Handmade Cards
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- Andalucia.com Amigo
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:50 am
- Location: Hull/Cartama Estacion
Handmade Cards
Hello to all
I wondered if you could advise me please.
At the moment, here in the UK, I make handmade cards for a bit of extra pin money. They have proved fairly popular and I've done a few of the locals markets etc, people seem to like what I produce.
My question is, we plan to move out to Spain early 2007, and I am wondering if anyone thinks there will be a demand for my cards over there, cos if not, I wont bother packing up and shipping over all of the materials and tools etc etc....
Thanks in anticipation for your advice
I tried to add a pic to demonstrate the kind of thing I make, but I couldnt figure out how to do it, so sorry for that!!
Thanks ever so much
P.A.D.
I wondered if you could advise me please.
At the moment, here in the UK, I make handmade cards for a bit of extra pin money. They have proved fairly popular and I've done a few of the locals markets etc, people seem to like what I produce.
My question is, we plan to move out to Spain early 2007, and I am wondering if anyone thinks there will be a demand for my cards over there, cos if not, I wont bother packing up and shipping over all of the materials and tools etc etc....
Thanks in anticipation for your advice
I tried to add a pic to demonstrate the kind of thing I make, but I couldnt figure out how to do it, so sorry for that!!
Thanks ever so much
P.A.D.
- Lion
- Andalucia.com Amigo
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2005 12:22 am
- Location: UK (Formerly Canillas de Aceituno)
I know that my mother in law buys handmade cards from a lady that has a regular slot at a car boot sale in Nerja on Sundays, she charges 1 Euro per handmade card which seems good value to me.
How would your prices compare to this?
Would you be planning on doing several different markets/boot sales during the week or open up retail premises or supply your cards to existing retail outlets?
Also it all depends on what area you are planning on moving to.
How would your prices compare to this?
Would you be planning on doing several different markets/boot sales during the week or open up retail premises or supply your cards to existing retail outlets?
Also it all depends on what area you are planning on moving to.
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- Andalucia.com Amigo
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:50 am
- Location: Hull/Cartama Estacion
We're moving to Cartama, so plenty of Spanish AND ex-pats around there AND on the coast for the markets...
My cards would be in the same price bracket, 1€ to €1.50-ish, I do a few more that are a little bit more special, bespoke cards for younger children with little dolls on for the girls and cars/mororbikes for the boys, which are a bit more, cos I have to buy the embellishments...
I would expect to have to do a few markets a week, but wouldnt want to be out EVERY day, as I will also need to be at home making them, and I will be marketing and managing my husband and his band's gigs on top of that!!
Thanks for your reply
My cards would be in the same price bracket, 1€ to €1.50-ish, I do a few more that are a little bit more special, bespoke cards for younger children with little dolls on for the girls and cars/mororbikes for the boys, which are a bit more, cos I have to buy the embellishments...
I would expect to have to do a few markets a week, but wouldnt want to be out EVERY day, as I will also need to be at home making them, and I will be marketing and managing my husband and his band's gigs on top of that!!
Thanks for your reply
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- Resident
- Posts: 588
- Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 4:57 pm
I think there is somone who does make hand-made and bespoke cards and party invites etc. in Nerja. I have seen them in a "party shop" in Nerja. I can't remember how much she charges. But Nerja is quite a way from Cartama.
As previous threads have shown, its difficult to make any money out here, so any handicraft is a good idea! Especially if you enjoy doing it.
As previous threads have shown, its difficult to make any money out here, so any handicraft is a good idea! Especially if you enjoy doing it.
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- Andalucia.com Amigo
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:50 am
- Location: Hull/Cartama Estacion
yes I am trying to get as many string to my bow as possible before we get out there - My husband already has a trade to bring out and has started getting work already, which he flies out for when he needs to, but I work for one of the emergency services in the UK, and its nothing I could do in Spain, so I am brain-racking as we speak!!
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- Resident
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- Andalucia.com Amigo
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:50 am
- Location: Hull/Cartama Estacion
Thanks Alan!
I think we will be happy over there - Cant wait!
I will be posting another thread soon, as we are flying out on Monday and I would like to get some English TV in the flat as soon as we can...We do watch the Spanish, but its nice, especially when I'm there on my own, to have my soap fix! We have both English AND Spanish in our studio flat on the coast and it does make a difference!!
Thanks to all who replied, and if anyone else can think of anything else to add or would like to give me some valuable 'card' advice, I would be VERY grateful!
