Clutch-Me.Com

Learn. Make. Sell. All about clutches.

Find a clutch via Twitter @PurseFrames

Hey guys … just following up on my previous posts so check out the latest Twitter wallpaper that I’ve got up.  It’s amazing how the blog and Facebook fanpage views increase when I post on Twitter.  They all seem to work in concert.

I’m tweeting each clutch that made it on the Facebook fanpage album.  Links given are to the Etsy shop seller’s homepage.  I hope your shop views increases overall and that you get some new buyers!

I tweet about clutches with pics and links to the clutch maker's shops. And I had a tangent about the Golden Globes Awards too ... 🙂

Keep improving your skill and challenge yourself to finesse the aesthetics of your clutches.  Clutches are simple to make but truly talented clutch makers have good craftsmanship and a distinct visual voice and brand.

I’m working right now to update the Clutch PDF tutorial.  New pics and new hints that I will incorporate from previous posts.  The update will be free to those who bought the PDF before.  As usual, you will be the first to hear when it’s done and ready for download.

~Winn

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January 18, 2012 Posted by | WhileBabyNaps General Updates | , , | Leave a comment

Facebook fanpage new album

Check out the new album of clutches.  As usual, I will be promoting these on Twitter @PurseFrames as well.

One quick note:  Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.  I am targeting the male audience for clutch makers via the Facebook fanpage and Twitter.  (The majority of readers of my blog are female so I’ve got to spread the love and get some guys to look at clutches as an option for gift giving to the lucky girls!)  So post your clutches or sales aimed at Valentine’s Day at the fan page.  Think reds and pinks!

A selection of well-crafted handmade clutches from various sellers. Available NOW for purchase.

I am trying a new image capture in order to garner you more viewers for your clutches at your shop.  By cropping in your photos, I am able to give a better view of your clutches at the same tantalizing the viewer to see more by clicking on the photo.  The hyperlink will take them to the home page of your Etsy shop where they can take a look at ALL your shop’s offerings!

I hope you will see increased views of your Etsy shop from my efforts.  Each bag will be promoted individually via Twitter.  I am really focusing on well-crafted clutches (and clutch wallets and Reversible Patchwork bags, too).

Be back soon!

~Winn

January 15, 2012 Posted by | WhileBabyNaps General Updates | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Selling your handmade clutches, wallet clutch, and reversible bag

Guess what I just read?  This just confirmed what I wrote last year in January!

So we all know about social media and many of you participate in several platforms such as Facebook fanpages, Twitter feeds, or your own blog.   Some of you have heeded my encouragement through many posts and have been selling your clutches at arts and crafts fairs.

So take a look at this:

Did you get that? It will explode!

Some things (e.g. your own app for your online shop) are neither cost effective for you nor will allow you to get your investment back given the small nature of your business.  However, Square via Squareup.com has a fast setup and offers you a free reader and a free app.  I do not get paid to promote this, by the way.  So what’s the catch?  As with any banking system, they get a percentage of what you get.  They get 2.75% of each transaction.  As you know, systems such as Paypal also take a transaction fee.  But the good news is Squareup.com has lifted the $500/month limit on the amount of money you can swipe and accept.  So this makes it worth your time to get this.  Those of you who will offer this at the craft/art booth will be ahead of those only accepting checks or cash.  Research has also shown that people spend more when using a credit card than they do when using cash.  In fact, one way that is recommended to cut back on spending is by using cash to pay instead of credit cards!  But with Square, you will give your customers much needed convenience.

Read this post I wrote last March about Business Tips for Clutch Makers talking about Jack Dorsey, founder of both Squareup and Twitter.

I’ve already gotten good feedback last year from those who used Square.  If you try it out at Spring craft shows, please let me know how it goes.  Be sure to put up the sign at your booth noting the acceptance of “Credit Cards”.

Have a great weekend!

~Winn

January 14, 2012 Posted by | Helpful Tips | , , , , , , | 2 Comments

New PDF – Reversible Patchwork bag – NOW available for sale at Etsy!

It’s late on a Friday night here for me, which means it’s early Friday for you.  I’m exactly 12 hours ahead of the Eastern Standard Time in the US.  My friend Lisa teased that I live “in the future” since I’m ahead by 12 hours.  After a hard New Year’s Eve, she asked me the next day “You are in the future.  How does 2012 look for me?”  I replied “The future is bright.  And you are hungover.”  🙂  (She’s a teacher.  I’ll toast to her anytime!)

So as promised, the new Reversible Patchwork bag is now available for sale at Etsy!

Here’s a snap:

The listing is up! PDF only for now. Hard copies (for those without desktop printers or who don't want to waste their ink) will be available soon!

Thanks again for your enthusiasm.  I am very excited for you to learn this new skill and add a new bag in your line of products to make, give, or sell!

~Winn

January 13, 2012 Posted by | WhileBabyNaps General Updates | , , | Leave a comment

THANK YOU for your excitement!

Hey guys,

WOW!  You guys are lightning fast.  Emails are coming in fast and furious (well, not literally furious)  about the last post that popped up via the email subscription.  I just wanted to clarify that this is not related to the current PDF.  Those using your password will not be able to access it.  This is a brand new and completely different bag.  It will be available for purchase tomorrow.

