Bows, Socks, and Handprint Kits

Well, I am really getting going on buying things and getting everything put together. I decided that for my first 50 bags, I am going to do 25 girl bags and 25 boy bags. In the girl bags, I am going to make cute little girl ribbons and put them in the bags, so moms can put ribbons on their little girls hair. I am going to buy ribbon and put them together really cute. (Maybe put my sisters to work a little more this weekend?) I googled how to stick them to little girls hair, because let's face it, most newborn babies have next to nothing hair. And guess what makes them stick to their head - surgical lubricant! Never would have though that! So I bought 144 sample packs on amazon.com for $12. I gotta lotta lube on the way HAHA! Now I just have to get started tying bows! I think I want to do at least four bows per bag - pink, red, purple, and white. I might add more, who knows, if I get really into it.

Now for the boys (can't leave them out!), Will as these really cute socks that look like little shoes. They are so cute! But they will be a bit more expensive then the bows for the girls. The cheapest ones I could find were $14 for six socks. This is definitely were selling lots of bracelets will come in handy! I really want these, so the harder I work at selling these bracelets, the more socks I can put in per bag. I was thinking at least two pair, but I would like to do three. So it will be easy to wash them and get those cute socks back on those baby boys!

We got in our tins today for handprint kits! I am very excited about this, and I got plaster of paris the other day at Hobby Lobby for pretty cheap. So this weekend (if my sisters feel like working, that is) we will be putting together these kits. Things are starting to come together! Our goal of getting these bags out by January is totally realistic!

Sold my first bracelet online!

Woohoo! I am pretty excited tonight because I logged into my email account, and someone bought a bracelet! I am VERY excited about this. I was getting pretty down because we hadn't sold any (other than to my mom and sister - and they don't really count) yet. I was starting to think maybe the bracelet idea was not a good one, and it was gonna tank. Hopefully this will be the first of many, because surprisingly enough, making bracelets is NOT cheap. I thought that buying the beads would be fairly inexpensive, but that was not the case. All the beads I bought, I bought on sale 50% off, and we still put a lot of money into them. Basically if I don't buy the beads at 50% off, then I don't make any money at all, only a break even. So I have to buy strategically. So hopefully this first sale will start a trend and I will be able to get a few sold. If not, I always have my back up plan of attending craft shows. My first craft show will be December 5th in Kansas City. I want to make a lot of bracelets for this event, and I really hope that people will like them. It is an all day affair, so I hopefully we will do well. We have to sell a minimum of five bracelets there to brake even, as it costs $25 to be in the show. If we can do well there, I think I will try and attend a show every other month or so. I don't want to overdo it, and get burnt out, so I think that every other month will be a good plan. Right now I am pretty excited, I just hope that it will continue and I can do well.

This is all for MJ after all, and I just want to make him proud. I am so proud of him, and I can only hope that I can make him feel the same way he made me feel. I miss him so much, sometimes it just doesn't seem real that he is gone. But that is the reality, as much as I want to deny it, I just can't. MJ's Memories will mean so much to me, I just want to be able to do well.

Bracelets Made!

Well, I have really gotten started here! Over the weekend, my mom, sister, and I made about 32 bracelets for MJ's Memories. They look so good, I am so happy with how they turned out! I am really surprised at how good they look, because I was a little scared when I was buying the beads. And, WOW were the beads expensive. Thank goodness Hobby Lobby had a half off sale, other wise I would have to sell them for a lot. And I really didn't want to do that. I am selling them for $10 each, which is a really good price, I think. I know when my dad had cancer, and I was looking around for a nice awareness bracelet, all of the bracelets were around $20 each. I am VERY happy with how they turned out. I just hope that people will want to buy them. I have gotten good feedback from people on facebook, but still no one has bought them. I put a lot of money into the bracelets, so I hope to at least get the money back, but I really want it to be a good fundraiser for MJ's Memories. I will be attending a Craft Show in December, so hopefully I can sell some there, as well. Alas, I am having fun doing it, and I am doing it for MJ so I guess that is all that matters.

Bracelets are for sale at http://braceletsforawareness.blogspot.com/

I also ordered tins and bought plaster of paris to start making handpring kits over the weekend. Both of my sisters will be in, so hopefully they will be up for some work! Haha!