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I'm doing my first ever spring craft fair

16 years ago

So far - I've always done Fall ones - I'm dying to make some spring-y stuff ! I'd love to make totems ... but I'm not confident enough that they would be sturdy enough to sell . Also - you know how carelessly people pick things up - my luck the whole thing would fall apart and I'd have egg on my face. Would you sell totems ? Any precautions you would take ?

Kathy

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Comments (9)

jeannespines
16 years ago
Toomuchglass ... good to see some posts from you...we've missed you and I wrote asking about you: under the "Kirk and Susiesunshine...you ok"

I can't help you with the totems but I'm finding myself keeping and collecting beautiful glass that I would normally just use for indoor decor or goodwill it. What beautiful totems all these wonderful garden junkers are making...and I know your work is beautiful, too! Good luck with the craft show and the snow is melting here today! We're expecting a couple more inches tomorrow...what a winter! Time to think Spring! Jeanne S.
nonacook
16 years ago
Good luck with your show--When we did shows, we
started the end of January. And mostly did ok!
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What a terrible Craft fair !!!
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Comments (8)
Same durn thing happened to me my very 1st craft show...... Bust..... but....... I met some nice people... & later on some people who had taken my card contacted me... and did get a few orders.... so...........hang in there ! ! ! Now.... for crafty ideas.... HOW ABOUT >>>>>>> *** some little specialty shops in your area... they might take some on consignment... they..... *** Might use some of the flowers in there window displays.... and let you put a sign by it to contact you via... the web.... etc.... ! ! ! * * how about telling some fancy retirement centers... that you will show... them in the ARTS & CRAFTS ... center... HOW TO MAKE>>> OR maybe they will just let you sell in the GIFT SHOP>>>. OR * * * at the HOSPITAL GIFT SHOPS>>>> cause they are.... dish flowers... and they won't go bad... ! ! ! YOU CAN STILL HAVE SUCCESS ! ! ! remember MS TOOMUCHGLASS YOU are a WINNER.... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We Love your ideas..... I wish I had extra cash to buy some from you.... I adore them.... I think everyone should have three or five at least ! ! ! ! Oh yes.... Kenosha has an art thing on the pier and then... Port Washington.... so you might mosey on over to some of those ! ! ! Love Ya Bunches ! One of your BIG FANS ! ! ! GOD BLESS ! SusieSunshine
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My first craft fair experience
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Comments (23)
I sold at fairs for years, and my products were garden art that could be mounted on copper stakes. I found some great buckets at Walmart that had lids, and I filled them with cheap cat litter. My stakes would go into the buckets, and they were heavy enough not to tip over. The lids made it easy to transport the buckets and not lose the litter. I also used a vintage suitcase to carry my wrapping paper & bags. I set it up on the plastic totes that I packed my items in, and it was always a hit with my customers. I also bought craft paper bags, the kind with the handles, or at Goodwill I'd buy gift bags and use those to put my customers purchases in. They just loved it...I know I get excited when I have a gift bag rather than a plastic bag! You can also find lightweight 6' folding tables for around $40. Easy to put up and easy to handle. I would put out about half my product at a time, and then bring in a new piece as one sold, and I offered to hold a customers purchase while they shopped. When they came back they'd see something new and have to buy it too! I also priced my items ending in .95, like %19.95 rather than $20, there is something psychological about that, they see it's under $20, so they 'justify' purchasing it. I kept a roll of nickles in my bag, but rarely did people want their change. I got an old bankers bag and kept my $ in there, and kept it packed up in my suitcase. Every week (or every show) I'd add $50 in change to keep it stocked, because inevitably I'd get a bunch of $20's and have to make change.
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i'm building my very first container pond --help!
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Comments (9)
Depending on what part of BC you're in (it's a BIG place!) you could grow the same stuff I'm growing here in WA state. I've been pulling stuff up from natural ponds and streams where legal. I've got a lot of native wetland stuff that way. Yellow monkey flower, creeping veronica I pulled out of a lawn actually but it's a wetland plant, coltsfoot, piggyback plant, water parsley. Duckweed from a friend's pond, necessary to cover water surface to reduce algae. And the goldfish will eat it. I've also got Japanese iris, they're perfectly hardy here in USDA zone 7/8. And some native sedges etc I don't know the names of, and a small hardy water lily from the nursery. Just ask at the nursery what they've got that's hardy. goldfish will eat pretty much anything and they need a lot of space as they're very dirty fish. A 50 gallon tank shouldn't have more than a couple or three goldfish for optimal health of plants and fish. They'll keep the mosquitoes down, but they'll also eat any frog eggs or damselflies or water beetles. I keep the fish out of the pond and use floating Bt tabs for the mosquitoes. In the winter, even our mild winters, my 25 gallon tub will freeze over but never so far solid. I cut the plants back after frost and sink them to the bottom of the tub for the winter so they'll be protected from the cold by the water. That just means that I take any supports out from under the pots so they're all sitting on the bottom. Then when it warms up in spring I pull them out and put the bricks and stones back under them. So long as the water doesn't freeze solid the goldfish will be fine but don't feed them in cold weather. They need to go into like suspended animation over the winter and feeding them will make them sick.
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My first craft fair experience
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Comments (2)
Wow!!! I did my first craft show after doing 15 years at the Farmer's Market - it is so scary, huh? Your things were nicely displayed and you did great!!! I hope you had help with loading and packing up - I don't but it would be nice... Your canopy makes for a nice display too. Love my Caravan! I see that you already figured out to cover your table to the ground and you might want to change to a white cloth so not to distract from your beautiul "flowers". I would sugget a folding chair to sit - I use a taller stool that makes it easy to sit, but just as easy to get up and I slide it under my table when I don't need it...
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luna_llena_feliz
16 years ago
Kathy, where is the craft show you will be at? I live in the Milwaukee area and would love to see your work!

Ok, I have never made a totem but I can understand your reservations about making them to sell. As a buyer, I'd wonder how difficult they are to clean and whether I have to bring them in during the winter. From your perspective, I would think they would be difficult to transport without breaking. You would have to be very careful!

I hope to see you soon!
pattico_gw
16 years ago
I had only one totem fall apart...but....I had only glued it the day before...so I think the glue hadn't set completely.

I think if you make them up early and make sure they are set up they would be okay..

Especially if you make the smaller ones on a stick.

Whatever you do, have fun...

patti
toomuchglass
Original Author
16 years ago
Oh -- Luna ! Are you my neighbor ? I live in South Milwaukee ! This craft fair will be in New Berlin - Catholic Memorial High School . It's supposed to be a huge midwestern track meet with people from all over . Craft fair ,track meet , bake sale and all kinds of stuff going on at once. I don't know all the details yet .... but I'd LOVE to meet you & give you an "internet friend" gift !!! I'll keep the forum updated !

*********** Can you tell I'm excited !!! ******
luna_llena_feliz
16 years ago
Did I miss it, toomuchglass? I live right on the border of New Berlin and West Allis. Is it Catholic Memorial High School on East College Ave. in Waukesha? What day is the craft fair?
toomuchglass
Original Author
16 years ago
I'm pretty sure that's the place . I Haven't gotten the confirmation yet with all the details ( like the address , the time etc...) It's May10th .Why don't you sign up and we can be next to each other ???? It's only $25 !!!!
Please please please .... wouldn't that be fun !!!???
luna_llena_feliz
16 years ago
If only I had enough to sell! I will mark my calendar and definitely try to make it. Luckily it isn't the weekend before that when I am going to the 100 Mile Garage Sale along the Mississippi River from Winona, MN to Red Wing, MN and back down the Wisconsin side. Keep me posted as to where you will be at the fair!
susiesunshine
16 years ago
G I R L S~~~~ G I R L S ~~~~~ G I R L S ! ! ! ! !
I wanna come tooooo!!!!
Sounds like such fun !!!!
I USE to be your neighbor...
lived in OAKCREEK ... now I live in Rockford IL
I hope I can come OVER and play with YA'LL on that Day >>>> PLEASE E MAIL me ANY details !!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ S O U N D S ~~~~ T E R R I F I C !!!!!!! Love Ya Bunches ! SusieSunShine \* \* \* \* I've missed ALL Ya'll ! ! ! ! !

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