Handmade Cards - Setting Up a Home Business

I made my first card and gift tag set last weekend using more of my Fathers Day papers and embellishments. I am happy to report it was promptly sold to a colleague at work.  I've also received some interest in one of the sets of cards created in the past few months. If a sale goes through this will be one item less to list in my future online store.

My day job ends in a few weeks for another academic year and there will be more time to devote to card making and turning this hobby into a home business.

To Do List (in no particular order):

• make a lightbox for photography
• re-take photos of items for sale
• calculate prices remembering site fees etc.
• write descriptions for items
• policies, terms & conditions (look at other handmade card shops to get an idea)
• create shop banner
• add items to shop and announce store is open
• create shop badge for blog (can I do this on Facebook Page too?)
• create a special offer for Facebook Page current likes (mmm... a coupon, a giveaway or what? Have to think!)

There are other tasks which are more about administration such as having a PayPal account (done), setting up a spreadsheet for accounts, creating invoices and other stationery and so on but in this post the focus is on the steps required to simply set up shop and marketing. The following links are sites I've found useful:


How to Sell Handmade Cards - Useful Tips I'd never heard of an Angel Policy before reading this article which is aimed at rubberstampers but is relevant to handmade cards in general. An Angel Policy is a limited licence that some rubberstamp makers may have on how a stamp may be used for cards that will be offered for sale. The article also includes a list of companies with Angel Policies but on further investigation it is nothing to be alarmed about but good to be aware.

How to Price Handmade Cards  This is the most difficult area (for me) so it will be the area where I will need to be most attentive. I could use a maths buddy here.

How to Create an Inexpensive Photography Lightbox (with pictures)
How to Make a Photography Light Box 
Two articles using slightly different techniques. I prefer the one with pictures which uses a cardboard box but the second article will show you how to make a lightbox that is more durable. Making a lightbox is actually one of the easiest to tackle and therefore will be the  first task to be completed.

Folky Blog - Making a shop badge
Making a simple online shop advert or badge
A couple of useful articles from the Folksy blog.

Make a Web Banner using GIMP  This is one of a large number of videos available on creating a web banner but one of the few that were not too fast or with muffled soundtrack or worse no audio track at all! GIMP is free, open source and there are lots of tutorial videos available online.

I've yet to do or even participate in a giveaway. Are they as daunting as they seem? What should be offered in a giveaway? What are the no no's? I would like to do something for the people who 'like' my Facebook Page and follow my blog. I'm guessing I can't give something to everyone but can give a few good things to one or two or three people. It would be a good reward to celebrate the launch of my online store when it happens. I'll check out some forums and discussion boards to help with this one. Your advice and tips are welcome.

You can see there is a lot to pack in before I am required to return to the day job at the end of summer.

All this and making cards too. Don't forget the garden where me and my grandson recently picked our first ever strawberries. Out of three plants planted last year only one survived. After eating a freshly picked strawberry I am thinking of planting more.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone :)