input needed on ideas: Would you buy this?(long)
karasu
I've been playing around with starting my own Web business for awhile
now, off and on over a couple of years: I've read all the warnings and
cautions and advice I could find on the business end of it, and so
while I would welcome more that's not really what I'm asking about
here.
This is more of a content issue: whenever I sit down and try to
determine what sort of business I might want to start the items and
ideas I come up with always circle around and end up at the theme of
handmade pieces.
I would love to be able to make a little money(I realize it's amazing
if a small-business owner can turn enough of a profit to count it as a
full time job) creating and crafting things, but I'd like some content
from the readers of a.g.f. as you might be potential customers down the
road(not everything I'm proposing is gothy, but a goodly amount
is). :)
Speaking of which, please also let me know, if you feel like it, which
themes you think are fine or if they're overused(i.e. ankhs, skulls,
cats, and so on).
This is a long list, you've been warned... ;)
So... would you buy any of the following and do the prices sound too
low/too high/etc.? I apologize for not having photos of the items, as
these are all still in the idea stage: I'll try to be as descriptive as
possible. Everything would be handmade by me, in case I didn't beat
that into the ground enough. ;)
(If you see any ideas here you'd like to do as a home craft, please
feel free to do so, but please don't take an idea and try to make money
with it yourself. :) )
-Custom word pillow with poem, lyric, or saying of your choice(12" by
12" decorative black, purple, crimson, or white pillow with black,
silver, or gold calligraphy script written as a border along the edge
of the pillow or written in rows across the front of the pillow). $25
-Fairy/Dark Angel Portraits: 2' by 3' black and white pencil portraits
drawn from photos of the person. Photorealistic, full body or bust
(shoulders up), with appropriate wings, halos, 'effects' also drawn in.
$200 I actually have a link(to previous portrait work) for this one...
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/lablancamodel.gif
-Custom personal dolls: Cloth dolls given feather hair to match the
person's, and dressed in clothes custom made for them from clothing the
person chooses(i.e. they send me a photo of their favorite dress and I
make a minature version of that dress). Face would be drawn on in a
cartoon/anime style. I've made these for friends, much to their
delight, although there are jokes about them making great voodoo dolls.
$75
-Shape pillows: 9" pillows made of velvet or satin in moon, bat, ghost,
ankh shapes, etc. $10.
-Calligraphy: sentence, lyric, or poem of your choice done in any color
calligraphy on high quality 9" by 12" paper. $10(a simple phrase) to
$50(an entire song on a long sheet).
-You as a cartoon: This idea first came about when I attempted my own
charity drive. The person sends me a few photos and a questionnaire,
and I turn them into a cartoon('American' or 'anime'): $20(American) to
$50(all out anime like the first example). Here's some previous work:
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/cuteanime.gif
and http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/cartoon.gif
-Personalized Tarot Card: The person picks a card they feel fits them
(say 'The Lovers'). I draw them a personal Lovers card, drawing and
incorporating them or things that matter to them. Final product would
be glued onto (decorated on the side that would be showing) matte board
to create a 'true' card. $35.
-Embroidered altar cloths: This may be more pagan(usually) than goth,
but I know more than one person who's a mix of the two. Plain satin or
cotton cloths(varying colors) hand-embroidered at the corners with
seasonal icons(snow, leaves, etc.) or religious icons(pentagrams, star
of David, etc.) for decorating tables or altars with. $20.
-Goth cross stitch: A parody of the samplers you see, with perhaps an
ankh or a cute black cat above a saying like 'Home Is Where The Hair
Dye Is,' or something silly along those lines. $20.
-Custom meditation scrolls: In the spirit of the Japanese and Chinese
scrolls one can find in temples and such places. The person picks a
favorite Japanese/Chinese character or saying to be done in black ink
on a hanging scroll. $15.
-Baby(literally)-goth blankets: receiving blankets in black or darker
colors with little bats, moons etc. stitched in silver or white along
the border. $30.
-Baby goth mobile(could be fun for anyone...) Seven little cloth
stuffed bats, cats, etc. of varying colors hung together. $30.
-Gothy handmade soap: Bars of handmade glycerine soap with ankhs,
skulls, bones, spiders, roses, etc. done in darker colors. $5 a bar.
-Gift baskets: I may consider doing a vegan and pagan one, but the
gothy one would probably contain things like nail polish, nail polish
remover, dark lipsticks, postcards of cathedrals, a 'fuzz remover'
roller brush, dried flowers, candles, and such. Simple(three item)$15-
(twelve item)$50.
-Painted stones: Smooth river stones with your name, a phrase, or
silhouettes of cats and such painted on. $10 for name, $5 for
silhouette.
-Victorian flower cards: A card whose inside is blank and whose front
is painted with a bouquet of flowers the customer chooses according to
the Victorian 'language of flowers.'(suitable for framing as well, I'd
think) $20.
Whew! If you're still reading, thanks: please feel free to email me or
post if you have any thoughts on all this. :)
Thanks again!
karasu
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
califia: neither naked nor cal. discuss.
>
> I've been playing around with starting my own Web business for awhile
> now, off and on over a couple of years:
<snip>
> -Custom word pillow with poem, lyric, or saying of your choice(12" by
> 12" decorative black, purple, crimson, or white pillow with black,
> silver, or gold calligraphy script written as a border along the edge
> of the pillow or written in rows across the front of the pillow). $25
I would purchase these with the quotation of choice embroidered but not
just written on with a cloth marker, and certainly not for $25 if it's
just with fabric paint or fabric marker. I'd pay ten for that but I'd
certainly consider getting one if the price were right!
>
> -Fairy/Dark Angel Portraits: 2' by 3' black and white pencil portraits
> drawn from photos of the person. Photorealistic, full body or bust
> (shoulders up), with appropriate wings, halos, 'effects' also drawn in.
> $200 I actually have a link(to previous portrait work) for this one...
>
> http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/lablancamodel.gif
as far as this goes, I think the price is a bit high. I wouldn't pay
more than $20 dollars for something like this, but then again I'd never
_buy_ it, either. not my style, although I think it might be something
that a lot of people would be interested in having.
>
> -Custom personal dolls: Cloth dolls given feather hair to match the
> person's, and dressed in clothes custom made for them from clothing the
> person chooses(i.e. they send me a photo of their favorite dress and I
> make a minature version of that dress). Face would be drawn on in a
> cartoon/anime style. I've made these for friends, much to their
> delight, although there are jokes about them making great voodoo dolls.
