Let's get crafty!

Let's talk about crafts, shall we? I'm a very crafty person. I was raised with a crafty mom and I adore doing crafts, which would explain my business. I love DIY projects and I'm pretty good at looking at something and going home and doing it on my own. I would rather do it on my own, anyways. It's a talent, I guess you could say. And there are some that don't have a crafty bone in their body. I have a few friends like that and it's a disaster when they're helping me do something. It's ok, they admit to it. I have lost count of how many customers, intrigued, curious, and nosy (it's ok, most of us are) people have asked how we make our accessories at Dainty Button. When I was first asked this, I would just stay mum and say "thank you." I felt like I would be letting out a huge secret and punished for it, somehow. I'm weird, I know. But the more we've expanded at Dainty Button, the more I've come to realize that it's fun to share ideas. I love getting new ideas and I'm sure you do too. So, that being said, I'm going to announce something that we think is really exciting and I hope you like it as much as we think you will.

Last week, we were cleaning out our supply cabinets and was amazed at how much we had accumulated over the span of 2.5 years. I'm not sure if any of you participated but we had a big crafter's sale on FB and it was such a success. Leave it to me to start brainstorming. My mind never quits. I started thinking back to previous conversation's with friends and family, emails from young girls, women and even other businesses about our production process, etc. And I realized that I want to share what we do here at Dainty Button. You have the crafters that love to make things on their own and even resale them and you have the non-crafters that would not go within 10 feet of a glue gun. So, why not offer the best of both worlds to our customers, right? We started off as an accessories business and have taken a little break, so to speak, but this week we are launching new accessories and trying to get back in a groove, after many customers have contacted us and frankly, we really miss it. But with launching new accessories, which we will always have available, we are launching...

The Krafter's Kloset

This will officially launch on Friday, July 27th in our etsy shop Dainty Button etsy and our website Dainty Button. This will be a place where crafter's and even other accessory businesses can purchase crafting and accessory making supplies at a really great price. Here's what you can look for...

Fabrics

Buttons

Notions

Trims

Lace

Pre-Cut Felt Flowers (made with our European wool felt in a ridiculous amount of colors)

Rosettes

We're bringing it to you! We thought we'd give you a little idea of what will be offered and you can actually purchase these items today...

Rosettes in a Bag

Rosettes in a bag on etsy....

And last but certainly not least. 

Headband in a Bag

So, my business partner and best friend (one in the same) and I were just throwing ideas around and she asked me why don't I do a "headband in a bag." Genius, right! There's been several occasions where we've gotten customers who wanted a custom made headband or maybe something altered on a headband in our etsy shop or website. Well, this is having your cake and eating it too, so to speak. Just don't eat the headband. We're introducing "headband in a bag." What is it?

This is our first one, so more options will be available soon. 

1. Blank headband

2. Pre-cut unglued/unattached European wool felt flowers

3. Buttons/notions

4. Trims, lace, etc.

5. European wool felt pre-cut leaves

These items will differ and alter, depending on what designs we offer. This is allowing you to put your headband together as you please, but with our designs. You can purchase the one pictured now in our etsy shop...

Headband in a Bag on etsy

We're really excited about this and hope all of you crafters will be able to get some good use out of what we offer. Check back on this Friday, July 27th for the complete selection of crafting and accessory making supplies. Until then, cheers!

Charity and DB Team

Kept Promises

This thought has been on my mind all week long. I've been swamped in VBS (Vacation Bible School) for the past month and as we kick off our VBS tonight, it's been extremely busy this past week. What does this post have anything to do with DB? A lot. Let me explain...

