Childrens jewellery parties - any ideas?

[cardsbykatie]

Hi,

I eventually want to set up a business running a bead shop/ crafted goods shop/ coffee shop and holding parties and workshops. To get myself started I want to start running childrens jewellery making parties.

I just wondered if anyone has any ideas how to drag it out to last a couple of hours as I have a feeling young girls may get bored after 20mins of threading beads! I could run a competition to make some kind of model from wire maybe, do a pass the parcel with jewellery as a prize and maybe do something where the kids can win special beads to put in their creations.

Any other ideas??

[matt.chatterley]

Hi,

I eventually want to set up a business running a bead shop/ crafted goods shop/ coffee shop and holding parties and workshops. To get myself started I want to start running childrens jewellery making parties.

I just wondered if anyone has any ideas how to drag it out to last a couple of hours as I have a feeling young girls may get bored after 20mins of threading beads! I could run a competition to make some kind of model from wire maybe, do a pass the parcel with jewellery as a prize and maybe do something where the kids can win special beads to put in their creations.

Any other ideas??

Having seen Mark (mark.sallai on here) running a few Jewlellery workshops for kids, I think you might be in for a pleasant surprise.

At least, in my experience, the majority tend to get REALLY involved, and actually run out of time if he doesn't help them along!

It helps if you have a clear target as to what they are making, I think.

What sort of age-ranges are you targetting, and how are you thinking of pricing things?

[cardsbykatie]

Having seen Mark (mark.sallai on here) running a few Jewlellery workshops for kids, I think you might be in for a pleasant surprise.

At least, in my experience, the majority tend to get REALLY involved, and actually run out of time if he doesn't help them along!

It helps if you have a clear target as to what they are making, I think.

What sort of age-ranges are you targetting, and how are you thinking of pricing things?

I haven't qutie got that far yet!! Only really decided this morning that I should prob try and start the part of the business that doesn't require the premesis or huge start up cost before going head first into it all!

I am thinking of all ages really from about 5 to adult. It's the really young ones I'm most worried about getting bored - partly as they wont be able to do any of the more tricky detailed work. I don't know about pricing - I ned to do some research once I decide what I would run at the party and hence how much it would cost!

[matt.chatterley]

I haven't qutie got that far yet!! Only really decided this morning that I should prob try and start the part of the business that doesn't require the premesis or huge start up cost before going head first into it all!

I am thinking of all ages really from about 5 to adult. It's the really young ones I'm most worried about getting bored - partly as they wont be able to do any of the more tricky detailed work. I don't know about pricing - I ned to do some research once I decide what I would run at the party and hence how much it would cost!

Fair points!

I can only really talk about what Mark does: I helped him and his partner - my mum, infact - out at a show here recently, and also did their website for them - so I know a fair bit about how their business runs.

While my own part in the show was mainly limited to helping the small ones paint soap, I saw mark running his walk in bracelet/necklace sessions, which were by far the most popular part of the event (the little ones I dealt with tended to be parked with me to keep them amused while older siblings insisted on making a bracelet!)

I think it does work from small up, but obviously you have to be careful - smaller children require more supervision (to stop them trying to eat the stock - you'd be amazed), and as you say, cannot complete complicated pieces.

Mark operates the 'en masse' workshops by handing out some cord, and allowing the selection of one main piece or charm, then any number of other beads to fill it out, from a selection of trays, though I gather he does something a bit more involved with the booked workshops - outside of the craft fairs, etc.

Try to price up how much you think the average piece would cost, then add into the mix your time and the fact that you are, to all intents and purposes supplying two hours (or however long your workshop is) of childminding! On that note, I don't know if you have to check any of the "am I allowed to work with kids?" stuff out?

No reason why you couldn't design a set of workshops and group them by age + ability, though!

Good luck!

[cardsbykatie]

Fair points!

I can only really talk about what Mark does: I helped him and his partner - my mum, infact - out at a show here recently, and also did their website for them - so I know a fair bit about how their business runs.

While my own part in the show was mainly limited to helping the small ones paint soap, I saw mark running his walk in bracelet/necklace sessions, which were by far the most popular part of the event (the little ones I dealt with tended to be parked with me to keep them amused while older siblings insisted on making a bracelet!)

I think it does work from small up, but obviously you have to be careful - smaller children require more supervision (to stop them trying to eat the stock - you'd be amazed), and as you say, cannot complete complicated pieces.

Mark operates the 'en masse' workshops by handing out some cord, and allowing the selection of one main piece or charm, then any number of other beads to fill it out, from a selection of trays, though I gather he does something a bit more involved with the booked workshops - outside of the craft fairs, etc.

