Whip-Up

We would like to welcome advertisers Nikki and Courtney of Mindy’s Minute Market to whipup.net today, to feature their business and to offer a fantastic giveaway to our readers.

We are two gals with a penchant for finding, making and buying amazing things…that is if we get past the buying part. We are addicted to the latest crafting trends but not to the price tags.  Our quest to bring beauty to all brought us to the realization that bulk is cheaper. We can’t buy bulk on our own. (Our husbands will KILL us!) So, we are trying to make new friends that want to endeavor after the same crafts we do (and others- we are open to YOUR ideas, too!) while we spend less, accrue less and create more!

Where to find Mindy’s Minute  Market online: store :: blog :: Facebook

Tell us about your background and how you started your business?

We started as a means of bringing foot traffic through a local builder’s model homes. Our area is full of local artisans and vendors that had very limited opportunity to showcase their work. We united the two concepts and Mindy Mae’s Market came to fruition. We’ve enjoyed getting to know vendors and being a part of the “creative crowd” as a business.

We noticed some trends in this crowd. Trend One: We think we can re-create everything. As folks walked around our boutiques and showcases we would hear, “I can do that,” or “I bet I could do that for less money”. Trend Two: It’s rare that we EVER DO those things. Insert here whatever reason that that is, money, time, talent, ability, patterns, etc.  Trend Three: When we DO DO these things we generally accumulate way more product(s) to justify the expense. We then have to 1)store these items 2)give them to every neighbor we know 3) attempt to sell them in some other way. This is all because we wanted to save a couple of dollars on an item we wanted in the first place. So now, instead of saving a couple bucks you’ve spent more, time, effort and frustration than you ever anticipated –if you even complete the item.  This is how Mindy’s Minute Market was born.

What are you most excited about in your business right now?

We’ve decided to end the madness. We want people to be able to DO things themselves and ONLY as much or as little as they want to.  That’s why it’s Mindy’s MINUTE Market. It can go two ways: minute as in small amounts or minute because that’s how long it takes to make a purchase! We will follow trends on websites and blogs. Then we’ll take those trends and break them down in to affordable, manageable pieces. MMM will sell those pieces at a sane price and post ideas along with them.  We want to quit being craft supply hoarders. We want to actually complete the projects we have committed to and we bet you can relate. Think of us providing a public service to all craft supply junkies. Your husbands will thank us.

What is your dream for the future of your business?

More friends, less clutter and more finished crafts…in a word, success.

How do you balance work and family?

We don’t. It’s mass chaos. It’s fun mass chaos, however.

I think the main components that make this work for us are supportive and helpful husbands and a balanced give-and-take in our business partnership friendship. It always seems to work out…even if it is by the skin-of-our-teeth.

Today Mindy’s Minute Market is offering a prize  to one lucky Whipup.net reader.

For our Giveaway we’d love to offer you a TWO MONTH SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE.  What does this mean to you?  Well, anytime we put up an item and meet our ‘quantity quota’ – you get that item SHIPPED to you free of charge! This means craft supplies in just the right quantity to try something new, find a new fad or design a new décor! This means you get everything our sponsored crafters get – without any commitment, contract or timeline!  PLUS we’ll be sending you any other goodies and jewelry pieces we feature that have overages from orders during that two month period! This means free stuff with the approximated value at $245 at Mindy’s Minute Market – $512 retail! Things like custom stamps, tulle, chicken wire, diy custom chalkboard paint kits, finials, magnets, buttons, ribbon, corks etc, with ideas for how to use them!

So please leave a comment here to be in the running to win. You have 48 hours to enter. Winner will be chosen at random, announced here and contacted via email. Good luck!    Congratulations to Jessica!

If you would like your business to be featured in a future Giveaway Post, visit our advertising page or email us at advertising[at]whipup[dot]net.

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Yes – that’s right – the very gorgeous and collectable annual whipup.net crafty calendar for 2012 is ready for purchase. Just like the 2011 calendar, we are offering a printable pdf version for only $5 – this printable comes in three different sizes – and you get all three in the one hit.

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Also AVAILABLE IN OUR SHOP

We also have a print-on-demand version – Through redbubble – we have found their calendars to be the best quality – and they ship world wide for very reasonable prices.

PRINT ON DEMAND VERSION AVAILABLE HERE.

We have some excellent contributors to this years calendar – and you will be meeting them over the next couple of weeks…

January trula kids :: February giddy giddy :: March soozs :: April lola nova :: May a keeping of days :: June duo fiber works :: July Mossy mossy :: August kisskus :: September rice babies :: October mini eco :: November & Cover cauchy :: December fuori borgo

Here is a pic of the printable calendar hanging up in my studio – amongst my other inspirational bits and pieces.