> $75
basingstoke did these and sold them for about $20 at the most. that's
as much as I'd be willing to pay. she knows how successful they were,
but I think that $75 is a bit steep, even for handmade dolls.
>
> -Shape pillows: 9" pillows made of velvet or satin in moon, bat, ghost,
> ankh shapes, etc. $10.
I think these are a great idea! I'd love one, myself.
>
> -Calligraphy: sentence, lyric, or poem of your choice done in any color
> calligraphy on high quality 9" by 12" paper. $10(a simple phrase) to
> $50(an entire song on a long sheet).
hrm. I don't know about the price because I don't know how it
compares. I have a family member who would do this for me for free so I
wouldn't consider it.
>
> -You as a cartoon: This idea first came about when I attempted my own
> charity drive. The person sends me a few photos and a questionnaire,
> and I turn them into a cartoon('American' or 'anime'): $20(American) to
> $50(all out anime like the first example). Here's some previous work:
> http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/cuteanime.gif
> and http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/cartoon.gif
I think that street caricature artists charge much less than $50. I
think it's a really fun idea and a lot of people seem to love them, but
it seems to be a bit expensive, ESPECIALLY if you would have to pay
shipping on top of that.
>
> -Personalized Tarot Card: The person picks a card they feel fits them
> (say 'The Lovers'). I draw them a personal Lovers card, drawing and
> incorporating them or things that matter to them. Final product would
> be glued onto (decorated on the side that would be showing) matte board
> to create a 'true' card. $35.
how big would the card be? if it were a regular sized tarot card then I
think $35 is a bit much, especially when you can get some amazingly
beautiful tarot _decks_ for less than that.
>
> -Embroidered altar cloths: This may be more pagan(usually) than goth,
> but I know more than one person who's a mix of the two. Plain satin or
> cotton cloths(varying colors) hand-embroidered at the corners with
> seasonal icons(snow, leaves, etc.) or religious icons(pentagrams, star
> of David, etc.) for decorating tables or altars with. $20.
no idea on this one!
>
> -Goth cross stitch: A parody of the samplers you see, with perhaps an
> ankh or a cute black cat above a saying like 'Home Is Where The Hair
> Dye Is,' or something silly along those lines. $20.
no idea on this one, either! not something I'd ever consider buying,
though!
>
> -Custom meditation scrolls: In the spirit of the Japanese and Chinese
> scrolls one can find in temples and such places. The person picks a
> favorite Japanese/Chinese character or saying to be done in black ink
> on a hanging scroll. $15.
seems like a bit much. I've seen them framed and matted on mall carts
for cheaper!
>
> -Baby(literally)-goth blankets: receiving blankets in black or darker
> colors with little bats, moons etc. stitched in silver or white along
> the border. $30.
I think this is a cute idea and would connsider getting it for a
babyshower. good gift idea!
>
> -Baby goth mobile(could be fun for anyone...) Seven little cloth
> stuffed bats, cats, etc. of varying colors hung together. $30.
I think this is also a cute idea.
>
> -Gothy handmade soap: Bars of handmade glycerine soap with ankhs,
> skulls, bones, spiders, roses, etc. done in darker colors. $5 a bar.
I'm a bodywash/liquid soap girl so I'd have to pass on this one.
>
> -Gift baskets: I may consider doing a vegan and pagan one, but the
> gothy one would probably contain things like nail polish, nail polish
> remover, dark lipsticks, postcards of cathedrals, a 'fuzz remover'
> roller brush, dried flowers, candles, and such. Simple(three item)$15-
> (twelve item)$50.
hrm. you'd have to get an idea of the buyer's tastes so you didn't
include something they absolutely would never use/wear/like. I think
it's a really good idea. including halloweeny/gothy type candy would
also be a good idea!
>
> -Painted stones: Smooth river stones with your name, a phrase, or
> silhouettes of cats and such painted on. $10 for name, $5 for
> silhouette.
I don't think this is something I'd ever go for.
>
> -Victorian flower cards: A card whose inside is blank and whose front
> is painted with a bouquet of flowers the customer chooses according to
> the Victorian 'language of flowers.'(suitable for framing as well, I'd
> think) $20.
>
how big are they? I would _never_ pay $20 for a card, I don't care how
nice it was. it seems really excessive.
> Whew! If you're still reading, thanks: please feel free to email me or
> post if you have any thoughts on all this. :)
I don't really know how realistic _my_ prices are (I'm really cheap, I
know). it seems like maybe a reasonable fee would be somewhere in the
middle but I definitely wouldn't pay shipping on _top_ of the cost of
most of tehse items.
good luck!
-naked!
--
Eat recycled food. It's good for the environment and ok for you!
http://www.califia.org
pixie
^*^
^*^-Custom word pillow with poem, lyric, or saying of your choice(12" by
^*^12" decorative black, purple, crimson, or white pillow with black,
^*^silver, or gold calligraphy script written as a border along the edge
^*^of the pillow or written in rows across the front of the pillow). $25
No, but this is completely not the sort of thing I'm into. It also
seems like something that I could make myself, so I wouldn't be into
paying for it.
^*^-Fairy/Dark Angel Portraits: 2' by 3' black and white pencil portraits
^*^drawn from photos of the person. Photorealistic, full body or bust
^*^(shoulders up), with appropriate wings, halos, 'effects' also drawn in.
^*^$200 I actually have a link(to previous portrait work) for this one...
^*^
^*^http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/lablancamodel.gif
This is nice, I do like this, but I would never pay $200 for it. It's
a LOT of money.
^*^-Custom personal dolls: Cloth dolls given feather hair to match the
^*^person's, and dressed in clothes custom made for them from clothing the
^*^person chooses(i.e. they send me a photo of their favorite dress and I
^*^make a minature version of that dress). Face would be drawn on in a
^*^cartoon/anime style. I've made these for friends, much to their
^*^delight, although there are jokes about them making great voodoo dolls.
^*^$75
They sound cute, but I don't know about the feather hair... $75 is a
lot, but I have seen a lot of really cute, gothic, custom dolls go for
this much or more. How big would they be? That would be a deciding
factor, though I'd personally be creeped out, having a doll of myself.
