Card Making career??... or college again?

applesock

Is it possible ? I really love arts & crafts, and think this would be the perfect choice. I curently work in an office with dreams of leaving. I have a diploma in graphic design & other art & web design courses. Unfortunately when i finished college not alot of jobs out there, so now im stuck in a rut, as the skills i learned in college now out dated
Would it be an idea to set up a website? to sell my crafts?
Or go back to college and do some sort of part time course?

netanyahu

Hello!
We are in the same position... hah,

have you heard of www.etsy.com?
you should definetly check it out - you could even start to sell on it while still working to test out a few things, see what works, if your work is selling etc! It is an AMAZING website for inspiration! Best of luck

applesock

oh thanks what a great little website

netanyahu

yeah it really is! I found it really useful to google things like 'turning a hobby into a full time profession', stuff like that. There is loads and loads of useful information out there, as well as people have done it themselves and written about it. The etsy forums are also great, and I have found that people are generally very helpful on there if you have any questions!

looksee

The suggestion of trying the market while still working is a good idea if you could do it. You would find it very difficult to make a living from selling cards, no matter how good, unless you figure out a way of 'mass production', which rather defeats the object.
Money to be made in arts and crafts is in the teaching area. Could you work up a few suitable ideas, maybe get some sort of evening class teaching qualification - even a certificate - and offer your services to day care centres, care homes etc.

pork99

applesock wrote: »

Is it possible ? I really love arts & crafts, and think this would be the perfect choice. I curently work in an office with dreams of leaving. I have a diploma in graphic design & other art & web design courses. Unfortunately when i finished college not alot of jobs out there, so now im stuck in a rut, as the skills i learned in college now out dated
Would it be an idea to set up a website? to sell my crafts?
Or go back to college and do some sort of part time course?

I studied fine art to diploma level and graphic design to degree level, I'm now a self-employed website designer. The skills I use to earn my living weren't acquired at college. You must to be able to teach yourself to keep up - if you can't do that you simply shouldn't be a website designer/developer. All the information you need is out there in books & websites. You cannot depend on college to keep yourself up to date.

College qualifications are fine if you want to be a teacher or lecturer. If you want to go into business with your creative skills just get out there and do it. Also running your own business requires a lot of knowledge you can't learn anywhere other than at the School of Hard Knocks and Tough Surprises.

Pipz

Hallmark control the card market. There's no way you can compete with them. They've been around too long, and they make too many things, and most shops have a contract with them.

Card making seems to be a popular thing to be going into these days. One of my friends is thinking of doing it too. It's a nice hobby, and a nice way of making a bit of extra cash, but it is a side project for someone to do. There's just no way you'd be able to live off money made from it.

However, if you feel strongly about it, then obviously you'll do it, and I hope I'm wrong and wish you luck. But as was said before, your better off trying to do it while you still have a job.

applesock

hi guys
thanks for getting back to me, you idea's/ comments much appreciate, the idea of a cert really appeals to me. I no hallmark is such a big company,great company to aspire to or work for haha.:D