this business just to make money. Some masters even create their own associations and studios with the goal of conquering the world. But many craftswomen prefer to work individually or open their own online stores and hobby clubs.

Of course, you can make money with scrapbooking, since this idea can be implemented without titanic labor. But all artists who want to gain a foothold in the market must immediately understand that money is rarely compatible with creativity. Either the master works for profit, or relies on exclusivity and creativity. If we talk about money and creativity, then these are two mutually exclusive concepts.

The more desire for money there is, the less the artist tries, as he is in a hurry to create more products to sell. Here already we're talking about about the profitability of scrapbooking itself as a regular job. If the master is busy with the number of works, then he is not looking for creative ideas, and sales markets and consumer niche. He carefully considers this question before spending a lot of money on purchasing materials for future use.

Most often, craftswomen come to the conclusion that it is impossible to make a living if they make only albums with photographs. This kind of work requires a lot of personal time and patience. In addition, a lot of effort will be spent on developing the concept and collecting material, because each customer wants to receive an individual copy of the postcard or album “from scratch.”

The most suitable direction for good earnings– this is a wedding theme in any form, including the production of invitations, cards, wedding books with wishes and other accessories. In this matter, the master can be helped by personal connections or direct cooperation with wedding salons.

A good way to make money may become mass production of products. In this case, the master comes up with and develops an idea once, and then replicates it many times. It is for this reason that making postcards is very profitable in cooperation with holiday and wedding salons. They constantly prepare postcards, invitations, certificates for events for clients, and also make exclusive club cards.

In theory, an experienced master can establish his “production” by creating a standard album with samples. But this will no longer have anything to do with creative work, but rather will turn into an ordinary business. However, if the master strives to earn money, then this option is the most suitable.

For a deeper study of scrapbooking as a process of making money, you can turn your attention to master classes by experienced specialists. Today you can often see tempting offers: “We will help change your life.” A similar proposal is made by the famous craftswoman Katia Solovtsova (Averka), who is the creative director of the St. Petersburg Scrap Club.

The philosophy of making money from scrapbooking from Katia.

Katia Solovtsova did not immediately decide to make a living as a handicraft artist. The girl worked as an ordinary currency broker for nine years and had long been accustomed to stability in financially. The decision to change her occupation became a very difficult step for her on the path to a new life. By the time Katia decided to finally quit her previous job, she had already gained solid experience in making custom products.

The main points of creating your own scrapbooking business:

If there is free time, a person himself begins to look for ways to creatively realize himself. But it may also happen that there will be more free time than creativity itself. In addition, it can be mixed with laziness and other activities. But if a clear goal is set for oneself, nothing will lead a person off the right path. Beginners are intimidated by the fear of the unknown. Sometimes novice masters feel panicked about their own material well-being. But this fortune is solely in their hands. The harder a master tries, the faster he moves away from the creative crisis.

Every craftsman needs to understand that all products made for themselves are not the same things that can be made for others. Every client is different. Of course, ideally you need to guess the customer’s wishes and understand where it is better to place emphasis. If the client’s wishes are very different from the skills of the master, then it will be difficult to convince the former of the need for his work. It is also important to understand that people who do not understand scrapbooking and do not own technology have no idea at all about the effort, time and money required to make a product. Scrapbooking is not a typography project where you can make adjustments and see the results in advance.

A skilled craftsman can deftly maneuver the cost of materials to make handmade products. As a rule, craftswomen already have favorite places and shops with discounts and promotions. In some cases, they immediately agree on the sale or purchase of necessary materials for creativity and directly cooperate with suppliers.

It is necessary to adjust the time spent on manufacturing the product. So that creativity does not go to the ceiling, and time is not wasted, you need to learn new techniques. They help speed up many processes without losing quality. The master should also regularly attend scrapbooking exhibitions and master classes. The time can be significantly reduced if modern mechanical installations and tools are used.

A good master should always strive for the ideal. Any imagination of the author should be concentrated in his hands. This is the only way to achieve the maximum level of skill and occupy your place in the scrap business.

What do you need to think about in advance?

As soon as a newcomer begins his difficult journey and tries to organize work, he has difficulties with time. Often, novice craftsmen leave their worksite late at night or work on weekends. They have practically no time for illness, rest or breaks, because obligations to clients must be paid on time.

If a master does not complete the work on time, then he does not deserve the trust of customers. Therefore, he is obliged to include force majeure circumstances in the order completion period, or to discuss a critical situation with the customer in advance.

Stressful work is often not liked by loved ones, who may consider scrapbooking a stupid activity. If a master has the opportunity to organize his business away from prying eyes at home, then he will free himself from interference and constant distraction by household chores.

As stated earlier, pricing plays a key role in the operation. Some acquaintances may bombard the master with requests to do something extraordinary quickly and for free out of friendship. But any work costs money. If you plan to make a living from scrapbooking, you need to tactfully brush aside such unprofitable offers. Of course, at first people may be offended by rejections. But when they understand that this activity is real work, there will be no ridiculous requests.

If a master has a solid client base, then he will definitely not be left without work and salary. Moreover, before performing the work, you should immediately take a deposit or even the entire amount. Since the master of exclusive items does not have standard projects, the cost of the product is difficult to determine in advance. Usually, in this case, the master immediately negotiates with the client the maximum allowable level of expenses and determines his profit.

There are such creative projects, which the master must do to strengthen his own authority. They do not always pay off, but they serve as additional advertising and increase the customer base in the future. For this reason, profit must be calculated not for each order, but based on the results of all orders for a certain period, minus mandatory material costs and taxes.

How to find clients?

Perhaps this is the most important and exciting question for a scrapbooking master. Few clients will look for a specialist on their own.

You will have to do some work first for a nominal fee. This will be a good guarantee for the future, since satisfied customers often tell others about your products. At the same time, we should not forget that any product must be marked with an individual inscription or stamp so that, if necessary, the client can easily identify and find the craftsman. Social networks play an important role in the process of finding clients. If you post photos there periodically finished works, the number of clients will increase. You can even create a portfolio and highlight your scrapping abilities in it.

Ideally, it is better to join a scrap club and exhibit your work at a stand. There you can take master classes and improve your level of professionalism in creativity.

Every master knows perfectly well that word of mouth advertising works best. Therefore, it is important to always be positive, communicate skillfully with clients and present your talents properly. Products are handmade and are valued precisely because they are made with love by their own hands.

Craftswoman Dina

The story of making money from scrapbooking from Dina Akhmetova will help beginning craftsmen feel confident and successful. The girl has long been engaged in decorating holidays, decorating formal halls and making accessories. Mostly her work has a wedding theme. Therefore, Dina accepts most orders in the summer. Sometimes the girl literally spends the night at work, although she admits that she finds her incredibly interesting and pleasant. In winter there is less work and more time for new ideas. To avoid boredom these days, Dina makes very interesting things and handicrafts for sale. The earnings from their sale are enough to rent the premises and live on.

The girl first learned about scrapbooking in 2009 and immediately realized that this was a great chance for self-realization. She had long dreamed of giving joy to people and self-improvement through creative realization. Dina spent a long time learning to make crafts, ruining paper and materials, and gaining the necessary experience. Then she received new orders and the decision was born to turn scrapbooking into a full-time income. But instead of constantly making the same interesting things for cafes or restaurants, the girl chose an exclusive approach. Now she spends time in the workshop and makes unique, exclusive items.

Dina considers herself a real artist by vocation. Of course, she doesn’t completely abandon the usual things and mass orders, since they make up a significant part of her income from scrapbooking. But the opportunity to implement unique projects is also very important to her.

The process of building a regular client base was not easy for her. At first I had to spend everything free time for bulk orders and often give free gifts. When Dina's fame crossed the required level, she was able to transfer most of her activities to the creative component. The craftswoman began to create unique things and abandoned her usual work, because she was able to increase her earnings from scrapbooking to a substantial size.

