I’m so excited to have my dear friend Katie from Just Add Sunshine Inc guest post today.   She is amazing and has tons of fabulous ideas!  Her and I met because our husbands have been best friends since they were 5 years old!   We started doing craft parties together for our local church group about 6 years ago.   She is my crafting soul sister.    I hope you enjoy her post on how to host your own craft party!

HERE SHE IS! –

Hello Pocketful of Paint readers! My name is Katie of JustAddSunshineInc and I’m so excited to be here today! Lynn and I have been real life friends + crafting friends for 9 or so years and I’m so grateful that even though we now live far apart, we can still craft together virtually as well as bounce ideas off of each other via text, phone and email.

(Me and Lynn from last summer, LOVE when we get to see each other in person!)

A little about me: I’m a big fan of bright colors, crafting of any kind and making my home a happy and meaningful place with homemade signs and decor. I also love helping others create a piece of art to display in their home, made by their own hands. Thus started my every other month Craft Parties! I’ve had some experience the last 4 or 5 years in hosting a large-scale craft night as co-chair for an annual event for the ladies at church (Fantastic Friday/Super Saturday)–thankfully with many other people involved in the process! The first 2 years I got to do it with Lynn…and then she moved to Utah…BOO!!!!! Anyway, this annual craft night started with around 30-40 ladies and has grown to almost 90 with a few different craft classes scheduled every hour. After doing something on that level, a small craft night at my home seemed completely doable and something I would enjoy. And guess what—I LOVE it!! I held my very first one in March 2013 and have since held 8 additional Craft Parties, 16 nights total.

I recently asked friends on Instagram what questions they had in regards to hosting their own Craft Night/Party. Today I would like to answer some of those questions and hopefully inspire you to organize your own party!

This is a long post—I hope you make it to the end! Also—these answers are in relation to how I organize and host my craft nights, please know that any and all answers can be tailored to your own needs!

What is the process for organizing the evening?

I typically host 2 nights of the same crafts, with 10 spots available each night. I’ve found that 10 is the magic number for me—it’s what my room can fit comfortably and it’s also a nice manageable group size since I’m the lone lady in charge

The first thing I do is come up with the crafts that will be offered. I usually choose and make 3-4 different crafts of varying prices for people to choose from. I make a smaller craft, one or two mid-size crafts and a larger craft. I choose projects that can be done in one night, nothing too intensive. Some crafts require more prep work than others—just something to think about as you decide what crafts to do, the more prep work required, the more time you will be putting into it. I photograph each item using my “big” camera OR my phone—both work! Just be sure to use good lighting and in a nice setting. I then arrange it into a flier-type layout using photoshop with the date(s), info and prices. This could also be done using apps on your phone or in Microsoft Word—it doesn’t have to be fancy!! You can share the info via word of mouth, text, email, Instagram, Facebook—however you would like to get the word out! Only recently did I have ladies come that I didn’t already personally know. I now have friends of friends coming as well as Instagram friends that have become real life friends!

I post the info about 10 or so days ahead and ask to have RSVP’s at least 4 days before the first night. Every now and then I will have a last minute cancellation which I don’t charge for. Things happen that are beyond our control. I also try to have a couple extra of each craft in case I have a last minute request to join in on the party.

Below is an example of my most recent Craft Party flier created in Photoshop…

And below is one I created on my phone—quite simple, but shows the dates, prices and projects available.  More info was provided when I shared the picture on Facebook and Instagram…

As I receive RSVP’s (email/text/FB) I add them into Excel. I create separate spreadsheets for each night with columns for each craft, the cost of each and then rows for participants. Below is an example of a simplified version…

When I’m really on top of my game, I send out a reminder to each person (via text, email or Facebook) the day before Craft Night, including the projects they signed up for.

How do you figure out the cost?

First, I take into account the cost of materials/tools for the craft.

Second, I guesstimate the amount of prep time required.

For example, I love making signs so nearly every craft I do includes wood. I figure in the time it takes to purchase the wood (I am often at Home Depot for an hour+ looking for the best pieces) and how long it will take me to cut and sand it all. Some crafts require me to assemble the wood into whatever it is we are making. For example, the necklace organizer a couple of pictures above—I assembled all the wood parts before craft night using glue and a nail gun.The ladies only had to paint and screw in the hooks, which still took plenty of time.  I want those that come to these nights going home with a finished product (or three) and to enjoy themselves while doing it.

Third, include the cost of ALL materials that will be used that evening—brushes, paint, stencils, sand paper—anything that is used in making the final product.

Also, I always provide a treat/snack of some kind, and something to drink—there is cost in that as well! Along with plates, napkins, and cups.

And lastly—I think about the time it takes away from my family—it has to be worth it for me to do it.

So my not-so-scientific-but-works-for-me method in determining the price is this:

cost of ALL materials + prep time + a bit more for organizing and putting it all together = final price

Do you charge a registration fee?

Nope. I don’t feel I need to at this point. Maybe when I have 50 attendees and have to rent out a space 😉

Do guests pay up front or the night of?

The night of. I haven’t had any problems in doing it this way. But PayPal would be a great way to take money ahead of time.

Does everybody work on the same project? Do you provide the supplies necessary or is it BYOS (stuff)?

Everyone is working on the same projects with supplies provided by me. Some sign up for one thing while others sign up for it all! This just means they have to do more crafting than talking 😉

How do you handle project that need drying time? I.E. painted board with a stenciled layer?

For signs that require multiple coats of paint, I have fans set up and 2 hair dryers available to speed up the process. I recommend using craft paint (compared to house paint) as it dries much more quickly. Also, I remind the ladies to do light layers of paint, even if it requires more coats. Thin layers dry quickly whereas thick, gloppy layers take forever to dry! Most people will sign up for at least 2 projects so by the time they have finished painting all of their wood, the first piece will be dry and ready for a second coat. Plus, there is plenty of chatting that goes on while waiting for the paint to dry.

How long are the craft nights typically?

I’ve gone from 6:30 to 10 in the past, but will be switching to 7:00 to 10:00. There is something about that extra half hour of lead time that is really, really important! As in—I get to shower! Which everyone most certainly appreciates. And when I say 10:00, that means 10:45/11:00 for some. But 11:00 is the latest! I’m not a late night girl!!

When your space isn’t big enough where are good options to hold it? I have a small apt but I would love to do this…with more than the 3 people that would fit comfortably in my house! 

I wish I had a great answer for this!! Any ideas out there? Please share if you do!!

What types of crafts are more popular? Everyday crafts or holiday themed crafts?

It depends on what month I’m holding it. If it’s close to a holiday, then I definitely do holiday themed and those nights are always well attended. I have also done a mix of crafts—a couple holiday with an everyday craft and people really seem to like that as well.

Craft Parties can be a lot of work, but they are so much fun and so worth it!!

I hope this answers a lot of your questions and gets you excited to host your own Craft Party! If you have more questions, ask away and I’ll get them answered in the comments.

Thanks so much for having me, Lynn!