Regards
P.A.D.
I think we will be happy over there - Cant wait!
I will be posting another thread soon, as we are flying out on Monday and I would like to get some English TV in the flat as soon as we can...We do watch the Spanish, but its nice, especially when I'm there on my own, to have my soap fix! We have both English AND Spanish in our studio flat on the coast and it does make a difference!!
Thanks to all who replied, and if anyone else can think of anything else to add or would like to give me some valuable 'card' advice, I would be VERY grateful!
Regards
P.A.D.
- spanish_lad
- Andalucia Guru
- Posts: 6218
- Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 10:13 pm
- Location: Alhaurin el Grande since 99, cartama campo since 2022
sunkissed wrote:Why move to Cartama?
There's 10,000 illegal houses in the area, some of which are being demolished and the town is really shabby, baking hot in summer and freezing in winter
hahahah so true it is cartama estacion she is moving to tho - slightly better, more upmarket, but a bit of a "comuter" town for malaga now that the new road is built.
as for cards, theres a few people already set up and trading at fairs and that that make hand made cards. the market in this area is, unfortunatly for you, saturated with this craft. however, as i know the person who runs some local craft fayres if you let me have your email address i´ll pass it on to her in time for the next one, but i will tell you in advnce, you will not be the only person selling hand made cards at the fayre.
your prices also sound too cheap, where are you making your profit ? (obviously that is good for the buyer, but bad for you!! )
you will find it hard to obtain stock etc, you will either hve to raise your prices to cover the postage from the uk or collect it when u visit the uk.
you can buy some stuff for making cards over here but the relative priofit margins are MINIMAL. Most of the people i know tend to make their own embellishments etc.
anyhow, good luck if you need any more advice, feel free to contact me here.
Alhaurin el Grande since 99, working at the airport since 2011.
Yes, PAD, I was thinking the same thing as SpanLad.
You say you sell at €1/1.50 and this includes materials, time making them, and your time stood at the market stall.
Not knowing the hand made card market myself (!?) I think maybe you're not going to be a millionaire, but as you probably know, we dont get many millionaires on A.com, only the lot from Marbella! How much do you earn from this in the UK? As SpanLad says, expect competition, anybody with a good idea soon gets copied as people are desperate to create work opportunities.
You say you sell at €1/1.50 and this includes materials, time making them, and your time stood at the market stall.
Not knowing the hand made card market myself (!?) I think maybe you're not going to be a millionaire, but as you probably know, we dont get many millionaires on A.com, only the lot from Marbella! How much do you earn from this in the UK? As SpanLad says, expect competition, anybody with a good idea soon gets copied as people are desperate to create work opportunities.
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- Andalucia.com Amigo
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:50 am
- Location: Hull/Cartama Estacion
Well at the minute, my normal size cards(A4 folded) sell for £1 each. and I make profit on every one of them, due to sourcing good quality LOW COST supplies and buying in bulk.... I sell other cards - a little more time consuming ones and personalised ones for £2...I am probably doing myself down, cos I didnt think people would pay £2 for a card for a child for Chrimble, but I made LOADS at Christmas, I could hardly keep up with the demand.....
I did see someone on the internet today though, selling cards not unlike mine for £2.19 and £2.99 - Couldnt believe it!!
re Cartama!!!! - we have stayed in our other apartment on the Coast for 6 years now and when we decided to move to Spain for good, we looked inland, as one of the posters said, to be in commuting distance to Malaga. unfortunately, we are going to have to work over there, as both in our 30's so nowhere near retirement yet, so would like to be near Malaga for a number of reasons. But we certainly didnt want to remain on the coast, (though we plan to keep our other holiday home to rent out as a bit of an income). There are parts of Cartama AND Estacion that are shabby, but we tend not to hang around the shabby parts!!! We like our little corner of Cartama
Our apartment is NOT one of the illegal ones, fortunately, though I pity the poor people who have those..... we have a very good, local,well respected, reputable builder and an even better lawyer!!!
as far as warm in summer and cold in winter...Its the South Coast of Spain!! We have aircon for the summer and radiators for the winter! We learnt how cold the winters can be from being in the Coastal flat..BRRRR!
Spanish lad - I thank you for your honest advice, that is, after all the reason I asked the question...Its the same here in the UK at the mo with the card thing - Create and Craft TV has made EVERYONE with a spare hour into a cottage industry...I have been fortunate so far, i suppose, that mine have been a little different from the mainstream supply and have sold on that merit.
Also, i was thinking (naively??) that the profit on the card would have to be less, cos EVERYTHING is cheaper over there than here?? Isnt it? Our experiences so far have seemed to be that way anyway!
And in the 18 months Ive been making and selling cards, my philosophy is now, that I would rather sell 40 cards at £1 than only sell 15 at £1.40 and take the other 25 back home again!!
Spanish Lad, I will PM you with my email address for that info on the craft fayre and I thank you for your help/advice/honesty!!
Thanks to everyone else as well
P.A.D.
I did see someone on the internet today though, selling cards not unlike mine for £2.19 and £2.99 - Couldnt believe it!!
re Cartama!!!! - we have stayed in our other apartment on the Coast for 6 years now and when we decided to move to Spain for good, we looked inland, as one of the posters said, to be in commuting distance to Malaga. unfortunately, we are going to have to work over there, as both in our 30's so nowhere near retirement yet, so would like to be near Malaga for a number of reasons. But we certainly didnt want to remain on the coast, (though we plan to keep our other holiday home to rent out as a bit of an income). There are parts of Cartama AND Estacion that are shabby, but we tend not to hang around the shabby parts!!! We like our little corner of Cartama
Our apartment is NOT one of the illegal ones, fortunately, though I pity the poor people who have those..... we have a very good, local,well respected, reputable builder and an even better lawyer!!!
as far as warm in summer and cold in winter...Its the South Coast of Spain!! We have aircon for the summer and radiators for the winter! We learnt how cold the winters can be from being in the Coastal flat..BRRRR!
Spanish lad - I thank you for your honest advice, that is, after all the reason I asked the question...Its the same here in the UK at the mo with the card thing - Create and Craft TV has made EVERYONE with a spare hour into a cottage industry...I have been fortunate so far, i suppose, that mine have been a little different from the mainstream supply and have sold on that merit.
Also, i was thinking (naively??) that the profit on the card would have to be less, cos EVERYTHING is cheaper over there than here?? Isnt it? Our experiences so far have seemed to be that way anyway!
And in the 18 months Ive been making and selling cards, my philosophy is now, that I would rather sell 40 cards at £1 than only sell 15 at £1.40 and take the other 25 back home again!!
Spanish Lad, I will PM you with my email address for that info on the craft fayre and I thank you for your help/advice/honesty!!
Thanks to everyone else as well
P.A.D.
- spanish_lad
- Andalucia Guru
- Posts: 6218
- Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 10:13 pm
- Location: Alhaurin el Grande since 99, cartama campo since 2022
I find that craft supplies are more expensive here but I haven't really been able to find a decent craft supplier.
Anyone know of anywhere I can try along the coast (or in Cordoba province?) Looking for something like the big warehouse craft stores springing up in UK...or Walmart's craft section...or anywhere with a big range of stuff I can buy in bulk.
Cheers,
Kelly
Anyone know of anywhere I can try along the coast (or in Cordoba province?) Looking for something like the big warehouse craft stores springing up in UK...or Walmart's craft section...or anywhere with a big range of stuff I can buy in bulk.
Cheers,
Kelly
New undercover market as of 5-3-06 at La Trocha Shopping Centre near Coin. Promises to be good as no local markets nearby, arts and crafts etc. About 10 minutes drive from Cartama on the Cartama to Coin Road, you cannot miss it as its the only shopping complex we have in this particular area. Forgot to say, Sundays only.
Keddyboy
Never do today what you can leave until tomorrow.
Never do today what you can leave until tomorrow.
- spanish_lad
- Andalucia Guru
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- redsoxbrit
- Resident
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We went along and it was really good (if a little windy) as it it actually all set out in the carpark so overhead cover only. They were selling everything from second-hand clothes to fruit and veg and it was very busy. The shops in La Trocha were closed but the eateries were all open (excellent tapas at the Bodega) as well as the cinema and Bolo. I really hope it continues as it proves that people want to shop on a Sunday-Spanish included!
We also went along to take a look and think it stands a very good chance of being a success. We have been selling mainly books at Nerja car boot sale for about 15 months but have found the new site to be not as successful as the old one. The huge advantage for both sellers and buyers with the Coín one is it being undercover. No more missing weeks because of bad weather or missing out August altogether because of the intense heat!
We therefore intend selling at Coín instead of Nerja within a couple of weeks - maybe we'll see some of you there!
We therefore intend selling at Coín instead of Nerja within a couple of weeks - maybe we'll see some of you there!
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