halloween - County Wedding Magazines

Transcription

CRAFTFOCUS
www.craftfocus.com
Issue 8 Aug/Sept 2008
www.craftfocus.com
MAGAZI N E
HALLOWEEN
Themed fun for all
Embossing
Exciting new
product launches
REPMARK
You ORT ET
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Scrapbooking
We report on this
ever-increasing sector
“You’re Hired”
Business tips from
Alan Sugar
All Together Now
How to hold craft workshops
PLUS
Industry News
Retailer Interview
Q&A Technology
August /September 2008 issue 8
Group Editor
Demelza Rayner
+44 (0)1376 535 609
[email protected]
contents
regulars
industry news
Contributor
Sarah Reeve
+44 (0)1376 535 609
[email protected]
Editorial Assistant
Jennifer Kettle
+44 (0)1376 535 609
[email protected]
Sales Manager
Mark White
+44 (0) 1376 535 606
[email protected]
Advertising Sales
Tracy Voice
+44 (0)1376 514 000
[email protected]
Design Manager
Vicky Longman
+44 (0)1376 535 616
[email protected]
Graphic Designers
Sarah Barnes
Sophie Farage
Laura Perry
Steve Mckea
+44 (0)1376 535 616
6
Get the lowdown on the hottest happenings in
craft retail
brand spanking new
12
Our pick of the latest product launches
competition
up and coming
Industry Report
28
The main findings of research carried out at
ICHF earlier this year.
46
Sally Preisig of Crafty Kids discusses their highly
commended puppet and craft kits
q&a technology
Shop Talk
32
How to run an effective workshop
59
Beth Scott tackles your web-related queries
business link
Retailer Interview
35
We speak to the owner of Kendal textile craft
shop, Reticule
60
Essential advice from Alan Sugar
46
Insurance Health Check
47
Top exhibition tips from TH March
Fright Night
48
Fun items for Halloween crafting
Kline Davis Limited
Broseley House
Newlands Drive
Witham, Essex CM8 2UL
www.craftfocus.com
Under Pressure
53
Spotlight on the hot trend for embossing
Cover courtesy of Big Decs
Craft Focus magazine is proud to be
associated with and supporters of:
features
39
Win products from Crafters Companion
Production Manager
Stuart Weatherley
Craft Focus is solely owned, published and
designed by Kline Davis Limited. Whilst every
effort was made to ensure the information in
this magazine was correct at the time of going
to press, the publishers cannot accept legal
responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor
can they accept responsibility of the standing of
advertisers nor by the editorial contributions.
The views expressed do not necessarily reflect
those of the publisher. Craft Focus is published
six times a year. Subscription rates for overseas
readers are £40 per annum (incl. p+p), Cheques
should be made out to Kline Davis Limited
and sent to Craft Focus @ Broseley House,
Newlands Drive, Witham, Essex CM8 2UL.
48
shows
profile
Keepsake Card Craft
26
We speak to The Glitter Girls about their recent
royal award
Daler-Rowney
50
The international fine art materials company tell us
about their 225th anniversary celebrations
Stitch & Creative Craft Show 28
We report on this popular consumer event
Autumn Fair
41
Preview of this important seasonal show
special feature
Scrapbooking
18
Your essential guide to the all encompassing
craft that is scrapbooking.
53
MEDIA SUPPORTER
ANTI COPYING IN DESIGN
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[email protected]
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The Best Suppliers
Of Pick and Mix Card
A Positive Approach
Welcome to our August/September
issue, which is packed full of advice
to help you to make the most of
your business. The retail climate
may be tough, but the businesses
that will succeed and thrive will
be the ones who take a proactive
approach. There’s no room for a ‘sit
tight and hope for the best’ attitude.
Whether you form a new craft club, introduce new
craft workshops or simply have the odd late-night
opening, there’s plenty retailers can do to attract new
customers and retain a loyal customer base. And
there’s never been a better time to get started.
Leading Suppliers of
Pick and Mix Card
Range of units to fit all premises
Widest selection of card
Low initial outlay
No contract required
Payper Box replenishes with stock of
YOUR choice NOT ours
Card can also be
purchased separately
New Imported Range of
Scrapbooking Papers from America!
Knowing your core customer inside out is vital if you are to maximise
sales. What’s more, market research is invaluable, which is why we’re
printing the results of a survey carried out into the craft market by the
organisers of Craft, Hobby and Stitch. Turn to page 65 to find out more.
In this issue, we take a look at the Scrapbooking market to determine
the future of this buoyant sector. We also showcase the latest embossing
products, investigate the growing demand for licensed craft products and
offer our top 10 tips on holding your own workshops.
Finally, if you’d like to enhance your in-store offering, don’t forget to enter
our terrific competition to win 15 kits from Crafters Companion, worth
£850 RRP. Simply visit our website, www.craftfocus.com and fill in the
entry form.
Good luck and enjoy reading
9ZbZaoV
Demelza Rayner
Group Editor
Unit 8, The Metro Centre,
Ronsons Way, St Albans,
HERTS, AL4 9QT
Tel: 01727 836665
Fax: 01727 831088
craftfocus 5
industry news
Keep up-to-date with the industry’s movers
and shakers by reading our regular round-up...
Her Majesty The Queen
opens The Cumberland
Pencil Company’s new
factory in Workington
On June 5th The Cumberland Pencil Company
were honoured to receive Her Majesty The
Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The
Duke of Edinburgh, who officially opened their new premises.
The Cumberland Pencil Company has been manufacturing pencils in Cumbria for over 175
years and has just relocated to a new factory at Lillyhall Business Park, Workington.
On arriving at the factory, the Royal Party were received by David Sharrock, General
Manager and taken on a tour of the factory floor meeting the production team, staff and
senior managers, including Peter Munk, President of ACCO Brands Europe, The Cumberland
Pencil Company’s parent company.
At the end of the tour, The Queen had the opportunity to admire the work of pencil artists
Linda Stevens and David Cook who use Derwent pencils. She was then invited to unveil a
plaque to commemorate the official opening of the new premises and to sign the visitors’
book. Mr Sharrock re-united The Queen with the chair she sat on to sign the visitors’ book at
Carnegie Hall, Workington 30 years ago.
Speaking after the visit David Sharrock said “It was a great honour for us to welcome The
Queen and The Duke to our new home. Our staff were delighted to see them and chat about
their work.”
Visit www.pencils.co.uk for more information on the company.
Mighty Bright extend their distribution network
Trinity Xtras, the company responsible for the sales and distribution of Mighty Bright Craft
and Book products in the UK are expanding their distribution network to enable them to
effectively fulfil the demand and reach the full potential for the Mighty Bright range.
Bryn Evans from Trinity Xtras says: “The craft range has increased significantly over recent
years and we now offer portable light and sight solutions suitable for most craft projects. The
craft market is huge and to enable us to reach the full potential for Mighty Bright in Europe
we need to extend our distribution network.”
He continues: “We are pleased to announce that Mighty Bright Craft products will now
also be available from Bramwell Yarns & Crafts. We are very excited to be working with
Bramwell and we’re confident that we have the
distribution network to effectively reach and
serve every craft retailer across the country.”
Trinity Xtras is also taking the Mighty Bright
range into Continental Europe and has already
appointed distributors in France, Belgium, the
Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Access www.trinityxtras.co.uk or visit
www.bramwellcrafts.co.uk.
6 craftfocus
Europoint Display
launches initiative to
encourage retailers to
use eco-friendly materials
Europoint Display, a subsidiary of The Paper
Company (PaperCo), has launched a range of
initiatives to encourage high street retailers and
supermarkets to print their signage, packaging
and displays on more environmentally friendly
substrates. The nation-wide initiative is in
response to rising demand from blue chip
companies for greener materials.
The company has developed a boxed swatch
of alternative, greener media, The EnviroBox,
supported by the industry’s first PC-based
calculator to assess the overall environmental
impact of substrates, and complementary
environmental report.
Each EnviroBox contains a raft of products
for banners, self-adhesives for windows, rigid
sheets and films that are viable replacements
for PVC-based products but are less harmful
to the environment. It also contains new,
less harmful versions of existing products,
such as a foam PVC substrate that is made
almost entirely from recycled polymer. Each
EnviroBox will also include an environmental
report, Plastics in the Environment, which has
been produced by Europoint’s Environmental
Solutions Director, Vic Adie.
Go to www.europointdisplay.co.uk for
further details of the initiative.
news&events
ICHF earn national charity award
ICHF, the UK’s No.1 craft and gift show organiser, has won the much
coveted Business Supporter of the Year Award at the Flame of Hope
Awards in support of Cancer Research UK. The awards were held on
Friday 6th June at the Café Royal in London’s Regent Street. Business
Supporter of the Year Award is a prestigious accolade, recognising the
outstanding support given to the charity by a business or organisation.
After the loss of co-founder Maurice Brown to cancer in 1988,
ICHF began working with Cancer Research UK to make a difference
to the growing numbers of people being affected by the disease.
ICHF decided to provide a stand and significant prizes at each of
its 10 major exhibitions throughout the UK every year raising over
£150,000.
Ruth Brown, Director of ICHF and widow of the late Maurice
Brown, who collected the award said, “We are extremely proud to
accept this award on behalf of ICHF and will continue to actively
support the local committee and Cancer Research. We hope that the
money we raise will help others while at the same time honour the
memory of Maurice.”
Fundraising for Cancer research UK is at the heart of the company
with over £40,000 raised by Managing Director David Bennett and his
son Troy, Ruth Brown’s grandson, who successfully fought the disease
and went on to run in last years New York Marathon with his father.
Cherry Simpson, Honorary Secretary of the Christchurch
Committee said, “Cancer Research UK are extremely grateful for the
continued support of ICHF. The money they raise is so important and
enables our scientists to continue their imperative work to find a cure
for cancer.”
X-Cut gets
new logo
One of the nation’s
favourite cutting tool
brands, X-Cut, has a
glamorous new look. Blue
is retiring and X-Cut is
painting the town Pink with a new colourway and some new tools.
The fabulous brand logo has been designed to be more appealing
to the X-Cut female target audience, and is set to arrive in September
alongside great new products such as the amazing pink retractable
Pokey tool, a distressing tool, a craft knife, and tweezers.
Craft expert, Clare Curd, explains “This is a fantastic step for the
already much-loved brand. The gorgeous new look is set to cause a stir
amongst the ladies, especially with the introduction of their very own
pink tools. A crafter's real must have.”
As well as introducing new tools, X-Cut will also be adding the pink
touch to the already existing range. Visit the comprehensive website at
www.xcuttools.co.uk for inspirational ideas.
Additions to the Regia Sock Range
Softy Colour and Kaffe Fassett Design Line 6ply are the final two ranges
to be released from the new Regia shade book launched in June by
Coats Crafts.
Soft Colour is an extension of the existing softy range launched in
October 2007, which was a huge success full of bright solid colours. The
Softy Colour range now adds a striped effect, made from 61% Polyamide
and 39% New Wool, machine washable at 40°. These striped effects
come in a host of pink and blue shades from soft pastel shades to bright
and vibrant colours.
The second new launch is from the distinguished famous designer
Kaffe Fassett. Regia now introduces the Design Line 6 Fadig (6ply) range
to compliment the hugely popular 4ply range, launched February 2007.
This new 6ply range offers two distinctive striped designed, in three
mixes of shades, Caribbean, Fire and Twilight. Made up from 75% New
Wool and 25% Polyamide, these are the must have accessories for 2008.
Regia socks are ideal for friends and all members of the family, are
suitable to wear all year round as slipper socks in the home or to keep
toes cosy and warm this winter.
Consumers can even add the Regia Iron-on brake stops to the
bottom of socks to wear around the home to stop slipping on tiled and
wooden floors.
Customers can order stocks of the free pattern instruction leaflet,
article code REG0504, to give away to crafters to knit socks using these
wonderful yarns.
Also, keep your eyes open for new pattern support for all Regia yarns
which will be launched throughout 2008. For more information, please
register on the Coats website for regular product updates at the website
www.coatscrafts.co.uk.
Hunkydory
Crafts launch
new catalogue
Hunkydory Crafts, the
new British papercraft
wholesalers, have launched an exciting new catalogue featuring hundreds
of premium 3D decoupage, pyramage and sticker sheets under the
sought-after Paper Laughs and Paper Fun ranges. Collections include the
fabulous Tipsy Adults, Handsome Hunks, Luscious Ladies, and Golden
Oldies, all giving a breath of fresh air to card making.
Retailer margins are excellent, but even better is the 10% discount on
all orders paid upfront, with no minimum order values and carriage-paid
next-day delivery over £50.
Access www.cardcraftplus.co.uk for details of how to get your hands
on the trade catalogue and free samples.
craftfocus 7
industry news
BoxMart extends its
range of eco-conscious
gift packaging
BoxMart, the online supplier of unbranded,
highly eco-conscious gift packaging, has
witnessed a rapid growth in sales of 28%
in 12 months across its entire product
range following the addition of many new
colours, sizes, and graphic designs.
The company has responded to
the trade buyers’ requirement to gain
competitive edge as well as the consumer
demand for environmentally friendly products by offering innovative and colourful packaging
with a high recycled content, that in turn is 100% recyclable.
The implementation of water-based inks on most products and use of microflute material
in preference to solid board results in a much more environmentally friendly product. In
addition, BoxMart has recently launched a range of natural kraft gift boxes to meet requests
for packaging with a more environment conscious appearance.
Joanne Offord, Managing Director of BoxMart, commented “The market demands that
gift packaging both looks good and is environmentally responsible. Here at BoxMart we have
made it a priority to meet the two demands. Production of long runs of stock boxes rather
than individual short run bespoke boxes is both economical and environmentally beneficial
and buyers have responded to these benefits. We're delighted that our new, extended range
has been so well received.”
The BoxMart product range includes bottle, floristry, clear lid and hamper boxes as well as
many other gift boxes in a range of shapes and sizes. With no minimum order, customers are
able to purchase just one pack of boxes at a time should they wish to do so.
For more information, visit www.BoxMart.co.uk or call +44 (0)1543 411 574.
DIYframing competition success
New designer kits from
Claire Aristides
Leading jewellery designer Claire Aristides has
designed collections for some of the UK’s top
brands, and is at the cutting edge of making crafts
fashionable and jewellery making cool with her
fabulous kits.
