Farmer’s markets are in full swing through summer and fall in most parts of the United States and other countries. In addition to the normal offerings of home-grown fruits and vegetables, many farmer’s markets are now a venue for crafters to sell their wares. Though many types of crafts are usually offered for sale, usually preference is given to “country” style crafts that are complimentary to farm products. Read on to learn about some of the top selling crafts that you can learn to make for extra money.
Soap
Homemade soap is a very popular item at farmer’s markets! With beautiful preserved flowers and plants within, some soap bars can practically be works of art. Though simple bars can be made, many soap makers add in various scents and improve the bar’s quality with different types of oils. Essential oils like sage, rose, citrus, and lavender are popular additives to make luxurious, quality bars that people will pay handsomely for.
For more information on home soap making, visit www.millersoap.com
Candles
Homemade candles are another popular item for farmer’s markets. Easy to make, they offer a fun craft for people to get creative with. A wide range of scents and colors can be created, and all materials can easily be found at a local craft store or ordered from a supply company. By making your own candles, you can ensure that safe, quality ingredients are used in the wax and wick, both of which can have harmful commercial additives in store bought candles. From a seller’s standpoint, the good thing about candles is the fact that they get used up fairly quickly – meaning your customers will be coming back for more!
For more information on home candle making, visit How To Make Natural Homemade Candles from Non-Toxic Materials
Signs
Garden signs, yard signs, and house signs are popular items because many people love to decorate with country-style items that give their home a comfortable, rustic look and feel. Signs with humorous sayings are good sellers. Signs are easily made – all you need are some old wooden slats, chipped paint being a plus. Paint your words on freehand or use stencils. If you can’t acquire old wooden boards, just use new ones, then rough them up a little to make them look old. Ask an antique store owner and you’ll find that this is actually a fairly common practice called “antiqueing”. Some good saying ideas for signs include:
“Time Began In A Garden”
“Weeds For Sale – Pick Your Own!”
“I Don’t Remember Planting This!”
“Raising Children Is Like Being Pecked To Death By Chickens” (always popular!)
For more information on homemade signmaking and “antiqueing”, visit http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-i-make-old-signs.html
Textiles
Sewn, embroidered, and woven items are popular year-round at farmer’s markets and other craft markets. These can be inexpensive hobbies, though the more complicated your items become the more money you’ll have to invest in them, so you might not see as much return on your investment. Rag rugs are incredibly cheap and easy to make, and usually go like hotcakes at markets. Hand-embroidered items are also popular, like napkins and tea towels. Aprons, scarves, and headbands are also good sellers, and are not hard to make.
For more information on rag rugs, visit www.ragrugcafe.com
For more information on hand embroidery, visit www.needlenthread.com
Natural lip balm, hand salve, and hand lotion
These are common and popular items at markets that usually sell very well. People love using homemade beauty products, as long as they’re high quality. Poor quality lip balm will not get you very many return customers. As with candles and soap, lip balm and hand salve (essentially the same product) can be diversified into different special products with the addition of different essential oils, and in the case of lip balm, flavors. The benefit of homemade products like these is that you control what goes into them, so you know there are no harmful commercial substances or residues, and you can advertise that to your customers.
For more information on homemade lotion making, visit http://www.soywaxcandles.org/lotion.htm
For more information on homemade lip balm/hand salve making, visit http://crunchybetty.com/3-simple-homemade-lip-balms-your-lipsve-never-been-yummier
Wreaths
Wreaths are wonderful products for farmer’s markets, especially in the fall when people love to spruce up the look of their home decor with an eye-catching homemade wreath. Wreaths are incredibly easy to make and can be whipped up quickly. Most areas of the U.S. have an abundance of wild grape vines, and these are what can be used to make wreaths, along with greenbriar vines, though those can be thorny and more difficult to work with. When the wreath is made, it can be spray painted and decorated with sprigs of faux flowers, or it can be left natural and decorated with a few pine cones and pine needle sprigs for a fresh, country look that’s sure to sell well at your local market.
For more information on homemade wreath making, visit http://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/1573/how-to-make-a-grapevine-wreath
Source:
www.idigmygarden.com