After much discussion and planning, my husband and I are seriously considering opening our own feltmaking and fiber art studio/shop. It is still very, very tentative and up for debate because there is quite a lot to consider from the creative to the business itself. Personally, I really want a place to teach classes on needle, wet, and nuno felting. (I get quite a lot of requests for instruction on my techniques.) We'd also like to sell my own creations along with some fiber art kits and supplies. This is something that we've been discussing for a long time. It is just recently that we've felt it is the right time to proceed and see what our options are locally. Honestly, I'm not sure if anything at all will come of it, but I am enjoying the research that we are doing to explore the possibilities.
Now on to the favor . . . (since you have the inside scoop on why I am asking)
Pretty please take a few seconds to vote on your choices in the poll located at the top left side bar on my blog. It is just a few basic questions that I've been wondering about when deciding how to expand my funky felter business online and with the prospect of having a public studio/shop too. I would sincerely appreciate your input! Thanks a bunch in advance!
Oh, and if you have any personal experience on having your own studio and/or shop, or just want to add your two cents about it all, please leave a comment.
P.S. it has come to my attention that you can't actually choose more than one option when voting, but you are welcome to vote multiple times for your choices. I thought that I had set the poll up for multiple answers, but apparently not, and now I can not change the settings - bummer!
Hello, i enjoy your blog and i wanted to let you know that i thank your for all the useful info. i also think you have great taste, love what you make.
ReplyDeleteso first i tried to vote on more than one item, and it would not let me, so i was obligated to chose just one. :(
and second, i am a lost artist I've been searching through medias and tecnics for years and worked in different places and did stuff but i have found felt and fiber and have the fever!!! i am currently relocating my life and dreams with my partner to the south of Spain!!! to a small community called Las Alpujarras...so excited, and Felt and Fibers and spinning are the perfect thing for me to do in that place. i am researching the idea of first starting off selling my hand made products and in the future i will want to open up a fiber shop. this project will take me years. but i am determined that its what i want.
at the moment i am living in Buenso Aires, Argentina and felt basically does not exists yet. i found one teacher! so lucky i found her, she was in the US and studied all she could about it. but she is also relatively new at it. so that leaves me getting anything and everything i can find on the net and from blogs like yours. when i say 0 info i mean it! you can't buy felting needles here, i have a friend coming to visit me in December from Canada and she has been nice enough to pick some up for me! so excited to try it out.
so, all this come to if you have any info you would like to share to a lost felter-to-be like me, i would be soooo grateful to hear about your adventure of putting up your studio and all the rest. i wish you the best! and i am sure it will be great.
cheers, and thanks again for everything, itzel.
p.s. this is what i did the last few years. www.itzelbp.com.ar what a change i will be making!
The poll question says I can pick more than one option, but it wouldn't let me select more than one.
ReplyDeleteI would say go ahead and do it, but I also know nothing but about your personal and financial situation. My boyfriend owns his business, and I help with the books. It's not easy, but it's not really that hard either. Even if you know nothing about running a business (as we didn't), you catch on quick. Just make sure you have a good CPA.
best wishes on your move itzelbp! I hope that you are able to find more resources there and pursue your fiber art passion more freely :)
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the personal input lindsey. We are trying to start things out of our own pockets so I know that it will be trying at times, but I think well worth it if we are able to.
And, I'm sorry that you haven't been able to choose more than one option! I thought that I set it up so that you could. I'll make a note about it in my post :)
I would love to vote but I don't felt and sorry to say don't have time.
ReplyDeleteBut I sure love your 'stuff' and think you do a wonderful job!
Good luck on your venture!
Good luck with your shop endeavors! What a fantastic idea to create felting kits too. I think for people trying this craft out, that's a great way to get started. I got my first little kit for Christmas last year from a family member and have been hooked ever since. I would definitely suggest putting something like that together. I also went to a weekend long class a few months ago and had a ball. If teaching is something that you like to do, I say go for it. What a great idea and what a fun way to meet fellow artists!
ReplyDeleteKeep up your fabulous felting craft! You're totally talented :O)
Love your idea Shalana, but I think it would be more successful in Phoenix (not really, it's just wishful thinking on my part). At any rate, I tried to vote for multiple items by refreshing my screen, but that didn't work either - at any rate, I think that kits and classes (wet & dry), would both be successful. Good luck to you!
ReplyDeleteI surely wish the best for you, Shalana, if you decide to take the plunge.
ReplyDeleteMaple