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We would like to welcome advertiser Nigel Cooper of Bright Star Kids to Whipup.net today, to feature his business and to offer a fantastic giveaway to our readers. Bright Star Kids is based in Wollongong, Australia.

You can buy the best quality name labels and wall art online direct from Bright Star Kids. We offer free shipping within Australia on most products, and as we dispatch them within 2 days, this means you’ll receive them in super quick time. View our entire range at www.brightstarkids.com.au

Where to find Bright Star Kids online: wall art:: name labels:: kids labels:: wall stickers

How did you start out with your business?

This business was started back in 2005 in the Creative Arts department of Wollongong University. Over five years it has blossomed into one of the most popular label and wall art companies within Australia.  From listening to our customers perspective we have added and redesigned lots of our products, which allows us to continually keep our brand fresh and exciting.

What is the most challenging part of your business?

We love all aspects of running this business, especially helping our customers to find the right product for their needs. So the most challenging part of our business is spreading the word so we really appreciate when people help to tell their friends about us and what we do.

What is your dream for the future of your business?

We will expand our range of high quality designed wall art and labels for kids and around the home. Our main focus will always be within Australia but in the near future we will branch out into the US, Europe and Asia. We have always enjoyed giving back to community groups, and we endeavor to expand this by working closely with a children’s charity whose goals and vision are linked with Bright Star Kids in the near future.

Today Bright Star Kids are offering a prize of a $40 gift voucher to one lucky Whipup.net reader. So please leave a comment here to be in the running to win. You have 48 hours to enter. Winner will be chosen at random, announced here and contacted via email. Good luck!

Congratulations to Kirsten N! 

If you would like your business to be featured in a future Giveaway Post, visit our advertising page or email us at advertising[at]whipup[dot]net.

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There is still time to get the Whipup.net 2011 calendar. Featuring 12 beautiful images from 12 amazing makers.

Print any or all of the three printable formats on your home printer (vertical a4/letter, horizontal a4/letter and vertical 2 printed to a page a4/letter) or purchase the already beautifully printed hard copy from Redbubble.

Print as many whipup 2011 calendars as you like and hang them in your kitchen, craft room or office.

All three printable formats are included in the one low price of $5.00

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Purchase your calendar in 2 different ways.

1. Get the printable pdf right here for $5.
In the pdf package you will receive the calendar in 3 different formats to allow you to print and display however you like.

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To Print: I recommend printing on paper that is designed especially for your printer. ie if you have a colour injet then purchase inkjet paper for brighter colours. Alternatively you might like to print it onto slightly heavier or textured card, which can give a nice surface quality. These files are designed to be printed on A4 or letter. One of the files has 2 months per page and can be trimmed for a long thin calendar.

To display: Use a hole punch and thread ribbon through to hang, or use an oversized paperclip or bulldog clip as I have here. Or make up your own binding method.

2. Purchase a beautiful quality calendar from print-on-demand online store Redbubble. ($AU27.50) They ship internationally and have very reasonable shipping costs. Go to Redbubble store to purchase.
This calendar comes printed on high quality satin art paper, they have a hanger and white wire binding (size 12×17 inches / 30x44cm).

Whipup 2011 calendar features some amazing crafters:

  • January: www.lilfishstudios.com Read the Lisa Jordan Whip Up interview here.
  • February: www.lavenderlimes.blogspot.com Read the Christine Chitnis Whip Up interview here.
  • March: www.dottieangel.blogspot.com Read the Tif Fussel Whip Up interview here.
  • April: www.JammerSage.Etsy.com Read the Andrea Rosenstiel Whip Up interview here.
  • May: www.filminthefridge.com Read the Ashley Newcomb Whip Up interview here.
  • June: www.cozymemories.com Read the Sonia Cantié Whip Up interview here.
  • July: www.abitofpillipilli.blogspot.com Read the pilli pilli Whip Up interview here.
  • August: www.lauraleeburch.com Read the Laura Burch Whip Up interview here.
  • September: www.oneflewover-oneflewover.com Read the Kate Dixon Whip Up interview here.
  • October: www.elsiemarley.com Read the Meg Spaeth Whip Up interview here.
  • November: www.myrtleandeunice.com Read the Tania Ennor Whip Up interview here.
  • December & Cover: www.loulouandoscar.com Read the Lisa Aaron Whip Up interview here.
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    refashioned uniform bag

    by kath_red on December 5, 2010

    in Whip-Up

    Joan from Lazy girl designs made this sturdy practical and cute purse from a Boy Scout Den Mother uniform for a friend in celebration of her son becoming an Eagle Scout. I asked for her uniform, looked at all of the fantastic finished elements, chopped it up and made a bag. My friend was thrilled and I love how it turned out. Recycling a sentimental article of clothing into something current is a nice way to continue enjoying the item.

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