This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

If you’re hunting for a Cricut Explore Air 2 review to help you figure out if it’s the right machine for you, I hope you enjoy my first impressions! In this post, I share how I’m getting to know my machine and what I love best about it, how to use the Cricut Explore Air 2, what kinds of projects you can create and which materials you can cut, and more! This post contains affiliate links.

A Cricut cutting machine has always been at the top of my wish list and this year, I finally had the chance to get this machine for review.

I always wondered if the Cricut Explore Air 2 would be enough for my crafting needs. My main crafts are jewelry making and paper crafting but I craft in many niches.

I love personalizing gifts.

I do hand lettering and love making signs, mugs, and decorating anything.

I am a graphic designer and incorporate 3D design into my crafts.

And I absolutely love creating felt toys for my kids.

I have never tried the Cricut Maker so I’m not going to compare machines, but I was so thrilled to find out just how versatile the Cricut Explore Air 2 machine is. It DOES cover all of my crafting needs.

The only things it doesn’t do is cut thicker materials – like wood, and it doesn’t cut unbonded fabric or soft felt. So if you sew from patterns or want to create wooden toys and decor, you’re better off with a Maker.

And now I’ll share with you an in-depth Cricut Explore Air 2 review.

How to Use Cricut Explore Air 2:

Cricut Explore Air 2 Review – Getting Started:

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is a pretty straightforward cutting machine.

On the left, you have:

• A tool cup to store your most-used tools
• A place to put physical cartridges (not needed, but if you’ve been using older Cricut machines, you may already have some)
• An “Open” button to open up your machine.

On the right you have:

• The power button
• The dial to set your material. You can do this on the machine, or you can leave it at “custom” and set a much wider range of materials from Design Space.
• A load/unload mat button
• A Cricut “C” button – that’s your Cut button
• A pause button

In the center, when the machine is open, you have:

• Two tool holders with clamps:  A is for pens and B is for your blade
• The rollers and slots to load and hold your mat
• Two storage compartments for tools. The left has a magnet that’s perfect for spare blades.

In the back you have the technical power and connectivity stuff.

Speaking of connectivity: your Cricut Explore Air 2 connects to your device using bluetooth or USB.

So how does your machine work? What is the process of creating with the Cricut Explore Air 2?

Cricut Explore Air 2 Review – Step by Step Operation:

1. Design:

The Cricut is all about design so if you’re already a designer like me, you’ll go crazy over the ability to take your ideas from paper to digital and then watch them become an actual object.

If you’re not a designer, you’ll find that it really doesn’t matter. You have so many assets that other designers have created at your fingertips and you can make something insanely cool – even if you’re not so crafty!

Your options for the design process include:

• Upload a  design: this can be an SVG file or an image that you downloaded somewhere, or something you designed yourself. I had fun designing some Hanukkah napkin rings that I’ll hopefully share the files for next year.
• Create a design in Cricut Design Space from scratch: You don’t even need any additional software to create something new! Cricut has their own design app that works on your browser, as a separate program on your computer, or even as a phone app! Even if you upload or buy a design, Design Space is where you’ll finalize it for cutting.
• Cricut Access: You can purchase project elements and images directly within Design Space. There are some free designs you can use. You can pay per design for those that aren’t free. Or, you can get Cricut Access – Cricut’s subscription-based resource library. This includes fonts, projects, and cut files in many categories. Let’s start with that Lotus flower in the top row.

Design Space works with layers. Each layer is either a cut, score, or draw layer. This flower has the petal texture drawn on!

Once you have your files set on your Design Space grid, and you’ve made your changes, you can click “make”. Design Space will then sort your designs by color onto different mats. Choose your materials and any other specifications for your project.

2. Prep Mats as shown and load:

You can now prepare your mats as Design Space shows you. I recommend using the scraper from the Basic Tool Set to smooth your material.

When the double arrow button is blinking and your machine tells you to, you can load your mat.

You can also load your blades now, and your pen if need be.

3. Watch the Machine Cut!

The boys love watching the Cricut Explore Air 2 cut! Okay, I do too.