Dina's operating principles:

1. Work is a pleasure. Before the girl made the final informed decision to start scrapbooking, she gained experience and skills. It is impossible to immediately learn such things without getting into trouble. If you quit your day job and devote yourself entirely to an unfamiliar task, disappointment may arise. Therefore, first you need to learn basic things and get your teeth into it. Clients and buyers will not appear immediately. But until everything gets better, you need to calm down and be patient. To make a profit, you will first have to wait until all investments in materials and tools pay off.
2. Building a reputation. The most important quality of a scrapbooker is responsibility in work. If an order must be ready by a certain date, it cannot be violated without reason. One mistake can destroy your authority.
3. Performance evaluation. You should not immediately sell your work at the minimum price, because different postcards can take a lot of time. As a result, such “creativity” can turn from pleasure into burden and loss. It is always important to remember that if you decide to make scrapbooking your income, value your time and labor.
4. The ability to refuse. Many people from close circle Scrapbooking activities are not always accepted calmly. There is still an ingrained stereotype in their heads that a person should go to work from morning to evening. They are sure that if the master is at his workplace at home, then he can easily be distracted by other matters. In such a ridiculous situation, it is difficult to concentrate and create. Therefore, it is necessary to set boundaries for those around you and tactfully say “no” to requests to distract yourself and “do real housework.”
5. Payback. When a craftsman just starts scrapbooking, difficulties often arise with purchasing materials and tools. At first you will have to work at a loss, but then everything will work out.
6. Client base. Communication skills play the most important role when finding buyers. The best place to look for them is through homemade invitations, cards, and gift cards. For this reason, you often have to give your products at a convenient moment. People who like your gifts can later become customers. You can also contact stores that offer handmade products to customers. This implementation option can become an alternate airfield in case of unforeseen situations. But you should remember that stores charge quite a large markup.
7. Conducting master classes. Scrap lessons are very popular among beginning craftsmen. During such classes, you can make your presentations and organize competitions with prizes. Beginning students can be involved in such work, who can provide the master with their materials and tools for scrapbooking.

Summing up the above, all that remains is to wish all beginners and experienced craftswomen great creative inspiration and an endless stream of satisfied customers. Do not be afraid of the unknown and difficulties in new job. Any work deserves a decent assessment. Don’t be shy about setting a high price for your work, because a piece of your soul is invested in it.

In two years of work in scrapbooking, literally everything can change.

The more skills and efforts the master puts in, the faster he will turn his hobby into income. Of course, on the path to perfection, financial stability and recognition there will be many difficulties associated with implementation and psychological fears. But people with big plans and creative ambitions always succeed. The best guarantee of success in any business is professionalism, an active life position and endless faith in luck.

And true love for your work and the desire to improve can turn scrapbooking into a profitable business.

Scrapbooking is a type of creativity whose name comes from the English scrapbooking. The word consists of two parts: scrap - cutting, book - book or notebook. Many craftswomen call it for short - “scrap”. The main idea of ​​this paper art is to preserve personal and family history for future generations, therefore it is very unusual and bright.

Scrapbooking for Beginners

Where to start scraping?
Very often, when you start scrapbooking, you simply have no idea where to start and what to use to make a postcard or photo album with your own hands. Therefore, in this article we decided to tell you what scrapbooking tools a beginner will need and what materials can be used for this.

Scrapbooking paper

To create a page, as a rule, several types of paper are used - one main one and several additional ones for substrates and decorations. Choose scrap paper so that it fits color scheme, but did not argue about the brightness, size of the pattern, etc.


Paper for scrapbooking can be:
- sizes 30 x 30 cm (most often), 20 x 20 cm (ideal size for beginners), 15 x 15 (great for mini albums and cards)
- one-sided (reverse side is white) and double-sided (reverse side with a pattern)
- with glitter, embossed, embossed with foil, with curly edges, etc.
- different densities (less dense paper is better reinforced with cardboard or pastel paper so that the pages do not become deformed)
In the absence of paper, you can use printouts of drawings, backgrounds and patterns. This a good option for beginners to practice - to practice, so to speak, but printouts cannot fully replace real paper for scrapbooking.

DIY photo album

To make your own photo album, first, you need to select materials that are suitable specifically for your scrapbook album.

Bolted: come with thick sheets or with files (not suitable for pages with voluminous decorations)	On the rings: in the form of a folder with static fastenings (on round or D-shaped rings)	Cardboard blanks: made of thick cardboard, attached to rings, come in a wide variety different shapes
Acrylic blanks: transparent sheets, can be used as a separate album or as additional pages to a cardboard album	Scrap set: Includes scrapbook template, paper and embellishments - ideal for a beginner	Set components(paper, flowers, ribbons), can also be purchased separately

Photo Album Rings:
The rings differ in size (diameter) and color (silver, white, black), and are intended for fastening pages in an album.

