Make It: Beach Blanket Tote Bag
Craft: Magazine
With the sweltering heat of  Summer consuming our days, it’s hard not to want to head out to the beach at least once this season. Often times, finding the perfect beach bag for all your stuff can be a chore. Craft: Magazine has posted fantastic (and totally simple), how-to instruction for making a beach bag out of an old towel and scrap fabric. This project can be any size, takes about 20 minutes to make, and can be made with any old, threadbare beach towels you may have packed away in the closet after last summer.

Shutters and windows and frames, oh my!
Cosa Verde
In the last Green Your Biz blog post on Cosa Verde, Abbey Hambright, showcases a variety of creative ways to use old shutters and frames in your craft fair displays. From jewelry designers to tea towel makers, anyone who would benefit from having their items hung, instead of laid-out on a table, should take note. Upcycling these household items is easily done with a can of spray paint or just a few squirts of cleaning solvent. These displays are versatile for in-store or craft fair displays, and add a thoughtful, vintage-chic touch to your collection.

Pile of Craft
Charm City Craft Mafia Fair
As anyone in the Baltimore craft scene will tell you, Charm City Craft Mafia’s shows are the bee’s knees. Every summer, CCCM brings together more than 65 vendors to sell their handmade clothing, prints, zines, paper goods, jewelry, art and more at the St. John’s Church for Pile of Craft.  Their next show is this Saturday, June 25th, from 10am-5pm.  Hello Craft will be there with our Make Something Awesome Area, the Curbside Cafe food truck will be parked outside, and Anneka Photo Booth will provide good times for all. We recommend getting there early to get dibs on all the hot items, as their shows tend to get packed.

Crossbred Threads: Ego & Memory
Young Blood Gallery & Boutique
If you’re in Atlanta this week, you’ll want to check out the latest exhibit of subversive embroidery at Young Blood Gallery & Boutique. Crossbred Threads, which is up through this Saturday, features the work of cross stitch artists, Stephanie Blair and Stacey Page, who are both amazingly talented in their needle works. Expect a lot of daring and bold imagery created from hand sewn, painted and silk screened works that Creative Loafing Atlanta describes as “both angry and adorable”.

The Business of Craft: Intro to Web Analytics
Queen City Craft
There are many tools out there to measure and analyze web stats. While the more advanced tech-friendly folks can take advantage of all of these tools and use them to their business advantage, those just starting out with their own websites need to begin with the basics. Queen City Craft has laid out a fantastic tutorial of Google Analytics for newbies. If you don’t know and want to understand the difference between visits and page views, direct and referred traffic, we recommend using this post as a starting point. Become an informed seller by being able to analyze your web traffic.

15 Tips to Increase Your Craft Fair Sales
Indie Fixx
With the summer craft fair season in full swing, crafters everywhere are packing up their handmade wares, promo items, table decorations, booth accents, banners, chairs, water coolers and more into their cars, to set up at festivals across the country. While it’s easy to remember what to bring, and OK to forget to pack the duct tape, scissors or apron, it’s not OK to forget that you are setting up a small business for a day and need to have your customer service manners in order. Jen Wallace of Indie Fixx has put together a helpful list of tips that all crafters should follow for a successful day at any fair.

Square Starts Its Bid to Kill The Credit Card
Business Insider
The world of mobile credit card processing is getting much bigger, more efficient, and may be on its way to changing the way we look at and use credit cards in the future. This week, Square launched a new application called Card Case; this new app allows a buyer to make a one-time payment via Square to a particular merchant. The buyer can then download Card Case, and from that point on, pay that specific merchant directly through the app – no more card needed. This new world of payment processing also includes the launch of Goggle Wallet, which may prove to be a strong contender in this field and provide a 2nd option for non iphone users.

Craft-O-Matic
St. Louis Craft Mafia Fair
As far as cute craft fairs go, St. Louis Craft Mafia’s Craft-O-Matic is up there with the best. This Saturday, more than 60 crafters will have their wares sold in a department store style set-up at Craft-O-Matic. With a bevy of neat-o plush goods, accessories, home goods,  pottery and more, all laid-out in organized sections, Craft-O-Matic should be a dreamy, indie craft shopping experience. While you’re there, be sure to check out the Robot vs. Kitties art competition and the kitty cat peep show, which  benefit the Tenth Life Cat Rescue.