In line with her fantastic progress, Claire
Arisitides has just launched a new designer
range in John Lewis stores, featuring cool and
contemporary packaging to catch the eye of the
consumer. The great value kits in the jewellery
making range cover the must-have looks of
each season, and allow crafters to create their
own designer pieces, from stunning über long
necklaces, bold coloured stretch bracelets, to
gorgeous chandelier earrings. The kits contain
quality materials including crystal, pearl, sterling
silver and gold, plus step-by-step guidance and tips
from the designer.
In addition, Claire now presents a craft slot on
the QVC television channel to sell the glamorous
and practical products, which are stocked by
Liberty of London and many gift websites. Access
www.clairearistides.com to find out more.
DIYframing recently ran a competition with Craft Focus Magazine to win a day’s training
with UK School of Framing. There were a number of winners, one of whom was Dot Penn,
who undertook training in Maidstone.
“I dibble and dabble in all sorts of arts and crafts and I fancied having a go,” explained
Dot. “Right from the start I had a feeling that I was going to win.”
The Basics of Framing training workshop taught Dot how to display her large collection of
pictures, and she is excited about what her new money-saving skills will achieve. The successful
training day encouraged confidence and organisation in hobbies such as sewing and even cake
decorating, and she came away from the day with an impressive finished frame featuring a
beautiful lime-wax finish.
Our winner also learnt how to cut glass, and loved the whole experience. “The course was
brilliant and good fun. Now I’m just itching to get started.”
The providers of the competition prize, DIYframing, have a success of their own to announce with the launch of their new look website.
The previous layout lasted three years and proved to be a market leader, as well as a great way of pointing out how customers need a site to work
clearly, quickly, and with just enough up to date information to guide them through a craft and to the store.
Duncan McDonald, CEO of DIYframing, says “Informal, friendly relationships with customers and visitors have always been hallmarks of what makes
DIYframing tick and it was important for the site to reflect that approach. It looks bright, clear and friendly. Framing is a visual business and that has to
be reflected in the virtual face of the company.”
Key features on the new site include the UK School of Framing, where visitors can find clear links to courses, and The Store which allows crafters to
find the piece of kit they are looking for fast. These features are in addition to current and archived news, articles for framers of all levels, and tabbed
features with plenty of relevant information. There is even a video to explain what DIYframing can offer.
Visit www.diyframing.com for more information.
8 craftfocus
news&events
Appointments
Interplay celebrates awards success
The team at Interplay are celebrating after having their Technokit Stunt Buggy Kit recognised in
one of the most fiercely contested award programmes around.
The annual Gift of the Year Awards are suitable for such a wide range of products that the
number of entries are vast, with the under £10 category being one of most keenly fought.
The Technokit Stunt Buggy was announced as one of only two highly commended entries from
the many entries received, which as participants were 27% up on the previous year is quite an
achievement.
Priced at just £7.99 (rrp) and part of a wider collection, the Technokit Stunt Buggy is an ideal
gift for boys age 8 to 108, and uses timberslot assembly to produce a real working electric stunt
buggy that does wheelies, spins and other stunts.
For more information on all the craft kits available from Interplay call +44 (0)1628 488 944.
Stitch & Creative Crafts Show returns to Sandown
Races
The next Stitch & Creative Crafts Show to hit the
turf at Sandown Park Exhibition Centre opens its
doors on Friday 19th to Sunday 21st September
2008. The show opens from 10am to 5pm on Friday
and Saturday, and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday
21st. With the venue’s easy access from all major
and local routes and excellent general facilities, this
popular show returns to Esher, Surrey, race course
for its 11th year.
As usual, this Stitch & Creative Crafts Show
covers all aspects of quality stitch-craft including
cross stitch, card making, embroidery, knitting, scrapbooking, papercraft, stamping, beading, decoupage
and many more.
Highlights of the show include a full
demonstration schedule from Audrey Sibert and Wendie Rhodes from Create & Craft TV who
will be presenting 12 half hour demonstrations on a wide variety of crafting topics on all three
days. Many guilds will be represented at the show and specialist demonstrators in different fields
will be on hand to show varied skills and techniques.
Standard adult tickets are priced at £7 and standard concessions £6 with children under 16
free of charge provided they are accompanied by an adult. Tickets can be bought on the day or by
visiting www.sccshows.co.uk and booking online, or by telephoning the Show Ticket Hotline on
+44 (0)1822 617 744.
The Craft & Hobby
Association (CHA)
is pleased to
announce the recent
appointments of
Jon Krance as a new
Marketing Manager,
and Michael DiTullio,
as a new Sales
Associate.
In his role as Marketing Manager, Jon
Krance will assume all member marketing
responsibilities including strategic development
and implementation of a comprehensive
member retention and acquisition program.
He will lead development of member insight,
new benefit programs, and oversee the CHA
Task Force program. Additionally, Krance will
manage the Innovations Showcase at the CHA
Shows and other marketing programs. Krance,
a marketing veteran, brings over 20 years of
marketing strategy and business leadership to
his new position.
As Sales Associate,
Michael DiTullio
will be part of
the Meetings
& Expositions
Department and
will be responsible
for new and
existing booth sales,
sponsorships, lead
generation, and database management relating
to CHA trade shows.
“I am extremely pleased to welcome Jon
and Michael into the CHA family,” explained
Steve Berger, CHA’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Their unique talents and vast experience will
enhance our collective CHA skill set and better
equip our team to continue offering high quality
programs to our (CHA) members and the
industry.”
Ellison have
announced Richard
Birse as the new
General Manager
of Ellison Europe.
Richard joins the
company from his
previous position
as Commercial and
Operations Manager of VCL Global.
craftfocus 11
Take a look at some of the latest products around
brand spanking new
Petit Artisan Ltd
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
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Other Information:
Animache Jungle Animals Kit.
Visit www.petitartisan.com.
RRP £9.99.
Each eco-friendly Animache kit includes two matching papier
mâché animals, in this case a lion and an elephant, and a complete
quality paint set. The fun craft kits are suitable for children aged
from four to 12 years old and include Animache facts and an
adoption certificate.
Animache kits feature attractive packaging and are very popular
with children, who can enjoy playing with the items as toys once they have been painted.
The products are handcrafted in the Phillipines from recycled newspaper by community trade and are assembled in France.
Beadalon
Product:
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Tacky Bead Mat.
Access www.beadalon.com.
Price available on application.
The Beadalon Tacky Bead Mat is a sticky mat that keeps beads and pieces in place
while you’re working, making it perfect for craft projects with seed beads or other
tiny components.
This practical product is a great add on sale, and does not leave a sticky residue
when items are removed from the surface.
If the product gets dirty, it can be easily recharged and made ready for use again by
washing it under warm water and letting it dry.
Creative Expressions
Product:
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Bear-iations unmounted rubber stamp sets.
Visit www.creative-expressions.uk.com.
Each set has an RRP of £9.99.
Bear-iations unmounted rubber stamp sets are exclusively designed by Sheena Douglass and
feature characters such as a ballerina, footballer, nurse, chef, surfer, and rock star.
There are four A5-sized sets available to collect, each offering the crafter numerous options
on how to “dress” their bear.
Not only can you use these fabulous new designs on card projects, they are also ideal for
use in scrapbook layouts and other papercrafts.
Show Me How Ltd
Product:
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12 craftfocus
Painting on Glass DVD book.
Call +44 (0)1624 640 024.
Show Me How DVD books feature step-by-step instructions for a range of
projects, complete plans and checklists, inspirational photographs of key stages,
money and time-saving ideas, expert tips on how to achieve better results and
creative inspiration to develop skills.
Each title includes a full list of materials and tools required, essentially a
shopping list of must-buy items.
New titles in the Show Me How range inlcude Watercolour Painting and
Arraging Flowers.
Wh
ole
s
On ale
ly
For the best India beads delivered
within 2 days look at:
www.eurindiabeads.com
IRUDOORWKHUEHDGVDQG¿QGLQJVORRNDW
www.4crea.com
tel: +32 475 - 695865
info at: [email protected]
brand spanking new
Ellison
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
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Other Information:
Sizzix Movers and Shapers.
Call +44 (0)870 6000 625.
The four Sizzix Movers and Shapers kits are extra long Bigz Base Dies
featuring magnetic, moveable aperture dies that can be used to create a card
or envelope with a perfectly positioned window. The dies not only cut, but also
provide crease lines for accurate folding.
Each aperture die is interchangeable for use with any of the magnetic dies,
which can be also purchased separately. Furthermore, there are eight new
add-ons in the range.
These dies are designed to cut anything that a pair of scissors can, but in a
fraction of the time.
Southfield,The Paper People
Product:
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Crafty Books.
Visit www.southfield-stationers.co.uk.
Crafty Books is an exciting new line that give the card making crafter a selection of paper
toppers and ideas in one handy book, includes 12 useful pages to cut out and use.
There are 10 initial titles to choose from in the range, featuring baby, Christmas and classic
male and female design themes.
Southfield is an Edinburgh-based specialist paper and card supplier with a flexible
manufacturing facility.
Banana Frog
Product:
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The Pink Martini collection.
Access www.bananafrog.com.
Papers have an RRP of 80p, Rub-ons RRP at £2.99, and Stickers have an RRP
of £1.99.
The vibrant collections from Pink Martini contain a super bright selection of
double sided cardstock weight papers, durable poly resin rubon garnishes,
and cardstock weight alphabet stickers.
The flirty Pink Martini collections, such as brilliantly-named Orange
Creamsicle, are ideal for scrapbookers and card makers, whilst the retro
patterns are very much on trend.
The two other collections in the range are named Pink Squirrel and Flirtini.
New Holland Publishers
Product:
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14 craftfocus
Pop-Up Cards book by Jo Mathieson.
Telephone +44 (0)20 7725 9924.
In this exciting book, crafters are shown how to make fun three-dimensional cards
featuring cheerful characters such as a jack in the box and butterflies. Detailed
instructions and advice, along with step-by-step photographs, ensure a professional finish
for a range of skill levels.
Hand-made cards are more popular than ever, and the book contains projects for every
occasion, from birthdays to Christmas, and from new baby to passing a driving test.
Author, Jo Mathieson, has 20 years of experience in the craft industry in the fields of
teaching, writing, and design.
news&events
Creative Beadcraft Limited
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer Benefits:
Other Information:
Antique Gold Pewter Pieces.
Telephone +44 (0)1494 776 678.
Creative Beadcraft have added a selection of pewter
components in an antique gold finish to their popular range of
pewter beads and components. They include pendants/
centrepieces, connectors, toggles and bails.
The quality pewter components are very versatile and are
available loose or in hang sell packs.
When contacting the company quote CF0608 for a free retail
pack and samples.
Simplicity Limited
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
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Other Information:
Go Green patterns.
Access www.simplicitynewlook.com.
The new Go Green patterns by Simplicity teach crafters how to recycle their
favourite items by deconstructing and transforming them into trendy new
garments and accessories.
This eco-friendly product taps into the current emphasis on the environment,
and the patterns cater for sizes six to 20.
Projects include a pattern for a stylish bodice design made using pages from
old glossy magazines and catalogues.
Coppernob Card Craft Ltd
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer Benefits:
Other Information:
Fancy That! Bauble Collection Booklet.
Email [email protected].
Coppernob Card Craft and designer Ingrid McCracken have produced the
Fancy That! Bauble fancy-paper-folding collection, which is full to the brim of
festive patterns.
Helpful instructions and colour photographs mean that the booklet is suitable
for many skill levels, a particularly valuable quality in the run up to Christmas.
Other products in the range include the glamorous Fancy That! Couture
Collection booklet.
Decorative Textiles
Product:
Contact:
Price:
Specification:
Retailer Benefits:
Other Information:
Pink/Lilac Wedding Card Kit.
Telephone +44 (0)1372 744 236.
This new design kit is a wedding card stitched on antique white aida, enhanced with a small
amount of beadwork and multi coloured stranded cotton and metallic threads.
The kit comes complete with all of the materials necessary to make the attractive card.
Other kits available from this company cover special occasions such as birthdays,
christenings, and Christmas.
craftfocus 15
scrapbooking
story
Placing items in a scrapbook is
an activity that many of us have
enjoyed, but can the growing
trend for Scrapbooking as a craft
have a happy ending? Read on to
find out more...
One of the selling points of scrapbooking is that it is all about
preserving memories, but how memorable can this activity be as a
craft in a varied industry? It is obvious that there is a lot of potential
success for this relatively new craft, not only because the market
for it can encapsulate many different products, but also because it
can be seen as a timeless pursuit. The desire and interest in putting
together a scrapbook can grow, develop and be picked up whenever
a new event occurs, a fact that hints at the craft having real staying
power rather than existing as a passing trend, especially when digital
scrapbooking enters the story. At a time when there is a great deal of
social interest in identity and individuality, scrapbooking can thrive if
retailers approach the craft in the right way. Read on for top tips from
key suppliers on how to make the most of scrapbooking.
Delish Designs UK, Debby Winrow, Director.
Scrapbookingonline, Robert Harwood.
Would you say scrapbooking is more or less popular among
consumers than a year ago?
With more retailers focusing on teaching scrapbooking through
workshops and classes, we have seen a healthy upturn in peoples
perceptions. Scrapbookers’ blogs, informative manufacturers
websites, and more accessible classes are helping.
I would say scrapbooking interest in the past year has increased,
which may be due to more retail outlets selling scrapbooking
products and it being advertised more.
What is your best-selling scrapbooking line and why?
Our fabulous range of pearl brads, diamond bling brads, and metal
embellishments really fly out the door. Everyone is looking for
something a little different, and we strive to design to their desires.
Have there been any new developments in the scrapbooking
market recently?
The most successful trend we follow is that of quality not quantity.
We try to ensure that our collections past and present all merge
together so that retailers and crafters alike aren’t being left with “so
yesterday” items.
What do you predict the next few years holds for scrapbooking?
We are seeing a younger profile of customer who is happy to invest
in her creative side to learn new techniques.
How can retailers encourage their customers to take up
scrapbooking?
Show their customers what it is! Make displays colourful and vibrant,
encouraging customers to join workshops.
18 craftfocus
We have quite a few best sellers, including the Stampabilities
rubber stamps, Cardstock Warehouse’s incredibly priced textured
cardstock, and Bobunny’s paper designs.
market recently?
The only new items that impressed me were GCD Studios’ range
of products, which had fresh designs created by both American and
English designers.
There will definitely be a growth in the scrapbooking industry,
however, card making will continue to dominate the market.
scrapbooking?
Perhaps by slowly introducing scrapbooking with card making
workshops to show how interactive they are.