^*^-Shape pillows: 9" pillows made of velvet or satin in moon, bat, ghost,
^*^ankh shapes, etc. $10.
Yes, these sound SO cute and they're not too expensive, either.
^*^-Calligraphy: sentence, lyric, or poem of your choice done in any color
^*^calligraphy on high quality 9" by 12" paper. $10(a simple phrase) to
^*^$50(an entire song on a long sheet).
No. Never. It's just writing on a sheet. Then again, I'm also special
in this case - my mom taught me calligraphy when I was 8 or 9. ^_^ I
can't imagine spending $50 for something like that, though, because it
also seems like something I could do myself (or anyone could.)
^*^-You as a cartoon: This idea first came about when I attempted my own
^*^charity drive. The person sends me a few photos and a questionnaire,
^*^and I turn them into a cartoon('American' or 'anime'): $20(American) to
^*^$50(all out anime like the first example). Here's some previous work:
^*^http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/cuteanime.gif
^*^and http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/cartoon.gif
Why does anime style cost more? Just curious. This is a cute idea, but
I can't imagine paying for it. Again, though, I have friends who are
artists, and they would do this sort of thing for me for free, if i
wanted.
^*^-Personalized Tarot Card: The person picks a card they feel fits them
^*^(say 'The Lovers'). I draw them a personal Lovers card, drawing and
^*^incorporating them or things that matter to them. Final product would
^*^be glued onto (decorated on the side that would be showing) matte board
^*^to create a 'true' card. $35.
I like the idea of this - a friend and I once made a "tarot extension"
set, adding new cards, just for trivial reasons for fun. I'd probably
be willing to pay for something like this if I liked the art style,
but $35 is a bit high... it's more of a $10 or $12 item.
^*^-Embroidered altar cloths: This may be more pagan(usually) than goth,
^*^but I know more than one person who's a mix of the two. Plain satin or
^*^cotton cloths(varying colors) hand-embroidered at the corners with
^*^seasonal icons(snow, leaves, etc.) or religious icons(pentagrams, star
^*^of David, etc.) for decorating tables or altars with. $20.
yes, this sounds like a fair price, especially for what it is, and is
something I could see myself buying as gifts.
^*^-Goth cross stitch: A parody of the samplers you see, with perhaps an
^*^ankh or a cute black cat above a saying like 'Home Is Where The Hair
^*^Dye Is,' or something silly along those lines. $20.
Hmmm. No, I don't think I would buy this.
^*^-Custom meditation scrolls: In the spirit of the Japanese and Chinese
^*^scrolls one can find in temples and such places. The person picks a
^*^favorite Japanese/Chinese character or saying to be done in black ink
^*^on a hanging scroll. $15.
These sound nice, but I would really need to see what it would look
like before I would decide if it is the sort of thing I would actually
buy.
^*^-Baby(literally)-goth blankets: receiving blankets in black or darker
^*^colors with little bats, moons etc. stitched in silver or white along
^*^the border. $30.
Sounds cute, but not the sort of thing I will ever have a need for.
^_^
^*^-Baby goth mobile(could be fun for anyone...) Seven little cloth
^*^stuffed bats, cats, etc. of varying colors hung together. $30.
Cute... for that price, it would need a music box that played
something like a midi-sounding Sisters of Mercy song or something,
though. For $20, I would buy one with black and purple bats.
^*^-Gothy handmade soap: Bars of handmade glycerine soap with ankhs,
^*^skulls, bones, spiders, roses, etc. done in darker colors. $5 a bar.
Cute, very cute. Samples would be essential - I'd need to see what
they would look like.
^*^-Gift baskets: I may consider doing a vegan and pagan one, but the
^*^gothy one would probably contain things like nail polish, nail polish
^*^remover, dark lipsticks, postcards of cathedrals, a 'fuzz remover'
^*^roller brush, dried flowers, candles, and such. Simple(three item)$15-
^*^(twelve item)$50.
I don't know... I think gothy people are generally crafty, in the
sense that they would be inclined to put something like this together
themselves.
^*^-Painted stones: Smooth river stones with your name, a phrase, or
^*^silhouettes of cats and such painted on. $10 for name, $5 for
^*^silhouette.
Why is a silhouette so much cheaper than a name?
I can't say I would buy this either way, I'm just curious why a name
costs twice as much.
^*^
^*^-Victorian flower cards: A card whose inside is blank and whose front
^*^is painted with a bouquet of flowers the customer chooses according to
^*^the Victorian 'language of flowers.'(suitable for framing as well, I'd
^*^think) $20.
^*^
Wow... ummmm probably not. That's a lot of money.
I hope I wasn't too critical - the thing of it is, I am kind of cheap,
kind of specific and have a bunch of friends who do things like draw,
make puppets and the like and they do it for me for free. Plus, I
ocassionally have crafty inclinations of my own, so I tend to make a
lot of things for myself...
pixie
"Goblins will feast on your buttocks! Your gums will
become diseased and your teeth will turn to glue... GLUE!"
StrangeGirl
shouted over the general babble in a vain attempt to be heard:
>> -Custom personal dolls: Cloth dolls given feather hair to match the
>> person's, and dressed in clothes custom made for them from clothing the
>> person chooses(i.e. they send me a photo of their favorite dress and I
>> make a minature version of that dress). Face would be drawn on in a
>> cartoon/anime style. I've made these for friends, much to their
>> delight, although there are jokes about them making great voodoo dolls.
>> $75
>
>basingstoke did these and sold them for about $20 at the most. that's
>as much as I'd be willing to pay. she knows how successful they were,
>but I think that $75 is a bit steep, even for handmade dolls.
I'd have to say that it depends on the style and amount of work put
into the dolls. Custom artist dolls can go for anywhere from $50 to
$1000 (not an exaggeration, check out a doll show sometime), and
that's what these would be. I've been shopping around for prices, to
get an idea of what my dolls should be priced at if I choose to sell
them, since I've been asked to so many times.
Examples, from my own work:
I made a fully articulated (with a complete wire skeleton, body
needlesculpted, with ball joints), fully dressed (silk shirt and vest,
pvc pants and shod in handmade little leather shoes), soft sculpture
gothboy for a swap that if I sold him I would ask not less than $200.
He took me almost 50 hours of work, and he's one-of-a-kind. I'm making
a similar doll for a gift for a freind. I may eventually sell other
similar dolls, but not for less than that unless I can magically halve
my working time, which is unlikely, since all the skills I used are
ones I am already quite proficient at.
