Sunday 16 April 2017

Cute, Carefree and Ready to Craft - How craft makes you happier




Here is an extract from an article that was released as part of Carole Matthews most recent book launch;

One in six of us (17%) are turning to crafts, with activities such as sewing (12%), knitting (12%), painting (9%) and card making (6%) becoming popular. Only 16% of women have never actually tried their hand at crafting. And completing crafting projects has many psychological benefits for these hobbyists. Nearly half (45%) of women feel a sense of achievement when completing a craft activity, 42% do them for their stress relieving properties and a further 42% enjoy feeling focused. A further one in ten (11%) gain a sense of pride from their creations.

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Now, It's no news to us that craft helps us to relax.

But how exactly does craft make us happier? 

Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings explains, “In these stressful times, it’s natural that we turn to activities that not only give us a sense of purpose and achievement but also allow our minds to switch off from anxiety and relax.

So here's the science-y bit....

When focusing on activities that give us a sense of pride and achievement we stimulate a part of our brain called the hypothalamus. This is the part of the brain that decides what chemicals are released into our nervous system. These positive neurochemicals are responsible for giving us an "emotional high" and are what make us happy. 

Some of these include;

Dopamine

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This motivates us to achieving goals and desires. Those who have poor motivation and experience self doubt, could have low dopamine levels.

You can increase your dopamine levels by achieving goals such as a crafting activity or learning a new technique. Keep motivated by setting a new goal before the previous one is complete. 
Break down your bigger goals into bite size ones that are easier to achieve (you will get a little dopamine rush from each one).

Oxytocin

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This chemical is responsible to intimacy, trust and building healthy relationships. It's produced when we have physical contact with someone and helps in bonding. 
It's also released when we receive gifts. Try making a gift for someone to give them a oxytocin rush. They may even give you one back with a hug.

Serotonin

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This is released when we feel valued and important. It's why we feel good when we get lots of "likes" on Facebook or make an Etsy sale. 
Its also released when we reflect on past achievements. So put that painting that you'r proud of up in a prominent place. 
Each time you see it will give you a serotonin fix. 

However the effects of serotonin can be addictive. Those with low serotonin levels can display attention seeking behaviour such as addiction to social media. Failure to achieve a serotonin hit can cause someone to become dependant on artificial stimulates such as drugs and alcohol. 

Raise serotonin levels by becoming part of a craft club locally or online. Try joining this Facebook group to talk to like minded crafters worldwide;  https://www.facebook.com/groups/553938394678159/

Serotonin is also released alongside vitamin D when you sit in the sunshine, and can also be found in bananas and chocolate.

Endorphin's

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These are released as a result of pain and stress. 
Vigorous exercise can result in a "runners high" acting as an analgesic and sedative, diminishing our perception of pain.

Laughter is also a great way to get endorphin's flowing. Meeting up with a friend that you know will send you into the fit of the giggles is a sure fire way to get a hit.

I'm no advocate of stress. But overcoming a stressful situation such as a big Etsy order or finishing a project in a certain time frame, can cause a big release of endorphin's too. 
Check out the #100daysproject for a laid back craft challenge.


What you can do to make your crafting more relaxing?

We all have our reasons why we craft. For some It's a business and some purely for pleasure, but we all do it foremost because we enjoy it.

So what happens when your crafting becomes a cause of stress in your life? I wrote this article recently about how taking a break from crafting can help you re-focus. 
There are also other ways that you can reduce stress in what is fundamentally supposed to be an enjoyable activity for you.



1. Read the above article and re-discover WHY you craft in the first place. 
Did it start out as a way to relax, but you have found yourself trying to cram craft into your busy schedule? Don't make craft just another thing on your to-do list.

2. Don't take on more work than you can manage. Regardless of if your crafting as a business or for pleasure it's easy to say "Yes" every time someone asks you to make something. 
"I know you make cards so would you mind making 100 invitations for my daughters wedding?" 

"I saw the lovely cake you made for *insert friends name* Birthday. Could you make one for my Husband? Oh by the way, I need it for tomorrow....."

You may be every ones crafty go-to, but that doesn't mean you need to say yes to every request. 