Paper Cellar, Deepa Mehta, Director.
The number of stores taking on scrapbooking products is increasing
all of the time. Products which fall under the ‘scrapbooking’ umbrella
are becoming popular as they are of a better quality than ever
before and can easily be used to create greetings cards as well as
larger projects.
I believe nearly everyone has at one point in time taken a photo
and put it in a frame or an album, and scrapbooking is now the next
stage of decorating, so I think it’s getting slightly more popular.
All of our kits continue to be best sellers as the coordinating has
already been done for the customer. We are also seeing a big
increase in demand for raw chipboard products as it can coordinate
with any colour or design for maximum value.
Currently our patterned papers, glitter borders and glitter frames
are doing exceptionally well as they immediately give a good
background to put your photos on, creating a pretty effect without
much effort.
market recently?
We are seeing more office based products moving over into the
scrapbooking industry, like acetate and paper clips.
market recently?
There has been a lot of digital scrapbooking on the market, which
has allowed a number of beginners to be introduced to the concept
and is extremely beneficial to the industry as it encourages crafters
to go towards traditional scrapbooking.
I think that we will see an increase in these smaller embellishments
and stamps coming through from manufacturers as they cast their
market net further to card makers.
It’s hard to tell at the moment, but i’m hoping that it will increase as
scrapbookers spend more than card makers: scrapbooks are meant
to treasure memories whereas cards are given away!
scrapbooking?
We have found from our demos that if you can show a customer
how to create a scrapbook page and a card with the same products
they are far more likely to give it a go because you have taken the
risk out of the purchase for them.
scrapbooking?
Retailers should try and tie up with their local photoshops or
anyone who offers digital photo print outs so that they can refer
customers to one another.
F W Bramwell & Co Ltd, Alison Park, Managing Director.
There has been an increase in sales, which must prove that it is
becoming more popular. This could be due to internet blogs and
craft sites that are encouraging crafters to try scrapbooking.
The Cricut Expression lends itself to the dedicated scrapbooker as it
can cut shapes and fonts up to 11.5 inches. Also, the Zision 12 inch
paper trimmer is good value for money.
market recently?
We can expect to see some extremely innovative products from
ProvoCraft before the end of the year. We are also working closely
with EK Success to develop SDU in the UK, which is a scrapbooking
education programme for retailers to teach classes and workshops.
Scrapbooking is an ‘ageless’ craft that can be enjoyed by anyone.
With some enthusiasm and the right teaching programme, we
believe that the UK market may be ready to embrace scrapbooking.
scrapbooking?
Bramwells will encourage retailers to teach scrapbooking in a way
that develops customer relationships and increases sales and profits
within the store.
craftfocus 19
scrapbooking
Fidgeonscrafts,Teresa Philpott, Founding Director.
scrapbooking
Delish Designs UK see scrapbooking as a
lifestyle, which has led the company to design new
products based on fine food to whet the appetite of
scrapbookers and crafters worldwide. Each series in a
paper collection consists of a full course of products,
with the latest Double Dipped Paper Series Royale
and Mulberry changing throughout the year. The
elegant new Bistro collection features a palette of rich
brown, creamy butter, crab blue and red, allowing the
range to be adapted from a soft heritage look to a
clean, contemporary style. All of the papers can be
complimented with Fancy Frames, Lush Clear Stamps,
Biscuit Board Albums, Tea Tags, Key Ingredients, Menu
Cards, Snack Pack rub-ons and Diamond Bling to spice
up projects. New looks will be decadent and luxurious
for 2009, allowing collections from past and present
to merge to ensure that crafters and retailers alike
can continue to use the fabulous products. For more
information call +44 (0)1903 774 225.
Distributed by Design
Objectives, the hugely
popular company
Core’dinations aims to
be a sweet treat this
season with the launch
of The Chocolate Box
range, which is a twist
on the established
and best selling Black Magic cardstock.
The Chocolate Box is a pack of 20 individual sheets of
premium, textured colour core cardstock, with each sheet a rich shade
of brown on one side, with the alternate a vibrant coordinated shade. The pack
retails at £8.99, offering value for money as well as a massive breadth of choice.
Whether sanding, distressing, die-cutting, embossing or tearing, the Colour
Core Cardstock gives crafters more options. Contact Design Objectives on
+44 (0)1202 811 000 to find out more.
Always unique and always well-received, the package of three albums
and software from Zoom Album is a personalised gift for a crafter.
The software package from ZoomAlbum.co.uk allows the user to create
personalised photo albums for friends and loved ones, making it perfect for
commemorating occasions big or small. The smart software enables the
crafter to create an attractive hardcover with plain backgrounds for
embellishment or a patterned cover with photos and text on, or
even a combination of both. Each package contains an easy
to use software CD and everything needed to make three
albums, select up to 24 photos, add text and print
on the A4 patented, scored, self adhesive,
single folded photo sheet. A
unique album can be created
within minutes with no mess
and no fuss. Visit the website
www.zoomalbum.co.uk for
more information.
The BasicGrey brand, distributed by Design Objectives, is showcasing a new season
of sleek scrapbook products with the Summer 2008 collection. Citrus-injected with a
zesty finish, the new Ambrosia™ line blends delicate details with splashes of blazing
red, orange and gold, whilst the all-natural Granola™ line is made with organic
ingredients and features rustic details in a rich, earthy palette of colours. Other
lines in the collection include Urban Prairie™ and Offbeat™, which coordinate
with the new Bitsy™ Stamps to add punch to projects. Another new accessory
range comes in the form of the Chocolate Chip Sticker collections, which
are available in White, Milk or Dark Chocolate. The products are custom
chipboard alpha stickers in three new fonts of micro-mini and one minimonogram size. Chocolate Chip Mini Albums are also available in Dark
and Milk Chocolate colours, each in seven new unique, eclectic shapes to
complete the look. Telephone +44 (0)1202 811 000 for further details.
20 craftfocus
THE GLITTER GIRLS OF
CLEAR STAMPS
We can make your designs into Clear Stamps ready
to sell in point of sale display packaging. Email Sally for
more details:[email protected]
K
eepsake
Card Craft
The World Famous Patented Double Sided
Embossing Boards as seen on Ideal World
Create and Craft Shopping Channel.
Have your customers ever asked you for a stamp you don’t
have? With the imagepac Home Stamp Making Kit they can make
their own drawings, text or photos into totally original clear
stamps to really personalize cards and scrapbooks, print onto
textiles or polymer clay. It is even possible to make embossing
dies. No technical ability necessary, just an adjustable lamp with
a 60 Watt bulb!
Retailers: Make stamps for your
customers with imagebox and imagepac. Now you
can offer a custom stamp making service with this
new, economical UV exposure unit that is fast and easy
to use and will produce stamps of the highest quality
thanks to its unique imagebright filter film.
With our patented imagepac sachets of liquid photopolymer
resin, professional stamp making has never been easier, cleaner
or more cost effective.
MANUFACTURER OF CLEAR STAMPS AND STAMP
MAKING MATERIALS
PhotoCentriC Ltd • 10 Stevern Way • Peterborough • UK • PE1 5EL
• Tel: +44 (0) 1733 349937 • Email: [email protected]
• www.photocentric.co.uk • www.imagepacdaylight.co.uk
Banana Frog™ clear
rubber stamps have
taken the UK by storm.
The stamps are
British designed by
Beverley Fletcher
and are a fresh and
contemporary graphic
look with a retro twist,
and are perfect for all
paper crafts.
The stamps come
innovatively packaged
in clear plastic wallets
so that you can see at
a glance the stamps
you are looking for, so
no more rummaging
around for the right
stamps!
01628 533066
[email protected]
www.bananafrog.co.uk
• Emboss beautiful designs without the use of a lightbox.
• Our Patented System of channels lead you around the designs
• Can be used on any colour and types of card stocks including
acetate, thin decorative metal sheets, etc, etc.
16 Beautiful designs:
• Bookatrix
• Victoriana Varieties 2 Linking
• Bookatrix Project Book
Patterns
• Celebrations
• Victoriana Varieties 3 Regal
• Celebrations Project Book
• Victoriana Varieties 4 Royal
• Dressed to Impress
• DVD 1 approx 2hrs 11
• Eastern Promise
demonstrations and over 120 card
• Eastern Promise Project Book
samples to copy (covers Romance,
• Elegance & Fantasy
Framey and Bookatrix Boards)
• Elegance & Fantasy Project Book
• DVD 2 approx 2 hrs 14
• Framey
demonstrations and over 160 card
• Illusion
samples to copy (covers Elegance and
• Majestic
Fantasy, Dress to Impress, Victoriana
• Majestic Project Book
Border Bars and Ultimate Board.)
• Media and Pastimes
• DVD 3 approx 2 hrs 11
• Open Hearts and Tall Stories
demonstrations and many beautiful
• Romance Board
samples in the Gallery to copy) (covers
• Romance Project Book
Majestic, Illusion, Celebrations, Border
• Ultimate Keepsake Collectors Board
Bars Royal, Open Hearts and Tall
• Ultimate Project Book
Stories, Eastern Promise
• Victoriana Varieties 1 Filigree Set
Come and see the ‘Glitter Girls’ at their new
Studio Showroom/Shop, browse through the boards and
associated products that beautifully compliment
this unique system
Why not book one of our very popular Wednesday workshops
held (10am – 4pm)
Opening times: Mon-Thurs 10am – 4pm Friday 10 – 3pm
Unit 2 Elm Court, Crystal Drive, Sandwell Business Park
Oldbury, West Midlands, B66 1RB
Tel: 0121 544 6444 Fax 0121 552 8866
www.theglittergirls.co.uk (UK/Europe)
www.theglittergirls.com (USA)
scrapbooking
Creative company Paper Cellar Ltd develop and
deliver imaginative products, anticipating and shaping
consumer's needs. Specialising in cards and paper, the
6”x6” Wedding patterned paper pack from the Miy
Range features five different designs with 10 sheets of
each to create a coordinated aesthetic. This great value
item has a brilliant RRP of £3.49 and can give a really
professional look to scrapbook pages. Paper Cellar also
have the sparkling and peelable Butterfly Borders, with an
RRP of £1.99, to add a touch of glamour to projects. The acid
and lignin-free products are the perfect way to encourage
customers to preserve memories of their special occasion.
Access www.papercellar.com for more information.
The new Playtime Collection
from Three Bugs in a Rug,
distributed by wholesale
art and craft suppliers
Fidgeonscrafts, includes
amazing patterned papers
for super scrapbooking this
season. The collection features
red, blue, orange and green
tones with illustrations of
rockets, dinosaurs, trains, stars,
planets, ships and cars, making
it particularly perfect for projects to keep adventurous boys entertained.
The company offer constant project idea support and new products
with superb customer service and shipping to make sure that retailers
are always up to date with the latest scrapbooking trends. Visit the
website www.fidgeonscrafts.co.uk to find out more.
My Darling,
Believe and
Beau Jardine
are just a few of
the fantastic and
colourful collections
in the product
offering from Bo
Bunny, distributed by
the all encompassing
Scrapbookingonline.
Bo Bunny has
offered scrapbookers
quality products for
the past 10 years and
have a great selection of
designer papers, rub-ons,
brads, ribbons, double sided
papers, die cuts, class kits and
other embellishments for
crafters to get their hands
on. Also distributed by
Scrapbookingonline
is the Scrappy Cats
range, which is full
of artistic ideas and
products to lead the way
in quality and design. This
enthusiastic US company
are the creators of the
Stamp Effects products,
which are a unique blend of
fresh and original effects to
add something different to
scrapbooking projects. Access
www.scrapbookingonline.
co.uk to find out more about
the ranges.
F W Bramwell & Co Ltd was founded in 1965, and during their 41 years in business
have had the ability to develop into new areas by listening to the needs of their
customers. Over recent years Bramwells have chosen to distribute ranges from leading
craft manufacturers, and one of the company’s newest, high quality products is the
Cricut Create. A revolutionary breakthrough in papercrafting, the Cricut is a personal
cutting system that does not require a computer and features a cartridge system that
allows the crafter to cut thousands of beautiful shapes, letters and phrases in a variety
of styles at the touch of a button. The Cricut Create has all of the qualties of the well
known Cricut Expression and can cut out shapes up to 11.5 inches high, but is the same
portable size as the original model for swift and stylish scrapbooking.
Telephone +44 (0)1282 860 388 for further details.
craftfocus 23
stitch &
creative craft show
The popular Stitch & Creative Crafts Shows present a
great opportunity for trade buyers to spot the latest
trends and observe consumer reactions. Read on to find
out more...
The Stitch and Creative Crafts Shows have
gained an enviable reputation for diverse
exhibitors, quality venues, and strength of
attendance. The events, which take place
across the UK, provide an excellent showcase
for exhibitors to demonstrate their products
and discuss with visitors all aspects of stitchcraft, including sewing, beading, knitting,
papercraft, stamping, tapestry, decoupage, card
making, scrap-booking, and many more up and
coming creative crafts and hobbies.
The event was acquired by Trident
Exhibitions in May 2007, an independent
family-run business which has nearly 40 years
of experience both in the UK and worldwide,
that has since enabled the continued growth
of the shows. As the Stitch and Creative Craft
Shows enjoy a loyal following of thousands of
visitors, retailers can crucially seize the chance
to gauge public opinion of the products and
companies at this relaxed and busy exhibition.
The Stitch & Creative Crafts Shows also have
the support of Create and Craft TV, specifically
the channel’s Create and Craft Club. This
support has taken many forms, including
show promotion on the television channel,
club member and show visitor incentives, and
reciprocal web links. The Create and Craft
Club will also be present at several of the
Stitch & Creative Crafts Shows during the
24 craftfocus
forthcoming season, a brilliant networking
opportunity that is not to be missed.
The next two Stitch and Creative
Crafts Shows in the calendar take place
at Manchester Central on the 29th-31st
August and at Sandown Park in Esher, Surrey
on the 19th-21st September. Both events
cover a broad range of exhibitors displaying
all aspects of quality stitch-craft, as well as
offering a schedule of varied workshops and
demonstration programmes. A particular
highlight is the attendance of Create and Craft
TV personality, Stephanie Weightman, who will
be presenting two, two hour-long workshops
on every day of each of the shows. Also
attending both shows are fellow presenters
Audrey Sibert and Wendie Rhodes, who will
be providing a series of free demonstrations
throughout the day on a wide variety of
topics. Designer Debbi Moore and her team
have also structured a full day’s workshop
programme that includes Debbi’s special and
intriguing ‘Speed Crafting’ event.
