Crafting for the holidays

Ive been a sewing fiend for xmas this year!

I made spats/ faux leather boots for my kids. The octopus is for the steampunker, and the fleur di lis is for the pirate.

Steam kid also got some jodhpurs, since those are really handy for airship crew, pirate in training got a tri-corn. 

The hubs is still waiting for his goodies, a Star Wars shirt.

Time to put down the pulp fiction and pick up some learning.

After yesterday's pondering I realized I cannot get clear on a few things without answers to certain questions.
Problem is Im not exactly certain what those questions are.
And once I have a list of questions, am I asking the right questions?

I'm still working on my list of questions. In the mean time I was wondering where am I going to find the answers that I need?
The internet is a vast resource, but its not every thing.

Books are super, but can get quite pricey. So I checked with the local library. We are fortunate in that we have access to a city wide library system, of a not too small city. We can check the entire catalog online, and request books to be sent to our library for pick up. Not all library systems are this easy, this user friendly, or this large.

I started looking at "selling crafts" as my subject, this lead me to more specific key words. This lead me to the key words the library and book cataloging people use.

Key words:
Handicraft industries -- Management
Handicraft -- Marketing
Selling -- Handicraft

From just a few words I have quite a reading list!
I'm including my list here. I can have easy access to it, and it might help someone else who is looking for this type of info.

The basic guide to selling arts & crafts
Dillehay, James
Torreon, N.M. : Warm Snow Publishers, c1994

Crafting as a business
Rosen, Wendy W
Baltimore, MD : Rosen Group, 1994

Crafts and craft shows : how to make money
Kadubec, Phil
New York : Allworth Press, c2000

The crafts business answer book & resource guide : answers to hundreds of troublesome questions abou
Brabec, Barbara
New York : M. Evans and Co., 1998

The crafts business answer book : starting, managing, and marketing a home-based art, crafts, design
Brabec, Barbara
New York : M. Evans & Co., 2006

Creative cash : how to profit from your special artistry, creativity, hand skills, and related know-
Brabec, Barbara
Rocklin, Calif. : Prima Pub., c1998

How to sell what you make : the business of marketing crafts
Gerhards, Paul
Mechanicsburg, PA : Stackpole Books, c1996

Crafters' internet handbook : research, connect and sell your crafts online
Crabe, Geneviéve
Cincinnati, OH : Muska & Lipman, c2002

Handmade for profit : hundreds of secrets to success in selling arts & crafts
Brabec, Barbara
New York : M. Evans and Company, 1996

The crafter's guide to pricing your work
Ramsey, Dan
Cincinnati, OH : Betterway Books, 1997

Entrepreneur magazine's start up : start your own crafts business : your step-by-step guide to succe
Lynn, Jacquelyn
Irvine, CA : Entrepreneur Press, c2004

The Craft register : directory of arts & crafts shows, fairs and other events

Its time to prepare for the holidays!

So were were at dinner the other night and the restaurant has a gift shop attached and...
I am amazed at all the Christmas and Halloeewn and Thanksgiving stuff already out. I mean it is only the first week of August.
Then again as a kid my crafty aunt always had X-mas gifts made, done and wrapped before September.
And now here I am thinking gee should I make some holoiday appropriate items?
Im not in a halloween mood and yet it probably is halloween product time.
And I should probably be thinking about X-mas products and presents as well.
Im not too good about this being ahead of the craft market for product, but I guess its time I did some preplanning.
I wonder what I should do?
I know I have a slew of Day-of-the-Dead items I want to make
and I should start planning out some potential Christmas craft classes, as well as make some ornaments.
I dont want to be the Christmas shop, as I am a die-hard 12 days of X-mas fan, and I dont like seeing all the lights go up before Thanksgiving. by the time the day comes around Im ready to be done, and Id rather be ready to get started, with the end party on twelfth night, but thats just me. Maybe a few Santa pins wont be too horrible.
Now as far as the halloween stuff....
I want my stuff to be seasonally appropriate, but not limited to the season
Valentines day is good for that, I mean hearts are good all the time, they dont have to be red and rosey to be a heart
ooh maybe I could that, holiday hearts...
ooh idea is a brewing.....