My cookie-cutter ragdolls (like the one I made for Isa and the one I
made for the ragdoll swap this year) I would sell for about $25 to
$65, depending on complexity of costume and hair. They have painted
faces and some painted details and removable clothes. If I had to
match a photograph of somebody, I would definitely charge more,
becasue you have to be so careful with that sort of thing.
My structured soft-sculpture fashion-doll girlies (the ones on my
site) would go for between $50 and $100, depending on the complexity
of the costume. These also have painted faces, but each is hand-drawn.
All the hair is hand sewn on (different patterns for differnt
hairstyles), and much of the design requires hand sewing to shape
correctly. All of this adds time to a doll. The one on my site with
the little tiny smeggs and the corset dress would definitely be
pricey.
HTH :)
StrangeGirl
"I dress funny professionally."
Hold the spam to reply. TechnoSystem
StrangeGirl: http://strangegirl.50megs.com
karasu
> I hope I wasn't too critical - the thing of it is, I am kind of cheap,
> kind of specific and have a bunch of friends who do things like draw,
> make puppets and the like and they do it for me for free. Plus, I
> ocassionally have crafty inclinations of my own, so I tend to make a
> lot of things for myself...
No, you're not being too critical. This kind of honest critique is
exactly what I need to hear. :)
Just from the two posts I've read so far, I figure I should clarify a
few things. The reason I'm saying $200 for the large portrait is
because if you go to a store where an artist is doing this kind of
work, you will pay no less than $150, usually more like $225(at least
in my experience). Art takes a lot of effort, and custom art, as I
learned in the charity drive, is even more effort. Rather than making
a picture other people might or might not like, you're making a picture
specifically for them and therefore must do and draw things exactly to
spec.
This also ties into the fact that I do face an interesting quandry in
that a lot of gothy people are creative, and therefore can do these
things themselves or know people who can. So while I'm faced with
wanting to lower prices, I also know how much effort I'm going to put
into the work. The anime pic that I have linked, for instance, took me
6 hours of solid work to do(draw it in pencil following photos, trace
it onto tracing paper, 'ghost' that onto a watercolor block, ink it,
erase the ghosting, and watercolor it), not counting the cost of
materials. At that point I'm making about $6 an hour if I charge $40
for it.
I forget that I'm artistic, but people I meet who can't draw to save
their lives are typically in awe of people who can, and are willing to
pay more than people who have artistic talents of their own(including
me). The question is, when I want to accept X and the nonartists would
be willing to pay X + 20... are the nonartists overvaluing my work or
am I undervaluing it? Just for reference, I tried to work out these
prices for time, materials, the custom factor, and more leaning towards
a non-artist price than my usual(much lower) assessment.
I'd be going through the same process for the card(it was going to be
an oversize one, btw) so that's why I was going to charge $20(at least
3 hours' work there, and the fact each card is different, so I can't
just 'spit them out').
The first item, the 'written pillow', would have the words sewn, to
answer califia. For the tarot card, it would be a larger size(probably
9 by 12), but I was imagining it being pretty intricate, hence the
price.
The silhouette on the stones would be cheaper because that I could do
fairly quickly, while a name would take more time.
Again, none of these prices are set in stone... I'm just concerned
about how to strike the balance between setting a price that people
will pay but that won't be losing me money.
Thanks to all for the emailed/posted input so far! I always welcome
constructive criticism. :)
--
Aconite
karasu wrote:
>
> Speaking of which, please also let me know, if you feel like it, which
> themes you think are fine or if they're overused(i.e. ankhs, skulls,
> cats, and so on).
>
> This is a long list, you've been warned... ;)
OK. I'm not a goth. This may affect my judgement.
> -Custom word pillow with poem, lyric, or saying of your choice(12" by
> 12" decorative black, purple, crimson, or white pillow with black,
> silver, or gold calligraphy script written as a border along the edge
> of the pillow or written in rows across the front of the pillow). $25
Not personally, but a nice idea. How would you do it? With embroidery?
If embroidered, that would be gorgeous.
> -Fairy/Dark Angel Portraits: 2' by 3' black and white pencil portraits
> drawn from photos of the person. Photorealistic, full body or bust
> (shoulders up), with appropriate wings, halos, 'effects' also drawn in.
> $200 I actually have a link(to previous portrait work) for this one...
>
> http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/lablancamodel.gif
>
> -Custom personal dolls: Cloth dolls given feather hair to match the
> person's, and dressed in clothes custom made for them from clothing the
> person chooses(i.e. they send me a photo of their favorite dress and I
> make a minature version of that dress). Face would be drawn on in a
> cartoon/anime style. I've made these for friends, much to their
> delight, although there are jokes about them making great voodoo dolls.
> $75
Now, I would love dolls like this (not of me, but of jrock stars
probably). Bas made me the most beautiful Kyo doll.
However, I wouldn't pay $75 dollars for it.
> -Shape pillows: 9" pillows made of velvet or satin in moon, bat, ghost,
> ankh shapes, etc. $10.
Cute, and will probably sell.
> -Calligraphy: sentence, lyric, or poem of your choice done in any color
> calligraphy on high quality 9" by 12" paper. $10(a simple phrase) to
> $50(an entire song on a long sheet).
No, because I have enough fonts on the computer to d it that way.
> -You as a cartoon: This idea first came about when I attempted my own
> charity drive. The person sends me a few photos and a questionnaire,
> and I turn them into a cartoon('American' or 'anime'): $20(American) to
> $50(all out anime like the first example). Here's some previous work:
> http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/cuteanime.gif
> and http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/cartoon.gif
Yes definately, although $50 seems a little high.
> -Personalized Tarot Card: The person picks a card they feel fits them
> (say 'The Lovers'). I draw them a personal Lovers card, drawing and
> incorporating them or things that matter to them. Final product would
> be glued onto (decorated on the side that would be showing) matte board
> to create a 'true' card. $35.
Not sure about this, and it seems awfully expensive.
> -Embroidered altar cloths: This may be more pagan(usually) than goth,
> but I know more than one person who's a mix of the two. Plain satin or
> cotton cloths(varying colors) hand-embroidered at the corners with
> seasonal icons(snow, leaves, etc.) or religious icons(pentagrams, star
> of David, etc.) for decorating tables or altars with. $20.