Great Design + Functional = Awesome
Design Milk
Over the last 7 years, Umbra has been sponsoring a mega student design competition at the Pratt Institute. Winners of this competition may be given the opportunity to work with Umbra’s team to develop a prototype of their design and have it manufactured by the company; royalties would go to both the winner and Pratt. This year, the winning design came from Jeff Rubio, who created a simple clip handle with a bold design, that can be placed on paper bags or other like items. If/when Rubio’s “Clutch Clip” will be produced is not known, but his innovative design with simple roots is an inspiring nod to more of what the newest class of designers are bringing to the creative table.

Etsy Sellers Claim Urban Outfitters has Ripped Them Off. Again and Again and Again.
Huffington Post
Since last week, crafters, bloggers and reporters have been lighting up the online news outlets and twittersphere with the story about how a global chain store has, once again, ripped off the designs of an independent crafter.  Urban Outfitters was accused of design thievery after their series of USA State necklaces were deemed too eerily similar to those of jewelry designer and Etsy seller, Stevie Koerner. While the basic storyline is sadly one of many, this particular story has gained a wide range of support from the likes of Miley Cyrus, a call for a boycott of the retail giant, and (thankfully), many sales for Koerner. Highly recommended is the link to the Regretsy post from Helen Killer, whose interesting notes on this story provide a good lesson in why all those who sell online should know and understand trademark and copyright laws.

Acute How-To: Faux Milk Glasses
ScoutieGirl
Looking for a fun crafting project that’s easy, cheap and great for gift-giving? Check out Regina Morrison’s super awesome, faux milk glass crafting project on Scoutie Girl. This why-didn’t-I-think-of this-before project shows you how to create housewares that go with any type of decor from vintage to modern, and look like they cost a pretty penny. Definitely a must-make for anyone looking for add a touch of pretty to their living quarters.

Craft Product Review: Amazing Mold Putty
Craft Test Dummies
Having been amazed and inspired by crafting all-stars such as Art School Dropout and the Naughty Secretary Club, I’ve always wanted to make my own cute jewelry pieces, but have never really dipped into that type of craft. So I was excited to read this review on the easy to get, Amazing Mold Putty, that allows you to make a massive amount of objects from one simple mold. This review is fantastic, as it shows the process and also the versatility for the putty itself. For all mold-making beginners, I highly recommend you check out this post.

Artist’s Village: Cherry Blossom Festival
Artist Village + Bazaar Bizarre
Our friends at Bazaar Bizaare have teamed up with NEW PEOPLE for a collaborative, curated shopping event that is part of the nationally renowned, Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. Hosted at the NEW PEOPLE building in Japantown, this all-floor vertical art village will take place on April 9th, 10th, 16th & 17th.  This show will feature a great line up of indie crafters as well as a gallery opening.

Etsy Featured Seller: Playing Grown Up
Etsy
Chalkboards are making a great comeback through of the indie crafting community. What was once an object mostly synonymous with schools and all the memories of teachers past, has now become a growing medium in the crafting world. As the featured seller on Etsy, Brooke Premo of Playing Grown Up shares insights into her chalkboard crafting/event photo booth world that sounds like tons of fun. Her chalkboard creations totally rock… and knowing that Premo is also a teacher, make her craft that much sweeter.

Everything You Need to Know About Podcasting
Fortuitious
Podcasting is a great way to enhance your relationship with your audience. Whether you’re a crafter who wants to show your customers how you make your goods, a shop owner who wants to promote your sellers, or a blogger who needs the most effective way to express your thoughts, podcasting is an interesting and fascinating tool. This article highlights everything you need to know about this medium including the tools, formats and timing.

Calling all Crocheters for a Super Awesome Contest
Craftster
Craftster.org has teamed up with Crochet Today! magazine for a crochet contest with an exciting prize. Craftster wants you to submit an original piece of crochet jewelry, and if your item is selected as the favorite, your work will be featured in an upcoming issue of Crochet Today!