3. Find a safe place to craft. 
You don't need a concrete bunker buried in the garden. 
It's difficult to unwind through craft if you can see all the washing that needs doing out of the corner of your eye, or the kids are running around the dining room table driving you crazy. 

A safe place to craft is just somewhere that you can concentrate on your craft without getting distracted. It could be a fold out table in your child-free bedroom, a beading tray that comes out once the kids are in bed, or a painters folder that can be taken to the park. 

So just relax, unwind and craft yourself happy!

Wednesday 12 April 2017

What does your brand say about you (and your Squirmlets) behind your back?



Victoria Reece-Heal from DHBS Marketing is here to help us understand how a little brand awareness can help improve your business image within the marketplace.
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You’re creative, so crafting a fantastic brand should be a doddle (or is that a doodle).
Wrong.
Your wonderful creations are a personal testament to your creative ability and your passion. You spend hours carefully stitching detail, moulding intricacies and blending colours. This is about what you want to do and what you want to sell. However, your brand isn’t about you, or even totally about your amazing creations... it’s about your customers and what they want and like.
To show you what I mean, let’s go back to the birth of your creations...
Introducing Squirmlets.
One day you have this wonderful idea and you turn that idea in to (for the purposes of this blog) a ‘Squirmlet’. Now this Squirmlet is soft and squishy and adorably cute. They come in a range of colours and there are ten different characters to collect, each with their own personalised poem about their individual likes and dislikes. Fantastic idea and absolutely perfect for primary school aged children to collect.
So how is a brand going talk about your Squirmlets behind your back?
Well, your brand is how your Squirmlets (and your business) are perceived by others, and most importantly by your target audience (i.e. those mums, dads, aunties, grannies, etc of primary school children, as well as the kids themselves). Your brand literally speaks to your customers, telling them what to expect from you (quick delivery and quality craftsmanship) and your Squirmlets (hours of fun and swapsies with friends).
So how does your brand do this?
  • Through the words and pictures on your flyers and adverts;
  • By the quality of your Squirmlets and how you package and present them;
  • With your Squirmlet (and non-Squirmlet)posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest;  
  • Through your Etsy descriptions, images and price-points;
  • By how your Squirmlet website and online shop look and how easy they are to navigate and purchase from...
Everything that is seen by those mums, dads, kids, etc. is your brand and each one of those elements will create an impression about you and your Squirmlets. So you need to be sure you are creating the right impressions.
So what impression are you creating right now?
  • Is it an honest and representative impression?
  • Is it the right impression?
  • Is it an impression that will interest and entice your customers?

Here’s how to craft a brand that will say the right things (up-front or behind your back!)
  1. Define your best (and actual) customers. You need to know exactly who your target market is in order to understand the best way to promote to them, with right images, best words and most suitable methods that will grab their attention.
  2. Know your competition and define how/why you are different. What makes you stand out, and what sets you apart from others offering similar products/services, is what will make customers come to you. Shout about what makes you (and your Squirmlets) special and unique.
  3. Create the right logo. A single image can convey numerous messages, and these messages are providing your potential customers with their first impressions of your product/service. Creating a first impression only happens once and creating the right impression is vital.
  4. Set the right tone. People don’t always remember the words and images you use, but they will remember the impression and the feelings they created. So how you say things is just as important as what you are saying. The right words delivered in the right way can influence your customers and persuade them to choose you
  5. Define your message. Strong, clear and consistent messages are needed across all your promotional and sales activities, in order to sell yourself to your customers... to get their attention and guide their actions.
  6. Be consistent. Make sure your customers recognise YOU instantly on your website, your Facebook page, your Etsy page, your Eshots, your craft fair signs, etc. So that means the same use of colours, imagery and messages in the same way across everything.

And one final thought for you...
Does your brand whisper sweet reminders when you deliver your products... a branded gift tag, a logo’d sticker on the packaging, a leaflet about your product range inside the package?

Or does your brand sneer and say ‘you can’t find me’ as it hides on a plain white carrier bag, a blank Facebook cover, or a missing strap line?
Blog post by Victoria Reece-Heal, who helps small businesses get new customers. Check out her blog for more marketing know-how and advice: