In Loving Memory

Over the last few months, I have been asked to make a few difficult, but rewarding items. They were difficult in that each one dealt with the loss of a loved one, but they were rewarding in knowing that I was helping these people preserve the memories of their loved ones forever! I feel honored that each of these individuals trusted me to create them something beautiful and special for them to have to remember their loved ones :)

A couple weeks ago I blogged about my Keepsake Boxes and mentioned that the recipient of those boxes wanted some memorial boxes made of his father for him and his sister to have. I got them completed and wanted to share them with you! They happened to have a photo of their father in front of a blanket that said "The Lord is my Light". They both thought this was perfect for the box.

Then they added a special poem on the inside of the box. It was a long quote, so I turned the box on its side to engrave it the long way across the lid of the box. It turned out beautifully.

Another item I engraved as a Christmas gift were some photo pendants. The front had their loved one's photo and In Memory on the back. A very touching gift that can be worn and kept forever!

I made quite a few Engraved Photo Ornaments for memorial keepsakes at Christmas as well. This kitty ornament was one of them. The holidays can be difficult when you've lost a loved one, but these ornaments help keep them in your memories.

The most difficult project I was asked to complete was an album for a baby that had passed away. A friend of the family was asked to create the album, but wasn't able to do so because of the close connection she had to the baby. This was definitely the most challenging task I had been put up to, but also the most rewarding! I knew that if I didn't create this album, the family would never have a scrapbook of their baby girl. I felt great honor in knowing that I helped them preserve their memories of their sweet little girl!

Have you made any special projects lately?

Thoughts on Spring Craft Shows

I had my third Spring show on Saturday and I've noticed some similar outcomes and thoughts from each show.

*The weather is a big factor. If the weather is bad, people don't want to get out of the house. By Spring, we're so tired of bad weather, we don't want to endure it any longer. But if the weather is too nice, people want to get things done outside. It may be the first time they're able to work in their yards.

*There is no special reason to buy. Unless they need a graduation gift, Mother's Day gift, etc. they are only buying for themselves. People have a harder time buying for themselves.

*Most of my items are purchased for gifts. I notice this both on Etsy and at local shows. I heard on Saturday..."my sister would love this" or "this would be a great gift for so-and-so's wedding in a few months". Fall tends to be a better time of year for me because of this. Everyone (or mostly everyone) needs holiday gifts.

*Having a website is both a blessing and a curse. People love knowing that they can get ahold of you later when they do need a gift, but it keeps them from buying that day. If they only brought a certain amount of money with them and they know they can buy your item later, they might hold off.

I'm not totally discouraged from doing Spring shows, but I may reconsider how many or which ones I do next year. We have heard that a few shows require you to do the Spring show if you want a spot in to the Fall show. If the fall shows are good enough, I'll stick with the Spring show the next year. Time will tell. And if a lot of the custom orders that people were interested in come through, then it is worth it to be there to get my name out. Most of the time I don't know how successful a show really is until a few months later when orders start coming in.

How have your shows been going this Spring?