How to Start a Small Business
Inc.
Starting out in the business world can be kinda scary. While there are lots of tools, people and books to help you navigate this world, Inc. magazine has put together a great list of do’s for business beginners. From starting a website to registering your business, hiring employees and setting prices, this list is a must-read for anyone jumping into the business of craft.

South Carolina Craft Show at Indie Grits
Crafty Feast
The Indie Grits Film Festival in Columbia, South Carolina (April 13-17), seems like it will be a whole lot of fun. With a focus on films and lots of music and food events, there is something for anyone who supports independent making in all its forms. As part of Indie Grits, the Crafty Feast indie craft fair will take place on April 16th, and will host a wide range of designers, artists and crafters. Support the independent spirit of the Southeast, and make this entire festival a stop in your spring vacation plans.

Bathing Suit Season
Fables by Barrie
The mere mention of bathing suit season sends many into a tizzy, but the designers at Fables by Barrie make it a lot more bareable with their well-made and totally cute, vintage-style bathing suits and rompers. Made by hand in San Diego, CA and sold on Etsy, FbB creates bathing suits that would definitely make Esther Williams smile.

Is Mobile Marketing Ready for Small Business?
Open Forum
With a slew of new mobile marketing options popping up every day, it’s not easy trying to figure out which ones are best suited to fulfill your specific crafting business needs. This Open Forum articles lays out the questions that all small business owners should ask themselves before diving into the new technology.

I walked the floor with a specific aesthetic in mind. I know what good handmade and design look like and I ruthlessly sought it out. As a seller It is one area you won’t be able to control. Buyers know their market, the look and feel that they want, and you want them to. Just as you too should know your market and cater to them.

But aesthetic will only get you so far. Here’s what you can control: I was drawn in by seller’s stories. It is what set them apart from the hundreds of vendors at the Fair. I loved hearing about process and passion and the excitement seller’s had for their work.

Story is an important and powerful selling tool, especially in the handmade community. It is what sets this community apart from the mass produced goods found in big box stores. Your craft has history. It holds magic and that adds value. It isn’t just some piece of jewelry or a t-shirt. It’s why you create the jewelry. It is about who inspires you and how it manifests itself in your t-shirt designs. You just have to tell people about it.

I loved hearing how Carrie of Lolli-Shop, gocco prints onto her jewelry to create her pieces and that Jenelle of First World Trash sometimes stuggles to find billboard cast offs for her upcycled bags. I spent at least 10 minutes geeking out over transit with the girls of Design Hype, who make subway map bracelets. Because of these interactions, I was able to remember their products and why I liked them, beyond the fact that they were aesthetically pleasing.

Do I recall other items from the ginormous show? Yes, but those are interactions that were less pleasant. They were sellers who answered my questions in only curt, one word answers or told me that their printing process was proprietary and couldn’t disclose the details. I was hugely put off by these sellers. The handmade community is just that, a community and when you shut yourself off from it I believe you only hurt yourself. I only want to buy items from people who can explain their process to me because the more I know about what you do, the more excited I am for it. And if you’re excited about it, then I’ll be even more excited about it. These stories help boost the community and I only want to purchase items from people who know and understand that.

So next time someone comes to your booth at a craft fair or wholesale market, be ready and know how to answer: What’s your story?

[Image by dennisyuen, used under a Creative Commons License]

Since 2009, BCPS has started to deny various schools’ PTA organizations from producing their annual craft fairs — these fairs are typically the largest fundraising events for many PTA groups, whose profits are strictly used to help improve the schools and the schools’ communities. You don’t have to live in Baltimore to know that funding for anything education-related is hard to find and hard to get, so this ban is a huge blow to many PTA organizations who haven’t been able to come up with other profit-matching solutions.

The specific rule that has many parents up in arms, calls to “prohibit the activities, programs or events that monetarily benefit private individuals, groups or for-profit business entities.”

In a February 2nd Arbutus Times article, author by Jay R. Thompson, sorts out the point of contention, as “Nonprofits, such as PTAs, are exempt because they’re fundraising, not making a profit. The violation comes when such groups rent booth space to private vendors, such as a hot dog seller or a craftsman selling homemade wind chimes.”