Many people always ask me, "How did you start your business?" Well, believe it or not, it didn't just pop up in thin air. It actually started about 5 years ago, although I was not aware of this. I don't just put this out there all the time because I'm a very strong believer that your lifestyle, actions, and character will speak for themselves. That being said, I'm sure most of our blog followers, as well as social media, know that I'm a Christian. A little bit about me...I come from a strong Christian background and my dad is a preacher. I was always known as "the preacher's daughter" at school. I started working my first public job at 18 and worked my way up to management position in the dental field. I then became involved with the children's ministry in my home church, here in San Francisco and I realized I loved children. So much in fact that I became a teacher. Prior to becoming a teacher, I was in a very stressful job in the dental field. I was managing an office and with the hours and demands of my public job and the various ministries at my church, I was exhausted, not to mention discouraged. My heart was where my passion was and that was the church. I knew as an adult I just couldn't quit my public job and go volunteer at the church, so I began to pray. I prayed fervently for God to open doors so that I could give 100% of my time to the ministries in our church. I never quit praying this prayer, even when it didn't seem that this prayer would ever be answered. I started teaching in a Christian private academy, not really understanding that God was leading me through an open door that would essentially place me where I am today. See, I made a promise to Him. I told God that if He opened the door for me to work for the church or at least present an opportunity that allowed me to dedicate my time to the ministries of the church without the demands and stress of a public job, I would always put Him first. Always. I remember this strong thought one day that I couldn't get out of my mind "Stay faithful to what you're doing." That was my motivation every day that I got up for work dreading the day. I didn't dread teaching kids but it was so discouraging knowing I was putting in 8+ hours a day and my evenings were crammed full of various projects and jobs for the church. I was beyond tired and knew a burnout was right around the corner. I knew I had to stay faithful to what I was doing. Two years ago a friend of mine presented an opportunity to visit Europe with her. I knew that I would never get to Europe any time soon on my teaching salary, so I started making headbands selling them on the side. I never knew that this was the answer to my prayers 5 years ago. To make a long story short, I was able to quit my teaching job and put my time into building my business. This was the answer to my prayers, although I didn't even realize this until I set down with my dad and some business mentors to draw up a business plan. I was able to generate an income on my own hours, while dedicating my time to the ministries in my church. This past week as I've been at our church working on props and preparing for next week's VBS, I'm reminded that I never would've been able to do this 5 years ago. Yes, overseeing a business and making sure it runs efficiently is hard work, if not harder than a public job, but over the past two years God has placed a wonderful team of people in my path to help me run my business smoothly and efficiently, where when projects or events come up at the church, I can devote however many hours I need to that cause and not feel exhausted or tired. I'm reminded that God is faithful and keeps His promises. Don't give up on praying that prayer, even when it seems like God's not hearing it. He hears every prayer and in due season will reward it. Be encouraged today!

Here's what we've been working on this past week for VBS...

We made hot air balloons out of bouncy balls, fish net and baskets from the dollar store.

Gobs of clouds made from insulation foam core bard, traced out with a hot knife and covered in batting.

Ha! Me on our "white carpet."

Our diligent workers getting the clouds done.

Clouds, airplanes, and kites hanging from our foyer.

Our friends for the week. 

We used blue plastic table covers from the dollar store to cover our entire platform.

This was not very easy. So glad it's up!

A man in our church made this hot air balloon for us. This is a picture pre-completed but you can still get the "awe" effect. I really hope that fabric is salvageable after VBS because I'd love to have it!

Clouds suspended above the pews.

And our final stage set!

Charity
xoxo!

Introducing...The Designer's Dress

Ok, I'm very excited to be blogging this. Deana had this done last week but because of our schedules, we are just now getting an opportunity to announce it. Are you ready?

Deana text me last week telling me she had a surprise. No idea what she was about to do. Later in the day, she sent me this picture of dresses.

Or so I thought. I was so over the moon excited about it and kept thinking, "Oh, my Lord! She's been slaving away on all of these dresses!" I swear she's not human, folks! Then she informed me it wasn't a dress. Actually, she did this whole little guessing game with me for almost 30 minutes and it drove me crazy, to be honest with you. Finally, she told me what it was. It wasn't a dress. It was what appeared to be a dress. You know when you wear something that goes so perfectly together and everybody tells you, "I love your dress!" and you reply with, "Oh, it's not a dress." Well, this is THAT outfit. This new item we're introducing is what we've dubbed "The Designer's Dress." Why? Here's why...

You get to choose:

Top (Color, print, sleeve length)
Skirt (Color, print, length, style)
Belt (color or print)

This is the top part of this ensemble. It's our newest item, which is a really big thing because we've only done skirts in our line so far and this is again expanding into new territory with handmade shirts and blouses. This top is offered in 12 different prints and a ridiculously amount of solids, which are featured further in this post. You're designing your own ensemble, so to speak, hence the reason we named this "The Designer's Dress." We have over 12 prints available in our tops and over 30 solids available to choose from. Amazing, right?

5 things to know about our new tops...

1. They have a wide elastic band that accentuates the waist and when I say accentuates, I'm not kidding. This band will make you look like a supermodel! Ok, maybe a little exaggeration, but it works wonders.

2. The band is designed to fit over the waistband of the skirts that we offer.

3. It can be matched with any skirt.
4. They are super comfy
5. You can wear a wide belt over the elastic band and change the entire look.

Here is a link to our updated Size Chart.

Top Print Options:

As mentioned above, this is the beginning of our top collection. We are going to see how the public and our clientele receive this. Here's the options you have at this moment on our website. We're only offering this on our website as of now because of the many options it provides as you'll be able to mix and match. Etsy does not allow drop down boxes and to make it easier on you as a customer and our production team, we're going to offer exclusively on the website, where you have the drop down box availability in choosing your selections. 

