Clutch-Me.Com

Something for your Sunday…

I was asked to write a blog post to provide some inspiration as we are hitting the summer months …  🙂

Ok, I’ll give it a shot, but seeing as how today is the last day on my Mac for a while … we’re getting packed next week for the global move … I’m swamped!

So I took a couple of pics out in my garden yesterday.  It always gets my creative juices going thinking about textures, fabrics and colors.

One quick note about June and July that you may be seeing in your shops as well:  it’s typically slower.  Why?  I don’t have hard data but we can all surmise that it will be slower due to:

*Summer break for the kids so moms are going to be more busy tending to them.

*Summer vacation so more money spent on summer vacations, and less money spent elsewhere.

*Summertime outdoors so less time spent indoors, less time on the computer browsing your shops.

*Too hot in many states for arts and craft festivals.

With this in mind, you should get a jump start now and get ready for the back-to-school and fall season — in late August for the upper states!

1.  Start looking at fall arts and crafts shows.  Sign up and get a discount off the pre-registration rates, and secure the best booths/tables!

2. Create your fall designs and color palettes.  What seasonal or new styles will you have in your shop for the fall?

3. Get your materials and start making your sample clutches and build up inventory.  Keep an eye out for the coupons and sales!

July is around the corner and next thing you know summer will be over.  Don’t fall behind.  Now that it’s slower this time of year, take that extra time to get ready for the fall.  Shops that are anemic in the fall will not do well out of the gate.  I always see the most successful shops with new designs and styles do so well when they are stocked for when the kids are back at school.  Moms start shopping for back-to-school items and will remember to pick something up for themselves, too!  And many customers will want to see your clutches many times, comparing your clutch to another they have in mind, before they will commit to buying it!  So have your stuff ready and in that customer’s mind!

Oh, as promised, here are pics from my garden.  My Asiatic Lilies are up!  They’re HUGE!  My daughter Hayley is the model.  🙂  I didn’t plan on her outfit matching but that’s just how it worked out.  *yay!*  Oh, these lilies were from Costco.  I bought several bags.  They were a mixed bag of bulbs but each variety was in its own bag within the big bag – enabling me to plant them in groups that are alike.  These came up first, but my smaller lilies in red are just starting to bloom.  I have 2 other varieties that will come in late summer … ones that I will not be around this year to enjoy due to my move.  😦

Hayley amongst the lilies.

"Look Mom, am I taller now?" Oh, this photo was not "stretched" in any way. She's just that skinny and the lilies just reach that tall into the sky!

"No, the lilies are taller."

A pop of color amongst pure white!

These orange beauties are huge!

One cut stem has over a dozen blooms!

These deep berry ones are just starting to pop up. They grow lower to the ground and the blooms are the typical size you'd find in floral shops.

I had planted 5 flats of marigolds in yellows, oranges, and tri-colors. They have held up so well and have had a bloom all season!

I like to play with texture in my garden and prefer a lush look (much to my husband's dismay who would like it more manicured).

Hayley being cheeky as usual!

I hope these tips are helpful to you!  I hope you enjoyed the pics of my garden.  When I’m in a rut, one of my first trips is to a floral shop to see the colors on display. (I’m a visual learner!)

Enjoy and I’ll be back later tonight with one last post to give you all the scoop until July!

~Winn

June 26, 2011 - Posted by Thy K | WhileBabyNaps General Updates