Decor

There is such a huge amount of decor in scrapbooking that everyone can find something to suit their taste. We will list the most common ones.
Artificial flowers:
Perhaps this is the most favorite and universal decorative element. Flowers come in paper (most often) and fabric.


Buttons:
come standard round shape in different colors and sizes, they also produce themed sets - in the form of toys, animals, objects, etc. You can also find cardboard buttons with patterns or designs in craft stores.

Ribbons:
ribbons and lace can be found in sewing supply stores - there are a great variety of them, although you are unlikely to buy special ribbons for scrapbooking there, but they have the advantage of design and variety of shapes.


Brads:
brads is a nail with two flat legs, which are inserted into the desired place and unbent in different sides. The brads can be used to decorate the center of a flower, also be used as a mount, or separately just as a decorative element.

Eyelets:
these are metal or plastic rings that “squeeze” holes in paper, fabric, etc. To install eyelets, you need a special tool - an eyelet installer.

Die cutting:
They are figures made of thick paper, cardboard or felt. Sold together with the sheet or separately (packed figures only). I usually make die cuts from paper in the form of journaling and tags. Die-cuts made from thick cardboard can be of different shapes - curls, alphabet, objects, etc., uncoated or coated (with a pattern, design). The shape of the die-cut can be so original that it will become an indispensable decoration in your work.


Rubs:
These are transfers ready for use - remove the top sheet of film (the pictures remain on it), place it on top of the paper and rub it over the design with a blunt object - the edge of a ruler, the back end of a pen, a wooden stick, until the image is completely transferred to the paper.

Paints and varnishes for scrapbooking

Gouache, watercolor, acrylic paints not that hard to find, just visit an art store. But paints and varnishes with a craquelure effect may not be seen there. Craquelure paint begins to crack when it dries; the thicker the paint layer, the deeper and larger the cracks will be. Varnish with a craquelure effect is transparent and also cracks after drying. Spray paint can create wonderful drips and splashes.

Adhesive materials in scrapbooking

To glue paper, double-sided tape or a glue stick are most often used (the latter is better for gluing small pieces of paper). PVA glue is not suitable - the paper “goes in waves” from it and swells. Photos can be glued to special photo squares that do not contain acid, which can change the color of the photo over time, or to the same double-sided tape. Decorations, flowers, etc. can also be glued to double-sided tape, or you can use voluminous squares, glue drops, a hot glue gun, or Moment glue.

Scrapbooking Tools

This is perhaps the most expensive part of this creativity, but the cost is justified. Using different tools, you can achieve beautiful effects, make your work more interesting and elegant, or simply make some processes easier with the help of special devices.

Hole punchers for scrapbooking
The scrap industry boasts a large and varied number of hole punches. Let's highlight several categories of hole punches:

- figured hole punch: come in different sizes and punch holes of the most various forms and patterns. Usually the maximum paper density and care instructions are written on the packaging. In addition, do not use soft and loose materials - napkins, fabric, tissue paper, tracing paper, this can lead to breakage of the hole punch

- border hole punch: allow you to create an openwork edge on paper

- corner composter: allows you to create beautiful corners

- multifunctional hole punch: they work both as a figured hole punch, and as a border hole punch, and as a corner puncher


You may be used to cutting with nail scissors, but breadboard knife can easily dislodge them. It is simply irreplaceable for cutting out small parts and is very convenient to use.

In order not to spoil the surface of your desktop, it is better to purchase a special self-healing mat. The mats come in different sizes, on top (on some models and with reverse side) marked in centimeters or inches. This rug should be stored on a flat surface.

Roller cutter(also known as a disk cutter or trimmer) is a working platform with markings and a cutting mechanism that moves along a guide. This tool makes cutting much easier large quantity paper, not to mention the fact that you are unlikely to make such a smooth edge with scissors.


Grommet installer: I use three types of eyelet installers:

- set for manual installation grommets, which includes a punch (for making holes), a tool for riveting (installing) the grommet, a hammer and a mat (the presence of the last two depends on the set).

