It’s the beginning of February and in our part of the world the craft shows are few and far between.
This means we have more time to build up stock!
The major drawback to working on build up stock this time of year, at least for us, is the lack of extra money to buy raw materials. This is compounded by the fact that we need to spend more money this time of year to heat the house and studio.
The smart way to avoid the money crunch is to put supplies aside during the summer so there will be materials to work with in the winter. For example we bought some extra slip and made sure we had most of what we would need for glazes.
We know a number of crafters who spend the winter working in the studio building stock so there will be plenty of time to hit the arts and crafts shows in the spring, summer and fall. If you have ever crunched a few days before an upcoming show trying to make enough stock you will understand how being ready makes doing the shows easier and more enjoyable.
More complicated and time consuming items can be made with out the extra pressure of getting ready for a show. After all just packing can be a hassle, why not make every thing easy by getting ahead!
Another benefit of working off season is having time to shorten your supply chain. Looking for new suppliers and better prices can take time so why not tackle these chores when there is more time to spend?
Remember to keep a good inventory of stock to make sure you do not run short and keep a good inventory of stock to make sure you do not make too much of one item.