Table covers yes, if they were overly religious, no.
> -Goth cross stitch: A parody of the samplers you see, with perhaps an
> ankh or a cute black cat above a saying like 'Home Is Where The Hair
> Dye Is,' or something silly along those lines. $20.
These are a cute idea nd would probably sell well.
> -Custom meditation scrolls: In the spirit of the Japanese and Chinese
> scrolls one can find in temples and such places. The person picks a
> favorite Japanese/Chinese character or saying to be done in black ink
> on a hanging scroll. $15.
Depends. How good are you at calligraphy (for Kanji)? I couldn't custom
order a piece like that, it has to be something that I see and fall in
love with.
> -Baby(literally)-goth blankets: receiving blankets in black or darker
> colors with little bats, moons etc. stitched in silver or white along
> the border. $30.
Very cute. Yes.
> -Baby goth mobile(could be fun for anyone...) Seven little cloth
> stuffed bats, cats, etc. of varying colors hung together. $30.
Very cute. Yes.
> -Gothy handmade soap: Bars of handmade glycerine soap with ankhs,
> skulls, bones, spiders, roses, etc. done in darker colors. $5 a bar.
I think this is a good idea, as longs as they are sculpted well.
> -Gift baskets: I may consider doing a vegan and pagan one, but the
> gothy one would probably contain things like nail polish, nail polish
> remover, dark lipsticks, postcards of cathedrals, a 'fuzz remover'
> roller brush, dried flowers, candles, and such. Simple(three item)$15-
> (twelve item)$50.
I'm not really keen on giftbaskets, the only type I will ever get is
BodyShop type ones, themed around a certain sent, and with lots of
useful products (postcards and a lipstick shade I didn't pick wouldn't
appeal to me at all)
> -Painted stones: Smooth river stones with your name, a phrase, or
> silhouettes of cats and such painted on. $10 for name, $5 for
> silhouette.
Not my interest, but not a bad idea.
> -Victorian flower cards: A card whose inside is blank and whose front
> is painted with a bouquet of flowers the customer chooses according to
> the Victorian 'language of flowers.'(suitable for framing as well, I'd
> think) $20.
Expensive
--
Narcissism - http://www.darkwave.org.uk/~aconite
"I've just got one purpose in life.
To explode of course."
Ronda
karasu <kue...@yahoo.com> wrote:
In article <8qe6d6$3r9$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
karasu <kue...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> This also ties into the fact that I do face an interesting quandry in
> that a lot of gothy people are creative, and therefore can do these
> things themselves or know people who can. So while I'm faced with
> wanting to lower prices, I also know how much effort I'm going to put
> into the work. The anime pic that I have linked, for instance, took me
> 6 hours of solid work to do(draw it in pencil following photos, trace
> it onto tracing paper, 'ghost' that onto a watercolor block, ink it,
> erase the ghosting, and watercolor it), not counting the cost of
> materials. At that point I'm making about $6 an hour if I charge $40
> for it.
Snipped this because it cuts to the heart of things. If folks
are able to make it themselves then so be it. They are not your
customers. They do not determine your pricing.
There will always be a client base that can't afford your work.
If the work is good there will always be a client base who can
afford your work.
When I see an artist underpricing their work I tell them if they don't
raise the price I will purchase their work and sell it for double.
This actually happened with a friend who wasn't selling her work
for enough so after warning her I took it over to my booth doubled
the price and sold it. She was having a low self-esteem thing about
her work not being good enough. It was exquisite and everyone else
knew it and she sold out after doubling the prices.
You have to pay yourself American wages to live in America.
A handcrafted item made in this country if its a bowl, a painting,
or woven blanket is not comparable to an item you walk in and
purchase in a store that carries items made in other countries.
The average wage may be three dollars a day in that country.
That isn't going to buy lunch in the USA.
The public that knows art knows pricing. Standard pricing is
your hourly wage and cost materials doubled at the very least.
Now of course it may be more than that and demand plays a big
part. The Internet also makes access to your work and the selling
of work so much nicer since you won't have to account for galleries
taking 40-60 percent of your profits. It also means almost no
risk to start a web page with samples of your work and portfolio.
Your market base can have a cross over in to many walks of life.
Sketch artists I know make a good income with character sketches for
role playing games where gamers want a portrait for their
character. In our little geek fest gaming group that meets every
three months one of the players just paid for $200 for a nice
rendering of his character.
Your pricing is faire. I used to love to go certain live events to
sell the masks until I realized that the people were nice, they
just didn't have any money. To cut prices just to meet their level
would have put me out of business. I am happy to say today with
world wide access we can't meet the demand at Halloween. We sell out
of our work every year. Its not bragging ...its just to point out that
locally we struggled globally we thrive. If you provide a product
that people want and like it will sell. :0 )
Ok..back to the point...
The more unique your product from the competition the better.
Embroidered work would be a definite purchase in my book.
Actually been looking for someone to make an item for me.
Its something I have zero patience for and would love to pay
someone else to do for me!
Best Wishes!
--
Ronda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dragonfly Design Studio
http://DragonflyDesignStudio.com
Masks and historical clothing patterns.
Ismene
in metallic purple eyeliner:
>I would love to be able to make a little money(I realize it's amazing
>if a small-business owner can turn enough of a profit to count it as a
>full time job) creating and crafting things, but I'd like some content
>from the readers of a.g.f. as you might be potential customers down the
>road(not everything I'm proposing is gothy, but a goodly amount
>is). :)
>
I agree with pretty much everything Ronda said about this. You
need to price your work to pay you a living wage. Handmade things take
time to make. However, some smaller, simpler items might need to be
underpriced a bit in order to sell. Like a lot of people here, I'm
quite cheap about some things, but as an artist myself I probably
understand the time that goes into such things better than many
others.
<snip>
>-Custom word pillow with poem, lyric, or saying of your choice(12" by
>12" decorative black, purple, crimson, or white pillow with black,
>silver, or gold calligraphy script written as a border along the edge
>of the pillow or written in rows across the front of the pillow). $25
I'd probably buy this, and I might even pay up to $35 for one
if it's all handmade. I've seen mass-produced pillows like this (no
choice on words/quotes) selling for $35-40. This is something I could
easily do myself, but for only $25 or so, I'd probably prefer to have
someone else do it.