How long it takes will depend on your project. With such a huge range in complexity, it’s hard to give an estimate.

The Cricut Explore Air 2 has a fast mode for cutting if you’re in a rush.

4. Remove your design carefully:

Once again, the tools in the Basic Tool Set help you remove your design slowly and carefully. Use the spatula to lift, the weeder to remove small elements, the tweezers to lift up edges…

You can then assemble your project as needed.

Things you can make with the Cricut Explore Air 2:

When making your first project, start in your comfort zone.

Your machine comes with the materials to make a free project you can find in Design Space: a basic card. It’s the perfect starting point because it teaches you how to use both the pen and blade.

I started by cutting some leaf shapes I found in Design Space. I glued them onto floral wire and stuck them into mason jars as a fun Thanksgiving centerpiece.

It took me minutes to put together!

Once you’re comfortable with how the machine works, start exploring crafts you never thought you could make before.

What you can make with the Cricut Explore Air 2:

So who is the Cricut Explore Air 2 for? Which crafts can you make with it?

The truth is, the best way to see is to simply search for Cricut ideas online and you’ll see just how far you can go. But here are a few crafting niches that the Cricut Explore Air 2 can really transform:

• Cardmaking and scrapbooking – you won’t need to buy embellishments anymore! You can cut letters, shapes, and more, “hand-letter” your cards, add elements like vinyl and felt.
• Jewelry making – Whether you want to make faux leather drop earrings, or a layered paper pendant, the Cricut gets you an accuracy and sharpness that’s hard to get otherwise.
• Customized apparel – With iron-on vinyl being a huge thing for Cricut crafters, you have probably seen customized shirts, bodysuits, and more.
• Home decor and housewares – Customize mugs, plates, pillow cases, and more using iron-on vinyl. Make DIY stencils to paint custom signs, or  to use with fabric paint on home textiles.
• Planner stickers – Cricut’s “Print then cut” feature (see below) allows you to print and then cut your own planner stickers! This is a HUGE money-saver, plus you can have just the stickers you want!
• Labels and decals – Label your pantry, your kids’ toys, your life with vinyl. Print on vinyl and make removable car decals or wall decals.
• Paper flowers – This highly popular craft can be radically transformed with a Cricut Explore Air 2. Better precision and the complete elimination of one of the most tedious aspects of paper flower making gives you more time and energy for the fun, creative part!
• Paper toys – once again, you get more precision when you cut templates, allowing you to make better – and easier – paper toys.
• Adult coloring – Using the pen feature, you can actually “draw” coloring pages onto 12×12 card stock or multi-media paper, and turn it into beautiful paintings by filling it in yourself with paint.

This is just a drop in the bucket of what you can make with the Cricut Explore Air 2. Want to know if it works with your craft? Drop your question in the comments.

Cricut Explore Air 2 review- What you can cut:

There are so so many things you can cut that I’m not going to list them all here. The point of this Cricut Explore Air 2 review is to help you decide if this is a machine that’s worth it for you. So here are some of the more popular materials, with a few unique and obscure ones, so you can get an idea.

How you cut each one is different. You’ll get guidance as to which mats and which tools to use as you create your projects, but I’ll include some at the end of this Cricut Explore Air 2 review.

• Paper
• Cardstock
• Sticker paper
• Aluminum foil
• Duct tape
• Faux leather
• Felt
• Bonded fabric
• Burlap
• Vinyl
• Iron-on and HTV (heat transfer vinyl)
• Cricut Infusible Ink products
• Vellum
• Freezer paper
• Craft Foam
• Magnet sheet

How to print with the Cricut Explore Air 2:

Whenever I try to craftsplain to people what the machine can do, they always ask “is the Cricut also a printer?”

The answer is no.

But it does coordinate with your printing needs so that you can cut out printed items precisely. This feature is called “Print then cut”.

Print then Cut works hand-in-hand with your home printer through the Design Space software.