A few of the most prominent and disturbing examples of craft fairs that were recently denied permits through BCPS, are the craft fairs that used to take place at Ridgely Middle and Perry Hall High Schools. The fair at Ridgely had been going on for more than 30 years. This community event raised thousands of dollars for the Ridgely Middle PTA, and just as important, students were given opportunities to make and sell their crafts at this event, giving them hands-on lessons and practical experience on conducting business in the real world.

Perry Hall’s fair was an annual town event that commanded so many people every year, the police would close down the street in front of the school to allow for more handmade vendors and other attractions. This fair’s profits helped fund scholarships, the school’s marching band and other organizations. The Perry Hall-White Marsh Business Association had put on this event since 1996 at the high school, but was banned as of 2009. They have since found a new home for the fair, but not all other BCPS banned fairs were as lucky.

Say what you will about community festivals, but there is something genuinely great about events that bring together all types of people to show their support and love for the neighborhood in which they live. Public schools are fantastic locations for events like craft fairs, as the rental rates are typically affordable, and on the flip side, reinforces to the public how important it is to support our community institutions, such as our schools.

The reasons given by BCPS for starting to enforce the rule just recently are quite baffling, although issues relating to liability seem to come up most often. While BCPS brass currently maintains their stance on this subject, talks are in the works with the BCPS PTA Council to hear all concerns and discuss resolutions. Hopefully we’ll have some happy news for Baltimore County crafters and shoppers in a follow-up post. In the meantime, you can find out more information on the following sites:

• Fox 45 Baltimore
• Arbutus Times
• CBS Baltimore

If you’re interested in how public school funding works on a larger scale, I highly recommend listening to the NPR story, Private Funding in Public Schools, which aired on February 3rd on the Diane Rehm Show. With all of the complicated issues surrounding corporate funding of our public school system, taking money from independent crafters and artists should be the least of BCPS worries.

The first thing to ask yourself is if you’re ready for a craft show. There is much to be done such as inventory to be stocked up and promotion before the event. Here’s a great article from Crafting an MBA on whether or not you should participate in one.

After decided to take the plunge and apply to a craft shows, Miss Malaprop has some handy tips on where to find good craft shows.

For those applying to a juried show, you might want to visit one of the three articles Hello Craft has written about the process for choosing the vendors for Crafty Bastards here, there or here.

And when you get accepted to your craft fair of choice, brush up on how to prepare for the big show with these helpful tips from the Etsy blog and GetCrafty.

Have additional links to share on preparing for craft show season? Please share in the comments!

Get cracking if you plan to submit applications for Renegade Austin or Handmade Arcade– both deadlines are quickly approaching.

This is by no means a comprehensive list. We’ll do a follow-up post when more shows have solidified their dates. If you’re a Hello Craft member, we’ll keep adding info to the shared craft show calendar, so stay tuned!

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Bazaar Bizarre Artists Village Cherry Blossom Festival

San Francisco, CA

Show Dates: April 9th-10th and April 16th-17th

Application Deadline: 3/10/2011

bazaarbizarre.org/sanfrancisco/

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Ballston Arts & Crafts Market

Arlington, VA

Show Dates: April 9th and 2nd Sat. every month through Oct.

Application Deadline: 2/2/2011

ballstonarts-craftsmarket.blogspot.com

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Handmade Arcade

Pittsburgh, PA

Show Date: April 16th

Application Deadline: 2/13/2011 (apply now)

handmadearcade.com

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Crafty Supermarket

Cincinnati, OH

Show Date: November 19th

Application Deadline: 9/01/2011

craftysupermarket.com

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Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Spring Sale

Portland, OR

Show Date: May 7th

Application Deadline: 3/1/2011 (apply here)

craftywonderland.com

_________________________________________________________

Got Craft? Spring Show

Vancouver, BC

Show Date: May 8th

Application Deadline: 3/1/2011 (apply now)

gotcraft.com

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Art Star Craft Bazaar

Philadelphia, PA

Show Dates: May 14th-15th

Application Deadline: 3/8/2011 (apply now)

artstarcraftbazaar.com

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Bazaar Bizarre Maker Faire

San Mateo, CA

Show Date: May 21st-22nd

Application Deadline: TBA

bazaarbizarre.org/sanfrancisco/

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Renegade Craft Fair Austin

Austin, TX

Show Dates: May 21st-22nd

Application Deadline: 2/4/2011 (apply now)

renegadecraft.com/austin

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Renegade Craft Fair Brooklyn