Events at the Manchester Central show
include the Big Knit Project, a world record
attempt by textile artist Ingrid Wagner to knit
with four metre long needles to raise funds
for Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s £1,000
challenge. Specifically for the Manchester
event, knitting teacher Jo Hoddinott will be
presenting three, hour-long workshops each
day featuring Knitting With Beads, Knitted
Jewellery and Knitting For The Home.
Now with many Stitch and Creative Crafts
shows under their belt, Trident is well placed
to monitor the general marketplace and, for
the foreseeable future, sees steady progress in
the huge popularity of card and paper-crafting.
As a top tip for the future, the company have
noted a recent surge in sewing, particularly
interest in the market for sewing machines,
to support the growing trend for creating
and personalising items with stitching and
embellishments to achieve a unique finish.
Trident is totally committed to the ongoing development of the Stitch and Creative
Crafts Shows and looks forward to the start
of the Autumn events with new workshop
programmes, demonstrations, and support
packages. In addition to these two events,
Trident Exhibitions has a full programme of
Stitch and Creative Crafts Shows for 2008 and
the whole of 2009, such as the Creative Crafts
& Gifts for Christmas Show in November. Full
details of all of these events can be found on
the show’s website www.sccshows.co.uk
or by contacting Trident Exhibitions on
+44 (0)1822 614 671. 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
royal exchange
The Glitter Girls of Keepsake Card Craft continue to sparkle as recent recipients of a
prestigious royal award. Read on to find out where it all began...
Barbara Scarlett and Kathy Mills could never
have imagined when they began teaching craft
classes that just a few years later they would
be creating their own products, running a
successful business, appearing on television, and
receiving an award from the Queen, however,
this is just where their enthusiasm for craft has
taken them!
As Kathy explains, the two women were
united by an affection for fun and innovative
projects, which developed into a desire to
share their knowledge with others. “Babs
and I met when I was working at the NEC
demonstrating for many crafting companies.
She loved the glittery butterflies that I was
making and said that she wanted to learn
how to make them, so I told her to come to
my classes, which she and her daughter did.
After teaching Babs all the many card making
techniques over a couple of years, we started
to teach together, which we loved and so did
our crafters.”
As the popularity of their classes began
to rise, Barbara and Kathy studied the tools
available on the market and searched for ways
to improve their projects. With their practical
knowledge and expertise, it was a natural
progression for the duo to create products to
serve their own needs as well as those of their
students. This pro-active approach not only led
26 craftfocus
to the invention of a ground breaking product
for which the women are renowned for, but
also to the advent of a successful and forward
thinking business, Keepsake Card Craft Limited.
Kathy comments, “From the day of the initial
invention, our Patented Embossing System, our
incredible journey began, and we started the
business together in 2004. The first idea for the
board came from Babs, and we set out to get
it firstly, patented, and then into the crafting
fraternity. The rest is history!”
The now famous Patented Embossing
System immediately commanded the attention
of the crafting industry, with the public and
retailers alike eagerly wishing to obtain this
new and original method of embossing. The
item allows the crafter to achieve a high
standard of beautiful designs with a variety
of materials such as dark card stock, thick
card, and even thin sheets of crafting metal,
a previously difficult task that is made easy
with the use of one tool. The enthusiastic
reception that the invention received allowed
the business to grow as news of this unique
method of embossing spread throughout the
craft world. To build on this momentum a
marketing strategy was developed for all of the
designs in the company’s product range to fit
the shapes on the boards so that customers
could easily recognise and anticipate new
items. Along with their ingenious and simple
stance, Barbara and Kathy credit the expansion
of the business to contributions from carefully
selected, quality suppliers and their dedicated,
hardworking staff. “The business started on a
small scale at first, but we soon realised we
needed much larger premises. We moved to
Sandwell Business Centre where we opened a
2, 800 square feet unit, which is where we now
trade from”, says Kathy.
As the rapidly growing company garnered
industry buzz more focus fell on Barbara
and Kathy themselves, and as a result of
their teaching background they were invited
to appear on the Ideal World Create and
Craft television channel to demonstrate their
profile
products, revisiting their roots in the process. The two soon
became familiar faces on the channel and captured viewers’
imaginations with their glamorous black outfits and diamanté
jewellery, prompting them to be named “The Glitter Girls”.
To fit this eponymous title a logo was quickly established
along with the website www.theglittergirls.co.uk, which
further served to cement the new brand identification and
promotional opportunities that the company wisely capitalised
on for product launches, as Kathy explains. “Together we
developed an extensive product range and added specifically
designed accessories, creating a one stop shop. We also
included instructional project books and DVDs. New uniquely
designed products soon followed, including a new method of
box making and an embossed alphabet technique with new
patents applied for.”
In the four years that Keepsake Card Craft has been
established the company and the Glitter Girls have achieved
immense success, however, this happily reached new heights
when they were graciously bestowed with the Queens Award
for Enterprise and Innovation 2008 earlier this year. The award
is the most prestigious corporate accolade that a UK business
can win and comes at the recommendation of the Prime
Minister and a Select Advisory Committee. Barbara and Kathy
are extremely proud to be recognised with this internationally
coveted reward for those who have demonstrated commercial
success through innovative products and services.
Reflecting on the award and the growth of the business
as a whole, Kathy concludes “We continue to strive to bring
new and innovative products for ever increasing demand. The
journey continues throughout the UK, Europe, and the USA
with the traders and the crafting public all eagerly waiting for
the next Keepsake board or product.” C
Further information
Visit www.theglittergirls.co.uk for further details.
craftfocus 27
industry report
We publish the main findings of research carried out at International
Craft Hobby and Stitch by DJS Research Ltd earlier this year
1. Background & Research Methodology
Background To The Research
Methodology & Sample
•
•
•
•
•
During February 2008 the ICHF Ltd had their Craft Hobby &
Stitch International Trade Show at the NEC Birmingham.
During the show, ICHF wanted to profile visitors, so as to get a feel
for the overall UK craft industry profile.
To help with this, DJS Research Ltd an independent market
research consultancy, was commissioned to undertake a
quantitative face-to-face survey with visitors from the show.
The following are the main findings and conclusions generated by
the study.
•
•
•
•
406 face to face interviews were conducted with visitors at
the show
Interviews were conducted over three days at the show
(17th February 2008 to 19th February 2008).
Visitors were randomly approached by trained market research
interviewers.
Interviews lasted on average 15 minutes.
As a thank you for taking part, respondents were offered a copy of
the research findings.
2. Profile of Companies
Majority were Independent Retailers
Majority had one store or did not have any
Q) Which of the following best describe your company activity?
Q) How many stores do you have?
66
Independent Retailer
7
Internet Business
Wholesaler
4
Multiple Retailer
4
Exhibition Retailer
3
Agent Distributor
3
One Only
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
5
Six to Ten
*
More than Ten
2
%
60
7
Two to Five
2
Mail Order
%
32
None
9
Manufacturer
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
* Less than 1%
Base: All respondants (406)
A mix of new and established companies
Q) How long has your company been trading?
Less than a year
11
Over 1 year - Less than 2 years
11
29
Over 2 years - Less than 5 years
10
6
2
Longer than 10 years
%
0
33
10
20
30
40
28 craftfocus
50
60
70
80
70
80
survey
Half have up to 100 customers visiting each week.
The other half have 100+ customers visiting
Towards the end of the year is the busiest period
Q) Thinking about sales in craft related products you achieved
throughout 2007, can you tell me your two busiest months?
Q) Approximately how many customers visit your store(s)
each week?
Less than 25
51-75
% 0
12
12
17
14
201-400
More than 600
10
10
101-200
401-600
19
19
25-50
76-100
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
8
8
8
17
14
8
12
12
10
20
30
40
5
6
9
6
6
7
9
12
22
30
45
29
% 0
10
20
Base: All respondants who were able to give an answer (284)
3. Financial Profiling Information
Average turnover is £246,000
This is based on 'banded' turnover i.e. not exact figures - therefore it
is a rough estimate based on the information provided
Base: All respondents who were able to give an answer (273)
For Most, Turnover Increased Or Stayed The Same Compared With
The Previous Year. Base: All respondents (406)
Increase In Turnover
•
For those who had an increase in turnover (42% of the whole
sample) for the last financial year we asked them how much in
percentage terms it had increased by.
•
The following chart shows the results of this based on those
who had an increase in turnover and were able to provide an
answer…
30
40
50
60
70
80
Three quarters have increased turnover by up to 30%
Q) Can you tell me in percentage terms how much your turnover
has increased by?
1-10%
11-20%
21-30%
31-40%
41-50%
51-60%
61-70%
71-80%
81-90%
91-100%
More than 100%
%0
36
20
18
5
11
0
0
On average, turnover had
increased by 32%
1
0
8
2
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
craftfocus 29
survey
Trading Over The Internet
44% trade over the internet (Manufacturers most likely to trade over the internet [61%]. Independent retailers least likely [33%]).
•
•
For these, we asked them what percentage of their turnover comes through the internet.
•
The following chart shows the result of this.
For A Third Up To 10% Of Turnover Comes Via The Internet. For
17% Nearly All/All Turnover Comes Via The Internet
Three quarters say that the craft side of their business will grow
Q) During 2008 do you anticipate that the craft side of your business
will...?
Q) What percentage of your turnover comes through the internet?
1-10%
11-20%
21-30%
31-40%
41-50%
51-60%
61-70%
71-80%
81-90%
91-100%
D/K/NS
%0
36
75
Increase
7
7
1
15
Stay the same
7
1
3
Decrease
4
4
2
8
Dont know
17
6
16
2
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% 0
80
Base: All respondants who trade over the internet (179)
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
4. Sales of Creative Products
Card making and needlecraft are key creative products
On average, papercraft makes up 34% of sales. The
remainder of sales are fairly evenly spread across other
creative products
Q) Which are your three biggest selling creative products?
Q) What percentage of your sales are...?
Average % given across the sample
30
Needlecraft & Haberdashery Products
22
Art Materials & Supplies
Fabrics
18
Knitting
18
29
*Other
% 0
Papercraft
Knitting
Fabrics
Art Materials
Beading/Jewellery Making
Needlecraft
General Craft
Haberdashery
Ceramics
*Other
51
Card Making / Papercraft / Scrap Booking
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
% 0
34
9
8
8
7
7
6
5
3
12
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Average % ( Mean % )
* Main others include beading, ceramics, jewellery, stamps, framing, craft kits and dolls houses
30 craftfocus
* Main others include stamps, framing and craft kits
80
survey
Card Making is driving increases in sales for a third. For others, increases are
spread across the creative products
Q) Which one category has given you he biggest increase in sales over the last
year?
a
36
Card making/Papercraft/Scrap Booking
On average, this
area has increased
in sales by 29%
12
Needlecraft & Haberdashery Products
Art Materials & Supplies
10
Knitting
10
9
Fabrics
22
*Other
% 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
* Main others include beading and ceramics
5. Craft, Hobby & Stitch Trade Shows
Most attend the show each year. A quarter were new to the
show
Visitors mainly use the show for keeping up to date, sourcing suppliers,
placing orders and networking
Q) What are your main reasons for visiting the show?
Q) How frequently do you attend this trade show?
68
Annually
73
Keep up to date/see what's new
52
Source suppliers
Bi-Annually
2
Once in a while
3
33
Place order/make a purchase
Two thirds (64%) were
attending 1 day only at
the show. 17% were there
for 2 days and a similar
amount (19%) were at the
show all three days.
24
Networking with industry
Attend a seminar/workshop
8
Starting a new business
7
% 0
10
28
First time
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90 100
% 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
February is the most suitable month for the show
Q) Which month do you think is best for thr Craft, Hobby &
Stitch Trade Show?
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
% 0
1
81
5
2
2
2
1
1
2
1
*
*
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90 100
* Less than 1%
craftfocus 31
practical magic
Read on for our top 10 tips on holding and promoting a successful workshop
Show them How
1
An in-store demonstrator is wonderfully effective at generating interest in a
particular craft, whether knitting, scrapbooking or stamping, and is the ideal
prelude to a workshop. Customers will be drawn to the activity and will stop to
watch for a while, which is the ideal time to engage them in conversation about
the upcoming event. You can then either book them in for the workshop there and
then, or hand them a leaflet outlining details on how to book future classes.
You’ve got Mail
3
If you don’t already have a mailing
list of existing customers, now’s
the perfect time to start one. Every time
a purchase is made, ask the customer
if they would like to be added to your
mailing list to be alerted about future
in-store events and workshops. Anyone
who agrees should fill out a simple form
and whenever you decide to hold an
event, you’ll have a ready-made list of
interested parties.
Small is
Beautiful
4
Don’t get over-ambitious
about the number of people
you can comfortably house for
a workshop. Customers are
more likely to return if they
get a personal service and are
able to learn their craft in an
environment conducive to social
interaction with an intimate
group of like-minded people.
6
Workshops can last anywhere from 30 minutes to a full day. As a general
rule, a 1-2 hour class is the best for introducing your customers to a new
craft. You can then follow-up their initial experience with a follow-up workshop.
8
Some of the leading craft
suppliers and wholesalers work closely
with retailers to host workshops in
order to introduce the end consumer to
their products. Therefore, if you’ve never
hosted a workshop before, or would
like to enhance your current workshop
offering, it’s a great way of utilising
someone else’s expertise to ensure your
event is a success.
32 craftfocus
A simple poster in the window with future
workshop dates is just the beginning of the
many ways you can promote your business. While
word of mouth is the best possible recommendation,
you cannot always guarantee this will fill all available
places. Why not consider giving your customers a
push in the right direction by offering them a 10%
discount on their workshop place if they sign up a
friend for the class?
Eat, Drink and be Merry
5
Fine dining may not be the order of the day,
but providing simple refreshments can go a
long way to making your customers feel welcome,
especially if the workshop is two hours or more.
It’s an inexpensive way of adding value to their
experience.
The Variety Show
Timing is Everything
Seek out your
Suppliers
2
Perfect Promotions
Get Staff
Involved
9
Encourage your staff to
suggest workshop ideas. You
should have a ready-made base
of willing volunteers, so work
together on a schedule for the
year ahead, and make the most
of their crafting nouse.
7
Keep your workshop offering varied and you
will continually be attracting new customers.
As a retailer, you should know about the latest craft
trends before your customers, so surprise them with
the hottest new crafts from across the pond.