Cricut Explore Air 2 Review – How Print then Cut works:

To Print then cut, you’ll need to upload your design as a print then cut file. Cricut Design Space will then send your file to your printer first. It’ll add “registration marks” in the form of a box around your design.

Registration marks are the Cricut machine’s calibration guide to know where exactly your design will be on the paper and how to cut it.

Because of this, the size that you can “print then cut” is limited so you’ll need to think smaller with your sheet size.

Print then Cut is perfect for creating your own labels, planner stickers, and more.

Is the Cricut Explore Air 2 worth it? Which tools and accessories should I start with?

Is the Cricut Explore Air 2 worth it?

I very much regret that I did not get this machine sooner.

Not only is it money-saving in that I can create personalized gifts and decor out of dollar store items, but it would have saved me so many hours of work in projects I’m creating anyway.

If you’re earning money off your crafts in any way, time is money, and it may even pay for itself.

If you’re not, but you like to DIY gifts, it’s definitely worth it.

If you tend to spend on seasonal decor that you can easily make yourself, the Cricut Explore Air 2 is for you.

And finally, if you don’t like the tedious parts of your craft but spend a lot of time on it, and want to spend more time creating, then the Cricut Explore Air 2 is perfect for you – even if you’re not selling your craft.

Cricut Explore Air 2 review: What should I get with my first machine?

The accessories you’ll want will depend on what you plan to make. Here are some top accessories to get with your first machine, or to bundle the Cricut Explore Air 2 with if you’re gifting it:

• The Basic Tool Set – a must-have for any type of craft!
• Mat variety pack – your machine comes with the Lightgrip mat. I’d recommend getting the 3-pack of light, medium, and heavy, especially if you craft across niches. If you’re only paper crafting, the light grip is enough, but you may want a couple of extras so that you can prepare the next color while the first is working, in case one needs cleaning, etc.
• Deep point blade – if you plan to cut thicker materials like faux leather.

• Solid color packs of your top materials – whether you plan to cut vinyl, felt, or card stock, I’d recommend starting with a couple of solid multi-packs.
• Scoring Stylus – If you’re a paper crafter this is a must to make your projects easy to fold!
• Pens – once again, if you plan to do lots of paper crafts, card-making, or any kind of writing, you may want to toss in a pack of pens in different colors.

Stay tuned for some Cricut projects coming up and more helpful articles!

Do you have any questions or anything to add to my Cricut Explore Air 2 review? Which projects are your favorite to make? Check out the whole Cricut lineup here and comment below!

The post Cricut Explore Air 2 Review and How to Use it appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

When pricing handmade goods, I used a basic formula:

1. I set an hourly rate for myself.
2. I figured out roughly how much it cost me to make it (in bulk). I multiplied that amount by 2 (my markup rate). This is $$ amount #1.
3. I timed a crafting session and figured out how long it took me to make that bulk amount. I also figured out the average time it took to manage this (make Etsy listings, fulfill each order, etc). I converted that into a dollar amount by multiplying the amount of time it took me to make it by my hourly rate. This is dollar amount #2.
4. I added the two dollar amounts for my bulk price.
5. I divided the bulk price by the quantity I produced in that time. That gave me my individual product cost.
6. Now that was NOT my final rate for a simple reason: it doesn’t take into account market values. At this point, I looked at the number and I made up a price.

So I’m sure you have a question now. Why use a crafting calculator at all?

If I’m going to make up a price anyway, why go through the hassle of doing all that freaking math?!

The answer is simple: you have to have a handle on what it costs you, both time and supplies-wise to be able to make up your price. You also have to have a handle on market rates, what people pay, and what your bottom line will be.

When I first started selling stuff, I didn’t bother with a handmade jewelry price calculator.

Here’s what happened:

I figured I can make a cheap pair of earrings. It cost me roughly 50 cents in quantity supplies and took me an hour to make ten pairs.

So if I sold it for $5 I was cutting a good profit, right?

I nearly went nuts with this. I wasn’t taking into account the cost of trial and error, the fact that I was investing in supplies, not all of which gets used. This is why I now markup the cost and charge a bigger hourly rate.

