Bernina was founded in Switzerland more than a century ago and has developed a reputation for making the best state-of-the-art sewing machines, embroidery machines, sergers, and embroidery software. There are nearly 500 Bernina trained dealerships in the U.S.

The Bernina 830, which debuted in 2008, was designed to change the home sewing industry. Even with the world economy in recession, sewing enthusiasts are making the choice to invest in Bernina sewing machines.

Bernina strives to have employees that are the most knowledgeable in the sewing industry. For example, every employee at Bernina can answer technical or customer service questions. This provides customers great sewing machines, but also a company with an extensive knowledge base to aid consumers.

As a family run business, the company takes a lot of risk selling their sewing machines worldwide. However, they believe that the Bernina sewing machine can enrich the art of sewing across the world. This is why they are dedicated to developing their staff in the craft of sewing. Bernina provides their customers with great service from a knowledgeable staff.

Bernina is known for their quality, reliability, and user friendly designs. The Bernina sewing machines are designed such that multiple accessories are compatible with sewing and quilting machines. Bernina also offers a great line of embroidery machines available in both stand alone versions or in combination with sewing machines. The best choice is to buy a combo sewing and embroidery machine to produce professional results very fast. Most demanding textile artists chose the Bernina combo sewing and embroidery machine.

Bernina also offers home overlock sewing machines or better known as sergers. Bernina sergers allow the user to sew, cut, and finish seams all in one step. Overlockers improve the productivity of the home crafter by their ability to sew, cut, and finish seams all in one step. In addition to the various sewing, embroidery, and overlock machines, Bernina also offers specialized software to use with the machines to enhance creativity.

While the professional proprietor of a home sewing business needs an affordable machine, they also need the speed and reliability to compete with some of the larger companies. Bernina sewing machines offer efficient machines to make any sewing business profitable. Sewing industry enthusiasts choose Bernina sewing machines for the reliable speed, quality, and professional results.

If you’re into scrapbooking, you’ve probably been hearing a lot lately about digital scrapbooking. So, why switch from traditional to digital? Here are just 3 reasons why!

1. Time – Scrapbooking takes time. Some of it we enjoy; some of it we hate! You start out by editing and printing your photos. Then you get to go shopping (this part we all love) for the products youll use in your photo album. Next, you have to set it all up and start creating your page layouts. Then there’s never ending, cutting, taping, gluing, printing, punching out, etc. The list goes on and on. It always seemed like once I was on a roll, I was out of time and had to start cleaning up (this part we all hate!) Unless you have a room dedicated to scrapbooking, you know exactly what I mean. It seemed like I was spending a huge chunk of my time setting and cleaning up.

Compare that to digital scrapbooking. You walk into a room; turn on your computer, and start. You may spend some time surfing the web, looking for products to use, but once you find them, you have them in your possession immediately, thanks to downloads! You can begin scrapbooking and stop at anytime. And since there’s no clean up involved, you can work till the last second, maximizing what time you have!

2. Convenience – Think back to the last time you scrapbooked. Do you remember sitting at a table with your products all around you, hoping for inspiration? Not to mention all the photos and supplies! I remember feeling so overwhelmed by the mess; I had a hard time being creative!

Now, compare that to scrapbooking digitally. All you need is a computer! You can sit in a totally clean room, at a totally clean desk and scrapbook! You could even sit on an airplane with your computer and scrapbook! Just image the possibilities! Anywhere you can work on your computer, you could scrapbook!

3. Money – This is the main reason I switched over to digital scrapbooking. I found I was constantly making mistakes when I scrapbooked the traditional way, and I was filling my trash cans with expensive products. I began experimenting with my layouts on my computer, hoping to minimize my mistakes. Then I heard about digital scrapbooking, and decided to compare the costs, to see if it was really going to save me money. Here is what I found:

Traditional (20 page album) $0.50 in photo prints (that’s an average of $0.17 per picture and 3 pictures per page) $5 in sheet protectors (a box of 20 costs $10, and youd only use 10 protectors) $15 photo album (that’s really good ” most cost around $25-$30) $0.60 per background page (once again, that’s really good, most cost more) $1.50 in embellishments & extra paper for framing photos (some pages more, some pages less) Average of $72 per album (stamps, glue, adhesives, cutters, scissors, punches… and mistakes not included!)

Digital (20 page album published in a hard bound 12×12 book) $44.00 for book publishing (Quote taken from Shutterfly.com on June 12, 2009) $11.99 Shipping & Handling $7 (Optional purchase of digital scrapbooking products online) Average of $62.99 per album. And remember, that album is bound in a hard bound book, where the pages aren’t so thick they take a 2″ binder and you’ll never have to worry about the embellishments and photos falling off.

Once I saw how much I could save by switching over to digital scrapbooking, I made the change, and have never looked back!

So, if you’re not convinced, try it once, youll never go back!

Is the high price of lapidary equipment keeping you from enjoying the experience of bringing out the beauty hidden inside a somewhat ordinary looking rock? This article will explore two great solutions to this dilemma. Specifically, we will be talking about either joining a local lapidary club or recognizing the huge savings that you can get by purchasing your own used lapidary equipment.

The benefits of joining a local lapidary club are several. First off you will likely be given access to a decent selection of expensive lapidary equipment, all for the price of your membership and possibly some lab fees. You also will not typically be responsible for the expense of upkeep on the machines and, lastly, you will experience the joy of social interaction that the club members will provide you with.

Clubs are not without their faults however. One problem comes in form of competition for use of the machines. You will likely not have access to the lapidary equipment around the clock. The time the equipment is available will likely be competed for with your fellow club members.

Owning your own used lapidary equipment alleviates the negatives offered by joining a lapidary club.

When you own used lapidary equipment, you have the freedom to work on your craft on your own schedule. If you get the urge to create a cabochon at two in the morning, your equipment will be there for you ready to use.

When you are a club member, you many times have to haul your rough around with you, to and from your club location. When you own your own used lapidary equipment you do not have to worry about this hassle. You also get to determine your equipment set up and create the work flow that best suits you.

If you’re the type of artist or hobbyist that likes to work in private before disclosing your work to onlookers then used lapidary equipment will be your best friend. You do not have to worry about well meaning comments or envious glares.

So, no longer should the high cost of new lapidary equipment keep you from enjoying this wonderful craft/art form. Two options have been presented in this article that can save you money and still allow you to participate in joy of lapidary. You get to choose which one best suites you.

If youre okay with having limited access to the tools you need then joining a lapidary club may be just the thing for you. If, on the other hand, you would like to have some control over your environment and have the freedom to work when you want and how you want, then you should consider used lapidary equipment.

Have you ever walked into a shop and instantly been so disappointed that you couldn’t even begin to flirt with the idea of spending your revenue? Things are randomly scattered about, there is trivial arrangement, and once you find an item that you could debate purchasing – it has no cost label on it. Don’t allow this take place at your craft display booth. You need to keep in mind the equivalent rules of effective commercializing and marketing when you prepare for a trade show.

The initial matter you need to consider is having a plan. That entails assembling an estimate of what your craft display kiosk will look like beforehand. I have encountered numerous people merely tote their craft show items around in the rear of a large van with a couple of additional pedestals and shelves to lay them on. These are the one and the same folks that inquire, “how come I didn’t sell anything this weekend?”

Planning for your trade show cubicle demands a few matters: foremost, you ought speak to the craft show organizer to check how much space you get, and whether there are a few restrictions to what you’ll be able to possess in or bordering your booth. Similarly, investigate if you will have a functioning electical supply in your cubicle. This is essential. Also you will want to arrange to obtain a floor plan of where your booth is situated in order to blueprint the best layout to keep the movement of shoppers in and around your craft show exhibit.

Once you go to lay out your presentation for the show, there are a few of things to remember for a favorable craft show. Zero clutter! Maintain your items comfortably arranged into particular areas. If you’re a knitter and you are selling sweaters for children and grownups, it is not beneficial to have them together since people will be disappointed with having to separate the kids’ sweaters in order to find the single adult one in the heap.

Spend time perfecting your merchandising skills. If you have a special stained glass window hanging, it would be time well spent to purchase or build a window that you can display in your booth with one of your window hangings in it. When people see the item in action, they can picture it in their own homes, or they can picture using it. If they can do this, then they are more likely to part with the money to buy it.

Maintain items no lower than waistline level – No one truly prefers to crouch over after they’ve been on their feet for hours at a craft show. Keep items within reach and there will be more potential for people to pick them up and examine them closely – which results in additional purchases. Allow the floor space for extra inventory (in boxes) with which you can fill your stands.

Price everything you have – Make it easy for people to buy your crafts. If you don’t have a price, they may think twice about taking the time to ask – they may just go elsewhere to purchase something at this craft show.

Eliminate log jams. There is nothing worse than having people frustrated by the lack of good flow in a craft show booth. Try and create a natural flow for people to look at your craft show items, be nudged along by others coming through, and walk right through to the till at the end. If you create too many spaces where people are bottle-necked or they have trouble maneuvering to see different crafts, you are limiting your sales.

Remember, you are pushing a business enterprise. Think of that store you despite entering versus the one where everything flows so nicely; the exhibits are attention-getting and all of the price labels are on the items purchasable. Build a craft show kiosk that resembles the store you look up to – and you will find that people will expend more money on your workmanships!