What should teens do with too many craft projects? Sell them, of course

Sisters Moxie Lee and Avery Lee Hoffner, of Laconia, started making crafts several years ago, so they’d have something to do with their hands. Avery also liked having presents for family and friends.

Making jewelry and artwork became so much fun, their house was filling up. Their mom, Rebecca, who homeschools her daughters, found a solution.

Moxie, 13, and Avery, 11, started selling their handiwork last year on the front lawn, under a tent with tables organized full of goods, including homemade cookies Moxie makes with recipes from her dad, Scott Hoffner, a former chef.

Moxie also makes fresh-squeezed lemonade and iced tea.

In their first year in business as AveMo Creations, the girls have saved $2,000, and made even more than that. After each day of sales, Rebecca counts the day’s earnings, gives each girl some spending money, and puts funds aside for buying materials.

The rest, they save, and that's Avery’s strong suit.

Moxie would rather spend money, but they hope to eventually earn enough to buy a truck or trailer to take their items to craft fairs.

“So we never have to work for anyone,” Avery said.

Young entrepreneurs

The family has lived in Laconia for five years, and Rebecca said when she prompted the girls to find something to do with their wares, she helped them get organized, sourcing the tables and tent, and teaching her daughters how to make change.

“I’m very proud. They’re doing very good with it,” she said. “A lot of the people stop and say, ‘This is amazing. You’re teaching good things.’”

This year, Rebecca has seen other lemonade stands pop up around Laconia, and she believes her girls are inspiring other young people to get out and try selling.

Under the tent

The girls set up their shop between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday, weather-permitting, at 419 Elm St.

Most of their traffic is people walking by, and most everyone compliments the girls on their professional-looking products, which range from resin votive holders and jewelry, to baked goods, tie dyed T-shirts and garden ornaments.

Moxie says most people ask, “Did you make all this?” In response, she tells them it’s fun to craft.

When people ask Avery, “What you got here?” she’s apt to say, “Too much.”

They both love the attention. Avery was disappointed on Independence Day weekend, when she wore a patriotic dress, and no one commented on it.

Getting over some initial shyness was an early challenge; counting the money is an ongoing one.

“Someone gave us a $100 bill, and I had to make change,” Moxie said. “I did it the right way, apparently.”

Bad weather can be a challenge, too. They close up shop when it gets windy or rainy, as cookies start flying off the table.

Avery doesn’t like waiting for customers to stop by. “Once people actually are stopping, it’s so much fun it doesn’t feel even a little like work. It’s all fun then.”

The customers

When customers stop, they often have children with them, who grab an item from the table and beg their mom for a cookie. “Parents give in pretty easily,” Moxie said.

The cookies and lemonade are best sellers, and Avery said once, a customer came back to say the chocolate chip cookies were her favorite, ever.

That is probably why they have repeat customers. Or perhaps it’s the great prices, which start at $1 for a hair tie, and rise to $5 for a garden ornament or hair clip, and $25 for a pet bed or diamond art.

Two anklets and a large lemonade will only run you $7.

Because many of the people who walk by do not carry cash with them, the girls are now on Venmo, so shoppers can pay with their phones.

Division of labor

Scott now works for Sysco, the wholesale restaurant food distributer. Once, he came home with a case of lemons for the girls to make lemonade. “So many lemons,” Moxie moaned.

The girls made concentrate they could freeze and use to make lemonade later.

In addition to the baked goods, lemonade and iced tea, Moxie makes what she calls “diamond paintings,” which are tiny gems glued to a canvas in such a way they create a pattern or design.

Together, Moxie and Avery make necklaces, bracelets and anklets made out of colored strings, braided on a small, hand-held device the girls operate by turning a small crank. And Avery creates fidget mats — small squares made out of beads that form a cross-stitch type pattern; users twirl and twist them with their fingers.

The girls love displaying their work in their rooms, covering walls and shelves.

“Oh yes, plenty,” Avery said.

How to find them

The Hoffner sisters can be found in their front yards on summer weekends and on Facebook @AveMo Creations — a blend of their first names — and @avemocreations on Instagram.