I also didn’t calculate running time and costs:

• Packaging/shipping supplies
• Customer service
• Making Etsy listings
• Etsy’s take and listing costs
• Time it takes to package and ship
• Occasional sales and markdowns

You’re getting my drift.

And here’s the thing. There’s always going to be something that you’ll leave out of your crafting calculator.

Complaining customers. Remaking an order that got lost in transit. The price of craft show tables. Variables that you can’t predict.

So if you’re going to calculate a rate that’s going to pay off for your, you’ll have to double up: have an hourly rate and a supplies markup rate. You’re going to have to bump that rate up a few bucks to make up for unpredictable variables, especially on smaller items.

And here’s where the questions comes in: What if the crafting calculator prices just. don’t. add. up? What if it tells me to charge $150 for a pair of gloves?

Here are a few crafting calculator tips:

1. If the time cost is what’s ruining you, bump up the quality of the materials for a more premium product. Make those gloves cashmere… Even if it means raising your prices even more. You can’t afford to make a budget product with that time cost.
2. Take the opposite approach. Bump down the production of the product. Make what I’d call micro-products. For example, if you crochet wire jewelry, and make elaborate creations, try filling your shop out with more inexpensive chain crochet jewelry instead or as a more budget-friendly alternative.
3. Focus on education. That’s what I personally started doing – selling my jewelry making book, selling crafting printables and coloring pages and most of all, focusing on this blog. It’s also a personal preference (even once I started seeing success, I didn’t enjoy selling jewelry. I’d rather teach people how to make jewelry.)

I elaborated more on how to choose a craft to sell online here.

Meanwhile, I created an extremely valuable resource for you. This crafting calculator has got two versions:

1. The Freebie: The Pricing Calculator Chart:

Every time I design a freebie I end up getting out of hand, and creating something so big I can’t possibly offer it for free. However, I haven’t forgotten your free download!

This simple formula is a list/table format so you can have it all at a glance. Use it according to the guidelines in this post.

It’s designed to use with bulk production, but you can do it for single products by skipping the quantity column.

• Column 1: list your products, indenting variations below the main product.
• Column 2: write the number you came up with as your “time cost” for that product (hourly rate x hours it took).
• Column 3: write the number you came up with as your “materials cost” for that product (actually supplies cost x markup rate).
• Column 4: add up column 2+3 for your bulk production cost.
• Column 5: write down the amount of product you created in that time – how much bulk you based your time and materials on.
• Column 6: divide column 4 by column 5 for the individual product cost.
• Column 7: jot down a price based on column 6, similar products in the market, and any other variables in place.

2. The Full Pricing Guide and Crafting Calculator:

This full bundle includes a more comprehensive workbook for creating your product line and pricing it. I created all this on a dot grid because I personally LOVE using dot grids for planning. They are much more open with how you can use them, but still neat enough for those who can’t just keep a straight line without guides.

Here’s how the crafting calculator works:

• Use the individual product pricing calculator to do invaluable research on what the cost is for you, research other niche products.
• Use the table to list the results and breakdown of your products so you have it ready at a glance. I offer this for free above, however it works so much better when you have the worksheet for the individual products as well, so that you can refer back to your research if needed.

• Use the brainstorming sheet to… brainstorm. I take you through the full process of figuring out how to choose products from the problem solving angle too, not just the pricing calculator.
• I also included a bonus notes sheet with a plain dot grid. I like this for more visual planning and jotting down anything that doesn’t’ fit on the other pages.

• I also included a 2-page use guide.

>>>GET THE FULL CRAFTING CACULATOR AND WORKBOOK HERE!<<<

How to use the crafting calculator:

• Print out one page of the individual pricing calculator for each product (I recommend you aim for 100 listings to really establish a solid Etsy shop).
• Print 1 table for every ten products/every shop section, or however you want to organize it.
• Place them in a binder in or out of sheet protectors.
• Add a brainstorming page and a note page for each table page.
• Add dividers for each section/set of ten.
• Keep this binder handy. Check in on sales monthly, see how to adjust it, how to plan new seasonal goods.

