Let's get crafty!

12 Festive Craft Gift Ideas and Stocking Stuffers for the Holidays

The holidays are just around the corner, and if you’re looking for the perfect gift that combines creativity and fun, craft kits are a fantastic choice! Whether you're shopping for kids, teens, or adults, these hands-on projects will bring joy and inspiration all season long. Here are 12 popular craft gift ideas that make great stocking stuffers or thoughtful presents for anyone on your list.

1. Candle Making Kit
   Light up the holidays with a DIY candle-making kit. Perfect for cozy nights in, these kits come with everything needed to create beautifully scented, handmade candles—ideal for gifting or enjoying yourself.
   https://amzn.to/3ZtDvIK (Amazon)

   
   
   

2. Clay Lantern Craft Kit
   Bring a little sparkle to the season with a clay lantern kit! Create beautiful, glowing lanterns that add a warm, festive touch to any room.
   https://amzn.to/3ZbXTg7 (Amazon)

   
   
   

3. Friendship Bracelet Making Kit
   A timeless craft for all ages, this kit includes colorful threads and charms to create personalized bracelets. Great for kids or as a fun bonding activity for friends and family.
   https://amzn.to/4g7z5ga (Amazon)

   
   
   

4. Charm Bracelet Making Kit
   Add a bit of charm to their holiday season! This kit lets you design your own charm bracelet, creating a meaningful and stylish accessory that’s uniquely theirs.
   https://amzn.to/3CQfuCW (Amazon)

   
   
   

5. Clay Flower Jewelry Crafting Kit
   Flower power meets jewelry-making! This clay kit allows you to craft beautiful, nature-inspired jewelry pieces that make stunning gifts or keepsakes.
   https://amzn.to/41sSN23 (Amazon)

   
   
   

6. Transformable Fidget Spinners
   These fidget spinners are more than just toys—they transform into different shapes! A hit with kids, these gadgets are perfect for helping to focus or just having fun on the go.
   https://amzn.to/3B2g7J4 (Amazon)

   
   
   

7. Bendable Wax Yarn Sticks
   Flex your creative muscles with bendable wax yarn sticks. Shape and mold them into fun designs or turn them into colorful decorations for the home or tree.
   https://amzn.to/4g93v1I (Amazon)

   
   
   

8. Fidget Cube with 36 Rare Earth Magnets
   This sleek fidget cube is perfect for relieving stress and keeping your hands busy. With 36 rare earth magnets, it offers a satisfying, tactile experience that's both fun and soothing.
   https://amzn.to/3Zw0Idv (Amazon)

   
   
   

9. Party Favor Mini LCD Writing Tablet (12-pack)
   Get a pack of mini LCD writing tablets that are perfect for doodling, note-taking, or creating festive holiday messages! These are perfect as stocking stuffers or fun classroom gifts.
   https://amzn.to/3BdhXXp (Amazon)

   
   
   

10. Kids Origami Kit
    The art of folding paper comes to life with a kids’ origami kit. It’s a wonderful way to introduce children to the calming art of paper folding while creating cute animals, flowers, and more.
    https://amzn.to/4eO2jja (Amazon)

    
    
    

11. Flower Origami Kit
    For the origami enthusiast or anyone who loves a challenge, an adult (or child) origami kit offers more complex designs and intricate folds. Perfect for relaxing, meditative crafting.
    https://amzn.to/4eO49k9 (Amazon)

    
    
    

12. Sketch Book for Kids
    Encourage creativity and self-expression with a sketchbook designed for young artists. With blank pages, this sketchbook is a wonderful tool for drawing, doodling, or crafting their own holiday masterpieces.
    https://amzn.to/4fMHWnS (Amazon)

    
    
    

These craft kits are the perfect way to give the gift of creativity this holiday season. Whether it's a new hobby, a family bonding activity, or simply something fun to do indoors, these ideas are sure to bring holiday cheer to everyone on your list. Happy crafting! 

Hey there, crafty friends! Thank you for reading our blog and being a part of our crafty community!! Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). These commissions help support the blog and allow me to continue sharing fun and creative ideas with you. I only recommend products I truly love and think you'll enjoy too! Thanks for supporting my crafty adventures! 