10
Market Research
Follow up all workshops by asking
all participants to fill in a short
questionnaire at the end of the class. You’ll find
out what they enjoyed, what they feel could be
improved, whether they would attend other
workshops and much more. Don’t miss out on
this valuable feedback as it will help you to finetune your offering. C
retailer interview
a stitch in time
An embroidery course opened up a whole new career for former
textile teacher Christine Marshall. From designing and making special
occasion handbags she opened up her own shop Reticule to sell her
stunning bags and also to share her passion for textiles, ribbons, threads,
buttons and beads.
What is your background?
Originally from Sunderland I started teaching
textiles and cookery 30 years ago, I moved
to Cumbria in 1979 and opened a village
shop and tearooms. Two sons and other
family commitments resulted in a move back
into teaching resulting in a full time post at
a local secondary school first of all teaching
textiles and ending up as a head of Child
Development.
What prompted you to make a late
career switch?
Although I loved teaching I did miss the buzz
of teaching a practical subject, so at the age of
50 I decided to have another career change
and decided to open a textile craft shop.
One of the reasons for this was that since
completing a City and Guilds Embroidery
and Design Course I had been designing and
making special occasion handbags and wanted
somewhere that they could be displayed
and sold, including an area where I could
actually make them. I now rarely have time
to sew during the day so orders have to be
completed in the evening at home.
Although it was a big risk financially, with
support from my partner Dennis (now
husband and business partner) and family I
decided that I wanted a shop which would
specialise in the products I was passionate
about, fabrics, threads, beads ribbons etc.
What help was available to you when
starting out?
Whilst the solicitors dealt with the lease
purchase etc. I attended a Rural Women’s
Network Business Course which involved the
production of a business plan and the support
of a qualified accountant. This also gave me the
opportunity to discuss with other women in
a similar position the problems of setting up
in business and also resulted in a starting up
grant of £1,000 over the first year, which was
a great help.
Explain the story behind the shop
name?
When thinking of a name for the shop we
wanted something different and as the original
business idea was based on my handbags
we chose Reticule, which is defined as ‘a
woman’s netted or other bag, especially with
a drawstring, carried or worn to serve the
purpose of a pocket.’
The name is a conversation topic and some
of our more elderly customers can remember
having reticules.
How did you select the premises and
location for your business?
The shop itself is in an old pedestrian alley in
the centre of Kendal Cumbria, a lovely market
town just on the edge of The Lake District.
‘The New Shambles’ was a row of butchers’
shops in the 17th century which have changed
very little over the years. On first viewing the
property it ‘felt right’ and as the other shops
in the alley included a wedding shop, hat shop,
nail salon and fashion shop, it was obviously an
area that would attract ladies.
What is your core customer base?
Our customers tend to be the more mature
lady who has spare time and hopefully spare
money to spend on hobbies. A lot of our
customers are members of local patchwork/
craftfocus 35
quilting/embroiderers guild groups.
We also attract brides-to-be who want
ribbons for invitations and wedding stationery
and art students who often come in for advice
rather than to spend. I do enjoy the contact
with these students as I can use my knowledge
of the subject from my teaching days.
We are now also seeing repeat visits from
holiday makers who now regularly put us on
their ‘must visit’ list.
How would you describe the
presentation of your shop?
The shop is often described as an Aladdin’s
Cave. There’s lots of colour with loose buttons
and beads, which are a great temptation to
touch and over 250 different fabrics. We hope
that our customers find it a very relaxing
36 craftfocus
shopping experience, we don’t mind how long
people browse with some regulars just calling
in for a ‘fix’.
How do you source new products?
Sourcing new products can be quite difficult
as a lot of the new textile craft products are
American and are sold under a variety of trade
names. Quite often we will buy just a sample
of a product from a retail supplier to try out
before sourcing it from a trade supplier.
We are often put off selling a product
because of a high minimum order limit or
excessive postage charges.
What are the key factors you consider
when introducing a new product line?
It’s very much a question of –Would I use it?
Do I like it? Is it good value for money? Have
we got space for it? (probably not!) and can we
be enthusiastic about selling it?
We very rarely take a full range of
any product, especially fabrics. I get great
enjoyment out of mixing and matching fabrics
from different ranges and companies which
means we can afford to stock a wider variety
than if we took a complete range from each of
our suppliers. The same applies to ribbons and
beads; it takes longer to choose this way but it
seems to be worthwhile for us.
As new products arrive I show them to our
regular customers in the hope that, even if they
don’t purchase, they’ll pass the word on, this
is especially so with fabrics. Word of mouth is
definitely our best way of advertising.
retailer interview
Do you run workshops or in-store
demonstrations?
Demonstrating is a part of everyday life, it
might be just how to do a particular technique
that I’m using on a handbag I’m making, or
it might be a demonstration of a product. It
may or may not lead to a sale but people do
appreciate the time we spend with them.
Due to lack of space we can’t hold
workshops on the premises but I do run
courses at a local ice-cream parlour. We use
a lovely well lit room above the café and they
provide lunch, which makes it a very pleasant
day out. It is, however, hard work for me setting
up each week taking sewing machines, fabrics
and a box of products for sale. Most of the
workshops are machine-based and vary from
beginners machining to handbag making.
The workshops are a brilliant way to introduce
new products and do lead to repeat sales.
I also give talks to local craft/W.I groups,
which again is an excellent way to promote
the shop and demonstrate products to people
who might never have been to visit us.
We like to think that we can answer
questions on all the products we sell (and
some we don’t) and if we don’t know we will
find out, people do appreciate a phone call to
say we have researched and found an answer
to their query.
We are also prepared to order and send
out products to customers, quite often holiday
makers, and it amazes us how delighted they
are when we offer this service.
We are very people-orientated and consider
our customers as friends who are very loyal
and have helped us to build up the business
over the three years.
How important is product knowledge
and customer service?
Our main priority in the shop is that every
customer should be welcomed and thanked
for visiting even if they don’t spend. We
strongly believe that making everyone
welcome makes them relax. Weather
permitting the door is left open, some people
do find opening a door into a small specialist
shop daunting, we encourage browsers and
display fabrics outside to tempt people in.
What advice would you pass on to
other would-be craft retailers?
• Be prepared to put everything back into the
business for at least the first two years.
• If you can’t be enthusiastic about a product
don’t stock it - it will be far harder to sell.
• Accept the fact that sometimes the customer
knows more than you do and ask their advice
about specialist craft products, then decide
whether it is worth stocking it.
Plans for the future?
• To continue to develop the business as a
specialist textile craft shop.
• To encourage customers to try something
new through workshops and demonstrations
• To improve the website and possibly move
into internet sales C
Further information
Visit the website www.reticule-bags.co.uk.
How do you view the current state of
the market?
There does seem to have been a slight
downturn in average spend over the last few
weeks but hopefully footfall might increase as
people choose to holiday in this country rather
than going abroad this summer, being on the
edge of the Lake District does certainly have
its advantages.
craftfocus 37
CHAUHAN CRAFTS
Manufacturer and Exporters of handicraft and gift items
We introduce ourselves as a newly established business house engaged in exports of military
blazer badges & christmas decoration ornament items such as hand embroidery cushion
covers with zari embroidery, military badges & banners, hanging stars, Christmas tree
decoration ornaments, stockings, photo frames, garlands, every embroidery works etc.
At present our product range includes many items and with co-operation and demand in the
international market. Our prices are competitive with other suppliers with several
advantages as indicated in our catalogue. Should you require any further information,
please feel free to contact us.
We look forward to establishing long term
EXVLQHVVUHODWLRQVZLWK\RXUHVWHHPHG¿UP.
CHAUHAN CRAFTS
579/VIII, ILLAMA IQBAL COLONY, BACK SIDE BUS STAND
MALER KOTLA-148023(PUNJAB) INDIA
Email: [email protected]
Cell: -+91-99156-83849
Phone & Fax: -+91-1675-258651
competition
WIN!
15 kits from Crafters
Companion, worth
around £850!
Crafter’s Companion is a forward-thinking
company who pride themselves on the design,
manufacture and distribution of innovative
crafting tools. Some of the latest additions
to the range include the “Rock-a-Blocks” – a
patented stamp mounting system designed
to work with a simple rocking motion, the
“Pour ‘n’ Store” – a tray that has space for 12
Twist-a-Tubs of glitter, embossing powder or
embellishments, with a built-in tidy tray to
enable easy pouring of excess products back
into the tub – and the best-selling “Ultimate
Crafter’s Companion” – an all-in-one compact
carry case, which allows you to score, measure
and trim, and create boxes, shaped card blanks,
envelopes and more. For further information
on Crafter’s Companion and their products,
email [email protected] or call
+44 (0)1388 660 930.
The Ultimate Bumper Kit contains the
Ultimate Crafter’s Companion board, an
Ultimate Project DVD - which has over three
hours of crafting fun, from basic techniques
through to advanced technique projects - an
assorted 24 sheet deluxe silver card pack and
a two-size enveloper paper pack in pearlised
gold, silver, white, cream and matt mulberry.
The Everyday Bumper Kit includes the twinset of CDs, both co-ordinating stamps, a 100
sheet A4 paper pack and a 36 sheet A4 card
pack, as well as the fantastic Everyday Project
DVD – with three hours of fabulous footage
with projects, tutorials, hints and tips, gallery,
and so much more! C
THE PRIZE
One lucky Craft Focus reader will win
a total of five Ultimate Bumper Kits,
worth RRP £70 each, and 10 Everyday
Collection CD Bumper Kits, worth RRP
£49.99 each.
To enter the competition, simply visit
www.craftfocus.com, fill in your details
and answer the following question:
“What is the RRP of the Ultimate
Bumper Kit?”. The deadline for entries
is 19th September 2008.
Terms and Conditions
1. Competitions are not open to employees (or their
immediate families) of Kline Davis Ltd.
2. The competition closing date is subject to change
without prior notice.
3. The winner will be notified in writing.
4. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will
be entered into.
5. The prize is not transferable and has no monetary value.
6. If an advertised prize is not available, we reserve the
right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value.
7. No purchase necessary to enter and there is no charge
to enter via the website.
craftfocus 39
PT
Past Times Quilling
Presents a One-Stop Shop for all your Quilling needs
Quilling Handbooks (Beginners and Advanced and Childrens)
A Comprehensive range of Quilling kits for all ages and abilities,
to create pictures, cards, gift boxes and mobiles.
A wide range of Quilling papers
Quilling tools
The Quilling Workboard
A range of accessories including card and gift box
blanks and handmade papers.
New for 2008 4 Quilling Class packs and a
range of pearlised Quilling paper
Visit us at www.pasttimesquilling.com or contact us at
113a Broadway, Duffield, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 4BW
Tel No. +44(0)1332 840582 email: [email protected]
autumn fair
seasonal sourcing
Autumn Fair, Birmingham, is
blazing a trail with an emphasis
on exclusive, ethical, and home
grown products
In brief
when:
where:
exhibitors:
opening times:
website:
7th-10th September 2008
NEC, Birmingham
Around 2000 stands
Sun-Tues 9am-6pm
Wed 9am-4pm
www.autumnfair.com
One of the UK’s most important trade shows
of the pre-Christmas season, Autumn Fair,
returns to the NEC, Birmingham between
7th-10th September 2008, with over 500,000
products, 40,000 new launches and around
2,000 exhibitors spread across five halls.
Specialist sections include those dedicated
to Greetings & Stationery, Toys, Gifts,Volume
Gifts and Home Interiors.
Considered by many to be an essential
buying event, the ors of Autumn Fair have
worked to develop a beneficial relationship
with the craft industry and pledge to offer
retailers the perfect opportunity to pick up
fast moving lines for the festive season and
preview exclusive product launches for 2009.
Buyers attending the show can plan their
visit around a selection of ‘trails’ designed to
guide them to specific products. Eco-friendly
and ethical brands are once again expected
to feature as hot sellers. To help visitors plan
their visit suppliers participating in the trails
will wisely have the trail logos clearly visible
both on their stand and on their online
presence at www.autumnfair.com.
The three trails for 2008 are Ethical
brands, which will spotlight companies selling
accredited green or responsibly traded
products, Autumn Fair Exclusives, which will
help visitors to identify new product launches
that cannot be seen elsewhere, and Creative
Britain, which will support home grown talent
by focusing entirely on high-quality, Britishdesigned products.
The event is also designed to provide
buyers with vital advice to help drive their
business forward. A range of free seminars
including ethical retailing, trend previews,
merchandising for Christmas, trading online
and many other valuable topics will take place
this year, more details of which can be found
on the Autumn Fair website.
Commenting on the event, Group
Director of Autumn Fair, Louise Young, said
“The current economic climate means that
Christmas and the early part of 2009 will
be all about providing unique products and
greater choice to entice consumers. Only
here will buyers find the new ranges which
will be the ultimate best-sellers for Christmas.
I’d recommend anyone who is interested
to pre-register now at autumnfair.com so
they can be sure to have the chance to take
advantage of half a million innovative ideas
and products that will put them one step
ahead of their competitors.”
The show is open to trade buyers and
suppliers only, and entry to Autumn Fair is
free for those who have pre-registered at
www.autumnfair.com. Visitors must bring with
them proof of trade status, such as business
cards or a letterhead. Entry to Autumn Fair is
£30 for visitors who have not pre-registered,
and to receive additional information and
register, call +44 (0)845 051 2610 from the
UK or telephone +44 (0)207 728 3953 from
outside the UK. C
craftfocus 41
seasonal sourcing
Read on to find out about the hottest craft launches at Autumn Fair...
Club Green Ltd
Hall 5 Stand L13
Tel: +44 (0)1483 281 313
Web: www.clubgreen.com
Bomboniere specialist Club
Green’s reputation flies
high in the field of wedding
favours, but many of their
products lend themselves beautifully for craft. From fabulous tulles, ribbons,
boxes, and flowers to sparkling diamanté picks and strong self-adhesives, many
exciting and varied products make a visit to Club Green’s stand a must for the
dedicated crafter. Not only will you see first hand the beautiful creative ideas
from the Club Green team, you will also see the numerous ways in which
their thousands of products can be used and adapted.
Crafty Kids
Hall 5 Stand A42
Tel: +44 (0)1329 661 161
Web: www.craftykids.co.uk
Crafty Kids was thrilled and honoured to have been
Highly Commended in the Eco product category and be
shortlisted three other times in the 2008 Gift of the Year
Awards. The company’s current range of 12 puppet kits
has been selling extremely well, with new designs in the
form of a cow, knight, lion, spaceman, spider, and zebra
being launched this autumn. The new kits feature new and
improved satin finish paints whilst the spotted tubs now
have the puppet pictured on the lid and side of the tub.