 I shared more tips for selling on Etsy, so definitely read through those too! I also shared a post on how to set up an Etsy shop for success, where I share more about listings, and more that’ll help you use this crafting caculator the best way possible.

>>>GET THE FULL CRAFTING CACULATOR AND WORKBOOK HERE!<<<

The post Crafting Calculator – Handmade Jewelry Price Calculator appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kaspersky Lab for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine.

As a “creative entrepreneur”, a work at home mom who has made crafting my full-time-job thanks to the power of the internet. It is always a concern for me to make sure I know how to stop hackers from destroying everything I’ve worked so hard for. In this post, I will share with you some tips for protecting your small business. This is a continuation of my Selling Crafts Online series that you have all been enjoying!

As a crafty entrepreneur, digital safety is a huge issue for me.

The vast majority of my business interactions happen online, and if one hacker successfully takes over this website, a good chunk of my family’s income is at stake. Social media is also a large factor in my crafty business, and so I am always concerned with social media hostage situations.

For that reason, I have taken a few easy extra steps to protect myself and my family from cyber risks and wanted to share with you some tips on how to stop hackers and do the same.

Kaspersky Lab, The World’s Most Awarded Security, is a brand I trust to protect my business. Between the Password Manager application and the regular scans, detection of suspicious (phishing) links and sites, and data encryption of my important documents, my digital life and my family’s income is much more secure.

How to stop hackers – know what the risks look like:

The first step to working out how to stop hackers is to recognize where they catch you. Here are a few examples of where risks can come from.

1. Email Links

I recently heard a fellow creative entrepreneur share how she clicked on an email link that looked legitimately like those she receives dozens of a day.

That link prompted her to insert a password on what looked like a clone of a social media website, but essentially recorded her login information.

A hacker then gained access, locked her out, and held her social media hostage. She had to pay a huge fee to have it released. The social media website wouldn’t help her despite proof of ID, and the hacker threatened to delete the account if the ransom wasn’t paid.

To protect her business, she had to pay a large fee.

Hackers get cleverer every day, and they disguise their emails and websites to look like brands we trust. This leads me to the next digital safety concern:

2. Scare tactics

Hackers use scare tactics to bully their victims into paying exorbitant ransoms. They are aware that when your income relies on these accounts, it’ll be worth your while to pay their fees.

They also use scare tactics to get your login information. The classic scare tactic comes in the form of a private message from a clone account of the social network you’re on. They let you know that if you don’t click a certain link (which then prompts you to “re-enter your password”) your account will be deleted.

Often, the scare looks just like the “real deal” so if you’re working through things quickly you might not realize it’s a clone.

3. Risky Websites

Using some of the same methods as above (emails, and scare tactics), scammers might try to get you to visit an infected, unsafe website to insert malware on your device.

4. The silent threats:

As a self-employed entrepreneur, you probably need to fill out lots of tax forms, W-9 forms, and other forms with your social security information.

Storing it locally on your computer without proper protection puts you at risk of identity theft.

You also probably do a lot of online banking and transactions.

Sometimes you can’t even see the leak or the threat until it’s too late!

5. Saved passwords in your browser:

The more websites we use, the more services we use, the more we store in our browser… because who can really remember all those passwords?

And I dunno about you, but I’m pretty obsessed with getting the “green” on password strength for each new one I create…

But having our passwords stored locally leaves us at risks. And since craft sellers like me do a lot of online transactions and banking, we’re especially at risk if our accounts are hacked.

How to stop hackers – Internet security tips and steps to take:

All it takes is a few easy steps and tips on how to stop hackers and your business is much more secure! Now that you know the risks, you’re equipped to stop them.

1. Install Kaspersky Security:

Every creative entrepreneur needs an internet security provider they can trust. It’s one of the most critical steps I’ve taken in protecting my online business, and the most critical tip on how to stop hackers.

