Hai. *waves*

[simonejester]

When you first join this community, please make an introductory post telling folks who you are and what you do.

Alrighty. :)

Are you a creative person, a donor, or both?

I'd like to be both, but for now I'm here as a creative person. And a seeker of advice.

What kind of goods or services do you offer?

Right now all I have are the things at my Etsy shop. Crocheted scrunchies, hats, and drawstring bags, and inside-decorated Moleskines, for people who dig places like paperjournals and jr__nal but either that sort of decorating isn't their thing, or they don't want to stop to decorate each page. With my Moleskines you can just keep writing and have some kind of decor on every page--though you might want to switch writing instruments here and there.

Two things I'm gathering materials for but don't have the space for right now (and I'm getting ready to move from Fort Wainwright to Fort Drum so even the the zillion crocheted things I've made lately haven't gone up because they'll be shipped with my household goods and I don't know when I'll get them. The things at my Etsy shop will be brought with me in my luggage, though, so those are available for purchase any time) are Large Bead Tapestries, which will be beads made from halved toilet paper rolls that've been covered in cloth or sprayed with metallic spray paint (or both, there are lots of things I can cover them with), and string them together like part of a beaded bracelet, and those will be wall hangings. (I would appreciate if no one else grabbed onto this, 'cause I'm rather proud of it.)

Another thing I'm gathering is Frappucino bottles to make jar candles with, and I'll be experimenting with scents and colors--they won't all be coffee-colored and I took all the stickers off anyway. (This one has been done by all sorts of people in all sorts of ways so I don't mind if anyone uses this idea. I may have come up with it in a vacuum but surely others have too.)

Also, paper beads, though I'm not sure whether to sell them in packs as beads or as already-made jewelry items. Suggestions?

What I'd like to do is have a booth at the Fort Drum post exchange during the holidays, and I'll be looking up prices as soon as we arrive (hopefully this month!), so I'd ask for help setting that up once I had the info, but here's where I ask for advice--how do you think I should go about soliciting donations? Donate $5, get a scrunchie, donate 10, get a coin purse, donate $20, get a hat? 'Cause I can do that, and even take custom orders regarding color. Once I start the other projects I can give out those, too. (And if you want to go ahead and donate now, the PayPal email address is heathermac614@gmail.com.)

What kind do you like to read or view?

I like the creative people that have increasingly cool gifts to go with increased donations. It's always more fun to get not just the warm fuzzy feeling of helping a struggling artist (or in my case, a broke-but-not-poor junior enlisted army wife :P) but something that struggling artist made. For example, I want to donate to this lady because the stuff she's offering is cool and useful. :)

Why do you like crowdfunded creativity?

Because the first world totally needs micro-lending too! And it's nice to give the big banks the big finger (or two fingers, depending on your region). ;)

Apologies for my rambling. Nice to meet y'all!

Comments

[pinepig]

Hi! I'd say if you're making paper beads you might want to sell them both as finished goods and as packs. There are people who won't want to make their own jewlery or won't be able to buy all the stuff to make their own or have time/energy/space to do it. But there are also people like my wife who like to make jewlery but can't make their own beads. She likes trying to buy from people who make their own stuff as well as the inexpensive mass-produced stuff.

Good luck with your ideas and your Etsy shop. It would be interesting to see how you do with your giant bead/wall hangings.

[simonejester]

Thanks! I appreciate it. :)

Welcome!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>I'd like to be both, but for now I'm here as a creative person. And a seeker of advice.<<

There are a few projects in our links list so far, but more get mentioned in posts. If you browse around, you should be able to find something that you like enough to support.

You're welcome to ask questions any time. There are also periodically recurring posts that prompt people to talk about their projects, ask questions, or discuss crowdfunding in various ways.

>>Crocheted scrunchies, hats, and drawstring bags, and inside-decorated Moleskines<<

That's cool.

>>Also, paper beads, though I'm not sure whether to sell them in packs as beads or as already-made jewelry items. Suggestions?<<

Try both. Maybe start with small jewelry such as earrings or bracelets, but also offer the loose beads for other crafters. They'll appeal to different markets.

>>how do you think I should go about soliciting donations? Donate $5, get a scrunchie, donate 10, get a coin purse, donate $20, get a hat? 'Cause I can do that, and even take custom orders regarding color. Once I start the other projects I can give out those, too.<<

Based on my observations, a crowdfunding project benefits from a large, lively audience (or at least a handful of dedicated fans); and it's easier to start with something free, then build up to donations or other income. Post pictures of your work, talk about what you're doing, ask your audience for input. Once you've got some folks interacting with you, it will be more feasible to ask for -- and get -- donations aimed at ramping up what you sell and where.

Your perk list sounds like a good start. I suggest adding something that doesn't cost you anything, to offer as a perk for people who pimp your stuff by linking it on their blogs or other social networks. That's a good way to build your audience.

>>I like the creative people that have increasingly cool gifts to go with increased donations.<<

You might like Kickstarter, then -- many of the projects there have a scaled list. Some webcomics do, where if they get certain amounts of donations, the artist will give extra art or episodes that get bigger as the threshold rises. More often on the writing/art side, donors kind of have a choice of different but not necessarily stacked options.

Frex, my Poetry Fishbowl always puts up one free poem, but if there's a new participant, I post a second freebie. The other free thing is prompting; it doesn't cost anything to throw me ideas. People can sponsor a poem or put money in the general fund. They can also buy a scrapbooked poem. And then everyone who sends me money gets on my "Donors" list for a couple of months, where they can read the custom-locked donor perk-posts about poetry techniques and topics.

>>Because the first world totally needs micro-lending too! And it's nice to give the big banks the big finger (or two fingers, depending on your region).<<

*laugh* Good answer!

By the way, I dropped by your DW and subscribed; it sounds like we have a lot of common interests.

Re: Welcome!

[simonejester]

Thanks for the welcome, and the advice! I dig Kickstarter a lot, though I haven't really been able to donate anything yet. (Getting ready for a big military move and all so it's not like I'll even know when I'll have a regular address again, hopefully before Thanksgiving but I'm not holding my breath.)

I also like the idea of having some paper bead jewelry and some loose. (I'm considering tapestries too since they're so light.)

And thanks, I subscribed back. :)

Re: Welcome!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Good luck with the move. I hope things settle down for you soon.

The tapestries sound interesting too. Will you take photos and share them here, when you finish one?

Re: Welcome!

[simonejester]

I sure will, and thanks! :D

I want to use metallic paint but it'll probably be brush-paint because I want to start soon. If it were summer I could go out into the back yard and use spray paint. But hopefully by Christmas I'll have something to show for all these TP rolls I've saved. :P

Re: Welcome!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Maybe you could use stencil paint. It's designed to put on with sponges or big brushes, so that would go a lot faster than ordinary brush paint. And it comes in metallic colors.

Re: Welcome!

[simonejester]

Oooh, good idea. Thanks! XD