Each kit includes full instructions, constituent parts, paints, a
brush and glue, and are all are EN71 passed and aimed at
children aged four and over.
M.I.C Ltd
Hall 4 Stand G11
Tel: +44 (0)1707 269 999
Web: www.miccraft..net
M.I.C is a family run business specialising in
exquisite papercraft products, all of which
are sourced from suppliers operating a
fair trade policy and using environmentally
friendly materials. The cost-effective range
is continually expanding and includes
a sumptuous selection of papers, fun
embellishments, flowers, and leaves. The
company even have products suitable for
men’s cards and crafts, which provides
crafters with inspirational materials to create their own unique cards and
gifts. This autumn, M.I.C are previewing their new and improved feather
dresses, which have been shrunk down to a smaller size to be more suitable
for card craft, as well as an array of stickers, ribbons, and borders.
The House of Crafts Ltd
Hall 5 Stand B15
Tel: +44 (0)116 283 8996
Web: www.houseofcrafts.co.uk
The House of Crafts will again be exhibiting at the Autumn Fair showing their great
range of over 35 boxed craft kits. The comprehensive kits make ideal presents and
there is something in the range to suit every pocket, making the products attractive to
demanding retailers and creative consumers alike. The wonderful range includes kits
for candlemaking, glass painting, soap making, flower pressing and many more popular
activities. The company firmly believe that they have created the finest range of boxed
craft kits available, and the full collection can be seen on their stand.
42 craftfocus
Graphic Air
.uk
online
air
.co
Supplies of Art, Craft, Design
n
and Graphic Materials
Airbrush & Compressor sets for Papercraft, cake decorating and general craft
applications - From £179.99
Drawing boards
from Blundell
Harling
From £30.74
ap
hic
Drawing, Layout
and Tracing Pads
w.
gr
Staedtler Drawing
pens and accessories
ww
Artograph multipurpose art projector
Cutting, Masking and Stencils
Graphtec Craft Robo
Stencil Cutter
Lights, Lamps
and Magnifyers
www.graphicair.co.uk
hic
T: 01423 522836 E: [email protected]
autumn fair
Big Decs
Hall 4 Stand A22 & Hall 5 Stand K15
Tel: +44 (0)1483 429 927
Web: www.bigdecs.com
Quirky company, Big Decs, will be showing their extensive
Halloween and Christmas ranges at Autumn Fair. The fun
and festive Christmas decorations are full of character and
are unusual not just because of their offbeat appearance,
but also as due to the fact that they are made from ecofriendly materials. The company’s unique Halloween range
is also sure to thrill consumers with a frighteningly good
selection of spooky springy spiders, creepy tin pumpkins,
ghoulish trick or treat bags and more.
Crafters Companion Ltd
Hall 4 Stand E11
Tel: +44 (0)1388 660 930
Web: www.crafterscompanion.co.uk
Forward-thinking company, Crafters Companion, pride
themselves on the design, manufacture and distribution of
innovative crafting tools. Some of the latest additions to the
range include the “Rock-a-Blocks”, a patented stamp
mounting system designed to work with a simple rocking
motion, and the “Pour ‘n’ Store”, a tray that has space for
twelve Twist-a-Tubs of glitter, embossing powder or
embellishments, with a built-in tidy tray to enable easy
pouring of excess products back into the tub. The bestselling Ultimate Crafters Companion will also be on show at
Autumn Fair, which is an all-in-one compact carry case that
allows consumers to score, measure, trim, and create boxes,
shaped card blanks, envelopes, and more.
Italian Options Ltd
Hall 5 Stand G01
Tel: +44 (0)1283 741 133
Web: www.italianoptions.com
Italian Options is a one-stop source for an amazing collection of folding
boxes in a diverse range of colours, shapes, and sizes. Manufactured in
high quality card, the stunning selection of ready-to-assemble designs
are suitable for wedding favours, gifts, memory boxes, and many other
craft projects. A complementary range of ribbons, floral and acrylic
gem embellishments add the perfect finishing touches to projects and
are all available for immediate delivery from stock. With no minimum
order, Italian Options offer a superior service and fast turnaround on all
deliveries, which can be supplied in bulk or convenient retail packaging.
Timberkits Ltd
Hall 5 Stand C51
Tel: +44 (0)1650 521 635
Web: www.timberkits.com
Clever company Timberkits is celebrating its 15th year of making moving
models in brilliant kits that can used by anyone aged from nine to 90 years
old. This year, the company are bringing out a wild new range, Flat Bits,
representing jungle animals for the younger Timberkits maker.
Other new items include a seductive undulating Mermaid, the fascinating
historic model of a Beam Engine, and an ingenious Golfer swinging a club.
It is also well worth checking up on the newly refurbished Timberkits
website to see the three famous musicians performing live to music!
craftfocus 45
When did you set up Crafty Kids and
what prompted you to do so?
I set up Crafty Kids in November 2003 with
my old friend and neighbour, Sarah Gunn.
Sarah called it a day with Crafty Kids in 2006
but we parted on good terms and I now run
the company single handed.
I had been (and still am!) a puppeteer,
puppet and costume maker for TV since
1988 with my other company http://www.
mimicsproductions.com. I had worked on
children’s TV since 1990 and, as a result of
having kids, I needed to stay nearer home, as
TV is always based in and around London. I
was the original voice of Bella on Tweenies
for the BBC and also a few other famous
children’s TV puppets and voices, so I got
known around the area, and the conversations
evolved! People used to ask whether I did
craft and puppet workshops for kids and I
always had to say no, as it was expensive to
get the insurance and to find a suitable venue
in my area.
Also, as a designer/maker and crafts person,
I was maddened every time my kids wanted
to buy any pre-packed craft projects and I
would still have to find half the components
so the kids could finish them. I, therefore,
started designing kits I thought my and other
kids would enjoy putting together.
What market research did you carry
out before launching your products to
the market?
As mums, and as people who had always
made and designed things both at home and
professionally, Sarah and I researched what
was out there and decided to go for our own
46 craftfocus
young at heart
Craft Focus speaks to Sally Preisig about her successful
company, Crafty Kids, which was recently Highly
Commended in the Gift of the Year Awards
hand made products, not an amalgamation of
many other people’s ideas and products. We
needed quirky packaging, so we bought pallets
of 2.5 litre paint tubs and printed up our own
labels in the office. These were great for sales,
as they were certainly quirky,but they took up
a lot of retail space.
Did you encounter any difficulties
in the early days and how did you
overcome them?
Oh yes! Our first mistake was renting an
industrial unit before we had got Crafty Kids
established. We rented it so that I could carry
on both my businesses under one roof and so
we could run parties and workshops at one
end and keep my fabrics, materials and sewing
machines etc at the other end. Business rates
and rent and all the bills just meant we had to
work every hour to be able to pay everyone.
Also we were making every kit by hand which
was so time consuming.
Every kit had bits that had to be cut, sanded,
drilled , threaded and printed and packed by
hand and somehow we managed to sell 5,500
units in just over a year. It was such hard work
keeping up with the demand when we started
to entertain the trade market.
How has the business changed since
this point?
Massively. After the unit flooded terribly, we
managed to get out of our lease early, which
was a blessing and that was when Sarah called
it a day.
I moved both businesses back to my
workshop at home and re-grouped! My
hubby went off to University for a year so
I had to manage my two kids and the two
businesses and the house, so it was time to
rethink. I couldn’t let Crafty Kids die yet as I
had too many enthusiastic customers; people’s
reactions to the kits had always been so
wonderful. That is a definite bonus - we have
always had lovely, eloquent, more-than-helpful,
enthusiastic customers!
Then in January 2007 I had the great good
fortune of meeting my own ‘dragon’ who
has invested in both my companies and he
introduced me to the amazing factory I now
use to make my kits in Hong Kong. With his
input, it has certainly focused my brain to be
more business and financially minded and not
just creative all the time. I still feel like a rabbit
blinking in the headlights of ‘our trade’, but it’s
getting easier to dodge the ‘cars’!
up and coming
Why did you enter the Gift of the
Year Awards 2008 and how did you
feel when you’d been awarded Highly
Commended in your category?
I have always been so proud of the kits and
how they have evolved, and thought as a one
person band it would be a real coup to even
get a mention. I could only afford to enter
three kits out of the 12 I was selling to trade,
but when all three were shortlisted four times
I was absolutely thrilled, so to get a Highly
Commended was overwhelming.
Which is your best-selling product and
why do you think this is?
I have only commissioned the factory to
produce my top 18 puppet kits so far, so they
are all in their own right best sellers, it would
be unfair to give them a rating! The principal of
each is the same, all ingredients are contained
and they are all good products, I will leave the
choice therefore, to the customers!
How often do you launch new designs
and how do you come up with the
concepts for the kits?
I only had the first consignment of kits in the
UK on sale to trade from January this year
(due to unforeseen production hiccoughs), but
I launch the next six designs at the Autumn
Fair and Top Drawer. I hope to have some
new designs and perhaps some of my Craft
Kits ready for Spring Fair and Craft, Hobby &
Stitch 2009. I have a bulging book of designs
for all sorts of projects! I just need a bulging
bank balance to keep going at this speed!
The concept is to make the kits as simple as
possible to follow, with maximum impact once
finished, something to be proud of.
They may look simple, but they are
remarkably troublesome for the factory to
make. There are, at present, 160 separate
parts used across the 18 kits I have on sale
and the factory have really got to grips with
the complexity of each kit’s production now!
What type of retailer are your
products most suitable for and who is
the target consumer?
The kits are both gifts, crafts and toys
afterwards...so I have many sorts of retailer
stocking them, from online stores and
catalogues, stately homes, zoos gardens and
garden centres to small gift shops, art and
craft shops and holiday centres. Furthermore,
a very large retailer is coming on board in
August (John Lewis) so it is all very exciting.
My target consumer is absolutely anyone over
the age of four who likes making things. With a
price point of £9.99 the kits are still extremely
good value. Especially for your child’s class
mate who’s birthday is coming up, but you
don’t know their likes and dislikes, you only
know if they are male or female and your limit
is £10!
How have you been affected by the
‘credit crunch’?
Orders have certainly slowed down a little,
but it is only to be expected in this current
climate. I certainly am not alone at the
moment with a large amount of stock coming
in as I write this, so I’m hoping things will pick
up as the factory has been paid and my bank
has lent a generous amount to help ease the
burden of these next few months. It took a
great deal of persuasion to get the finance,
everyone is so cautious at present and being
a relatively new company it is hard forecasting
without having figures for last Christmas.
How do you plan to take the business
forward over the coming years?
I have many other craft and puppet kits to
bring out when the climate is right. I would
love to get the kits into the USA and more
into Europe. I have enquiries all the time from
the USA and from Europe but I have no
distributors there yet. The kits are all ready to
be translated, I made sure when they were
worded in English that their sentence structure
can easily be translated in the near future.
I have great admiration for anyone running
their own business and there seems plenty of
room for us all ‘out there’. I have had nothing
but encouragement from rivals and customers
so I shall keep going. As long as I can keep my
kits totally original, I shall carry on! C
Further information
To find out more visit www.craftykids.co.uk
or call +44(0)1329 661 161.
craftfocus 47
Fidgeonscrafts
Big Decs
trick or treat
As celebrating Halloween becomes more popular, themed craft products are potential big
business. Read on, if you dare, to find out more...
Halloween is a holiday that in recent years
has grown steadily in notoriety and appeal,
yet it is still seen by many as an American
celebration, and consequently is met with
muted interest by many retailers. Although the
fact that Halloween is a more popular event
across the pond is undeniable, the reasons
behind this public affection translate seamlessly
to the European and home grown market
as the holiday provides a consistently perfect
opportunity for both adults and children to
get creative with costumes and decorations.
In order to make the most of the
celebrations consumers will obviously need
imaginative and well priced materials for their
projects, which is where the craft industry
should capitalise on the chance to provide
spooky items, rather than let it pass them by.
The creative basis of Halloween also
presents a fantastic chance for craft retailers
to draw in customers with themed products
and eye catching displays, as is recognised
by Vanessa Champion, Marketing and Retail
Consultant for Creativity International.
“The interest and enthusiasm for celebrating
Halloween has increased over the past two
years. Retailers should bear in mind that lots
of parents do ‘art-based’ activities with their
children and their friends in preparation of
48 craftfocus
Halloween parties and events. This is fast
becoming a ‘new Christmas’ retail opportunity.
Having bright Halloween window displays
created out of products you stock will
encourage sales.”
Read on for our pick of the exceedingly
fiendishly good products on the market...
The quirky Halloween range from Big Decs
features a selection of spooky springy spiders,
terrifying tin pumpkins, cool colour-your-own
decorations, thrilling ‘trick or treat’ bags and
many more creative items that are sure to give
customers a fright! The offbeat products are
a wonderful combination of sweet and scary
and are made from eco-friendly materials,
making them perfect projects for children to
decorate the house with. For further details
on the range access www.bigdecs.com.
Wholesale art and craft suppliers
Fidgeonscrafts have some fantastic products
brewing this Halloween, with scarily
good items in the Adornit and Stemma
ranges. Whether crafters are making table
decorations, party invitations, or their very
own trick or treat bags full of ghostly goodies,
customers can find exactly what they are
searching for. The colourful Stemma sheets
have a highly reasonable RRP of 55p each, as
do the clever printed papers from Adornit,
whilst the stickers in the same range retail
at £1.99. To find our more about the items
that the company have conjured up, visit the
website at www.fidgeonscrafts.co.uk.
Magical company Wizard Ltd are well known
for Shrinkles, the very best in shrink plastic
products which are loved by crafters of
all ages and can be used for card making,
scrapbooking, and even jewellery making. This
fright night the Vampires Vault Shrinkles are a
must have as they actually glow in the dark
to appropriately set the scene for ghoulish
Halloween parties. Crafters can surprise their
friends with ghastly glowing badges, creepy key
fobs, eerie magnets, fiendish finger rings, and
much more. Telephone +44 (0)208 943 0121
for more information.
Creativity International have a new
Halloween range consisting of formidable felt,
weird wiggly eyes, chilling chenille stems, pallid
paints, and disturbingly fun display materials. In
addition to this, having acquired the education
division of LP Creative earlier this year,
Creativity International have a range of wicked
witches masks and morbid Modroc, which
halloween
Craftime
Decorating Pumpkins & Gourds is a new title
by award-winning artist Deborah SchneebeliMorrell available from publisher Cico Books.
