Mariend, those are great suggestions! I make house numbers. We've lined up about 38 shows for '08 and will fill in the open weekends at a local farmer's market. We've done 10 shows so far this year. So, needless to say, doing shows properly is important to us. I have always found that being friendly is very important. Not only to customers, but to fellow exhibitors as well. If a neighbor needs help with a canopy I'll be right there as they only take 30 seconds to open if done properly. I saw one exhibitor at a major show that forgot their cash register and another exhibitor lent them an extra one of theirs. But your last statemeent about dressing neat and professional is the biggest one that is ignored by exhibitors! I can't tell you what I've seen over the years! I've seen womem exhibitors that I swear do not have a full length mirror at home! Do they think that with the low cut top when they lean foward the guys will buy? Or guys that look like they are going home after the show to clean out the basement. I've seen ratty jeans, torn shirts, SMOKING, and Ipods in the ears of exhibitors. And these are the first ones complaining about how lousy the show was.

I went to a craft show today too and I'll agree with Kathy, way too many of jewelry crafters. I will say a lot of the jewelry items were gorgeous but I don't wear a lot of it these days. I suppose if that's what you're after, that's good, but me, I'm looking for the homemade country/prim crafts. There were some beautiful crafts of course. I sought out this one gal who makes handmade felt ornies and I spent just under $20. I was a good girl then and handed all my cash over to my girlfriend so I couldn't spend anymore. One gal was selling decorated Xmas trees and she had sold all of them except for two. She was then taking orders. They were really nice. One was a fall tree and the others were Xmas. The painted gourds were awesome and I could have grabbed the Halloween painted one for $25 but as I said, I was a good girl and to keep me from spending way too much which can easily be done with my pocketbook. I have this craft addiction you see... and I just can't get enough of it. LOL, but then again, no laughs cause it can get me in trouble. I especially liked the holiday tablerunners, those were $25 or more. Then the hand lotions, soaps and candles were all around also. The handmade wooden sconces were nice but a little pricey if you ask me. I really need to learn how to use the scroll saw I bought, it would save so much in wood things I need for my projects. One gal whose been at this particular show before does the prim stuff and with no $$ on me, all I could do was look. I think she should sell on eBay, her stuff is that nice and I think folks were snatch it right up. I talked to her to do it and she said she's thought about it before but was afraid too. I told her if I can do it, anyone can. It is disappointing when something you labored over doesn't sell, but then again, that's what eBay is all about. Ok, I'm rattling on here, need to get some housecleaning done, or should I craft instead!!! Sal

I can't wait, we have a big craft show here this weekend to.I've been going for a couple of years. I always get so excited to go in and see some of the new things people are doing. I have already went to 3 this year. I've seen a couple of new things done, and ended buying them. my fav is my snowman, which was clever he's made out of wood and about 30inches tall and on a stake in a galvanized pail then she set him in concrete to keep him standing, and used pine cones and greenery to hide the concrete put a string of lights in too, and of course he's all dressed up too. He's very cute. I have put him outside by my front door to greeting every one. the best part he was only $35 dollars!!! I dont mind paying that, because I dont think I will be seeing him at walmart or any other store. Hand made is always better!!! shelly

Hello Alisande, the way I read it, Dorset buttons come from Dorset England, they were made for clothing around the 1600's to the middle 1800's. They are the precursor to machine made buttons, I'm sure you could use them today on modern clothes if you wanted to :) I'm not sure what I'll do with these yet, maybe include them in some weaving or knitting somehow. I've got an idea to make a larger one for a shawl pin. I've knitted several shawls and this time of year need to keep them closed lol. I got the idea from a circle weaving group I belong to on Facebook and once I tried it I found out how incredibly easy they are to do (and addictive I made another one after I posted these lol). I love your rug hooking it's going to be beautiful!