Mix and Match Options:

Striped jersey knit top paired with:

Skirt Styles:

Asymmetrical 

Full knee length 

Maxi skirt

Straight maxi

Colors:

Tangerine orange

Fuchsia 

Yellow

Red

Black

Not Pictured:

Coral

Minty green

Kelly green

Purple (plum, lavender, true purple)

Grey (charcoal, heather)

Nude

Tan

Cream

Navy

Brown

Burnt Orange

Neon Pink

Neon Yellow

Neon Green

Belts:

Polka dot

Any solid mentioned above

How does pricing and purchasing work?

We've made this super easy for you and the options are endless. This ensemble is not sold as one piece basically because it defeats the purpose allowing you to mix and match. Also, our skirts are priced differently. When you checkout you will be given different drop down options, such as this...

This is the most option friendly item we have. We are allowing you as the customer to piece your ensemble together. It's a custom feature we're offering you. You can now purchase HERE on our website. Hurry and get to matching!

Charity and DB Team

POP UP SALES

Good evening, everybody! I will get straight to the point with this post and give you the details regarding our POP UP SALES...

We love doing POP UP SALES. Why? Because it gives our customers an opportunity to purchase items at low prices. In case you're new to our POP UP SALES, here's how we've managed them in the past...

We'll post items on our FB fan page, price, quantity, size (if applicable to clothing) and retail/shipping cost. The first to comment with their email address receives an invoice via PayPal. If there's 5 available, the first 5 will receive an invoice and so on. The individual has 12 HOURS to take care of the invoice, otherwise it will be voided and reissued to the next individual waiting in the comment section. This is a "first come first serve" type of sale. This has worked for the most part but I'll be very honest with you, it's a lot of work to manage invoices and to send them, especially on really large sales. For the most part we do a good job of staying on top of invoices and getting orders out but there are cases in which we simply overlook an invoice because the volume of sales is so high. Another issue is people do not pay their invoices and when we go to cancel the invoice, we get an email shortly after asking if we can reissue it. Overall, these are great sales and we love offering them to our customers but we're going to make a couple changes that will benefit everyone. We're moving our POP UP SALES to our etsy shop. We will directly post the links onto our FB wall so our fans can see what's being offered, they can click on the link and purchase. Ordering through etsy allows you to choose the number of items you want with combined shipping and allows us to efficiently manage orders as they come in avoiding any cases of unpaid invoices, upset customers and overlooked transactions, resulting in delayed orders. 

How do I purchase on etsy? It seems difficult.

Etsy is a great place to purchase items and it's very easy to get a username. You simply register for a username and you're set to go. Etsy does allow third party transactions, as well. The benefits of ordering through etsy are:

1. You can email us directly regarding your order.

2. You can track your order.

3. You can purchase all items together at once with combined shipping.

4. There's no fighting over who gets what.

NOTE ABOUT TOMORROW'S SALE...

We happen to have a selection of fabulous patriotic scarves. These will be shipped tomorrow afternoon, priority, in order for you to receive by the 4th of July. Please note, this is only on what we tag as patriotic. All other scarves will be shipped within a week's time. 

Will we see you tomorrow in our etsy shop for our Scarf POP UP SALE? I hope so! Look for the links to be posted on our FB wall tomorrow beginning at 10 AM (PST). We strongly recommend you to sign up for a username tonight so you can purchase right away tomorrow. Good luck!

Charity and DB Team

Waistbands, sizing and EVERYTHING in between!

Let's talk waistbands, sizing and everything in between! Dainty Button originally started off as an accessories line. Earlier this year my best friend and I sat down and designed a maxi skirt not knowing just how much our customers would like it and where this would take us. We strive to meet our customers needs, so when we say please let us hear your feedback we want to hear it. Even negative. Negative feedback (done in the right way) drives us to be better. We want to produce quality clothing and in order to do that, there will be tweaks, nips and tucks, here and there to do that. So, let's break this down for you and fill you in on one of our most recent improvements in production. Last week I posted a picture on our FB fan page of a new waistband. Let me explain...

All of our skirts, with the exception of a couple are designed and made with jersey knit. We use a variation of jersey knits. There's jersey cotton knit, jersey knit, lycra jersey knit, silk jersey knit, ribbed jersey knit, etc. All of these textures differ. Most of the maxi skirts that you will find at your local retail store offer the traditional waistband, which is what's pictured below and the traditional wide band that rolls down (not pictured). 

This is a great band. We use this on many of our skirts but due to the way some jersey knits fall, this can result in a problem. That problem being the skirt will fall off if it doesn't have enough support, because of the stretch and elasticity of the material. We're just being very honest. That's what customers want, yes? One skirt in particular is our very popular The Juliet. This skirt is a fabulous skirt and also made with an extremely soft and stretchy jersey knit. I emphasize on the "stretchy" part. This is one skirt that by the end of the day, it will have stretched quite a bit but rest assure, after a good wash, it's back to its original size. Because of the elasticity and stretch of this skirt and a traditional maxi waistband, we want to prevent the skirt from falling off, which is why we are improving the waistband. We strive for comfort clothing but there's a fine line between comfortable and well, falling off. We'd like to err on the side of comfortable. Jersey knits are naturally stretchy and the waist needs support, which is why we designed and created this new waistband...

This waistband is amazing. When Deana (the other half of DB) experimented with this band on The Juliet, I fell in love. It's extremely flattering, comfy and the best part...it stays on! We have already switched our Juliet maxi's to this waistband due to the issue we were having with the original band stretching. Please note, if you have already purchased the Juliet, there is nothing wrong with the original, we are simply improving for future purchases. 

This waistband does not change the look, appearance or design of the skirt. In fact, it's better, in my opinion. We've already started shipping out orders with the new waistband per customers request and we've heard great feedback. With any new business comes things that need to be improved, tweaked and fixed. We're not perfect but we're striving to be the best we can and to meet our customers needs. We hope you enjoy our new waistband as much as we do!

Because not all customers will want the skinny elastic band, we're going to offer the choice of traditional or elastic upon checkout. Please note that if a waistband preference is not chosen upon

checkout, we will send the order through production with an elastic band. The Juliet Maxi will not have the option of an elastic or traditional. It will come standardly with the elastic band.                              

Sizing...

Where do I start with this part of the blog? This is something that I'm not sure we can stress enough and truthfully speaking, not everybody is going to read this but it's worth a shot. Over the last 4 months that we've started our clothing line, we can count a small handful of customers with exchanges for the wrong size. So why this post? Well, it's better to cover all ground and emphasize our size chart and the design of our skirts and too much information never hurt, right?

Last week we posted a blog about handmade items Handmade vs. Mass Produced. Handmade items ARE NOT mass produced therefore will not be identical. When you purchase more than one skirt from us, receive the package and compare the two you WILL more than likely see a difference in size and length. 

Is that normal?

Yes, it is. Especially, with handmade items. When we say you'll see a difference, it's not going to be a drastic difference but a small one. Each item varies a little different from the other. This does not mean that we use different patterns or size charts. It's simply because the item is handmade and done individually and not through a machine in a factory. We use an American size chart that is true to size. You will find this size chart in each listing on etsy and a tab on each listing on our website that will direct you to the SIZE CHART. This is a general size chart simply to assist you in choosing the right size. Chances are when you receive your package it could be too small or too big, which is why we offer exchanges. You're ordering online, have not tried it on, so therefore that is why we offer exchanges. To review our exchange policy click here. 

I bought three skirts and they all fit but one, which is too small. I ordered all the same size. What's wrong?

As mentioned in the beginning of this blog we use a variation of jersey knits. Each jersey knit falls, hugs and fits differently. When you're purchasing more than one skirt, PLEASE do not compare the skirts because they will not be identical. Chances are they're made from different jersey knits so they're going to fit differently. Our skirts are not identical to each other, not cookie cutter, therefore they WILL  be different. This is not a bad thing. You don't walk into your local retail store and except every single skirt to fit the same. This is the same with our products. We produce every skirt from the pattern we have created for that skirt and some skirts have different patterns BUT PRODUCED FROM THE SAME SIZE CHART. Because we are always looking to make improvements, we will be posting what will be called a BUYERS HINT. This will give the buyer a helpful hint in selecting a size by us stating what type of jersey knit and how it falls.

5 Helpful Hints About Our Maxi Skirts...

1. Our Chevron Maxi's are designed more straight.

2. Our traditional maxi's are more flared.

3. Our REGULAR LENGTH maxi's range from 38"-40" in length, which means that they will hit somewhere between those measurements. Another reason to not compare skirts with each other.

4. Our TALL LENGTH maxi's range froom 41"-43", which means that they will hit somewhere between those measurements. Another reason to not compare skirts with each other.

5. Our Juliet Maxi does stretch. It will appear to be bigger than the rest of your maxi skirts (if ordering more than one) and more flared. Yes, another reason to not compare it to other skirts.