The hardback book contains 20 fun projects
for decorating pumpkins, squashes and gourds
with ideas that will appeal to both children
and adults who wish to master the skill of
pumpkin carving. There are scary faces and
stunning lanterns to light up the home or
garden for Halloween, and each project has
easy-to-follow instructions, with charming
hand-drawn step-by-step illustrations. There
are beautiful photographs of all the finished
pieces, plus plenty of variations, tips and
techniques to inspire readers to create their
own decorated pumpkins and gourds. For
more information telephone Cico Books on
+44 (0)1256 302 699.
Halloween foam stickers from Craftime’s
award winning Creative Hands range are
perfect for any child big or small to create
their own party invitations, or even to
decorate their terrible trick or treat bag.
The Creative Hands range has recently been
awarded the Most Innovative Children’s
Product Award, and offers a wide range of
items from children’s craft basics to foam
sheets to activity packs for children to do
on the move. The sinister small Halloween
sticker packs retail at £2.99, whilst the funky
foam bucket shapes have an RRP of £9.99.
If you would like further information on the
Halloween items or any other products in the
range visit www.craftime.co.uk.
The mysterious Kitty Cat Shaped Cards
from Paper Cellar’s brilliant Make It Yourself
range are perfect for decorating and
embellishing Halloween themed projects,
such as scrapbooking, card making, and other
papercrafts. Adding questionable luck to any
superstitious crafter’s celebrations, there are
six black and white cat shaped cards and
envelopes in each pack, making them ideal for
creating horrifying party invitations. The pack
has a unit price of £1.99, and more details can
be found at www.papercellar.com. C
Shrinkles
is plaster impregnated bandage that is ideal
for modelling. The company also have a wide
range of other bright coloured papers, card,
wool, and material that is great for seasonal
projects. Telephone +44 (0)1384 485 550 to
find out more
Paper Cellar
Creativity International
craftfocus 49
inspiring creativity
since 1783
Daler-Rowney, the international fine art materials company,
celebrates its 225th anniversary this year and to mark the
milestone has launched a raft of initiatives to underline its
mission to inspire creative talent.
This year is a landmark year for world
renowned Daler-Rowney.
To celebrate its 225th birthday, the
company has embarked on a campaign to
breathe fresh vigour into the world of art,
through a new brand communication strategy
entitled Be Inspired.
To reinforce the new strategy all DalerRowney staff were invited to contribute to
a giant art project, armed with blank canvas,
colours, brush and a square section of an
abstract painting by Julian Dustin to complete.
The individual, completed squares make up
a giant art work, unveiled at the Daler-Rowney
head office in Bracknell on 16th July 2008, also
to be mounted at regional offices in Wareham,
the Dominican Republic and New Jersey.
Group marketing director Dominique
Flandrin comments: “Daler-Rowney has been
inspiring creativity since 1783. Bringing our
brand communication up to date is vital to
create a stronger impact with our customers
and reflect the position and aspirations of
our business.
“To celebrate our 225th anniversary we
shall be strengthening our partnerships with
retailers, schools and colleges, students, leisure
painters, professional artists and galleries.”
As part of the celebrations, the company
has also launched a new international art
competition to encourage artists of all ages
and levels.
The competition is divided into four
categories. Entries can be on any subject and
50 craftfocus
in any media and have to be uploaded to the
online competition gallery before December
1st 2008.
Winning entries will be exhibited at The
Mall Galleries in London next year.
“Make Your Mark will bring unknown talents
to the spotlight and I urge artists at all levels
to participate and have a chance of featuring
their work in a major London gallery,” adds
Dominique. Entry forms are available on the
dedicated website, which can be found at
www.mymcompetition.com.
As a further initiative in April this year the
company launched a new dedicated website
www.dalerism.com to support its retail
network. It features a range of resources and
news flashes to help retailers engage with
artists in an exciting way.
The historic company became DalerRowney Limited as it is known today in 1983
after the Daler Board Company purchased the
George Rowney Company.
The Rowney Company was first established
in 1783, initially selling perfumes and wig
powder from premises in central London. As
wigs went out of fashion the business shifted
its focus to producing artists colour, supplying
such famous names as Constable and Turner.
The Daler Board Company began life
in 1945 when Terry Daler returned from
a German prison camp. With his brother
Ken and brother in law Arthur, they initially
started business as sign writers. Due to a
wartime shortage of canvas for artists Arthur,
REGISTER ONLINE
TODAY AT:
www.mymcompetition.
com
developed a substitute, which was eventually
developed into a commercial product, and the
‘Daler Board’ was born. The company went on
to develop a variety of products across the
whole spectrum of artist’s materials.
In their own specialist areas of manufacture,
both companies have led the development of
fine artist’s materials in the UK for hundreds
of years. The combined heritage of both
companies and the Daler-Rowney name is
now synonymous with consistent quality to
artists throughout the world. C
Further Information
For more details visit the website
www.daler-rowney.com.
Large choice of wood and cardboard items.
Big selection of beads, string and jewellery findings,
scrapbooking products, mosaics, candlemaking,
customisation products, paints and more...
La Fourmi
261 Brusselsesteenweg
3090 Overijse, Belgium
Tel : 32.2.687.76.29
Fax : 32.2.687.60.97
www.lafourmi.eu
[email protected]
embossing
Crafty Individuals
Helix
under pressure
In line with the revival of more traditional crafts, embossing has once
again captured crafters' imagination. We spotlight this hot trend...
Embossing is a process that literally
makes designs and projects rise above
the competition, pushing images to give a
sophisticated effect that adds that extra
something special to a range of craft activities,
including papercrafts, scrapbooking, cardmaking,
and textile embellishment to name but a few.
As technology and creativity has progressed
this technique has grown in stature due to a
combination of the ease of the traditional craft
and the impact that can be achieved through
the use of more advanced methods, presenting
an appealing option for crafters of varying skill
levels as well as retailers seeking to add to
their already-broad product offering.
In regards to the future of this on-trend
craft, happily there seems to be no sign of
consumer interest slowing, as Jon Burke of
Helix explains. “Embossing as a card-making
technique is highly popular and we have found
that crafters across the UK and the rest of
the world are extremely excited about the
designs we have come up with. We think this
English Stamp Company
will continue to be a growing craft trend and
have a number of exciting new board designs
coming out in the near future, including our
pretty Floral and Romance designs.”
Read on to discover the most impressive
products on the market...
Stamps
British company Crafty Individuals specialise
in collage-type rubber stamps and paper
products, mixing vintage, contemporary, and
hand drawn imagery to achieve a unique
look. The company's newest nature-themed
stamp images are superb when embossed,
especially when used with fine powders, and
other detailed designs come alive with a plain,
good quality stamp pad. In addition, crafters
can use Crafty Individuals' delightful patterned
background papers to stamp on and emboss,
such as the new ‘Trees’ Book 4, and can even
use the new polyester/acetate sheets which
can take heat embossing without wrinkling.
Finally, those who prefer deep embossing
can utilise a variety of the company's rubber
stamps pressed into molten, ultra thick
powders on chipboard to give both gorgeous
colour and true dimension to projects or
influential in-store displays. Access www.
craftyindividuals.co.uk for further details.
The English Stamp Company have established
a reputation for style with their unique rubber
stamp designs. Alongside the more traditional
requirements for heat embossing, the company
provides innovative products such as The
Essential Glue Pad, which is a heat-free
adhesive that can be used with rubber stamps.
This item is a real must for heat embossing
as the glue base really grabs the powder,
promising excellent results whilst offering
versatility as chalks, glitters, and gold leaf can
also be used. The most exciting innovation
from the company has been the launch of
Custom Stamp, where customers can take
their own drawings and have them made into
a rubber stamp ready for crafters to heat
emboss. To find out more visit the website
www.englishstamp.com.
Tools
Helix launched their innovative range of craft
tools in 2007, centred around the unique
Craft Room workstation. It is designed to be
completely interchangeable for both embossing
board designs and card making techniques.
The uniqueness of the system centres on a
number of features, including a clamping device
with magnets and clips to ensure the card and
paper do not move during embossing, clear
templates that sit over the embossing board
to easily guide the stylus into designs, and an
integral cutting device that allows for creating
perfect squares as well as shaped edges.
The embossing board designs include Lines
and Waves, and Helix are also researching
embossing boards to make envelopes and
boxes. There are also filigree side boards for
embossing the back flaps of envelopes with
craftfocus 53
PhotoCentriC
TrimCraft
complementary designs. Access www.helix.
co.uk to find out more.
Leading manufacturer and distributor
TrimCraft have some exciting new additions
in the form of their bigger-than-ever Christmas
range, which features some fantastic embossing
products including two Christmas Scoreboards.
Dovecraft Christmas Sparkles Scoreboard
features elegant stars, crackers, bows, and
snowflakes, whilst the brand's Christmas
Spirit Scoreboard features fun and cheerful
Christmas characters including a snowman
with a choice of different hats to emboss.
The Dovecraft Christmas Spirit Scoreboard
also includes tags, trees and baubles. These
scoreboards are a great addition to Crafter’s
Christmas craft box as each product comes
with a detailed project idea on the back and
are priced at a reasonable £7.99. There is also
an embossing stylus available to use with the
scoreboards, which is fantastic value at £1.99.
Dovecraft Scoreboards fully co-ordinate with
the three fabulous new ranges of Victorian,
Contemporary, and Winter Wonderland. Visit
the company's comprehensive website www.
trimcraft.co.uk for further details.
The Imagepac Stamp Making Kit from
PhotoCentriC can also be used to make
finished embossing dies. The product can be
utilised for projects alongside an Embossing
Starter Pack, priced at £15.29, which includes
54 craftfocus
three A7 sized sachets of resin, a plastic
film, and a rubber sheet to emboss into.
This product combination works as the
manufacturing process is very similar to
making a stamp, but the gel is thinner and
harder, meaning that the best results can be
achieved with simply designed artwork such
as those chosen by the company. To use the
new dies that have been created, crafters
can use a product to press the die onto the
Versatility in Print
paper or card. An embossing stick can also be
used to rub over the paper on top of the die.
PhotoCentriC also offer embossing powders
as a complement to their popular clear stamps,
which can be seen on their website www.
imagepacdaylight.co.uk.
Hot foil printing adds a professional finish
to projects, and with the use of a machine
from Versatility in Print crafters can print in
a variety of metallic colours and even with
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embossing
Creative Expressions
holographic foils. In addition, the machine
will allow the user to die cut out different
shapes and sizes, emboss card or paper with
embossing plates, or personalise diverse
materials such as leather, plastic, vinyl, and
even wood. This makes the product ideal for
customising wedding stationery, Christmas
cards, and napkins at minimal cost with
maximum effect. The high quality machines
can be used by crafters and retailers for
workshop purposes or to create a range of
designs on a small or large commercial scale
as a second or add-on business. The tabletop
model machines use a 13 amp plug and are
totally odour free, plus the print instantly dries
to print up to 1000 items per hour by hand.
With each hot foil machine Versatility In Print
sells the company offer a free training day at
their premises, and for those customers with a
slightly smaller budget VIP always have a range
of second user machines available. For more
information access www.hotfoiluk.com.
Powders/Enamels
Ideal for heavy embossing techniques, the Pipe
Dream Crystal Embossing System available
from Craftynotions Ltd produces a beautiful
raised effect with just one application. The
impressive range of embossing enamels from
Craftynotions Ltd
Opal features 28 fantastically coloured 50g
pots, each with an RRP of £9.95, and also
includes the popular Opals Franklin, which
has an RRP of £12.95 for a 90g pot. Each
vibrant Opalettes Collection of 5 x 9gm
jars has an RRP of £15.95 and is available in
four combinations of Cool, Earthy, Tropical,
and Warm tones. The shimmering coloured
enamels can be used in meltpots and freework
on hot sheets, and as a bonus the beautifully
packaged products can be easily demonstrated
with good up-sales for many associated items.
Visit www.craftynotions.com for further details.
Metal Magic is a special high grade embossing
powder developed by Debbi Moore Designs
and distributed by Tollit & Harvey Ltd.
This innovative powder enables crafters to
create their own metal embellishments using
rubber stamps, and also can be used with the
company's range of Carlacraft punches to
create metal effect shapes when decorating
cards and scrapbook pages. Metal Magic is
simple to use by taking a clear embossing ink
pad and pressing it over the area on the card
which the crafter wishes to emboss, then
sprinkling the product onto the surface to be
embossed with a heat gun. Whilst the product
is still molten, more can be added and then
reheated so that the user can then stamp their
chosen image into the Metal Magic to create
a special embellishment. Alternatively, crafters
can simply wait until the powder, which is
available in gold, silver, and copper tones, has
cooled and then punch out their chosen die
cut shape. For more information access the
website at www.tollitandharvey.co.uk.
Tollit & Harvey Ltd
Creative Expressions have a fabulous range
of embossing powders in the dazzling Cosmic
Shimmer range, which are available in a
stunning myriad of colours. The four different
types of powder in the range are Lustre,
Precious Metal, Aurora, and Blaze, and each
pot contains 20 ml of product with an RRP
of £3.60. Lustre embossing powders are
translucent and can be used over a clear stamp
as well as coloured to give delicate colourful
effects, whilst the Precious Metal powders
offer a mixture of Lustre and Metallic finishes
with a clear enamel base, and can also be used
as an ultra thick embossing powder. Aurora
embossing powders can also be used in this
way and create a rich effect in semi opaque
shades to give a bright glow with superior,
multi tonal iridescent qualities that are shared
by the Blaze powders, which are produced in
medium grade and are white resin based and
opaque in appearance so that they can be
used over any coloured stamped image.
To find out more visit the website at
www.creative-expressions.uk.com. C
craftfocus 57
If you’ve enjoyed reading Craft Focus
magazine, why not log onto our website at
www.craftfocus.com? Containing up-to-theminute news, events and special offers, the
site is updated regularly with information to
help you advance your business.
Special Features
• Featured Articles
Read our regularly updated spotlighted
features whenever you wish, covering
e-commerce, visual merchandising, trade
show previews and much, much more.
• Back Issues Archive
If you're looking for information on a
particular subject regarding your business,
take a look at our back issues archive. All
magazines will be sent out free of charge to
qualified registered readers.
• Media Pack
Download our comprehensive on-line media
pack for a features list, advertising rates and
specifications.
Find a Supplier
The latest feature on www.craftfocus.com,
the supplier directory, allows you to contact
advertisers in the magazine for more
information about their products or services.
Simple to use and available world-wide 24
hours a day, the supplier directory is a reader
reply service for the 21st century.
If you would like to find out more, log onto
www.craftfocus.com.
58
craftfocus
58 craftfocus
Q&A
Q
A
Q&A technology
Loud-n-Clear.com Ltd have been making
websites for over a decade, specialising
in e-commerce sites for craft businesses.
They created the Internet Craft Fair at
www.craft-fair.co.uk to help UK-based
crafters. Beth Scott from Loud-n-Clear.
com answers your retail queries.
Beth Scott of
Loud-n-Clear tackles
domain renewals
and redirections
Word of warning
I’ve just had a “domain renewal notice”
for my domain name from a company
I’ve never even heard of – do I have to
pay them?
Beth Scott says: No, but you should check with
whoever registered your domain, usually your
hosting company, that it will be renewed.
This is an old scam where a domain renewal
notice from “The Domain Registry of X”
(where X is a real country or place) is sent
to the registered owner of the domain name
shortly before the renewal date. It is designed
to look like a straightforward domain renewal
form, quoting expensive but not extortionate
prices for a domain renewal. If you have
a close look it will usually turn out to be an
offer to transfer your domain to another
registrar. This needn’t be a catastrophe in itself
but will certainly involve you paying over the
odds for your domain renewal and may cause
problems with your hosting.
Our advice if you receive a notice of this
type (or any other bill you don’t recognise) is
to check with whoever is currently providing
you with that service before paying out.
The long way round
A friend has designed a simple web
page for me, which he has put
online. If you go to his domain it
bounces from there to my page – is
this a good idea?
Beth Scott says: Probably not – it sounds like a
redirection. This is where if you follow a link to,
for example, www.mycraftsite.co.uk it would
automatically take you onwards to www.
mycraftsite.co.uk/example or perhaps to www.
craft-fair.co.uk/mycraftsite.
Redirections are very common and can be
very useful, particularly if you are moving a site
from one domain to another. However, from a
search engine point of view they’re not really
desirable, as the search engine has no way of
knowing where such a link may lead and so
may ignore the site entirely.
As a rule of thumb you should try to avoid
using redirections when possible. It’s preferable
to either have the page at the url, or to link
to the page directly, rather than linking to the
top level of the website and then redirecting
to the page.
There are circumstances when a redirection
is unavoidable (such as moving a site, moving a
page within a site or even merging two sites) in
which case you should be using what is called a
301 redirect. This is used when a resource has
been permanently moved, and tells the search
engines where the resource can be found in
the future. By using this type of redirect you
can move anything from a single page to a
complete site without losing the benefit of
existing incoming links.
But for your simple web page, you’d be
better asking your friend to link
to the page from his domain or to get your
own domain name and hosting. C
Further information
We welcome reader’s questions for
future issues. Please visit the Loud-n-Clear
web page at http://www.craft-fair.co.uk/
craftfocus to see previous questions and
answers or to ask further questions.
craftfocus 59
“you’re hired”
top tips for success
In conjunction with Business Link in the East of England, Sir Alan
Sugar reveals his top tips for business success, while George
Armstrong, Business Adviser at Business Link East, answers your
questions about marketing. Read on to find out more…
As one of the top dogs in British business, we’d
all like to have Sir Alan Sugar’s advice on how
to get ahead. If we can impress him we should
be able to impress most people and be in
the position to hear the sought-after phrase,
“you’re hired!”
According to Sir Alan, the key to success is
staying focused, being patient and continuing
to learn new skills in your field – all areas that
Business Link can offer support in if you find
yourself needing a little encouragement. To
help get you going, Business Link offers a wide
range of briefings and workshops for people
looking to start, build and develop a business,
so there’s something for you, whatever stage
your business is at. Business Link workshops
are especially designed to fit into your business
journey, from starting a business through to
money and finance to sales and marketing.
Whether these events are breakfast
briefings or one-day workshops, they are
packed with new ideas, tools and techniques to
help your company. In addition, the workshops
and briefings provide a world of networking
opportunities, sharing concerns, ideas and
business openings with other delegates.
For those who would like some more indepth advice on a one-to-one basis, Business
Link offers fast, friendly and practical business
information from its experienced team of
accredited information advisers. Working
closely with you and listening to your needs
Business Link aims to help you assess the
nature and extent of your business issues
60 craftfocus
before finding a suitable solution to your
business questions.
In conjunction with Business Link in the East
of England, Sir Alan has offered his top tips
for succeeding in business. Whilst we all know
he has a dedicated drive to rival most, there
are some key areas we can all take on board
to push our business ideas forward and enjoy
successful careers.
Sir Alan Sugar’s top 10 tips for creating
a successful business:
1. Clarify your goal: having a vision is about
using your imagination and training your brain
to focus on where you want to go and what
you want to achieve. When it’s your own
company the decisions are down to you.
2. Maintain your own momentum: to succeed
in business you need the discipline to stay
focused, to build your momentum and to
maintain a steady pace. As you’re the boss it’s
down to you to drive momentum.
3. Continuing to learn is one of the most
important keys to succeeding in business. The
business world is constantly changing, so make
sure you are willing to learn new skills or you
will get stuck in an outdated rut and fall behind
the competition.
4. Stay focused and avoid developing selfindulgent habits during the working day, which
is easily done if you’re your own boss. A
pattern of late starts, long lunches and latenight working all hand the advantage to your
competitors.
5. Don’t give up, no matter how hard you’ve
been trying. If you believe in something, it is
worth continuing with it – not blindly and not
without taking stock of your progress to date
– but if you believe you have an original and
marketable idea, keep going.
6. Don’t expect to be an overnight success.
You can strike lucky if you have the right
product in the marketplace at the right time
and at the right price, but true success takes
years, and a lot of trial and error.
7. Don’t feel threatened by the competition.
Stay awake to what is going on in the
marketplace, but don’t panic and start copying
them when you get cold feet. Stay ahead of
the pack.
business link
8. Remember that all success starts in
selling the right product or service to the
marketplace. If you don’t know what your
market wants, don’t guess – ask.
9. Time management is linked to self-discipline
and needs a robust approach to both planning
and delegation. It’s a valuable commodity, and
planning your time will help you to be more
focused and help clarify priorities. As it’s your
business, timing and delegation is solely your
responsibility.
10. You’re not a machine, and creativity and
confidence can thrive only in a well-rested,
well-nourished body. Be as rigorous in the way
you manage your personal time as you manage
your time at work, and remember to put your
loved ones, not your profit margin, centre
stage. When it’s your business it’s sometimes
hard to do, but the right work-life balance is
essential.
Marketing for Success
Sir Alan Sugar refers to ‘the right market
place’, having a ‘marketable idea’ and ‘knowing
what your market wants’. George Armstrong,
Business Adviser at Business Link East, answers
your questions about marketing for small
businesses:
What are brand values and how do I apply
them to developing a marketing message?
Brand values are the emotional benefits and
less tangible identifiers attached to the brand
– the things that encourage the customer to
look beyond the basic offer for reassurance
and credibility, appealing to the emotions and
social values.
Think about what your brand attributes are
and use the five simple steps below to develop
a marketing message.
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
Step 5:
Identify your target market.
Identify the need that your target
market experiences.
Present your solution to your
market’s need.
Present the results you can achieve
for customers.
Explain what makes you different
from your competitors.
Remember your USP - your unique selling
point will define your business.
So, how do I let my customers know about
my business and encourage them to buy my
product or service?
Use a mixture of marketing communications
techniques. Define your target audience and
decide the most appropriate activities to reach
that audience.
and get people talking. Write a press release
and engage with your local media - be sure
you point out the benefits of your business to
local businesses and the community. Journalists
love to write about things that interest and
benefit local people.
Advertising – This can sometimes scare smaller
businesses as it can be expensive. However
it can be done on a budget. Flyers explaining
about your business can be distributed
through local papers at a much reduced cost
to placing an ad. These can also be placed in
relevant locations such as community centres
and libraries, which is often free. Ask your
customers where they heard about you. That
will enable you to choose the best place to use
for advertising.
Sales Promotion – This should be in
conjunction with PR and advertising to
reinforce your message. You can use money-off
vouchers, “buy one, get one free”, customer
loyalty packs, discounts and many more.
Direct Marketing – Email is one of the most
cost effective ways to reach your customers.
You must have permission to do so. Lists of
addresses can be bought at a reasonable price.
Also you can use direct mail, but keep this for
contacting very small targeted groups as it can
be costly.
Personal Selling – Don’t forget to sell your
business to everyone you meet, and encourage
your staff to do the same.
Visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/east/events to
find out about a variety of workshops or call
+44 (0)8457 171 615 with any question you
may have about running your business. C
Public Relations – You want to create a buzz
craftfocus 61
subscribe
subscribe to craft focus
Fill in the form below to receive a regular copy of Craft Focus magazine
Craft Focus magazine, the leading trade
title for the craft industry, is available free
of charge to qualified registered readers.
Published six times a year, Craft Focus
contains news on industry trends, new
products and all craft trade events.
Simply fill in the form below and post to
Craft Focus magazine, c/o Kline Davis Ltd,
Broseley House, Newlands Drive, Witham,
Essex CM8 2UL. Alternatively, photocopy the
form and fax to +44 (0)1376 514 555 or
register online at www.craftfocus.com.
Subscription form
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Please tick one or more of the boxes below which best describe your business.
Independent Art and Craft Shop
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craftfocus 63
next issue…
Beading
Insight into this
successful craft
Christmas Craft
Fun items for boosting
festive sales
Visual
Merchandising
Perfect product
presentation
Decoupage
Spotlight on this top
craft trend
Issue 9
October/November 2008
Available from: 6th October 2008
Ad deadline:
64 craftfocus
19th September 2008
Plus
• Craft Hardware
• Latest Products
• Industry News
$%3)'.%$4/3%,,
#AMEO 3HOPFITTING SPECIALIZE IN CREATING RETAIL INTERIORS
WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO SELL &ROM MULTINATIONAL BRANDED
SHOWROOMSTOINDIVIDUALGIFTSHOPSWEPROVIDESHOPFITTING
SOLUTIONS WHICH OPTIMIZE SPACE AND HELP YOU ACHIEVE AND
MAINTAINYOURFULLMARKETSHARE
/UR PROVEN TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS HAS THE
ABILITY TO UNDERTAKE ANY PROJECT LARGE OR
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CONSULTATION THROUGH TO #!$ DESIGN
MANUFACTURE AND INSTALLATION WE ACHIEVE
STUNNING RESULTS THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE
BUSINESS AND INCREASE SALES POTENTIAL !LL
WORK IS UNDERTAKEN IN THE FASTEST TIME WITH
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trade show protection
Trade shows remain a vital resource for the craft industry. Jim Pittman ACll Chartered
Insurance Broker of TH March & Co Limited offers some timely advice for exhibitors.
is within it, make certain that you have
told your insurers. If you have not made
special provision then you will not be
insured.
Transit Risk – Make certain that your
property is insured whilst being moved to
or from the exhibition venue. If you use
a carrier check their terms and conditions
as many restrict their liability which could
result in only limited compensation being
paid in the event of loss or damage. If
using your own vehicle make certain your
policy has been extended.
Craft is a major
trade sector in the
United Kingdom,
and employs a
variety of methods
to promote its
products including
mail order, internet,
agents and, of
Jim Pittman
course, a variety of
trade shows and exhibitions.
One aspect of great importance, too often
forgotten, is insurance. Many giftware suppliers
are insured under a standard commercial
combined type policy. This normally provides
wide cover at one’s own premises but may
only provide limited cover elsewhere unless
specifically asked for.
Specialist products are available but may
not always be the best or cheapest way of
providing cover for attendance at exhibitions.
Insurance is needed for the following risks:
•
Public and Products Liability – Usually
your standard policy will normally provide
protection.
•
Exhibition Expenses Cover – This
enables recovery of booking fees
following cancellation of the event
following say a fire or a flood in an
exhibition venue. Some wordings may
also extend to provide cover for prebooked accommodation, travel and other
expenses which are lost.
•
Stock and Display Materials – Should the
exhibition venue be destroyed during the
course of the show and your property
Claim 1 – An exhibitor at a fair packed
their stock into the boot of their car. Whilst
stopped at the car park barrier when
departing from their hotel the thieves opened
the boot and ran off with the sample cases.
Business had been thriving and the range
enlarged but the insurance had not been
changed to reflect this growth. The result
was that insurers paid the maximum amount
insured. Some policies are subject to an
underinsurance clause which would mean that
that payment could have been reduced but in
any event the exhibitor was out of pocket as
the amount carried was three times the sum
insured selected.
Specialist products are available
but may not always be the best or
cheapest way of providing cover for
attendance at exhibitions.
Claim 2 – An exhibitor used a covered metal
trailer, rather like a horsebox, to take stock and
display equipment to and from exhibitions.
The property was left in the trailer rather
66 craftfocus
•
If you do leave your property in a
trailer make certain that you tell
your insurers.
Two recent claims highlight some of the
problems you can face:
than being removed but insurers had not been
advised. It was understood that the property
should have been kept within the exhibitor’s
own premises or at the exhibition centre.
There was a clause restricting cover from
overnight losses from unattended vehicles.
Fortunately the loss occurred four days after
attendance at the fair and during the day, on a
very quiet Sunday so insurers had to pay the
claim but only after considerable discussion
and negotiation.
If you do leave your property in a trailer
make certain that you tell your insurers.
Be sure that the trailer is kept in a secure
compound and ensure that it is fitted with
wheel clamps or other appropriate security.
Loss of Profits for exhibitors attending
exhibitions is a very specialist area of insurance
and it can be difficult to obtain as it is often
difficult to prove the actual loss of profits
generated by loss or damage to the stock and
property at an event. It is, however, worth
raising this question with your existing insurers.
In common with all insurance problems,
many are solved by good communication
between you and your advisor. C
Loss of Profits for exhibitors
attending exhibitions is a very
specialist area of insurance and it can
be difficult to obtain
Further information
T H March is a well-established family
business founded in 1887. With offices in
London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow,
Sevenoaks and Yelverton, near Plymouth,
the company has departments covering
household, motor, travel, commercial and
scheme insurance. To find out more visit
the website www.thmarch.co.uk.

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