Easy Craft Ideas To Make And Sell For Beginners
A visit to an artist’s studio, a wander around an Arts Quarter or an evening spent with a Knitters’ Circle are just a few of the ways we can catch a glimpse of the incredible skill and creativity of these crafters. As with any masterpiece, natural talent needs to be honed by years of practice, self-discipline and sacrifice to produce the stunning creations that we can both enjoy and which generate in us a sense of awe. These master craftsmen and women deservedly gain our praise and admiration, and our homes and lives are richer from the beauty their products bring to us.
However, we all need to start somewhere, and if you are in a position where you have a few spare hours a week and are looking for some way of earning a little extra cash around your already fairly full life, please be inspired by these veteran crafters, rather than intimidated by them. Very few of us will reach the level of craftsmanship displayed by some of our incredible artists, but most of us, with a little natural creativity, some extra time and a lot of determination, can begin small and then see how it develops. Many small businesses have begun life as a kitchen table venture, often by a mum with small children at home working away during nap times. Others start as side hustles, alongside full-time work, where passion eventually turns into a fully-fledged business. Yet more begin as retirement looms, when the decrease in income and increase in time are an impetus to step out into that long-held dream.
So, if you are in a position where you have some flexibility in your day and need to earn some extra cash, making and selling crafts could be just the thing for you! You may have a particular skill which you want to develop, or you may be happy to try your hand at anything and looking for some easy craft ideas to make and sell. If this is so, then you’re in the right place! If you’re just dipping your toe into the mighty and exciting waters of selling handmade crafts, you will want low set up costs and some easy ways to market and sell your products.
We’d certainly recommend scrolling through Pinterest for easy craft ideas to make and sell but here are some of ours. Greetings cards are a great starter as the initial cost is low, and you can use a huge variety of techniques to create them. There will always be birthdays, weddings, babies born and new homes, and as this circle of life continues in its rhythm, we love to mark these special events with cards. There are also lots of possibilities to expand, maybe into packets of note cards, gift cards or even wrapping paper. The possibilities are endless!
The next in our lineup of our easy craft ideas to make or sell are resin-based products. These will probably have a slightly higher startup cost, but this is still low compared with buying a kiln or a potter’s wheel. Again, there are endless possibilities with resin crafts, and potential products include jewellery, coasters, paperweights, key chains and candleholders.
If you’re looking for something a little niche but with universal appeal and within most budgets, why not consider making some bird seed ornaments? You could tie marketing in with the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch which takes place on 23-25 January. Awareness of our feathered garden friends will be heightened and as the days get longer an item which both provides nourishment for the birds and looks good in the garden could be a winner.
Bath bombs are another low budget gift idea. While making soap and creams take more skill and equipment, if you’re looking towards the beauty product arena, bath bombs are a good place to start. Once you’ve made the base mix to the correct ratios, the colours, fragrances and botanicals are open to your own brand of alchemy! Get mixing and come up with some gorgeous products; a perfect present for mum, a great birthday gift for a girlfriend or an indulgent self-care treat for any weary, hardworking lady.
One of the many advantages of buying locally produced, hand-crafted products over mass produced ones is that their production has a lower impact on our planet. You could further reduce this by making products from recycled items. If you live near a beach, why not head out for a blustery walk and do some beachcombing? Then try your hand crafting them into beautiful products you can sell. If you live in an urban area, you might like to visit a scrap store and have a rummage for some materials you could repurpose. Or use everyday items such as bottle tops or plastic bottles to create your own unique range of recycled gifts.
Once you have decided upon which direction you will take, you will need to think about promoting and selling your products. Initially, go for free or low budget options. Use social media to your best advantage to promote and sell your new range of goodies. Depending on how IT savvy you (or a family member or good friend) are, you could also set up a website and sell directly from there. Then think about booking yourself into some local craft fairs or markets. Check out some of our previous blogs about these but suffice to say they are great ways of both selling your products and making good connections with other crafters. You could start with a school fair, a church bazaar or any other local fundraising event. These are generally very friendly and good fun.
We hope we’ve inspired you with some easy craft ideas to make and sell. Dream a little and then gather what you need to get started and go for it! Enjoy the process and let us know how you get on!