The above helpful hints are something to keep in mind when you receive more than one skirt. Again, these are handmade and we go off of the above size chart and measurements. If you choose a REGULAR LENGTH maxi it could be 38" OR it could be 40". We cannot determine the exact length, as there are dozens upon dozens of orders that come through, four individuals in our production team and all of them working on different orders. Getting an exact length with an item being handmade is very difficult, hence the reason we say between 38"-40". This applies to our TALL LENGTH maxi's, as well. Our suggestion is if you're a short person, go with the REGULAR LENGTH because it's either going to be just right or a little long and let's be honest, it's much easier to take up an inch with your local seamstress. If you are a tall person, we suggest the TALL LENGTH and the above mentioned suggestion, as well. Our SHORT SKIRTS standardly come 23"-24" BUT we do offer two other length options in our etsy shop and website. This is designed for tall ladies to purchase a short skirt and still fit in length. 

Last but DEFINITELY not least...

Checkout on etsy, fine print and reading the entire listing...

The one thing I don't like about etsy is they don't offer drop down boxes for customers to choose sizes. Blah! This truthfully makes our job even more difficult. In our etsy shop you will find two different listings for the same skirt. This is our REGULAR SIZE listing (XS-L) and a PLUS SIZE listing (XL-3X). When you checkout you MUST state what size you need. Believe it or not, there are some customers that don't put a size and we have no idea what size you need as the listing is for 3-4 different sizes. This really creates more work for the production team as they then have to email customers and sometimes we don't get a response, which stalls your order until there is communication. This applies to  LENGTH, as well. We have more customers not choose a length than size and again this makes it more difficult for our production team. 

Where do I put my size on etsy?

Upon checkout in our etsy shop Dainty Button Etsy there is a section "notes to seller". This is where you state your size. Simply state what size and REGULAR or TALL. Below is an example...

I didn't see that I needed to put a size or length, so that's why I didn't put anything.

This leads up to reading the ENTIRE LISTING. You would not purchase a car without reading all the fine print or sign legal documents without reading the fine print, so why would you purchase something online without reading the fine print? This is not just for our good but yours too. We want our customers to be very well informed when they purchase our products. When you read the entire listing, a lot of questions are answered. We're often emailed about shipping times, which is clearly stated in each listing and our polices section on our website. It's very important to read the entire listing before purchasing and the end result is everybody is happy. 

And now I can quite using all caps. I feel as if I've been yelling this entire blog post and I hate that. This post is simply our way of providing our customers and future customers with information regarding our product. Again, we are a handmade business and we strive to meet our customers needs. If you have suggestions or feedback, please don't hesitate to contact us at daintybutton@yahoo.com. We'll be more than happy to hear from you and it really helps us in future decisions. Thanks for your time and have a wonderful Monday!

Charity and DB Team!

Handmade vs. Mass Produced

Handmade vs. Mass Produced

Growing up, handmade items were looked down upon. It wasn't very cool to wear something handmade. Now, handmade is all the trend. When starting my accidental business at the beginning of 2010 I wasn't much aware of etsy, which is a marketplace to buy and sell handmade items. You can find our etsy shop here Dainty Button Etsy Shop. In fact, I wasn't too fond of etsy. I warmed up to the idea and created a shop, not really knowing what I was getting myself into. I was so amazed that only after a few weeks of creating headbands so many people wanted to buy them and it wasn't my sweet grandma. I will save the story of how Dainty Button came into existence for a later time and get to my point. After 2.5 years of owning a business that designs, creates and produces handmade items, I thought it would be nice to break it down and give you the "411" on why handmade items are worth every penny.

What's so special about handmade items?

Have you ever received a gift that was handmade? A truly beautiful item that when you unwrapped it, you felt so special because you knew someone had spent a lot of time, energy, and thought into it. That is what you get when you buy handmade. When I purchase something from Target, a department store, etc. I hardly ever think about where it was made or how it was made. I know it was made in a factory somewhere but that's as far as I get. Oh and the fact my money is going to a big CEO somewhere who already has enough money than he/she knows what to do with and I will probably see a dozen different posts on FB with someone wearing the same article of clothing. Original, right? Let's talk handmade...

Who works at Dainty Button? 

1. A young married woman who works very hard to help her husband make ends meet. 

2. Two single college students living in San Francisco, voted one of America's most expensive cities, working different jobs, trying to pay the rent every month and put food on their table. Surviving. 

3. A housewife needing extra income to help put her children through college.

4. High school students wanting afternoon work to help learn responsibility and prepare them for "life".

These are the people that work putting your purchase(s) through production and shipping. A lot of time goes into each and every purchase. When you purchase and receive an item from a handmade business, you're helping someone pay their rent, put food on their table, further their education, etc. You are supporting the country you live in. America. You're blessing others.

I bet you just learned more about a small business than you know about more large companies in America, right? 

Why you SHOULD buy handmade...

1. You can purchase clothing in any size you want and it actually FITS! None of this skinny minnie Forever 21 size chart. Handmade is custom made so chances are if you ask real nicely, most businesses will be happy to make it the size you need and want.

2. They're original! When you're wearing a local designer's clothing or accessories, you are in a different league and make a statement other than wearing your local box store brand.

3. A special garment or accessory that is meticulously designed and crafted for a truly unique fit and feel.

"My favorite reason to buy handmade is just that - it's handmade, which means quality, and a whole lot of love!"

Another reason:

"I buy handmade because someone else is using their talents to create gifts and decor that I myself cannot make. Buy handmade today!"

Cammie Higley

ScribbleIt.etsy.com

 "When something is handmade, very likely the craft person is deliberate and mindful about that next right stitch, next right bead, next just right rusty object that looks more like a dog nose on a found object sculpture than the last rusty treasure they picked up. Handmade products always feel more personal to me. I think about who might have been the artisan and wonder at how they managed to produce the item of the moment I am most smitten with and can't live without (no doubt, that rusty dog sculpture). I love knowing I'm supporting someone's passion. And even though I buy from handmade artisan's in states and countries I've never visited, I feel a sense of community when receiving an item that travels from their hand to mine. I like that I know who to contact to say "it's here! I love it!" - one person to another. "

Manny

Mannybeads.etsy.com

"You are supporting local artisans and craftspeople and not large big box stores."

 "It guarantees that no one will give the same gift as you!"

"The items are much more fashion forward....there is no "wait-time" for large businesses to design and then mass-produce. One indie designer can list something *today* that he/she made *today.* (So it wasn't designed and planned last Christmas...for this Christmas)"

"Many items are much more environmentally friendly since there is no use of large manufacturing machines, chemicals, labor (some of it probably illegal) and waste. Many Annie and Olive items (for instance) are made from sustainable wool felt that has been naturally dyed, a needle, thread and my two hands."

"It's fun to see the creativity and excellence of the very, very talented designers out there. It harkens back to the days of old when craftsmanship, creativity and quality were paramount - You are buying items not mass-produced and impersonal but are very personal not only to the buyer, but to the maker."

Bethany

AnnieandOlive.etsy.com

I think the most frequent question we're asked is...

When will my item ship? or...Why hasn't my item shipped yet?

Imagine making your own headband or skirt. Ok, now multiply that by about 12 each day (and that's a minimum). This is our day, every day. As much as we would love to get your purchase out within 48 hours, it's just not humanly possible. When you purchase handmade, you're purchasing good quality items and the wait is worth it! I promise. At Dainty Button our items normally take 2-3 WEEKS (excluding weekends/holidays) to go through production before shipping. Again, it's worth the wait. When you purchase mass production it's going to go out much sooner but it's mass produced. Think about it : )

Originality is not cookie cutter...


Handmade items are original, which is the reason when you purchase from handmade businesses, some items, although duplicated, are going to differ a little. Remember, when items are identical it's cookie cutter and let's face it...handmade is not cookie cutter. 

A little glimpse of "behind the scenes" at Dainty Button...

Do you sell handmade? 

Selling handmade items is definitely a trend and the "in" thing now, so are you selling handmade? Do you have a special talent? Here's some great places to promote your handmade business..

60 Killer Places to Promote your Handmade Business

http://outright.com/blog/60-killer-places-to-promote-your-handmade-business/

Other helpful tidbits for online handmade businesses...

Take it to social media! 

The key to having a successful facebook or twitter fan page is....

1. Consistency. Your followers and customers won't know who or what you are if you're not posting anything. At least once a day promote an item...talk it up! 

2. Be personal with your followers on social media. People want to know who's behind your business and what makes you tick. The more personable you are with your clientele and followers, the more they feel connected. 

Get connected with other businesses...

I think the best thing I ever did as a business owner was/is promote other businesses. This is a great way of connecting with other handmade business owners/artists. You're getting their name out there and yours as well. This also boosts self esteem and confidence in your business and you as a business owner. 

Vend at craft fair venues...


I started Dainty Button in January of 2010 and I vended my first event in February of the same year. It was horrible. Not many people knew who I was, where I was from. I was the new kid on the block. I was so frustrated when I went home that I really wanted to throw in the towel. I made just enough to cover my booth expenses. My mom (my #1 fan) encouraged me to keep at it. I'm so happy I did. I vended my next event later in the spring and it was so much better. I took opportunities as they popped up and the more events I did, the more my name got out there and now I love doing craft fairs and vending venues. I will say this about craft fairs. Don't jump at every single one because the truth is, you will not make a good profit at every single event. When choosing a good venue, research it out. Find out where it's at, what the attendance is like and ask around if anybody has done that event and how they did. What you don't want to do is jump at every single vending venue and lose money. Be wise about it.

Market your product...


Most people have at least one handmade store/boutique in their area. This is where you want to market your product. It's a 50/50 chance and there's always that possibility of them saying "no" but just as much as that could happen, they could say "yes". You won't know until you try, right? I walked into a handmade boutique here in San Francisco wearing one of my headbands and it caught the owner's attention. By the next week they were carrying my work, which led to several other boutiques throughout the city, which led to boutiques across the states and even overseas in Naples, Italy. Take your work, present it to stores and see where you get. It's worth the try : )

Note: ALWAYS have a contract drawn up when partnering with any business when they want to carry your work. It protects both parties and keeps your work just that...yours.




Here's a couple of our favorite handmade shops and websites that we want to share with you...


The Mrs. Darcy


Halo and Meme

Soap Garden



Hope you've enjoyed this post and remember to buy handmade!

Charity and DB Team

DIY Father's Day Ideas

Well, we took a little break in our Father's Day feature week so we wouldn't overwhelm you guys, as you can see our poster says through the 8th. Good idea? Bad idea? We love blogging so if you guys like something every day, we'll do it! Anyways...we have a special blog for you today (actually, tonight as I'm putting this together at night). If you've been following us you'll know that we've brought on a creative blog team. We have two special blog team members for you today and they have some fabulous ideas! Father's Day is right around the corner and if you're wanting something to do with the kids this week or maybe something budget friendly with sentimental thought put into it, you've stumbled upon the right post. We hope you enjoy what our blog team has come up with and feel free to email us (daintybutton@yahoo.com) or comment below with your thoughts, "shout outs" and even ideas. Meet our first blog team member, Susanna Simpson. She put together some wonderful Father's Day DIY cards. Hope you enjoy!

Charity

DB Blog Editor

DIY Father's Day Cards

I love to make handmade cards! There is something very special about spending time to express your love or appreciation for that special person, through the labor of a card made from your heart! And with Fathers Day right around the corner, what better project to give your children that a few pieces of paper, some markers, and their imagination to make something extra special for their super hero! I have compiled a few neat ideas for every type of Father. From a first time Father, to the one that has many years and stories etched on the lines of his face, these cards will not disappoint!

For a first time Father, their first Fathers Day is something very special. It is a time for them to be very grateful for the special bundle they hold in their arms! The perfect card would be anything that has a special touch from their sweet baby, so add a handprint or a footprint! I found an adorable card that had the child's thumb print made into a cute bunny rabbit and said "Some Bunny Loves You!" How easy is that! Even the smallest of children can get in on the fun! And if you want to break out of the "box", instead of a rectangle shaped card, make it a heart shape! For a first year father, this will sure to bring out a smile! Another suggestion would be to make it small enough and laminate it, to fit in their wallet. So next time dad reaches into his wallet for his debit card, he will see that token of affection from his little guy/girl!

Directions Here

What dad wouldn't love new tools on Fathers Day? I know my dad has asked me for a new tool kit for years, but let's face it, tools are expensive! Well this handy tool is one that will cost you very little,( you can find most of the items needed around your house!), and will be just what your skilled dad is looking for!
Found on familyfun.go.com/Fathers-Day, this inexpensive how-to is great for older children that are wanting to surprise their dad, and gives them a chance to plug into their creative outlet.  Open up your pantry because all you need for this card is an empty macaroni box, yellow cardstock paper, and aluminum foil. This craft takes less than an hour and a half, and will defiantly be a statement piece on Fathers Day morning!  Not only will your children have fun making this nifty card, they will enjoy showing their dads how they "measure up"! 

Click here on how to make this....

My dad has the worlds largest sweet tooth. I am sure I could find him in the Guinness Book of Records! So when I saw this great idea for a giant card, I could not resist posting it! Found on Pinterest, it's a card that is larger and sweeter than life. Needed is one poster board in any color, a sharpie, tape, and a selection of candy bars. Simply write the message displayed and tape the appropriate candy bars in each designated area. I would consider also purchasing a bottle of medicine to help with the upset stomach your dad is sure to have after devouring this card! 

The Cosby Show was my inspiration for this card! I remember an episode when Theo buys Dr Huxstable a very hideous, light -flashing tie for Fathers Day I am sure 90% of us have purchased our dads a tie on Fathers Day, and possibly some of them required batteries! I found this simple and cute tie and shirt card tutorial on familyfun.go.com/fathers-day. All you need is two pieces of scrapbook paper, buttons, and glue. Perfect for any dad that likes a sharp-dressed card!

To make your own necktie card, click here...

The last card I found is one that has a special meaning to me. When I was a child, my dad would tuck me into bed and tell me that he loved me. I would then ask him, "how much do you love me". He always replied, with his hands stretched out as far as they could go, "this much"! I cherish those little moments, and when I found this tutorial on tipjunkie.com,  I knew it was one I had to share! Simply trace and cut out your child's handprints. On one handprint write, "I love you". Next cut a strip of paper as long as you would like it and write, "this much". Fold it into an accordion shape and glue one end to one handprint and the other end to the other print. Write another special message on the second print. You could add your favorite picture or decorate it with colorful stickers. Make sure and stretch those hands out far and show dad that your love is never ending!  

For directions, click here...

Meet Corrine Luftus, one of our newest creative blog team members. She's put together some wonderful budget friendly DIY ideas. We hope you enjoy them just as much as we do!

Father's Day Budget Friendly DIY Ideas

Coming from a single parent home, Father’s Day has always been the giving of just a card and a text from me. I knew this was going to be challenging since I’ve never actually participated in any Father’s Day activities. I kept seeing dad’s best gifts were the time you spend with him everywhere as I searched and knew that was what I was looking for. Many wallets are tight again this year, as they have been in past, so the main goal was to find budget friendly activities that everyone in the family could participate in. I also had to be fair because some states are just too hot to be outdoors already! Here's a few I found and I hope your family takes the time to enjoy one of them! Please use the links included for more detailed instructions!

Serve dad breakfast in bed!

Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast- I’m sure most dads would love to be woken up in the morning to the wonderful smells of breakfast coming their way! Especially something as yummy sounding as this! If he’s not that type of guy, make it a family effort!

Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients:

•1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced 

•5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

•4 large eggs 

•1⁄4 cup whole milk

•1 1⁄2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  •1⁄2 cup natural peanut butter

•8 slices white bread 

•1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

•Confectioners’ sugar

Directions :

1.Toss strawberries with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Whisk together eggs,

remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla. Spread peanut butter

on 4 slices bread and top with remaining slices. 

2. In a large skillet, heat 1-tablespoon butter over medium-high. Dip both sides of

sandwiches in egg mixture and add to skillet (if necessary, work in batches, adding more butter and reducing heat to medium after first batch). Cook until undersides are golden, 2 minutes, then flip and cook 2 minutes. To serve, dust sandwiches with confectioners’ sugar and top with strawberries http://www.marthastewart.com/902460/peanut-butter-stuffed-french-toast

Make it a craft night with dad!

For directions, click here...

Sketch-a- Shirt- This is probably one of the coolest ideas I’ve seen around pinterest and on homemademamas. It uses things hanging around the house or maybe a shirt you have little bleach spots on already into new art! The best part?! You hardly have to spend any money on this project at all! All you need is a cutting board or something hard to put between the layers of the shirt, a piece of chalk, to pre-trace your drawing, a bleach pen, and a paper towel to make sure your pen works before you try it on a shirt. Easy peasy!

Father's Day Surprise!

For directions on how to make your own, click here...

Envelope Surprises- For this one you can go as fancy or as basic as you want!! Before Father’s Day or on Father’s day! Each member of the family is going to add a poem, thought or even memory along with a personal gift for dad to open that will lead to his BIG gift! There are endless possibilities for this one! Homemade envelopes, you name it, so get those thinking caps on and get crafty!!

Shakespeare Dad

Find out how to make your own here...

Poetry River- This was one of the neatest projects I came across! Depending on the ages of you children it can totally be adjusted to their level. The author that wrote this actually cut a little blue river and it may be fun to do the same maybe add some drawings, go a fun mini scavenger hunt outside if it’s not too hot to add to the river! Now, you add in some cut up papers with words such as thoughts, memories feelings to make up little poems or stories. How fun and creative can you be?

Give dad a piece of your heart!

You can find out how to make your own here...

Salt Dough Necklace- This last one was written as a Mother’s day or Valentine’s day activity and I liked it too much to not share. Why can’t the shapes be different or why can’t dad’s have it as a key chain? Salt dough necklaces, an easy three-ingredient process, that every one gets to be creative with! All you need is flour, salt and water. Depending on what you want to decorate with you may need some paint and ribbon, or key rings. A fun and family oriented activity!