>
>-Fairy/Dark Angel Portraits: 2' by 3' black and white pencil portraits
>drawn from photos of the person. Photorealistic, full body or bust
>(shoulders up), with appropriate wings, halos, 'effects' also drawn in.
>$200 I actually have a link(to previous portrait work) for this one...
>
>http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/lablancamodel.gif
Hmm. This is the one thing I'm not sure about, mostly because
of the pricing. I do understand that portraits take up a lot of time,
having done them myself, but $200 seems like a little much for a
picture that is mostly line work. Were there more shading/rendering
I'd be more inclined to pay that amount. If you'll be doing mostly
line drawings with a only large areas of smudgy, very light shading
(which takes very little time), I think $100-150 is more reasonable.
You can charge more once you've developed a reputation as a portrait
artist.
I do think that your example is a lovely portrait. Her
features are very well done.
>
>-Custom personal dolls: Cloth dolls given feather hair to match the
>person's, and dressed in clothes custom made for them from clothing the
>person chooses(i.e. they send me a photo of their favorite dress and I
>make a minature version of that dress). Face would be drawn on in a
>cartoon/anime style. I've made these for friends, much to their
>delight, although there are jokes about them making great voodoo dolls.
>$75
Hm. I probably wouldn't buy these, but I'm not big on buying
most dolls. I'd need to see a photo to determine if they're worth the
$75. This probably seems pricey to a lot of people, but it might be
fine depending on the complexity of the doll.
>-Shape pillows: 9" pillows made of velvet or satin in moon, bat, ghost,
>ankh shapes, etc. $10.
I wouldn't buy these as I could make them myself, but I think
they'd sell. Cute and cheap. You might be able to go as high as $12-15
depending on how long it takes you to make one (an hour, perhaps?) and
if the pillow has any embellishment.
>
>-Calligraphy: sentence, lyric, or poem of your choice done in any color
>calligraphy on high quality 9" by 12" paper. $10(a simple phrase) to
>$50(an entire song on a long sheet).
I wouldn't buy this as I could do it myself or have my mother
do it, but the prices seem reasonable.
>
>-You as a cartoon: This idea first came about when I attempted my own
>charity drive. The person sends me a few photos and a questionnaire,
>and I turn them into a cartoon('American' or 'anime'): $20(American) to
>$50(all out anime like the first example). Here's some previous work:
>http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/cuteanime.gif
>and http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~karasu/cartoon/cartoon.gif
I think they'd sell well, though again it's not something I'm
personally interested in. The prices are fair for the amount of work
these take, and may even be a bit low.
>
>-Personalized Tarot Card: The person picks a card they feel fits them
>(say 'The Lovers'). I draw them a personal Lovers card, drawing and
>incorporating them or things that matter to them. Final product would
>be glued onto (decorated on the side that would be showing) matte board
>to create a 'true' card. $35.
Oooh, good idea. I might get one of these. The price is /very/
good considering the amount of work that I think this would take. (I'm
assuming that these would be somewhat detailed and take 4-5 hrs per
card. Working in a small format is sometimes more difficult, too.) If
the cards are elaborate, you could charge more.
>
>-Embroidered altar cloths: This may be more pagan(usually) than goth,
>but I know more than one person who's a mix of the two. Plain satin or
>cotton cloths(varying colors) hand-embroidered at the corners with
>seasonal icons(snow, leaves, etc.) or religious icons(pentagrams, star
>of David, etc.) for decorating tables or altars with. $20.
Not something I'd buy, but others would. The price is very
good. Again, you could charge more for something more elaborate. As
Aconites mentioned, you could do non-religious table covers in
addition to altar cloths.
>
>-Goth cross stitch: A parody of the samplers you see, with perhaps an
>ankh or a cute black cat above a saying like 'Home Is Where The Hair
>Dye Is,' or something silly along those lines. $20.
>
Hm. Might sell, though not something I'd buy. Price is fair,
maybe a bit underpriced.
>-Custom meditation scrolls: In the spirit of the Japanese and Chinese
>scrolls one can find in temples and such places. The person picks a
>favorite Japanese/Chinese character or saying to be done in black ink
>on a hanging scroll. $15.
>
As everyone else said, I'd need to see this first. having
several examples on your web site would be good. Priced well.
>-Baby(literally)-goth blankets: receiving blankets in black or darker
>colors with little bats, moons etc. stitched in silver or white along
>the border. $30.
>
>-Baby goth mobile(could be fun for anyone...) Seven little cloth
>stuffed bats, cats, etc. of varying colors hung together. $30.
>
Cute! I'd buy these as presents, certainly. Good prices
.
>-Gothy handmade soap: Bars of handmade glycerine soap with ankhs,
>skulls, bones, spiders, roses, etc. done in darker colors. $5 a bar.
Hmm. I'm unlikely to pay $5 for a bar of soap unless it's got
stuff in it, like some soaps on the Soggy Puppy site. If the soaps are
simply molded in the shape of an ankh or what-have-you, #3 is more
reasonable.
>
>-Gift baskets: I may consider doing a vegan and pagan one, but the
>gothy one would probably contain things like nail polish, nail polish
>remover, dark lipsticks, postcards of cathedrals, a 'fuzz remover'
>roller brush, dried flowers, candles, and such. Simple(three item)$15-
>(twelve item)$50.
I don't think many agf'ers would buy this, as we tend to like
making these ourselves, That said, I think that it would be popular
with people outside the group. The prices seem to be standard for gift
baskets.
>
>-Painted stones: Smooth river stones with your name, a phrase, or
>silhouettes of cats and such painted on. $10 for name, $5 for
>silhouette.
Eh. Why would I need a painted rock?
>
>-Victorian flower cards: A card whose inside is blank and whose front
>is painted with a bouquet of flowers the customer chooses according to
>the Victorian 'language of flowers.'(suitable for framing as well, I'd
>think) $20.
>
Sounds pretty, and quite reasonably priced, even underpriced.
I think that the people who think this is too much need to look at
this as a watercolor painting instead of a card.
I hope this helps. I realize my perspective is somewhat
different than that of most of the previous posters.
Ismene, very tired
--
"...His progress through life was hampered by his tremendous sense of his
own ignorance, a disability which hampers all too few people."
-Terry Pratchett, 'Maskerade'
Harri Kulju Erin Winslow
karasu <kue...@yahoo.com> skrev i
diskussionsgruppsmeddelandet:8qdscc$no7$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
> Hello all,
>
> I've been playing around with starting my own Web business for awhile
> now, off and on over a couple of years: I've read all the warnings and
> cautions and advice I could find on the business end of it, and so
> while I would welcome more that's not really what I'm asking about
> here.
>
> This is more of a content issue: whenever I sit down and try to
> determine what sort of business I might want to start the items and
> ideas I come up with always circle around and end up at the theme of
> handmade pieces.
>
> I would love to be able to make a little money(I realize it's amazing
> if a small-business owner can turn enough of a profit to count it as a
> full time job) creating and crafting things, but I'd like some content
> from the readers of a.g.f. as you might be potential customers down the
> road(not everything I'm proposing is gothy, but a goodly amount
> is). :)
>
> Speaking of which, please also let me know, if you feel like it, which
> themes you think are fine or if they're overused(i.e. ankhs, skulls,
> cats, and so on).
>
> This is a long list, you've been warned... ;)
>
> So... would you buy any of the following and do the prices sound too
>
> -Embroidered altar cloths: This may be more pagan(usually) than goth,
> but I know more than one person who's a mix of the two. Plain satin or
> cotton cloths(varying colors) hand-embroidered at the corners with
> seasonal icons(snow, leaves, etc.) or religious icons(pentagrams, star
> of David, etc.) for decorating tables or altars with. $20.
>
> -Goth cross stitch: A parody of the samplers you see, with perhaps an
> ankh or a cute black cat above a saying like 'Home Is Where The Hair
> Dye Is,' or something silly along those lines. $20.
NO, no, no, no [you get the idea! :-)] Even if the embroidery design is
simple and you only outline it (e.g. with stem stitch), it takes *hours* to
do embroidery! You definitely should charge accordingly! I would double your
prices, especially if you are including the costs of materials in the $20.
You could easily end up spending just that much on materials.
Also, something that took me and my (formerly) low self-esteem *years* to
figure-out is that, the more YOU value your work, the more OTHERS will value
it. A lot of people really and truely don't understand the enormous
difference between custom work and mass-produced items. They would be
getting something *unique* and should be prepared to pay accordingly.
Just my 2 kronor :-)
Erin W.
har...@swipnet.se
m...@grove.ufl.edu
> -Custom word pillow with poem, lyric, or saying of your choice(12" by
> 12" decorative black, purple, crimson, or white pillow with black,
> silver, or gold calligraphy script written as a border along the edge
> of the pillow or written in rows across the front of the pillow). $25
Oh, that would be so beautiful! At that price, I'd definitely get one or
maybe two if I could just think of something I wanted on
there. (Assuming, of course, that it was emboidered on like you mentioned
in a later post.) I'd also probably want to see a sample first.
> -Fairy/Dark Angel Portraits: 2' by 3' black and white pencil portraits
> drawn from photos of the person. Photorealistic, full body or bust
> (shoulders up), with appropriate wings, halos, 'effects' also drawn in.
> $200 I actually have a link(to previous portrait work) for this one...
Hmm, $200 is a little steep for my budget. I'd take a slightly smaller
version if that would lower the price to ~$150, or I'd pay $200 if it were
framed at that price. I absolutely love the idea, though! I'd also like
to see another sample or two of your work in that style, first.
> -Custom personal dolls: Cloth dolls given feather hair to match the
> person's, and dressed in clothes custom made for them from clothing the
> person chooses(i.e. they send me a photo of their favorite dress and I
> make a minature version of that dress). Face would be drawn on in a
> cartoon/anime style. I've made these for friends, much to their
> delight, although there are jokes about them making great voodoo dolls.
> $75
I'm not sure about the price since I wouldn't have any interest in
anything like that.
> -Shape pillows: 9" pillows made of velvet or satin in moon, bat, ghost,
> ankh shapes, etc. $10.
Ooh, I'd probably go for that! That's a price comparable to pillows I see
in Ross, so if you'd offer them, I'd take pillows in regular (round,
square, etc.) shapes, too, since I'd rather give the $ to an AGFer.
> -Calligraphy: sentence, lyric, or poem of your choice done in any color
> calligraphy on high quality 9" by 12" paper. $10(a simple phrase) to
> $50(an entire song on a long sheet).
That seems a little steep to me. Then again, it's probably not something
I'd get even if it were cheaper.
> -You as a cartoon: This idea first came about when I attempted my own
> charity drive. The person sends me a few photos and a questionnaire,
> and I turn them into a cartoon('American' or 'anime'): $20(American) to
> $50(all out anime like the first example). Here's some previous work:
That's a cute idea, but probably not something I'd get.
> -Personalized Tarot Card: The person picks a card they feel fits them
> (say 'The Lovers'). I draw them a personal Lovers card, drawing and
> incorporating them or things that matter to them. Final product would
> be glued onto (decorated on the side that would be showing) matte board
> to create a 'true' card. $35.
Would this be in full color? If it is, and it's at the large size you
mentioned in a subsequent post (suitable for display rather than use), I'd
definitely get one if I could see a sample first.
> -Embroidered altar cloths: This may be more pagan(usually) than goth,
> but I know more than one person who's a mix of the two. Plain satin or
> cotton cloths(varying colors) hand-embroidered at the corners with
> seasonal icons(snow, leaves, etc.) or religious icons(pentagrams, star
> of David, etc.) for decorating tables or altars with. $20.
Ooh, you'll make a killing on that selling to fluffy teen Wiccans (the
same kind who also buy Silver Ravenwolf's Teen Witch Kit)! If you offer
some that aren't particularly religious, you may also do well selling them
as table covers. Personally, though, I probably wouldn't buy one since
it's one of the few things I could easily make myself.
> -Goth cross stitch: A parody of the samplers you see, with perhaps an
> ankh or a cute black cat above a saying like 'Home Is Where The Hair
> Dye Is,' or something silly along those lines. $20.
Wouldn't buy at any price. I just find cross stitch reminds me too much
of old ladies.
> -Custom meditation scrolls: In the spirit of the Japanese and Chinese
> scrolls one can find in temples and such places. The person picks a
> favorite Japanese/Chinese character or saying to be done in black ink
> on a hanging scroll. $15.
If this were done well (I'd have to see a picture first), I'd definitely
buy one!
> -Baby(literally)-goth blankets: receiving blankets in black or darker
> colors with little bats, moons etc. stitched in silver or white along
> the border. $30.
