Anyone can start a potentially lucrative home craft business with a Backyard Kitz package. When you buy a set of moulds, you can also buy comprehensive guides on making small ornaments and on simple finishes, and of course Backyard Kitz is always available to answer any technical questions you may have.

Where can I sell the ornaments?

Lots of places. You may consider selling at your local craft fair, at the markets, in car boot sales, directly to friends, neighbours and work colleagues, or even via mail order. Most garden centres and gift outlets and home décor stores should show also interest in retailing your ornaments. Larger outlets may well consider trying your products on a consignment basis. This could give you access to high traffic, high volume retailers. With a bit of imagination, we're sure you'll think of even more opportunities!

How much do I have to spend?

Not much. Backyard Kitz offers what we believe to be one of the cheapest small business packages on the market today. Your initial outlay on your home craft business can be as low as $US1299 for one set of Backyard Kitz moulds. You can purchase just one set of moulds or the entire range. It's entirely up to you.

Materials costs are very low, so your profit margins can be quite high. Small quantities of cement and plaster can be purchased inexpensively from any hardware or building supplies store. As your business grows, you can start purchasing fillers in bulk and really save. You also don't need to spend money on a shop front or a factory. You can produce Backyard Kitz home and garden ornaments from your garage, garden shed or back yard. Of course, if you want to operate on a grander scale, you could do so.

Finishes like paint and glazes can be bought from art supply stores. How much you spend on these is up to you, but attractive home and garden ornaments can be produced with relatively little outlay on finishes.

Is moulding easy?

Yes!

Moulding ornaments with Backyard Kitz home craft business packages is very simple. You'll be amazed how you can create such beautiful pieces and valuable stock so easily. Essentially, all you have to know is how to mix cement or plaster, pour it into a mould, leave it to cure (set), and then peel off the mould.

A simple-to-follow guide is available from us on ornament making. We also try to be readily available to answer any questions on manufacturing techniques. With the good quality and neat finishing of our moulds, and our system of location dimples for easy assembly, our moulds are easier than most to prepare for pouring. This also saves you production time, so you can really start pumping out the ornaments! This sets Backyard Kitz apart from its competitors. Many mould manufacturers produce rubber moulds that do not even come with outer casings. Instead, they advise that you support them in a trough of sawdust or similar!

Will I need to operate from a factory to run my home craft business?

Probably not. It depends on how big your business grows. We suggest you start small from home. Your garden shed, back yard or garage should provide ample room for starters.

Will I be able to get raw materials?

Yes, without a doubt. The main fillers for the moulds are common sand, cement and plaster, which are available readily worldwide. Specialty finishing materials should be available locally (e.g., hardware stores, paint stores, cement suppliers, etc).

Is this a full time or part time operation?

Either! You can work as little or as many hours as you choose. Obviously, your sales will dictate the time you need to spend. The more hours spent, the more ornaments produced, the more potential for profit. If you're looking for a nice little income earner on the side, you can do this too.

How are ornaments made?

A step by step instruction manual is available from Backyard Kitz on how to make home and garden ornaments with your home craft business package. Essentially, however, there are only a few steps:

1. Assemble the mould for pouring		2. Pour the concrete or plaster into the mould		3. Settle the concrete or plaster
4. Allow the concrete or plaster to set		5. Peel off the mould		6. Paint or finish the ornament
7. Sell the beautiful finished product!

What are the moulds made of?

Backyard Kitz moulds are made from latex rubber with an outer supporting case of fibreglass. We use latex as it is stretchable, strong and reproduces designs for concrete use extremely well. The outer casing, which supports the rubber liner, is made from strong and durable fibreglass. The fibreglass case is held together by a series of bolts and wing nuts. Sometimes the mould may be made from fibreglass only, meaning that the casing works as the mould into which you pour the cement. We use moulds like this only if the ornament design is a very simple form and if we believe the ornament will come out looking better that way.

How long do the moulds last?

Your moulds should last you a very long time and you should get many castings (ornaments) from them. We will tell how to look after your moulds with a list of dos and don'ts. With Backyard Kitz, you start off with Grade A moulds. Our moulds are carefully checked for quality when coming off the production line, and you will never have to work with an inferior product. We pride ourselves on our quality and mould-making ability.

How do I get special finishes on the ornaments?

Simple painting is often enough to produce a great looking home or garden ornament. For the more ambitious, there are many publications available online, in book stores, in libraries and in craft shops to give you advice and ideas on other techniques for finishing your ornaments. Local cement suppliers are also often able to provide advice.