I need more money.  I'm considering various ideas of the best way to make money.  I am creative and would like to do something creative to make some extra money.  Here are my various ideas.  My main issue is the money for supplies, the amount of time it will take to create, and how I can get the most return for the two. 

Face painting - I started face painting in the fall.  I am not an expert but the kids all seem to like it.  So far I have only done a few birthday parties.  I do have the face paints but I do not have a tent-type set up to do First Monday or festivals etc.  The thing with face painting is you obviously can only do it on site.  There is no making a supply and then selling it.  If you have a line, you can make money as fast as you can paint.  If you don't, you wait and wait and think about how much you paid for your booth space.  There is always the chance that some other booth will be offering free (it might sound snobby but I'll say it anyway - usually horrible quality) face painting.  Most people go for free if that's a choice.  Another issue is that many of them use acrylic paints which are not safe for the skin and a big no no but if you bring it up it just sounds like sour grapes.  Okay, this has turned into a ramble. 

I have also considered going to the baseball field and setting up near the concession stand and painting for tips.  They will probably let me if I give them a percentage of what I make as a donation.  I guess the issue that I need to decide with face painting is whether to just cointinue with the parties and try to kick it up a bit or whether to start doing festivals.  Other face painters have had luck painting at family nights for restaurants.  That is a great thing if you can get it because the party/festival thing usually is only on weekends. 

Oh and on the birthday party front, I could also expand to providing party supplies and coordinating activities too not just offering face painting.  I think it could be a lot of fun.  Actually my favorite things about doing daycare is reading stories and doing craft activities so that would be a great way to incorporate that and increase my income. 

Here's a sample of some of my face painting.  I haven't put any photos up recently but you get the idea.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/locamama/sets/72157602188069673/

Ebay/Etsy Store/Craft show - The main issue here is what can I make the most money for my time.  I make beautiful cards but I just don't think people are going to pay very much money for a card.  I have made a few embellished paper crowns.  Also some collages, tags, Christmas ornaments, bookmarks, shadow boxes etc.  I have also considered making hair bows, hair falls, homecoming mums and costume fairy wings.  The thing is that if I try these new things, I will have to buy the supplies whereas I already have paper, rubberstamps and embellishments coming out my ears.  I guess I should just try a few different listings and see which sells the fastest for the most amount of money. Another thought is whether I could do well at a local craft shows or maybe even get some of the stores here to carry my handmade items.  I live in cowboy country so I thought maybe if I made an assortment of western themed things, I could see if any of the little boutique type stores would be interested in carrying them.  Of course, if I use rubber stamps or collage images in items to resell, I then have to be super careful about copyright issues. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/locamama/sets/72157601688003701/

Teaching craft classes - I used to teach classes at a scrapbook store that has since went out of business.  I have considered trying to see about teaching at another store.  The problem is that butts in seats is what makes you money teaching a class and I don't know if these small local stores have a large enough clientelle to make it worth the time and effort of planning a class.  I guess there's only one way to find that out and if I don't make enough then I don't have to continue teaching classes.  Also I could try to teach classes from my home and that way I keep all of the money from the class.  I had a good group come to my stamp camps when I sold Stampin' Up!.  I no longer am a demonstrator for SU but in a way I can do even more creative things because I'm not limited to using only their supplies.  I think I always made more from class fees than from sales regardless.  This is another thing that I already have the supplies and know how to begin immediately, it's just a matter of getting that small group together and then getting them to bring friends until I have a good size group again. 

Dang, this turned into a book.  So basically, I have three different ideas.  I just have to decide which is the most profitable and put my time there.