Kaspersky Total Security or Kaspersky Small Office Security can:

• Protect from ransomware
• Stop data leaks
• Block spyware from viewing online transactions
• Do complete scans to detect any kind of malware that compromises our privacy
• Block bad websites
• Prevent creepy webcam spies

2. Set strong passwords and use a secure password manager:

No more browser-stored passwords! Kaspersky Password Manager encrypts them and stores them locally, so you just need to remember one master password.

It syncs between your devices, and is easy to set up.You can import all your stored passwords from your browsers, and use it with the same ease.

3. Setup 2 factor authentication on all social media channels:

Always set up “2 factor authentication” on all your email and social media channels to give hackers a harder time. This requires you to approve from an already approved browser any time someone tries to log in from a new one.

It’s an extra layer of protection, although not foolproof if they manage to get hold of a code sent to your phone.

That’s why you need to protect your phone as well, with anti-theft features, in case it gets stolen. Kaspersky helps with that as well, allowing you to mark it “lost” from your My Kaspersky account. This will activate any anti-theft features that you chose including:

• Locking your device and turning on location so that you can track it
• Turning on an alarm
• Taking photos from the phone so that you can catch that theif
• Hiding personal data such as contacts and… text messages!
• Wipe personal information that you don’t want the thief to view.

4. Utilize File Encryption to protect your personal information:

Speaking of personal information, how about all those W-9s with your social security info you have stored on your computer?

Kaspersky allows you to create encrypted folders that can only be accessed with a password. You can lock up your tax forms, or any other personal data that you don’t want to share with the world.

5. Cover all your bases:

Kaspersky Security Cloud brings these features to the cloud, and also helps protect your WiFi network. It also helps optimize your devices so they run smoothly and efficiently.

It helps you be safer on the go, turning on secure VPN while you email from that airport lounge, and protecting your device if you misplace it.

6. Keep everything up to date:

Update everything! Whether it’s plugins on your website, or apps on your phone, plugins are often there to stop leaks.

Hackers often look for a way in via out-of-date software so make sure you keep your life up to date.

Got any additional tips for creative small business owners on how to stop hackers? Comment below!

The post How to Stop Hackers – Digital Security for Creative Entrepreneurs appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

I now have a new post in this series as well on how to stop hackers from targeting your online business!

You’ve chosen your craft, thought it through, and know that people are interested in buying, and would pay an amount that is worthwhile for you. Time to figure out how to set up an Etsy shop. But you don’t just want to set it up – you want to set it up for success!

Like any business that you launch, it can take time and money. Expect to invest a few dollars. Give yourself a budget you know you can afford – whether it’s $50 or $500/month. Yes, you do need to spend some, beyond your craft supplies, to have a return on selling crafts online, but you don’t need to go broke over it.

How to set up an Etsy shop: doing the groundwork:

• Suppliers – You will definitely need more stock than you have had until now, and you may need to rethink where you get your stuff for cost efficiency. Research wholesale suppliers, or those with bulk discounts, reliable stock, lower costs. I always bought general craft supplies on Amazon, or at Michaels, because I don’t need to make a huge order of just fabric, for example, but since you’re going more  niche here, find the one that works best for you! Check out my list of the best places to buy jewelry making supplies online.

• Legal stuff – I am not going to even start with the legalese of selling crafts online. I don’t know enough and don’t want to give legal advice since I’m not qualified. If you are selling a physical product, you are likely going to need to charge sales tax. If you are selling digital products it will depend on your state. If you live in the EU you’ll need to figure out how to go about VAT. You may want to (or be required to) set up an official business. You may want to research trademarks. I can’t give you advice on this, I can only urge you to do research on the subject.

• Branding –  You need a logo. You need an image for your new brand. You need a compelling and relevant name. Decide who your target audience is. Pull out Photoshop or Illustrator and design yourself a logo. If you have more to invest, hire a designer. I am a professional graphic designer and have special rates for Etsy sellers just starting out, so if you want to chat with me about this, you can email me at menucha@momsandcrafters – dot – com.

