Interview with a Friend ~~ RAGGEDY HOLLOW

Let me introduce you to my friend Charlotte of RAGGEDY HOLLOW.

She is such a sweetheart and just happens to create some of the cutest primitives I have ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on. She is also a big influence in how I dream about my business someday becoming.

When I thought about doing this blog idea with the questions...I knew I wanted to ask Charlotte.

Here is what she had to say....

1. When did you first start creating and then selling your creations?
Gosh Let me think.....just started as a hobby in 1990 but people started wanting to buy shortly there after. I grew up with a Mom that sewed everything. So it has always been in my "blood" LOL

2. Many romanticize the idea of running a craft business from home.What are two things you know now about having a home-based craft business, that you wish you knew when you started your own business?
Just how much more work it really is over going outside of the home for a job. I wouldn't give it up for anything however.
It can become all insuing (right word??) and take over if you let it.

3.What advice can you give potential craft business owners about marketing their product?
Advertise Advertise Advertise. I know that sometimes it can cost a lot of money, but when I finally had the money to do Country Marketplace and Country Sampler...it was worth it. It took a few issues for people to really notice me, but once they did, I have made my money back and sometimes more, from each issue I've advertised in. It is also best to look at the best selling issues and go with those.

There are also many free advertising opportunities out there. It takes work to find them and submit to them, but it can be a big help in getting you noticed. Joining topsites can help as well. I have found that most will allow you to "vote" for yourself one time per day. Do it! When I forget to "vote" for myself for a bit, I notice my sales slow down. Within 2 or 3 days of getting my votes in the sales pick up.

4. What is your typical crafting day like?
My kids are older, so they don't need mom as much anymore. One is married and moved out and the other is 18 with a job and many friends. I hardly see him too much.
I usually stay up late and get up when I wake up....which can usually mean 9 am. I might make it down to my workroom around 10 and mess around on computer stuff. Fill orders, work on new creations or whatever I am inspired to do. Since my husband works nights, I break long enough to get dinner and see him off to work. Then I go back to work till whenever I feel that bedtime has come.

5.What sparks your creativity?Who inspires you?
Surfing the websites of all the other creative people out there will spark ideas for me.
I would have to say that Brenda of Primraggs is someone who inspires me. She encouraged me to take the leap into designing my patterns and opening the website. If not for her, I'd probably still be doing what I was before or possibly even have given it up by now.

6. What do you LOVE to work on? What do you HATE?
I LOVE creating new raggedies. It is amazing to see what can come from a pile of fabrics and supplies.
I HATE to stuff! This comes from the 6-7 years that I did my primitive stitched pillows wholesale for retail shops. I carried 5 shops and did over 1000 pillows each year. There would be times I had to stuff 60 pillows in 2 days to get an order out. By the time MAJOR burnout set in, I literally got sick when it came time to start stuffing. Brenda came into my life during this time and as mentioned above, she was an intrical part of my turning the corner and going back into the raggedies and things I loved doing before the pillows. I hadn't done them in all those years of pillows! I do have to say though that stuffing isn't quite as bad anymore since I don't have to do as much.

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THANK YOU CHARLOTTE for taking the time to answer my questions. As soon as I sent you the email asking, you wrote right back with a YES.

Charlotte's website http://www.raggedyhollow.com

Please go check it out....you are sure to find at least a few things that you will just have to have. I peeked and she has some new patterns that I will be adding to my collection! heehee

Prim Blessings!
Cedara
www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
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