Did you know that October 1 is National Make a Mistake Day? Isn't that awesome? Imagine A WHOLE DAY devoted to sanctioned mistake-making that we get to be proud of! More...

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What better way to start the fall season than with some fabulous prizes from M&T Sponsors! Decorate your child’s room, get sporty with a new fancy camera bag, and get “gussied” up with something ruffly. My Wonderful Walls. Have you been wanting to dress up the walls in your house? Making them playful and fun [...]

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Is your business taking a while to get off the ground?  Maybe you don't know where to start or maybe things seem to change so much it's just too overwhelming.No matter what the issue seems to be, we have five tips that will help get your business on track:Tip 1.  Don’t try to be all things to all people....you may think you need to satisfy everyone, but the truth is you just need to find a niche that satisfies you and your customers will follow.Tip 2. Research ways to reduce your business expenses...for example, the cost of packaging, raw materials and even shipping charges.  Remember, saving money on each sale leads directly to profit.Tip 3. Take advantage of all the free resources available online today to help you in your business...books, articles, blogs, tools and people! A simple search on Google will guide you to many places.Tip 4. Be yourself and share some of who you are with your customers...people like to buy handmade because they’re dealing with real people who have real stories.Tip 5. When you've accomplished something great in your business, take a moment to soak in that feeling of success...then try to recreate whatever you did to achieve that success!Do you have any tips to help others get their business on track?Main image courtesy of Damaged Cupcake

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Guest post by Rashmie of Mommy Labs October is almost upon us and we can feel the mood reflected in the colours of the leaves, the nip in the air, the soothing afternoon sun, the festivities ahead and – the nature of our crafts! Here in India, starting August, we have a plethora of festivals. And the [...]

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Fall is in the air and I am very excited for fall foods. Pumpkin, apples, squash, and pears are taking over my kitchen. I picked up a basket of pears at the farmers market to make this Roasted Pear and Grape Salad. It is one of my favorite fall salads. This salad is easy to [...]

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Have you ever had a customer ask you to make something that you’re capable of producing and selling, but not particularly thrilled about creating?  Perhaps you feel that you can definitely make what they are asking for, but that you have a better, more exciting version that you would rather make?When you begin feeling this way, it’s important to evaluate the goals you’ve set for your business.  If your goal is simply to make money, then perhaps you just make the item and move on, but if your goal is bigger, to perhaps “WOW” your customer and make a lasting, positive impression, then maybe you should consider providing your customer with OPTIONS! If your customer is asking for something specific, then create it for them.  It’s important for you to provide your customers with the product or service they are asking for, but you can even surprise them in a great way by showing them what other superior products or services that they may not have been aware of.  Always try to bring fresh ideas to your clients…as they may think they know what they want, until you lead them to something better!To give you an example, I was recently working to create a set of bridal jewelry for a lovely bride.  She was convinced that she wanted gold jewelry, but when I saw a picture of her dress, I could see traces of silver throughout the design.  I made her the set of gold jewelry she requested, but I also made the same set of jewelry in silver and I sent her pictures of both to choose from…guess which one she selected to wear on her wedding day?  Yep, you guessed it, it was the silver.  As I mentioned earlier, sometimes you can lead a customer to something entirely different than what they asked for, but making them happier in the long run by presenting them with options and allowing them to make the choice!Yes, you are taking a risk, but it’s a calculated risk and at the least, your customer will appreciate that you’ve gone out of your way to make them happy.  You should never make a customer feel pressured into buying what you think is best for them, but if you believe you can offer a better product than what they are asking for, present it to them and let them make the ultimate decision.Have you experienced a situation like this, as either a seller or a customer?  What happened and how did you respond?Main image courtesy of Alex Schweigert

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We all feel better when we slow down. We breathe more deeply. We savour our slice of coffee cake rather than wolfing it down. More...

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I’m thrilled to have Jamielyn of I Heart Naptime here as one of Make and Takes newest regular contributors. Jamielyn will be here once a month sharing fabulous ideas for the home. Take it away, Jamielyn… Halloween has to be one of my favorite holidays to decorate for! I love everything about this time of year! [...]

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Q: In your opinion, what is the primary commitment a writer must make to her work, and to her readers? More...

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Anti-creativity forces are in constant array against the triggers of your creativity. More...

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