Anastasia is taking the day off
and has invited Patrick Del Rosario to guest blog today about turning art into
cash. Patrick is part of the team behind Open Colleges, one of Australia’s
pioneer and leading providers of human
resources courses. When not working, Patrick enjoys blogging about
career and business. Patrick is also a photography enthusiast and is currently
running a photography studio in the Philippines. Learn more about Patrick at Google+.
Turn Art into Cash: 6 In-demand Products That Only Need a
Touch of Creativity to Sell
If you have hobbies or skills that
you enjoy practicing in your spare time, there’s a very good chance that you could
be making money by doing what you love. Whether you enjoy photography or arts
and crafts, there is always a way to turn your art into cash, you just need a
bit of creativity and a plan of action.
Here are six creative products you
could sell, either online or at craft shows, fairs and markets:
1. Gardening
These days there is a huge demand
for locally grown fruits and vegetables, and if you can grow them organically
there will be even more demand for them.
Gardening is an extremely relaxing
way to pass the time and can actually be therapeutic and is known to reduce
stress and improve both mental and physical health. If you have a plot of land
behind your house that isn’t being used for anything, you can start your own
little vegetable plot, growing things like fresh herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers,
spinach and lettuce.
Not only will this save you money
(you won’t have to buy vegetables anymore), but you could even make a bit of
money on the side by selling your extra produce to neighbors and friends or at local
farmers markets.
2. Baking
If you already love baking, why
not turn it into something that brings you a little profit, either on the side
or fulltime? I personally know a number of people who love baking and made
their hobby into a business, creating wedding and birthday cakes as well as
party snacks for different events.
You can start out small, with a
few people you know, and eventually it can grow into something much bigger, if
you want it to that is. It is easy enough to set up your own website or blog,
where you can post pictures of some of your creations and allow people to order
cakes or other delicacies for their birthday parties, anniversaries or whatever
event they are hosting.
3. Photography
Despite the fact that most people
these days have fairly high quality cameras on their phones, there is still a
high demand for professional photographers. Do you love taking nature shots or
doing candid street photography? These types of photos could be sold online
from your own website.
You could also choose to hire
yourself out as a photographer for events like weddings or family
get-togethers. Family portraits are also very popular, and if you have a good
camera and a bit of experience, you’ll be able to make quite a bit of money
from your hobby.
Before offering your services,
make sure you build up a portfolio of high quality photos. There are plenty of
freelance photographers out there today, so you’ll need to distinguish yourself
by showing potential clients that you know what you’re doing.
4. Handmade jewelry
Everyone loves handmade jewelry,
and if it’s well done you can actually sell it for quite a good price, although
of course you have to factor in the costs of buying the materials, but if you
shop wisely you’ll come out on top. Some good websites to check include The Beadin Path, EEBeads and Charm Factory.
Of course, these are just a few suggestions. There are many more out there. It
just takes a bit of time to find the ones that offer what you are looking for.
You could sell your handmade
earrings, bracelets and necklaces on your own website or visit markets and
fairs where you can showcase your work. When just starting out, you could
approach your friends, who could then do a little word-of-mouth advertising for
you.
5. Arts and crafts
“Arts and crafts” is a rather
broad category, and can mean anything from metal and woodwork to knitting or
patchwork and even calligraphy.
If you have a skill along these
lines you should try to develop it according to consumer demands. Have a look
on website selling things similar to what you are making. Maybe you’ll find
that carved figurines are popular, or perhaps there is a high demand for
knitted scarves and hats.
Even if your skill isn’t very
mainstream, there are always niche markets where you can promote your work and
build up a steady client base. Websites like Etsy.com
allow you to set up your own small business in a well-established community,
selling just about anything, from handmade quilts to household knick-knacks.
6. Customized clothing
One of the main frustrations that
many people have with affordable fashion is that it is produced in bulk, and it
can be hard to differentiate your style when on a limited budget.
The best solution to this problem
is to customize your own clothing. You can buy simple and plain t-shirts,
jeans, shoes or bags, and give them your own unique twist.
If you get pretty good at
transforming dull white t-shirts or tired old sweaters into hip-looking fashion
items, you can be sure that there will be a demand for your services.
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