About this time each winter I start thinking about spring projects, whether they be: what to plant in the garden; changing out my closets for the milder weather; or new craft projects.

Along with the change in seasons come distinct changes in colors and desired products.

This is a good time to go window-shopping and see what the latest trends are. You can do it right on line by using our Craft Supplies page.

This issue’s “Reader Letter of the Month” is here for two reasons. First, I thought it was a really cute letter from a sharp young student. Second, the e-address Kasie used turned out to be incorrect.

[Does anyone understand how that happens? Someone sends you an e-mail. Obviously it’s a valid address because you receive it. But when you try to reply, you’re told it’s not! Go figure.]

Anyway, I hope Kasie or her mom or dad subscribe to this newsletter so that my answer gets to her this way.

Eileen

New on The Artful Crafter This Month: Tons!

Lots on wire sculpture: Tips for Beginners including Free How-to Videos; Design Variations and Birthstone Pendants; and More Advanced Designs.

How to Use Print Shop to Enhance Original Artwork.

My Digi-Scrapping Journal where I reveal my (no longer) secret desire to qualify for the Scrap Girls design team.

Oilcloth: What is it and Why is it so Popular – Again?, including design photos and tips.

Tutorials on creating original business card designs with tips on how to keep your quality up and your costs down.

Finally here's shortcut tips for decoupage.

Reader Letter of the Month: Why Craft?

Question

Hey, my name is Kasie and my class is working on a BIG project. Mine is making money or business off of homemade crafts. I have a couple of questions.

• 1) Is the craft worth the money you spend on it?
• 2) Why do you do it over other things?
• 3) How do you get started selling or letting people know about it?

Answer

1) If it’s not, you’ll go out of business real fast!

You need to Minimize Your Costs and Maximize Your Price.

You also need to make sure there are people who will buy your crafts. That’s called Market Research.

2) I do it primarily because I love to. It’s an expression of my creative self.

Read how my crafting dream became reality.

Other common reasons for crafting for profit are to be able to work from home, to be home to raise one’s children, and/or to supplement the family income.

Some people, like Master Wire Sculptor Preston Reuther, have come back from the brink of despair when they “found their muse” and started crafting for profit.

3) Here are some selling tips I gave to another reader.

Excellent questions Kasie. I would love to hear how you do with your project.

Where Did All My Paragraphs Go? If you are reading this newsletter using Micrrosoft's Internet Explorer browser, you probably think I don’t know how to paragraph. Believe me, I do!

It frustrates me no end to review the newsletter after publishing using my various browsers.

Month after month, I find that Internet Explorer has stripped out all the paragraph breaks. I believe this is confined to version 7.0. I have tried to correct this many times with no success.

So, I apologize for the look to all of you Internet Explorer users; however the content is the same. Just try to imagine the paragraph breaks and lots of white space.

OR … if it really annoys you (as it does me), try reading the newsletter using another browser like Netscape or Firefox with Google Toolbar or Opera, all of which are available for free downloads.