My sister Y, in Florida, made a bag several months ago and got compliments on it at EVERY outing.  So I encouraged her to make a PDF so that others can learn and make to sell them as well.  It can be made using scrap fabric that I know you all have left over from making clutches and other projects.  When new PDFs are made, I have a Beta area where we upload it and test it to make sure that we can download it and it works.  We are in that stage right now.  🙂

So, as the title of the post says “Beta: Future Place to download the Reversible Patchwork Bag – Not yet available for sale! Stay tuned ….”

This is very timely because my next step is to let you know about this new exciting bag that you can add to your line of products in your shops or craft booth!  It’s very easy to do.

*As with my other PDFs, you guys know I cannot sew with a traditional (e.g. Butterick’s, McCall’s) pattern.  Like my middle child, I am a visual learner and linear thinker!  (Autism buzzwords that you might be familiar with!)

*So …there is one step per page with an accompanying picture.  It takes you step-by-step.  We have some steps just to explain and set up for the next step and require little to do!

*The PDF has also been formatted to be cut and stapled resulting in a mini instructional booklet allowing you to do one step per page.  It’s formatted so that it’s in a small size that will not take too much room on your sewing area.  You can do each step at a time and flip the page to get to the next step.  The entire PDF can be printed out on regular 8.5×11 paper on your desktop printer.

*The materials cost is minimal:  you can use beloved scrap fabric left-over from previous projects!  PDF will be priced at $8 similar to our other PDFs.

So with little money spent on materials, you can start your own craft booth and make some side income.  This project can even be hand-sewn if you don’t own a sewing machine.  (There are many who are struggling in this economy and have to pinch pennies.)  We strive to teach you a new skill that is a low-cost way to start your own business.  Just so “NO!” to quick-rich money-making scams that are on the Internet.  This is a PDF that will teach you skills to create meaningful, useful, functional and beautiful items that you can sell at your local church bazaar, school fundraiser or local crafts fair … or Etsy shop.

So here’s a look.  The listing for the PDF will be up tomorrow:  the hard copies are being formatted and will be sent to our trusty professional printer to print.  That listing will be up after we get the printed copies back from the printer.  Thy has to hand-cut and hand-assemble each book before we can ship them out.

New Reversible Patchwork Bag PDF - on sale tomorrow Jan. 13!

So stay tuned.  Once it’s listed, I’ll be back with a quick post to alert you.

THANK YOU for your interest and excitement!

~Winn and Y

January 12, 2012 Posted by | WhileBabyNaps General Updates | , , | Leave a comment

Protected: PDF Order – Reversible Patchwork Bag

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January 12, 2012 Posted by | PDF ORDER | Enter your password to view comments.

Back in Stock: 12 x 3.5

Hi!!!!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years!  🙂  We’ve had our first Christmas here in Vietnam and my 9-year old said that it was “the best Christmas EVER”.   We brought along our trusty Christmas tree from Costco (and all of our other furniture and furnishings) and put up stockings on our electric fireplace mantel.  It worked to preserve and continue our Christmas traditions.  The kids were worried Santa wouldn’t know where they lived in Vietnam (they assumed New Jersey was well-known by Santa and his elves) and the fact that we have no chimney for Santa … but thanks to Norad, Elf the movie, and some great books to help explain it all.  Oh, the magic of Christmas!

My kids on Christmas Eve.

During the holidays, International schools here let kids out for three weeks in order for expat families to return back to their home countries.  And since the kids and I only got here in July, we stayed here during the holidays.  After celebrating 30+years of snowy and cold Christmases in the Midwest and NJ, it felt really weird not having the cold weather for Christmas!  I’m sure that is nothing new to those in the warm climates though.

Here’s my family holiday card to you all.  E-card this year via Smilebox!

Hope your holidays brought you many smiles. Smiling's my favorite! Name that movie (super easy...).

So with 3 kids home, you can imagine what little work I’ve got done.  But thank goodness for my sisters, Thy and Y who have been working quite hard.  Thy missed Christmas altogether due to illness!  She’s on the mend but her little one who’s only 4, is just recovering from another bout of something!  I miss the cold but I do not miss cold & flu season.

Oh, I’m a couple weeks late and giving you the news but I just want to let you all know that the 12×3.5 nickel-free frames are back in stock.  This one is a bit hard to manufacture and carry since it’s our costliest frame with all the iron and the large surface making a superb finish harder to achieve.  But with winter here and winter bags, this large, heavy and sturdy frame is ideal for the big bags.  This frame has been used to make the bigger carry-all bag.  It can support leather, vinyl, upholstery-weight and other heavier fabrics.   I designed a wide u-channel to accommodate both the heavier, thicker fabrics and the fusible interface/fleece.  The walls of the u-channel were also designed to be higher.  Check them out!

12x3.5 nickel-free purse frame

My internet connection has also been very frustratingly troublesome.  I get very slow service and when I do, I get disconnected frequently.  I have a fiber line but it gets throttled due to the servers here.  😦  Makes for long hours and a low productivity rate.  Alas, I will be back to sewing once I clear out a few things off my desk!

So since the kids went back to school today (yay, thank you teachers!), I will be able to work more (yay, my sanity returns!).  Love my kids, but I miss working.  Miss you all!  Thanks for your messages!!

Hoping you all are healthy for 2012!

~Winn

January 9, 2012 Posted by | WhileBabyNaps General Updates | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

   

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