- automatic installer: rivets the eyelets using a spring - pull the handle up and release, the spring compresses and the nozzle hits the eyelet, flattening its leg.

- kropadil (crop-a-dile): a very convenient and silent tool, allows you to pierce holes and install grommets.

Curly scissors: like ordinary scissors, they are very easy to use and allow you to create a shaped edge.


Hand printer: a convenient device for creating journaling, headings and any other inscriptions. The inscriptions are pressed onto a special self-adhesive film (available in different colors), resulting in an embossed effect.

Stamps for scrapbooking

Stamping is one of the main techniques in scrapbooking today. The scrap goods market can offer a wide variety of stamps, ink for them, and stamping tools. Let's look at everything in order.

Stamps are:
- silicone stamps: appear transparent and flexible. To create an impression, you need to remove the stamp from the base and glue it to an acrylic block. Silicone stamps are self-adhesive, so there is no need to lubricate them with anything adhesive beforehand. After this, apply paint to the stamp and make an impression in the desired place. After use, the stamp should be wiped with a damp cloth and then wiped dry. You can wash the stamp with regular soap and then wipe it dry. Silicone stamps should be stored in closed containers so that they can serve you faithfully for many years to come. It is also important to note that the stamp only makes an impression in the color you applied to the stamp. The prints themselves can be colored with paints, pencils or special felt-tip pens.




- rubber stamps: Naturally, they are made of special rubber, come on wooden blocks (already glued to them) and the stamps themselves are separate, which can also be repeatedly glued to an acrylic block. The stamping technique and care are no different from previous type. The only difference is that rubber stamps are less susceptible to external influences, and small details are sharper.

Ink for stamps is:

- Dye Ink: ink based on water-soluble dye, quick-drying, water-resistant, suitable for any type of paper.

- Pigment Ink: ink based on a water-insoluble dye. This ink takes a long time to dry, making it ideal if you want to color your stamp. different colors. They can be used on different surfaces - wood, clay, vellum, paper.

- Chalk ink: opaque chalk ink, the print of which is similar to art pastel (English “chalk” - chalk). For best effect use dark colors on light surfaces and vice versa.

- Alcohol ink: Although alcohol ink is not used in stamping as such, it is also an ink that is used for glossy surfaces (glass, plastic, metal, glossy paper). These inks require a special mixing solvent and applicator.
Ink is available in the form of ink pads (a sponge soaked in ink) and also in liquid form in bottles.

Stamping tools:

- acrylic block serves as a base on which the stamp is glued; they come in different sizes;

- stencil (mask) for stamping made of transparent durable film, the stencil is sticky on the back side, so you don’t need to hold it while applying paint, but simply stick it to the paper. The stencils are designed for reusable use and are easy to stick on and remove from the paper.

- stamping applicator makes it easy to tint and apply paint to the right place without getting your hands dirty. The applicator comes with replaceable foam attachments.

Also, you may find the following articles useful.

1. Level of work. Look at your work" with a sober look" Will your skill level really attract good orders? There is a buyer for any product, but isn’t it better to make one? worthy of attention work and get a good reward for it, rather than hastily “sculpting” dozens of identical twins. Practice and experience are yours best friends. First, try out your products on friends and relatives - give them as gifts and don’t forget to ask their opinion about your work.
Tip: Focus on quality and originality.

2. Design and description of products. Presenting your work is an important point in achieving good results. “They meet you by their clothes...” - few people might be interested in a dull photograph of a product, taken in poor lighting, against an inappropriate background, at a bad angle, and the most hopeless option is no photograph at all. Learn to take photographs; skills in photo processing in graphic editors such as Photoshop will be an excellent help. The job description has also not been canceled. But there is one “BUT”, there is no need to pour out epithets about your work, the buyer will appreciate it anyway. It is important to indicate the size, materials used, how many photographs are intended for (if this is an album), etc.
Advice: learn to take photographs and present your product beautifully.