Advertising an Etsy store effectively involves a combination of online and offline strategies to reach your target audience and maximize visibility. Here are some effective ways to advertise your Etsy store:

1. Optimize your Etsy shop: Ensure your shop is well-organized, visually appealing, and has high-quality product photos. Write compelling product descriptions with relevant keywords to improve search rankings within Etsy.

2. Social media marketing: Create social media accounts for your Etsy store on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Share engaging content, including product photos, behind-the-scenes glimpses, customer testimonials, and updates on promotions or sales. Utilize relevant hashtags and engage with your followers to build a loyal community.

3. Collaborate with influencers or bloggers: Identify influencers or bloggers who align with your niche or target audience and collaborate with them to promote your products. This can include sponsored posts, product reviews, or giveaways to generate buzz and drive traffic to your Etsy store.

4. Paid advertising: Consider investing in paid advertising to increase your store's visibility. Platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Ads offer targeting options to reach potential customers who may be interested in your products. Start with a small budget and optimize your ads based on performance data.

5. Email marketing: Build an email list by offering incentives like discounts or exclusive content to encourage visitors to sign up. Regularly send newsletters or updates with new product releases, promotions, or special offers to keep your subscribers engaged and informed about your Etsy store.

6. Collaborate with other Etsy sellers: Partner with complementary Etsy sellers to cross-promote each other's products. This can include features in newsletters, social media shoutouts, or joint promotions to reach a wider audience and benefit from shared exposure.

7. SEO optimization: Research relevant keywords for your products and incorporate them into your Etsy shop titles, tags, and product descriptions. This will help improve your store's visibility in Etsy search results and increase organic traffic.

8. Attend local craft fairs or markets: Participating in local events allows you to showcase your products directly to potential customers. Use this opportunity to hand out business cards or flyers with your Etsy store information and offer special discounts for event attendees.

9. Collaborate with Etsy teams or forums: Join Etsy teams or engage in Etsy forums to connect with other sellers and customers. Participate in discussions, offer helpful advice, and share your Etsy store link when relevant. Building relationships within the Etsy community can lead to increased exposure and word-of-mouth referrals.

Remember, consistency and persistence are key when it comes to advertising your Etsy store. Monitor and analyze the performance of your advertising efforts, adjust your strategies accordingly, and stay actively involved in promoting your products to ensure long-term success.

Now, lets get crafty :)

Thanks to our customer for the beautiful photo!

Get your customized ring/pendant dish here: 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/755458754/personalized-round-wood-dish-custom?ref=listings_manager_grid

Love! What a great way to make some fun & low-cost family craft projects! 

See how to at: https://www.kixcereal.com/kix-cereal-6-earth-day-crafts-from-recycled-materials/ 

Have you ever heard the saying, "..love what you do, and you will never work a day in your life.."? It's so very true and can be a reality for anyone who has the drive to make it happen. The first step is finding your passion. Everybody has a skill that makes their heart happy (even if you don't know what it is yet). You then pour your heart into that hobby, perform some market research, then finally transform that into business plan [we will cover market research/business plans in upcoming blogs - so stay tuned!!]. Whether you love to paint, crochet, sew, sculpt, etc., platforms like Etsy foster an environment where buyers and sellers can come together in one place and create a global marketplace. The best part is, you don't have to have a storefront to run an Etsy shop! This means you can start your shop with little or no overhead. 

There are a few steps that you must take prior to opening your shop and making your first sale. Probably the most fun step {in my opinion} is choosing the name of your shop! This sounds easy, but it can actually be challenging (just an FYI: Etsy.com does not allow spacing in the shop names, but does allow upper case and lower case letter to differentiate between words). The website will let you know immediately if the name you have chosen is available or not. You may have to try a few different variations if the name you are wanting if it is unavailable. But don't give up or be discouraged, the perfect name is out there waiting for you to discover it! Your shop name will possibly lead to branding in the future, so make it catchy :-) Catching the attention of your potential buyers is the name of the game. You want your shop to be memorable!   

Once you have decided on your shop's name, the next few steps will involve adding your personal & bank account information - this is how you will get paid and pay your Etsy fees. Finally, you come to the last step of opening your store and making your first listing! This is very exciting because this is probably the first time you have seen the platform from this point of view. Don't worry, you can always go back and edit [or delete] this listing once you get the hang of how you want your format to be. From here, take your time to get to know the platform and with time, it will be a breeze navigating the site platform. Explore the different ways to design your new store in a way that makes your future customers want to visit and come back again and again! This WILL involve branding and logo design. We go over the details of branding and all of its glory in its very own blog - have you ever seen a super successful company without branding or a logo? Us either :-)

Now that you have an open store, here are some tips that we have learned over the years to make the process of running a shop easier and look more professional. 

1. Be consistent! - Your store's success is largely at the mercy of customer reviews. We have so many happy customers that complement the fact that when they order (& re-order) from us, their items quality and packaging are always consistent. You build a trust that will keep them coming back! From your listing descriptions, listing pictures, all the way to the final product...Be Consistent!

2. Provide excellent customer service. - Having a handmade craft business includes lots of personalization. This all starts with the customers reaching out to see if you can meet their needs. ALWAYS provide a timely, cheerful reply. This is a big stepping stone to transform those potential customers into paying customers. (warning: this part is not always the most fun, but sometimes it is :-) You will speak with a lot of interesting people along the journey of being a business owner!)

3. Format your listing descriptions carefully & allow them to evolve. - This is one of the things that will evolve with your store. If I were to go back and look at the very first listing's format, it would be WAY different than the one we use today. As you are in business, you will learn the things people ask you about frequently. These things should be listed clearly in the descriptions. This will save you time by not having to answer as many questions (you will thank me later) :-) Change is good, a lot of work, but good!

4. Marketing!!! - The 3 exclamation points are necessary because this is the #1 thing that will get your business attention and allow it to grow bigger than you ever thought possible. We will cover marketing in its own blog post because its that important! Stay tuned for that one (wink, wink)

5. Have fun! - You opened a small business doing a hobby you love. HAVE FUN! This is the most important thing to your shops success! You have to love what you are doing. Embrace the change and evolution of your business (& the platform-it is constantly evolving, so be ready!). This will be scary at times. You will wonder if you can handle any more work load, markets will shift and change, the platform will update and you will have to adjust accordingly, and all of this change is going to happen eventually. Have fun exploring new limits, new strategies, & new technology!

We hope after reading this blog, you have a better understanding of the process and what it takes to successfully open an online craft shop of your own! No matter who you are, where you live, or what you love to do, there is opportunity out there just waiting for you on a global scale! Welcome to the wonderful world of internet sales, where your doors never close and your customers may be a half a world away :-)

Feel free to add questions or comments below. We would love to hear from you & answer any questions that you may have! :-) Stay tuned to The Crafty Blog and don't forget to ➼ subscribe to our newsletter & Like us on Facebook to receive updates on the "Let's get crafty!" series!! Until next time...

| Stay Crafty |

Etsy is a registered trademark of Etsy, Inc. 

Finding a craft that you enjoy doing as a hobby is a wonderful thing. Now, let's take that hobby and turn it into some extra spending spending money! For some, that concept may seem out of reach or too difficult, but it's NOT at all and we are going to teach you how. During the "Let's get crafty!" series, we will explain step-by-step the process of opening and running a successful online business that could earn you extra cash or turn into your full time job. The outcome is up to you!

There are many platforms out there that allow users to sell their products online, but one in particular specializes in handmade, custom items that is already used and trusted my millions of people. This platform is Etsy and is one of the best places to start your online craft business.

Within this series, we will explore many topics related to opening and successfully running an online craft business. We will teach you everything you need to know when opening & expanding your shop, running sales, processing orders, ordering packaging, and handling customer service.

Stay tuned to The Crafty Blog and don't forget to ➼ subscribe to our newsletter & Like us on Facebook to receive updates on the "Let's get crafty!" series!!

| Stay Crafty |

Etsy is a registered trademark of Etsy, Inc.