Finding my Five Dollar Item

Now that we are getting our feet firmly planted in Winnipeg we can better direct our focus for the future. Etsy is a great place to sell things if you have no idea where you will be a year from now, but I think those shipping prices really deter a lot of people.

Now that we are staying in the city, I am focusing more on local craft sales.

I was glad to be a part of Crafty Minions VIII back at the end of May, and am now trying to get into more shows.

This means building up a decent inventory. I now (in a week!) will have the space, and the time to think long-term.

One thing that I do wish that I had for these sales was a lower ticket item. I have been advised (and I totally agree) that it is good to have a good range of prices. It may be great to have some pretty $60.00 soft leather journals, but not everyone is going to want that. More people will want the $2.00 or $5.00 items. The "Oh, ain't that cute!" items that people can't resist and will always think of someone to buy it for.

My RFID blocking credit card sleeves are $2.00, but  needed something a bit more.


What I want is a $5.00 item.


The difficulty with bookbinding is that it takes so much time. People don't realize how much actually goes into making a hand bound book. For my books, I hand tear the pages, fold them, press them, prepare the covers (for hardcover books, this itself is many steps), punch holes in both covers and signatures (pages), and finally sew it all together. Not to mention the cost of supplies.

That's a lot to do for $5.00. So I needed something a bit more simple.


But what?


If you will recall my post about the Giveaway Weekend here in Winnipeg, I picked up a box of scrapbooking items. I'm not a big scrapbooker, but there were some very lovely treats inside.

One of which was a Fiskars paper cutter. One day I dream of owning a guillotine, as I've had one of these paper cutters before, and they are a bit cheap, and the blades run out too fast, but hey - it was free.

Along with the cutter, there was also some cover stock in some lovely colours.  My husband also brings home lots of little bundles of millboard, left over from labels in his delivery department. I knew I would find a use for them somewhere...

Putting it all together, along with some 20lb (text weight) paper, I believe I have found my item. Something cute, relatively quick to make, and still bookbinding. I believe these little, Japanese stab bound notepads will be a hit.

These notepads will be available at craft sales only. So if you are in the Winnipeg area be sure to check out the WEST sale Oct 13, 2012 (details to come)!