Take your inspiration from Nature
Sometimes some of the best inspiration that you can get is from nature itself. We as crafters are always looking for inspiration or trends that we can tap into. Which is probably why we spend so long scrolling on www.pinterest.com. Sometimes you don’t need to be on trend, sometimes you can just tap into the seasons instead. Therefore I thought I would inspire you by splitting ideas into the seasons.
By tapping into the seasons you can really be in tune with nature and also what customers are looking for. I don’t mean being festival specific as you can run into issues of customers not following certain religious holidays. But I mean the natural colours or events that customers can experience regardless of beliefs or interests.
Spring
If we are to look at the year in a logical sense we can start at the beginning of the year when we would have the Spring. Now obvious trends around this time of year are Easter but I am hoping to provide you a bit more of a range to tap into.
Easter
So although I said not to tap into religious festivals Easter is slightly different as a lot of customers regardless of beliefs have chocolate eggs for Easter. So if you are going to look to Easter for inspiration some of the ideas are Chocolate, eggs, bunnys and chicks. These themes are more likely to be sought after at this time of year.
Nature
Spring is such an inspirational time of year traditionally it is in nature all about new beginnings. So at this time of year spring bulbs are emerging. Customers are looking for fresh florals to brighten their homes after the winter months. Therefore anything that features florals especially tulips or daffodils do well at this time of year. Fresh colours including yellows and bright spring greens really reflect the seasonal colours.
Summer
Summer is probably my most favourite season and can be a really inspirational season to get some ideas from.
Holidays
Many people use their summer holidays to take a break and have a holiday. It is also reflective in what customers are purchasing at this time of year. In my bricks and mortar shop I find that any beach, camping or sunshine items sell well at this time of year.
Weather
At this time of year everyone is hoping that the weather will be hot and sunny. Therefore you need to have a think about what people are likely to be buying at this time of year. For example on a burning hot day in the height of summer it is unlikely that customers will be purchasing leg warmers or woolly hats. Have a think about the weather and what items are going to be more popular.
Outside
At this time of year a lot of us are spending a lot more time outside. Customers are often spending a lot of time in their outside spaces either balconies or gardens. Therefore as a result they are looking for more products that can be admired in these areas. Therefore sale of items like plant pots, garden ornaments and bird feeders are more popular at this time of year.
Autumn
Autumn is the prettiest season in my opinion there are so many natural colours that happen at this time of year, it can be really inspirational.
Leaves
Having a look at the changing colours of the leaves can really give you a bit of guidance in regards to colour themes. Any rusty colours or oranges, reds and yellows sell really well at this time of year.
Halloween
Again although many people do not celebrate Halloween there are a lot of autumnal themes connected around Halloween. This last year I found that pumpkins sold really well. People wanted to decorate their homes for the Autumn season and they really tapped into the seasonal produce at this time of year.
Winter
Not many people like winter due to the cold and wet change to the weather but a lot of inspiration can be taken from this frosty season.
Cosy
As you may be aware from a previous blog post I love to feel cosy and at this time of year customers are really looking for warming items to help them keep warm. Clothing accessories like scarfs, hats and gloves see an increase in sales at this time of year. If you are looking for a cosy project for the winter you could have a look at https://www.claireyatfairycrafters.com/10-best-cosy-winter-patterns-to-keep-warm/ for some ideas.
Christmas
Another festival that is not perhaps followed by all customers however there are so many themes that work around the Christmas umbrella. Anything red and glittery takes centre stage at this time of year. In a similar way Christmas themed characters are also popular. Any variation of Santa, elves and reindeer can sell really well in the run up to the festive season.
Nature
At this time of year the weather can be quite harsh however it can also be quite pretty. Snow glistened tree branches are beautiful. So inspiration can be taken from the weather like snow. At the same time there are a lot of themes that centre around winter animals. Robins for example become very popular over the winter season.
Where ever you get your inspiration from it is always a good idea to keep in tune with the seasons to keep your makes on trend. I wouldn’t necessarily change all your stock over to suit the season but having a few key pieces that are season specific are a great way to tap in to new customers that don’t ordinarily look at your items.
Let me know what inspires you and what your favourite season.
