Less Is More

The main goal of a repurposing business is to do less and reap more. You want your profit margins to increase, and your spending of time and money to decrease. Some large items will pay off, but most things (especially just starting out) will take much time and energy and won’t bring in the profit you were expecting. Granted, you could make more by setting up in some rich town but you still have to spend money in getting to that location, and extra wear and tear will happen to your items along the way. If you have enough to fill a booth at a market, there is generally a booth fee, plus you will need a truck, trailer, chairs, tables, money for gas and for buyers that need change. And you have to be prepared for those who will try and talk you down on your prices. Come to an event like this knowing what the lowest you will take is and still make a profit. I keep a list of all the expenses per item and from there figure out a price.

Before going to flea markets and craft shows you need to start off small and smart. Find things free as often as possible. Yes, that means be prepared to dig. Trash day is great, so many people throw out things that could be fixed and sold, or even just cleaned up and re-painted. Yard sales aren’t bad either if you know what to look for. Never get your items at an antique store or high-end flea market. They are most likely selling their items at the retail price. You want to try for win-win scenarios and use the money to build up your business and spread your name. Also, you must strive for excellence. Having easier items to begin with, will make this goal more attainable. You can’t really screw up on painting but you could on items that involve a lot more work and detail.

Notice what sells, I started off pouring so much time into something that wasn’t selling fast. I had to discover what it was that people wanted, and what people would buy from me and reshift my efforts accordingly. I’ve sold more small items that took less time than large items that took me days. People are just more willing to buy smaller lighter items than something so big they would have to make room for it. If you are creating something big, make sure it has a function. This will increase your chances of selling something large. For example, don’t make an old door into wall art, put a bench on it and some coat hangers and you have made it functional. Turn the door into a shelf or end table and suddenly art has become something more valuable.

Just be flexible, learning to change and mould to meet the desires of your buyers. Be unique and try new things, there are a lot of people repurposing and selling antiques, do something they haven’t done. Pinterest is great starting out, you want to know what’s popular, but in the long run, you don’t want to be a copycat. You can change the style of an item and make it unique and fresh. Whatever you like online think of simple ways to add to that item, or change that item. Make it yours.

Hope this helps! God bless you and the work of your hands!

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The Joys of Resin

Items you will need:

1. Resin
2. Molds
3. Measuring cups/stir sticks
4. Lamp or drink straw
5. Covered/ventilated work surface
6. gloves
7. Items for mold
8. Sandpaper/blocks
9. Vaseline
10. Glaze (optional)

Making bracelets out of resin was one of the first projects I started to broaden my range creatively. I was working on large antique items at the time and felt the need to have something smaller and vibrant to sell. I went to Hobby Lobby and found a plastic bracelet mold and a resin set. You want to make sure to get a decent quality of resin, as well as have mixing/measuring cups and stir sticks that are disposable. I use Alumilite Amazing Clear Casting Kit. 

You can choose any item you wish to put into your molds, as long as they are dry. If you wish to press plants or food items they must be properly dried out, otherwise, your resin may refuse to set and your items could become discolored. Once you have your items ready and workplace set-up, you can begin.

Start by lining your molds lightly with vaseline, this will make the bracelet more removable without damaging your mold. Make sure you wear your gloves once you start dealing with the resin as it could irritate your skin. When I get some on me, I immediately go and wash it off with dish soap and warm water. Follow directions on the proper mixing of the resin, however as long as you mix equal parts of both A and B bottles slowly without removing your stir stick, you should be fine, and won’t get too many bubbles.

Mixing is a slow process that can take a few minutes, the mixture should clear when it is thoroughly mixed. If some bubbles remain, don’t worry, you can attempt to pop them against the side of your mold if you have large bubbles, small ones will have to rise to the surface. Once ready you may pour your resin into the mold half way so that there is room to add your items. Remember that the best side of your bracelet will be the mold set side, not the side you will have to sand, design your bracelet accordingly.

When finished adding your items, top off the mold with more resin so that the top looks smooth. From here you can put a warm light over your mold to bring any bubbles to the surface. I always use a drinking straw and blow quickly onto the mold if I see bubbles close to the surface, the carbon dioxide will make the bubbles pop. Be careful if you try this approach!

Your resin should begin to set quickly, if any items in your mold surface due to air you can push them back down into the mold with your stir stick, however, this will get harder as the resin sets. If you properly mixed your resin the setting process shouldn’t take more than a day or so. If the surface still feels tacky, give it another day to set. Sometimes I have waited up to 3 days due to either imprecise mixing or temperature changes since I make them in my garage.

After they are set, you can bend them out of your mold and get them wet and soapy. That way you can sand them without risk of breathing in particles. Just sand the bottoms and sides till they are smooth and to your liking. Then if you wish you can seal them, I use Sculpey Gloss Glaze, it adds an extra shine and covers any scratches or imperfections. Unfortunately, some bracelets may need another layer of resin brushed on them if the imperfections are too great, such as bubbles that made holes.

I hope this helps anyone who is interested, I know there is much to learn about resin, but as a beginner, this is what I have personally found to be effective. God bless and have fun!