3. The cost of your products. Handmade was always expensive. But still, the issue of price must be approached seriously, and not count “by eye” and receive exorbitant sums. First, calculate the costs of materials (round the amount in your favor). Secondly, you need to take into account the time and complexity of the work, and this is perhaps the most difficult calculation for a beginner. For example, you spent three hours working. There are two options - either the work is easy to perform and does not require much effort and time, or you are an excellent master, and for a short time you can bring complex projects to life. Conclusion - naturally, the scheme for calculating the cost of effort will be different, although the time spent is the same. You need to find a “golden mean” - not set a low price to your detriment, but also not inflate it so as not to scare away all buyers. Take into account the fact that buyers living in the capital will be able to pay an amount for work that may be unaffordable for buyers living in small towns, where incomes differ significantly from incomes in big cities.
Advice: be flexible in your calculations.

4. Where to sell. Let's be realistic. Few people have the opportunity to open a store for their products, so first let’s look at the most profitable and affordable option– sales via the Internet. Nowadays there are quite a lot of sites that offer space for your work for free or for a percentage of sales. There you can see approximate prices for the work and evaluate your level in comparison with the work of other masters. It would be nice to create your own blog, website or gallery where you will post examples of work, descriptions, etc.
Advice: become an active user of the Internet, especially social networks, forums and communities on a topic that interests you.

5. We communicate with clients. If you are planning to do custom work, discuss in advance all the details of the design, as well as the estimated cost, prepayment, delivery, terms of purchase and final payment. Perhaps the customer will want something like a friend’s, acquaintance’s, etc. Even though it will be a copy, there will still be some personal wishes. If the customer wants something to your taste, you need to take into account that tastes are different, and they may simply not coincide with the tastes of the customer.
Advice: don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions and set your own conditions.

Elena receives her orders either through a blog or through word of mouth, that is, the advertising is the stories of those people who were satisfied with the quality and beauty of the work: “...I have a specific product - albums, you won’t sell it in large quantities in stores, although, as some girls write on their blogs, they sell cards in flower, wedding and other salons. As far as I know, many craftswomen create groups in in social networks– does it work effectively? - opinions are contradictory...

In general, the method of selling products depends on the work itself. With a wedding theme, in my opinion, the easiest thing is to be friends with wedding salons, postcards and frames - flower and interior salons, albums and envelopes for CDs with photos - photographers and photo studios. In general, if you are serious about scrapbooking or cardmaking and make a living from it, then you need to develop an entire program to promote your product, diversify your product line, highlight your consumer niche and contingent, etc.”

And finally, a few examples of Elena’s work

Be inspired!

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Business based on handicrafts is considered one of the most popular for last years due to minimal investment in the project and high demand for homemade products.

To open a business in handicrafts, for example, knitting, and get a high income, you need to conduct a thorough analysis of your own skills and abilities, study in detail the relevant literature and, as a result, apply your creative ideas to life. Handmade products at home in areas such as scrapbooking, sewing, knitting, and beading are in great demand, especially among women 20–45 years old.

Initial stages

Scrapbooking has become popular in the world - a type of handicraft for home business, based on the design of albums and cards using a variety of materials. This hobby can provide entertainment in your free time, expand your creative vision and bring in considerable income, just like knitting.

Exhibitions with scrapbooking products are held. There are other types of handicrafts that you can earn money from at home. The following “handmade” products are profitable and in great demand:

• Sewing.
• Weaving from beads, sequins, beads.
• Knitting (clothing, blanket, pillow, toys).
• Making painted dishes.
• Creation of belts, phone cases, backpacks.
• Embroidery.

Before you open your own handmade business, you need to properly build your system for finding clients and sales for knitting or other handicrafts. All ideas are based on calculations of the time in which you can make one product, on the costs of materials and tools. Regardless of what types of handicrafts for business are taken as a basis - scrapbooking, beading, sewing or knitting - the final product must be of high quality and attractive appearance. A businessman’s earnings depend on this.

The positive thing is that handicrafts at home do not require official business registration. Therefore, manual work is easy to organize or transform from a hobby into a permanent income and develop it.

Positive aspects of business

Handicrafts as a business have many positive aspects. The following are especially important for a successful entrepreneur:

• Minor investment at the start. For knitting, for example, you only need knitting needles and thread;
• Quick payback due to the low cost of consumables;
• Great demand for self-made products, working with regular customers.

When deciding to open a business for decorating photo albums at home, you can also think about scrapbooking cards. Original congratulations It is difficult to purchase, since monotonous options are available for purchase in stores. As your small scrapbooking business grows, you can begin to expand. Find an option to rent a small space and hire several employees.

Ideas for starting your own business at home are also positive because there is absolutely no competition. Homemade products (knitting, sewing) are unique, which is why many people prefer purchasing this particular product.

Handicraft selection

Opening a knitting business is an excellent handicraft option for those who know how to create things that have an attractive appearance. It can be:

• Scarf.
• A cap.
• Cardigan.
• Poncho.
• Bag.
• Sock.
• Doll.
• Vest.

To increase the volume of products sold, you will need a special knitting machine. All kinds of accessories, yarn and tools can be purchased online from a reliable supplier. The advantage of a handicraft knitting business is that at first the owner does not need a premises. However, you will have to make a lot of effort to promote your own business.

Opening a sewing business at home is suitable for motivated people who can guarantee the quality of the products manufactured. With a good reputation, you can fulfill orders for chic formal wear, including evening dresses and formal tuxedos, sewing children's items, and knitting capes. Sewing involves making exclusive products to order, for example, a patchwork blanket or bumpers for babies, as well as performing light, non-labor-intensive work:

• Clothing repair.
• Trouser fit.
• Insertion of "zippers".

Sewing is a fairly broad area of ​​needlework and is easy to achieve success in. There will be no shortage of regular customers if you treat your work responsibly and conscientiously. A needlewoman can get ideas for sewing and knitting from magazines.

Embroidery for business, like knitting, is a type of needlework in which you can also do well and make money if you follow your plan. Embroidering tablecloths, napkins, paintings or icons at home is considered the most profitable for entrepreneurship.

Scrapbooking

One of the most modern species handicrafts along with knitting is scrapbooking. Photo albums, books and postcards, designed in the most unusual way, are relevant for the following events in life:

• Weddings and graduations.
• Admission to school or kindergarten.
• The appearance of a child.
• Birthday or anniversary.
• Have a significant trip and vacation.

In addition, many people order scrapbooking books for the purpose of exclusive registration of a pedigree.

Materials and equipment

All types of handicrafts, including scrapbooking, sewing, embroidery, knitting, beading, require all kinds of tools and materials to create unique products with your own hands at home. Sewing business implies the presence of working tools, a large amount of fabric different types, threads and decorations.

For scrapbooking you will need decals, rhinestones, sequins, lace, leather, ribbon and much more. etc. For such needlework as embroidery and knitting, you may need not only a hook/knitting needles and threads, but also an embroidery/knitting machine.

All handicraft materials must be of high quality, so you need to take the most responsible approach to choosing a supplier. Many owners purchase ready-made knitting or embroidery kits.

If you have the financial opportunity for handicrafts (knitting, sewing), you need to buy additional equipment that helps to significantly reduce the time and physical costs of manufacturing products. These could be special needles for embroidering mosaics and hoops, glue in the form of a spray; sewing will be easier with the use of starching products, etc.

Financial calculations

Business ideas based on handicrafts differ from all others in that a person is completely free to choose materials for work and topics. All tools do not have to be expensive, at least not initially. But a business plan must be drawn up for knitting, scrapbooking and other types of needlework.

If you devote about 10–12 hours a week, you can earn about 20,000 rubles from handicrafts. This is provided that you have experience in this field. If several people work, the profit will be higher. It is worth considering that the more time you devote to planning and work, the more profitable and successful the business will become.


And soon your clients will advertise for you for free, which will allow you to expand your production: rent premises and buy equipment for knitting or sewing.

If you want to perform large volumes of work, you will need additional business equipment. For example, for embroidery you need to purchase a special semi-professional machine with a rigid hoop, equipped with several needles and mechanical thread cutting. For any type of crafts, knitting or sewing products that require professional equipment, you will need at least 150,000 rubles.

The profitability of a home-based craft business is quite difficult to assess. It all depends on what materials will be used in the work.

In scrapbooking, you can save money on album replacements. These can be natural books or large notebooks. At a high pace of work, it’s realistic to start offering your handicraft services to marketing departments: corporate gifts are in high demand.

A prerequisite for successful business promotion is the creation of a portfolio with images of your best works. At proper organization and conducting a small advertising campaign for your creativity, a handicraft business can pay for itself in less than one year - this also applies to knitting.