How to set up an Etsy shop step by step:

• Starting on Etsy – I know what many of you are thinking: is Etsy really the best place for selling crafts online? For years, I wondered the same, and experimented with different platforms. I can now verify that’s where you want to start – even if you plan to start a website.Just a few reasons I personally choose Etsy (as does just about everyone else) and I’m teaching you how to set up an ETSY shop: People trust Etsy’s payment platform with their credit card info, it’s a go-to shopping site that people go to for everyday needs, and they are around for a long time, which allowed them to evolve with our needs and create infinite resources for their huge seller database.When you want to use 3rd party services (I print t-shirts via Printful for example) you’ll find that Etsy integration is a standard. They also have a successful affiliate program, where bloggers like me earn a commission for selling products for other Etsy sellers – so we share about things we find on Etsy regularly! This comes at no extra expense to you! You also get 40 free listings to help you get your shop going!

• Build up your shop completely. Fill out EVERYTHING. Be personal. Do your about page. Work out standard shipping costs and create those.

• Take stunning photos. Consider investing in a DSLR camera – or even a better point and shoot camera. Get a lightbox for smaller products. Photograph larger products outdoors in indirect light (dawn, dusk, shade, a rainy day…)Do NOT use your camera flash. Learn how to use the macro setting on your camera. Take photography books out of the library, or read them on Kindle Unlimited. Do this on a budget by signing up for a Kindle Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial.Use Photoshop to clean up your images, brighten them, make them pop. If you’re not up for paying for Photoshop, try some less expensive photo editors. PicMonkey is a top small business pick.

• FILL UP that shop: When your shop is totally set up, create your listings. Here’s where may people make a critical mistake: they start small. But for people to find you, you want to have lots of listings. For people to take you seriously as a seller, you want to have stock. You want it to be easy to browse by category.List 100 products. If your niche is a very difficult one, list as many as you possibly can – at least 20. Consider creating some smaller “filler” product in your niche if it’s worth it.I know that pricing is a killer question for most Etsy sellers. And I wish I can give a magical formula, but at the end of the day, you’ll need to experiment. Make sure to factor all time (not just time spent making your craft – the time you’ll spend communicating with customers, maintaining your shop, answering emails, filing taxes, etc.) and all overhead costs – not just that of your materials. Here is a great article you can read on pricing products. 

How to set up an Etsy shop and an off-Etsy platform:

You do want to set up a website if you’re selling crafts online, even if it’s just a way to direct people to your Etsy shop. At the very least, you want to reserve a domain name for your shop to keep all elements of your brand intact. You also may want to CHOOSE your shop name based on which domain name is available. This is because you are setting yourself up as a legitimate, branded business for selling crafts online, not just another Etsy shop. If you’re going to learn how to set up an Etsy shop, do it right!

• How to get a website for your Etsy shop: To set up your website,  BLUEHOST is an amazing dirt cheap option for small shops just opening (especially if you plan to do most of your selling through Etsy.) You get a free domain name, super easy tools to set up your website, and inexpensive hosting. It’s the host I recommend for small websites with a very tight budget.For bloggers and bigger sites I recommend TechSurgeons (I use them) or Servously. If you’re all about quality from day one and  can spend a bit extra, go with one of these.

• How to set up a website for an Etsy shop:  – Install WordPress, find a free theme and get going! You’ll most likely get the instructions on how to do that once you set up with your host. Yes, you should still set up that Etsy shop – you can do both!

Now that you’ve learned how to set up an Etsy shop, learn tips for selling on Etsy once your shop is set up. Comment below with any questions!

The post How to Set Up an Etsy Shop – Successfully! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

People tend to gravitate toward their comfort zone when starting with selling crafts online. You know, that thing that you’ve made from everyone since the day you were born. That’s a great place to start, and indeed, that is the FIRST question you should ask yourself, but there are a number of questions that follow before making your decision.

8-step process for for choosing the best crafts to sell online:

Follow this step-by-step guide to nail the right craft to sell in your Etsy shop.

Pst – did you know you can get 40 free Etsy listings if you’re a new seller? Sign up here for your free listings to get your shop going!