Brooklyn, NY

Show Dates: June 11th-12th

Application Deadline: 3/4/2011 (apply here)

renegadecraft.com/brooklyn

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Pile Of Craft

Baltimore, MD

Show Date: June 25th

Application Deadline: 4/1/2011

charmcitycraftmafia.com

_________________________________________________________

Renegade Craft Fair SF

San Francisco, CA

Show Dates: July 9th-July 10th

Application Deadline: 4/1/2011 (apply here)

renegadecraft.com/san-francisco

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Urban Craft Uprising Summer Show

Seattle, WA

Show Dates: July 9th-10th

Applications Due: 4/12/2011

urbancraftuprising.com

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Renegade Craft Fair LA

Los Angeles , CA

Show Dates: July 16th-17th

Application Deadline: 4/1/2011 (apply here)

renegadecraft.com/los-angeles

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MakerFaire Detroit

Detroit, MI

Event Dates: July 30th-31st

makerfaire.com

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Picnic Music + Arts Festival

Portland, ME

Show Date: August 27th

Application Deadline: 6/10/2011

picnicportland.com

_________________________________________________________

Renegade Craft Fair Chicago

Chicago, IL

Show Dates: September 10th-11th

Application Deadline: 6/17/2011 (apply here)

renegadecraft.com/chicago

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Strange Folk Festival

O’Fallon, IL

Show Dates: September 24th-25th

Application Deadline: 7/1/2011

StrangeFolkFestival.com

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MakerFaire New York

New York, NY

Show Date: September 2011, TBD

makerfaire.com

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Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair

Washington, DC

Show Date: October 1st (tentative)

Application Deadline: 7/4/2011

washingtoncitypaper.com/craftybastards

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Renegade Craft Fair London

London, UK

Show Dates: October 8th-9th

Application Deadline: 7/29/2011 (apply here)

renegadecraft.com/london

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Craftland Show

Providence, RI

Show Date: November 25th – December 31st

Application Deadline: 8/31/2011

CraftlandShow.com

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Holiday Renegade Craft Fair Austin

Austin, TX

Show Dates: November 26th-27th

Application Deadline: 9/16/2011

renegadecraft.com/holiday-austin

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Fancy Tiger’s Holiday Handmade

Denver, CO

Show Date: December 2nd-3rd

Application Deadline: 10/1/2011

fancytiger.com/holidayhandmade.html

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Holiday Heap

Baltimore, MD

Show Date: December 3rd

Application Deadline: TBA

charmcitycraftmafia.com

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Bazaar Bizarre Holiday Fair

San Francisco, CA

Show Date: Dec. 3rd-4th

Application Deadline: TBA

bazaarbizarre.org/sanfrancisco

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Holiday Renegade Craft Fair Chicago

Chicago, IL

Show Dates: December 3rd-4th

Application Deadline: 9/16/2011 (apply here)

renegadecraft.com/holiday-chicago

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Urban Craft Uprising Winter Show

Seattle, WA

Show Dates: December 3rd-4th

Applications Due: 9/13/2011

urbancraftuprising.com

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Got Craft? Holiday Show

Vancouver, BC

Show Date: December 4th

Application Deadline: TBA

gotcraft.com

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Picnic Holiday Sale

Portland, Maine

Show Dates: December 10th-11th

Application Deadline: TBA

picnicportland.com

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Holiday Renegade Craft Fair LA

Los Angeles , CA

Show Dates: December 10th-11th

Application Deadline: 9/16/2011 (apply here)

renegadecraft.com/holiday-la

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Holiday Renegade Craft Fair SF

San Francisco, CA

Show Dates: December 17th-18th

Application Deadline: 9/16/2011 (apply here)

renegadecraft.com/holiday-sf

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With only a few days left in 2010, Hello Craft would like celebrate all that this year
has brought by way of crafts, crafting and crafters. We’d also like to thank all of our friends,
family, members and readers for supporting our efforts to help promote, educate
and encourage the handmade community.