Sounds cute! I might get one as a baby shower gift.
> -Baby goth mobile(could be fun for anyone...) Seven little cloth
> stuffed bats, cats, etc. of varying colors hung together. $30.
Hmm, maybe. I'd have to see a pic first.
> -Gothy handmade soap: Bars of handmade glycerine soap with ankhs,
> skulls, bones, spiders, roses, etc. done in darker colors. $5 a bar.
I don't like glycerine soap.
> -Gift baskets: I may consider doing a vegan and pagan one, but the
> gothy one would probably contain things like nail polish, nail polish
> remover, dark lipsticks, postcards of cathedrals, a 'fuzz remover'
> roller brush, dried flowers, candles, and such. Simple(three item)$15-
> (twelve item)$50.
If I do give someone a gift basket, I find that half the fun is putting
one together myself.
> -Painted stones: Smooth river stones with your name, a phrase, or
> silhouettes of cats and such painted on. $10 for name, $5 for
> silhouette.
I don't think I have a need for these.
> -Victorian flower cards: A card whose inside is blank and whose front
> is painted with a bouquet of flowers the customer chooses according to
> the Victorian 'language of flowers.'(suitable for framing as well, I'd
> think) $20.
Hmm, that's a bit much for a card.
Overall, I think a lot of your ideas are wonderful! I hope you do decide
to start this business and offer some of these products - I'd be more than
happy to buy some! :)
Mel
************************************************************************
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*Get paid to browse! - http://www.alladvantage.com/go.asp?refid=bjg065 *
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Narnia
gusto in alt.gothic.fashion:
>-Custom word pillow with poem, lyric, or saying of your choice(12" by
>12" decorative black, purple, crimson, or white pillow with black,
>silver, or gold calligraphy script written as a border along the edge
>of the pillow or written in rows across the front of the pillow). $25
I would probably pay a maximum of $15 if the wording was written with
fabric pen. If it was embroidered, I would be more than willing to pay
$25.
>-Fairy/Dark Angel Portraits: 2' by 3' black and white pencil portraits
>drawn from photos of the person. Photorealistic, full body or bust
>(shoulders up), with appropriate wings, halos, 'effects' also drawn in.
>$200 I actually have a link(to previous portrait work) for this one...
This isn't something I personally would buy, but I think $200 might be a
little much for it.
>-Custom personal dolls: Cloth dolls given feather hair to match the
>person's, and dressed in clothes custom made for them from clothing the
>person chooses(i.e. they send me a photo of their favorite dress and I
>make a minature version of that dress). Face would be drawn on in a
>cartoon/anime style. I've made these for friends, much to their
>delight, although there are jokes about them making great voodoo dolls.
>$75
I think the price would be more worth it if the face was embroidered. The
price would be dependent on the quality of the doll as well, and the
detail involved in making the particular outfit. Also, offering a
different type of hair for those allergic to feathers would be wonderful.
I might buy this if I had the money, but I generally don't.
>-Shape pillows: 9" pillows made of velvet or satin in moon, bat, ghost,
>ankh shapes, etc. $10.
That is a bit overdone, but the price is good and they would be likely to
sell quite well. I'd probably buy these as presents.
>-Calligraphy: sentence, lyric, or poem of your choice done in any color
>calligraphy on high quality 9" by 12" paper. $10(a simple phrase) to
>$50(an entire song on a long sheet).
I think the price should be more like $5 for a simple phrase and $25 for
an entire song.
>-You as a cartoon: This idea first came about when I attempted my own
>charity drive. The person sends me a few photos and a questionnaire,
>and I turn them into a cartoon('American' or 'anime'): $20(American) to
>$50(all out anime like the first example).
I've seen your work in this, and it's wonderful. :> It's difficult to put
a price on art, but I think that the anime one might be a tad
expensive. Perhaps more along the lines of $30-40?
>-Personalized Tarot Card: The person picks a card they feel fits them
>(say 'The Lovers'). I draw them a personal Lovers card, drawing and
>incorporating them or things that matter to them. Final product would
>be glued onto (decorated on the side that would be showing) matte board
>to create a 'true' card. $35.
I like the idea, but perhaps $25 would be a better price.
>-Embroidered altar cloths: This may be more pagan(usually) than goth,
>but I know more than one person who's a mix of the two. Plain satin or
>cotton cloths(varying colors) hand-embroidered at the corners with
>seasonal icons(snow, leaves, etc.) or religious icons(pentagrams, star
>of David, etc.) for decorating tables or altars with. $20.
I think the price should depend on the amount of detail involved with the
icons, and how big they are. The price for this might be better to go up
to $25.
>-Goth cross stitch: A parody of the samplers you see, with perhaps an
>ankh or a cute black cat above a saying like 'Home Is Where The Hair
>Dye Is,' or something silly along those lines. $20.
That's cute. Price sounds okay.
>-Custom meditation scrolls: In the spirit of the Japanese and Chinese
>scrolls one can find in temples and such places. The person picks a
>favorite Japanese/Chinese character or saying to be done in black ink
>on a hanging scroll. $15.
I would *definitely* buy this, especially at that price. As much as I
hate to say this, are you sure you'd be charging enough?
>-Baby(literally)-goth blankets: receiving blankets in black or darker
>colors with little bats, moons etc. stitched in silver or white along
>the border. $30.
Cute! Depending on the detail involved, $20-25 might be a better
price. I would buy this as a baby shower gift.
>-Baby goth mobile(could be fun for anyone...) Seven little cloth
>stuffed bats, cats, etc. of varying colors hung together. $30.
I'd buy that, but it might be better at $20-25.
>-Gothy handmade soap: Bars of handmade glycerine soap with ankhs,
>skulls, bones, spiders, roses, etc. done in darker colors. $5 a bar.
A friend of mine makes free soap for me, but that's a good price and I
imagine that people would buy it.
>-Painted stones: Smooth river stones with your name, a phrase, or
>silhouettes of cats and such painted on. $10 for name, $5 for
>silhouette.
I wouldn't buy it, but I know lots of people that would.
>-Victorian flower cards: A card whose inside is blank and whose front
>is painted with a bouquet of flowers the customer chooses according to
>the Victorian 'language of flowers.'(suitable for framing as well, I'd
>think) $20.
Perhaps $10-15 would be a better price?
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