1. Find the best crafts to sell online according to your skills:

Start by making a list of your skills sets. What do you really rock at? What have you made that your friends have raved about?

2. Demand + usefulness:

People are willing to shell out cash when they feel it provides immediate value. When it solves a problem they are dealing with, they won’t run from the dollar signs.

The best crafts to sell online are those that solve an immediate problem, have strong appeal, and are useful, rather than just a “gimmick”.

3. The best crafts to sell online are unique:

Etsy is flooded with aspiring craft sellers, especially sellers of handmade jewelry. You need to be a cut above the rest – but not just better in the quality of your craft. No one can REALLY see that your knit is more consistent in an Etsy listing. You need to be different – offer something that others in your niche are NOT offering.

4. Look at your passion for the best crafts to sell online:

To make the above work, it needs to be something you’re passionate about. Don’t sell baby things if you’re not a parent of a baby. And even more so: leave your industry open to change. If you make unique wooden toys, you CAN start with baby things, work with toddler toys, and sell wooden household items as well.

5. Passive + repeatability:

Make sure you can repeat what you make. It takes time to create a listing. It takes time to market it. If you need to do this for each item, you’ll have to raise your rates by a lot – so only go for things that are hard to reproduce if your niche allows for very high rates. Otherwise, look for something that you can repeat and keep the same listing for follow-ups when choosing the best crafts to sell online.

6. Cost vs. market value:

You also need to calculate in how much it will cost you to make each one, the availability of wholesale materials, and the market value. The best crafts to sell online are those where the cost of materials is negligible in relation to the value of the final product (which may be why so many people sell handmade jewelry – see point #3 for my answer to that.)

Check out my crafting calculator for a full workbook you can use to determine pricing, compare with similar items in the market, and brainstorm new ideas!

7. Gauge interest can help you choose the best crafts to sell online:

Start by sharing it with friends. Post on social media, or in groups – and not necessarily for sale. Just post a photo with- “I made this, what do you think?” See how people react, if they ask about purchasing it.

8. Think outside the box:

If your skill set and passion don’t add up with the above points, consider other ways to make money selling that skill. For example, if you are a whiz at knitting (which is time-consuming, doesn’t fetch a high value, and not so cheap), you might be better off selling your unique designs and patterns to fellow knitters. Etsy allows you to set up instant download listings so you won’t even need to take care of orders this way!

I sell digital downloads as my primary source of Etsy income and it’s totally passive!

4 of the best crafts to sell online:

I’m going to throw out a few ideas to get you started, but obviously choose according to your skills set (tip #1!) I just want you to follow through with my thought process in putting together the list, to see the nuance in what makes the best crafts to sell online.

But come up with your own ideas. Because you are unique and you need to be unique to make it!

1. Small Leather goods, especially unique men’s gifts:

While leather may be expensive, leather scraps are less so. People are used to paying a premium price for leather goods. Men’s gifts are hard to find. Put all that together, come up with a unique concept for your shop, and you have a great item that fits int he above categories.

2. Paper craft, sewing and knitting patterns:

Especially when selling on Etsy, a place where crafty people hang out, selling unique patterns that you designed on your own is a great way to earn on a craft that would otherwise be hard to sell.

3. Interest-based gifts:

While you might have issues with selling licensed character and sports team products, there are other interest-focused products you can create. Hot themes like unicorns and sloths are trends, so don’t build a whole business around it, but they can definitely go well. Monster trucks, life events (such as graduation) and religious products are all great, generic examples. Many people search for interest-based gifts when not sure what to purchase for someone, so that’s a great market to target!

4. Handmade decor:

Whether you work with clay or paper mache, decor is a place where people sometimes get spendy – especially when they find that perfect piece!

Done with this? Read next: How to Set Up an Etsy Shop and tips for selling on Etsy!

Learn how to stop hackers and digital safety tips for online entrepreneurs!

What do you find are the best crafts to sell online? Comment below!

Want some specific craft ideas? Check out the ideas below!

The post Best Crafts to Sell Online – Choosing Your Craft for your Etsy Shop appeared first on Moms and Crafters.