As Hello Craft gears up for our 3rd annual Summit of Awesome, the 8th annual Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair, as well as a host of partnerships, educational and retail endeavors,
we invite you to join us for a trip down 2010’s memory lane…

We partnered with Washington Project for the Arts for Craft Week DC…

Partied it up crafty-style with Pabst Blue Ribbon…

Produced the 2nd annual Summit of Awesome in Portland, Oregon…

Hosted super cool online giveaways…

Brought our Make Something Awesome Area to Crafty Wonderland…

And co-produced the 7th annual Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair!

We hope that this year has been a prosperous one for all those in the indie craft community.
In the upcoming year we look forward to seeing all the new and exciting work from our crafty friends, as well as new shows, new blogs and other crafty opportunities.

So here’s our toast to everyone who supported Hello Craft throughout our sophomore year and cheers to a happy and crafty new year!

xoxo,
Kimberly, Sara, Kelly & Christine
Hello Craft Directors

This weeks picks:

Coffee Table Book
Indie Craft by Jo Waterhouse
This beautiful book showcases the makers who blur the line between art and craft. Indie Craft shows off the creative talents of those in the D.I.Y. movement, from those who work with textiles and wool, to the artists who make plush toys and humorous gadgets.  Hello Craft blogger and embroidery extraordinaire, Joetta Maue, is just one of amazing artists featured in this book. With a lovely cover designed by Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching, and under $20, Indie Craft is a perfect present for anyone looking for some creative inspiration.

Tax Talk
OPEN Forum
While making stuff is fun, for those who have made it into a business there is noting more dreaded than having to talk about or deal with taxes. While some folks just wait around doomsday on April 15th , there are still several things you can do before the end of the year to claim deductions or take advantage of tax rules that are ending this year. Some may require spending a little money, while others are more a matter of timing. On the American Express OPEN Forum, Scott Allen of NFN8 Media answers tax questions that are useful to everyone from freelancers, to the person just looking for a little extra deduction boost.

Project Submissions
ReadyMade 100
Calling all Makers. Here’s your chance to get featured in Readymade! The lovable design mag has been on the lookout for the craftiest of the crafty DIY project submissions for their ReadyMade 100 Contest. To enter, just go to their website and submit your project for a chance to win $500 and a three-night stay in New York City (which will include one night at a ReadyMade 100 party in your honor), as well as your winning project featured on the cover of the April/May issue! Hurry, the deadline is December 15th so get to making!

Success Stories
SCORE Small Business Success Blog
We love hearing success stories from within the handmade community, as they inject a sense of inspiration to those looking for a bit of guidance with their own crafty start-ups. Which is why Hello Craft was excited to read Jeanne Rossomme’s post on the SCORE about Laurie Gonyea, the creator of Knit Outta the Box. This post is a great read on how Laurie’s knit-kit business started out as one idea that blossomed with careful research into the knitting market and a desire to support the local economy.

Holiday Craft Show
Renegade Craft San Francisco
The 2nd annual Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Sale is headed to Concourse Exhibition Center’s East Hall in San Francisco this coming Saturday and Sunday, December 18/19, from 11am – 7pm. Check out their 200+ artists and crafters selling all the handmade goods you know and love, just in time for the holidays. This West Coast handmade shopping feast also features hand-on workshops, free 7×7 Magazines, yummy drinks and photobooth-ops. Visit their website for all the details.

Getting Unfriendly
The Business of Unfriending People
Think small to get big is the idea behind this INC. Magazine article by John Gerzema, which encourages businesses to descale their social networking endeavors in an effort to give customers more intimate experiences. While the prevailing trend online has previously been to rack up as many “friends” as possible into your web of social networks, the new idea in business is to cut back on your so called “friends” and give your true fanbase the attention, deals and connections that contain real value. While every business has difference needs, if you’re in the business of retaining customers, this article provides some interesting insight into how to use social networking to make it happen.