How to make a craft kit?

Hello! A question that I get asked quite regularly is: 'How do you make your kits?' And my answer is always pretty simple - 'I just make them...I dunno!' But I realised the other day that actually I go through a process with each kit that is fairly similar - so here is how I make and design our craft kits!

So here goes... STEP 1) Have an idea - this normally comes out of nowhere and will end up being hastily scribbled down in one of many mini notebooks I have scattered about the house! STEP 2) Do a rough sketch of the final make - as a visual person once I have an idea for a craft kit I like to sketch out the end make to see whether I think it coud be viable. STEP 3) Ask people - I then use this sketch to ask people what they think, do they think it could work, would they buy it etc...it is always so helpful to get a second and third opinion! STEP 4) MAKING TIME - This is my favourite part! I make up a prototype of the chosen design and see if it works - if it does then I move onto the next step and if it doesn't then I might tweak it and start all over again!

STEP 5) Costing and finding suppliers - next I have to figure out how much each component of the kit will cost plus packaging and where to source the various craft ingredients from! This can take quite a long time, but from this I can also then figure out pricing! STEP 6) Designing instructions and templates - These are the core bits of the kit so I take a lot of care over this part. Usually I write out the instructions and hand draw any templates and proof read everything before playing with it all in illustrator and making it look pretty.

STEP 7) Designing packaging - Once I have worked out all of the dimensions for my packaging, I once again hand draw this and then put it all into illustrator and make finish it off. STEP 8) Photo time - I take pictures of each step if the craft kit needs photo instructions, I also take pictures of the finished products so that they can be put onto the craft kit packaging. I use some cheap soft box lights that I bought on ebay and my Canon 5D DSLR to get my pictures how I like them.

STEP 9) Edit and upload pictures - I then upload all of the pictures and edit them in photoshop adjusting the contrast and saturation and then I place them on the packaging and instructions. STEP 10) Order printing - This is what it says it is! I then order any printed materials for the craft kits - this can take a while as my printers website normally loves to crash on me! STEP 10) Make up the kits - Once the printing has arrived we get to work (we being myself and my partner Mike) we cut up components and box up the kits, this means a lot of time spent sitting on the floor or crouched over a table. We normally stick on some trashy telly and eat cake whilst we do this! Yay! Nearly done! This is another fave moment as it is where I get to see everything come together!

STEP 11) Photo time! - Once again the camera is out - this time to take photos of the kits ready for my website and anywhere else online where they are going to be sold. Out come the soft box lights and photoshop again! STEP 12) Upload products and write descriptions on my website and any other marketplaces! STEP 13) RELAX (for a few minutes anyway!) And that is how our Ellbie Co. Craft kits are born and made! Hope you found this interesting! There is a lot involved in making a craft kit - but each step is important and fun in it's own way and it's always worth it to then see what you end up making with our kits! Speak soon have a happy rest of the week! Love Becci xox