Try to price up how much you think the average piece would cost, then add into the mix your time and the fact that you are, to all intents and purposes supplying two hours (or however long your workshop is) of childminding! On that note, I don't know if you have to check any of the "am I allowed to work with kids?" stuff out?

No reason why you couldn't design a set of workshops and group them by age + ability, though!

Good luck!

Some really good advice there Matt thanks! Do you mind if I ask a couple of questions:

What kinds of beads does Mark use? I'm thinking of pretty but plastic beads for the younger ones but don't want it to look cheap!
Does Mark run the sessions as srop ins at craft fairs? I'm doing a school type fair this saturday and wodnering if I should have a trial run!!

I am a teacher so I have ben CBR checked so I hope that counts for working with children at parties. I'm guessing I will need liability insurance though!

Thanks,

Katie

[matt.chatterley]

Some really good advice there Matt thanks! Do you mind if I ask a couple of questions:

What kinds of beads does Mark use? I'm thinking of pretty but plastic beads for the younger ones but don't want it to look cheap!
Does Mark run the sessions as srop ins at craft fairs? I'm doing a school type fair this saturday and wodnering if I should have a trial run!!

I am a teacher so I have ben CBR checked so I hope that counts for working with children at parties. I'm guessing I will need liability insurance though!

Thanks,

Katie

Hi Katie,

No worries - I'll give him a ring later and get him to check out this thread incase he can give you some better info, too.

He uses all sorts of beads (some are up on the Jersey Craft Shop site, but I know he hasn't really had time to put up more than a small proportion). Most are plastic, as the metal ones tend to be too expensive - but he has all sorts, really.

Sounds like a good plan to do a trial run at a school fair - he does drop-ins at craft fairs and markets when they crop up (rarer here in Jersey!), and when he believes it will be worthwhile - normally using cheaper stock, since he has had the odd problem with bits of the stall getting tipped over in the past!! Not good - flippin millions of beads bouncing along the pavement!

Welp. If you're a teacher you're fine

You will definitely want to take out public liability insurance, though (unless the fairs you go to have their own insurance in place which covers you, in which case professional indemnity might do the trick? Not so sure on that one!)

[cardsbykatie]

Thanks for all the info Matt - much appreciated! I'm sure it would be really useful if Mark could give me any pointers too!

Thanks,

Katie

[mark.sallai]

Hi Katie

Hello

Im Mark and its my Birthday today - I work along side Susie at the harbour gallery in jersey channel islands - we have a shop come work/shop there Beads-n-crafts and jersey soap and we have been running it for about 2 years now - we have an event this weekend - craft fair at the living legend where we will use it as an advertising for our work/shops and partys - and I will be selling my hand made charm Bracelets and necklaces along side susie who will be selling her hand made soaps - if you would like to ask me any questions please do.
I will tell you one thing it does take time to set up and theres allways something new to learn.

Mark and Susie

[cardsbykatie]

Hi Mark,

Happy Birthday!!!

I am really really interested in setting up a similar shop to yours y the sound of it! I want to have a section selling craft items (jewellery and cards my me and thigns by toher people), also have a bead section, and also have a coffee and cakes cafe. My vision is that eventually I would be able to get a sales assistant to run the til etc and I would be able to concentrate to makig my stuff and also running jewellery parties and workshops. I would start off with childrens parties at the moment as I would like to have mroe trainign ont he more intricate parts of jewellery making myself before extending out to adults.

I think I should start by running childrens parties before I commit to a shop - what do you think? Any hints etc on this?

I also don't really know where to start in working out if by shop business idea is viable! I think speaking to someone who runsa similar business elsewhere is a great start and also probably speaking to someone in my area to ask about rates and number of customers.

Any advice very very much appreciated!!

Katie

[Pips]

Hi Katie

Looks like you have loads of good advice from an expert here, but I just wanted to say that I have done a couple of jewellery parties for children aged between 8 - 10 and it was having enough time that was the problem! They certainly didn't get bored at all and loved every minute! It is hard work, but really rewarding! I make my own beads from Polymer Clay and they used those with seed beads.

One tip is make sure you have enough tools for everyone to use - it gets frustrating for the children if they have to wait to use a certain pair of plyers etc.

Hope it goes really well for you!

[cardsbykatie]

Great, thanks.

On a differet note - your beads are lovely! Do you sell them??

[Pips]

Thank you so much Katie!

I don't really sell beads by themselves, unless it is a special commission, simply because I only just have enough time to make beads for my own use lol! I need more hours in the day - like about 20!!!

Glad to hear you like them though -

[cardsbykatie]

Maybe I'll have to get myself to a polymer clay beading workshop then!!

Katie

[Pips]

Great idea Katie - be prepared to become addicted though! Also, children love making beads from Polymer too - that could be another thing to do at the parties?