1. Describe your business: type of business, where you are located, how long you have been in business, website URL's, etc.
Let's see, I wear many hats it seems now days. Besides from being a wife and mother of four children. I am a designer, graphic artist, writer and editor of Mercantile Gatherings Magazine, storekeeper, website owner and the list goes on.......
I started out in the early 90's designing and selling my finished items at craft shows and home shows. I then began creating patterns for other crafters to make by the name of Twigs n Sprigs.
In 2003, we were blessed to find an old 1800's building that I made into my store and named it Primitive Blessings by Twigs n Sprigs. It's located in the hills of Lacie, Kentucky.
I then branched out and created stationery, graphics, stamps, cookie cutters with my designs.
In 2004, my partner Fay Stanfield and I created Mercantile Gatherings Primitive Magazine. I am writer, artist and editor of this wonderful magazine that gets mailed to your front door.
www.MercantileGatherings.com
In 2007, I decided to gather brick and mortar shops n shows together online for folks to visit throughout their traveling needs. Thus, Prim Shops n Shows was created.
www.PrimShopsnShows.com
In 2008, I decided to become an author and have begun writing my first Amish Novel "Meeting at Mill Creek". Which you can read the first chapters on my site.
At
www.PrimitiveBlessings.com you will find all of my designs, patterns, graphics, & paper goods along with my Twiggy Tales (blog) and Twig-Niques (techniques on crafting) and my Amish Adventures (stories of the Amish way of life.)
2. How did you decide on your business name?
My first name is Tiffany and my maiden name is Wigginton and I always doodled little twigs of sprigs. T for Tiffany and Wig for Wigginton, was fitting. Twigs n Sprigs was born.
3. What were the first things you did to get your business going?
Well put my fingers to work, ha ha literally In the 90' woodcrafts were very in and I painted a lot, then got into sewing and literally did home shows of my wares along with lots of craft shows and wholesaling to shops around the country. God just blessed me beyond measure for every step I took; he launched me 10 more feet. I am still wondering what I will be doing next.
4. How long did it take you from the time you decided to open your business to your Grand Opening Day?
Well I guess this question is about my shop. Let's see, I bought the building and took a bit to renovate it, but once I slapped paint on the walls and had windows, I was working like a dog to fill that shop. We opened on my birthday March 11.
5. What was the best thing you did to get your business going?
The best thing I ever did was communicate with all my friends. I love to share and tell stories and well my fingers always typed my tales to my online friends and I was always getting folks laughing or crying. Making friends is what life is about, the more the merrier.
6. What was one thing that you did that you would advise others not to do?
If you ever get asked to design for import companies, know whom you are working for and how the industry works. I was so overjoyed and thrilled to be asked to do such a thing by someone who I thought was famous, thinking you would make money when reality is, it was all a joke, my designs were taken, didn't know who I worked for and it was a royal mess. I was literally embarrassed but can say I now know a little about that industry.
7. How do you network? What do you find works the best?
Well back in the early 90's I started out on Delphi forums. Some have come and some have gone but for the most part that is home to me. I have my own private board called Primitive Ponderings aka "The Pond" where folks come to share, chat, craft, & pray. It's a wonderful place.
I do try to visit other boards when I can, but often don't have time for all of them.
8. Do you advertise? If so, what type of advertising works the best for you business?
Over the years, I have advertised before in big magazines, but reality is they barely pay for themselves. That was the reason why we created Mercantile Gatherings so crafters could afford advertising. I advertise in there and it seems to work.
The best advertising you can do for yourself is build your website and promote it on blogs, sites, groups, boards, eBay, etsy, ...etc.
9. Do you have any advice to give someone thinking of getting into their own business?
Pour your heart into whatever your passion is. Join online groups and gab about what you love, meet friends, gather with them, start bloggin and sharing with everyone and most of all Pray. God will guide you he knows the way.
10. What type of products do you find are 'hot' right now?
Antiques and collectibles are what are hot right now. If you are hand making wares, then make them with things like they would back in the 1800's when they didn't have stuffing, or electric to sew with. Shops are going a lot more towards the things that fit in colonial, earlier, log style of homes. Samplers, baskets, dolls, mercantile signs etc., those things that look like antiques but aren't. Pantry jars, old brooms, aprons, all the things found around an old homestead based out of necessities of life.
