Jim Spaven - Crafty Crafts by Jim
Artist: Jim Spaven
E-mail: JimSpaven@gmail.com
Hi, my name is Jim and my business is Crafty Crafts by Jim. I have been a crafter for a number of years starting with wood-working crafts, then candle making. I had some luck selling my wood and candle art at vendor events but wanted to expand my product line to be more profitable. I started looking into other crafting ideas and began working on wood and wine bottle terrariums. My wood-working history sure came in handy there!
I first started with Christmas items, mounting small ornaments and the glass wine bottle to a wooden base. Then, I found cork lights for the top of the bottles. The best part is that these corks can be removed and recharged using a USB port. Adding this unique light feature to my wine bottle terrariums was a success!
Last year, at Peddlers Village, my wife and I walked into a store that sold succulents and air plants. My wife had the ingenious idea of combining these popular, low maintenance plants with my wine bottle crafts. I have since added them to my product line and have expanded on them by creating beer bottle crafts too. My biggest challenge is cutting through the glass bottles but with the proper tools it can be done!
It is hard to decide which is my favorite item to make, but I would say the beer mobiles with decals or the fairy gardens with lights and gnomes. As far as best sellers go, it all depends on the event. I find that my light-up wine bottle terrariums are most popular around Christmas, and my air plants are most popular in the spring and summer.
My major goal is to sell my items in a store of handmade goods, and this was once a near reality after connecting with other vendors at an in-person event. The store was to be located in Washington, NJ, but relocated to Kansas. Since shipping glass is unreliable, I have decided to put that dream on hold until a more local option becomes available to me.
As far as Marketspace Vendor Events, I like where the events are being held - at breweries, how bad can that be?! I am looking forward to a long lasting relationship with them as they have events throughout the year.
Crafty Crafts by Jim will be at these upcoming events!
April 29, 2018 - Crafts and Drafts at River Horse Brewing Company in Ewing, NJ
May 20, 2018 - The Marketspace at Summit in Summit, NJ
June 9, 2018 - Czig Meister's 2 Year Anniversary Celebration in Hackettstown, NJ
September 16, 2018 - Crafts and Drafts at Lone Eagle Brewing in Flemington, NJ
October 28, 2018 - Crafts and Drafts at River Horse Brewing Company in Ewing, NJ