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.

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.

Sounds like you did really good, flowers! My DH & I don't do craft shows anymore but we always did a few for many, many yrs...now we do Farmer's Mrkt on Sat. morns from May - Oct (we pick & choose which Sats...so we do about twice a mo.)...rain, vacations, Gr'kids, etc. are priorities in our choosing. LOL! & setting up & packing IS lots of work! (ugh!) But booth size is a 'killer' for items like yours (& ours...which was birdhouses, feeders, framed photos, benches, etc) ...so that is an important factor which choosing to participate. Your booth looks very pretty for the limited space you had! ;-) Advertising is the key, too...you can have beautiful set-up, beautiful product but you must have people coming thru! Do you have any 'summer' activities nearby? Your flowers would be a BIG hit for gardeners! A town nearby us has a big festival one weekend & they set up crafters/artists for half a day. Around here it seems that 'craft shows' are dying out or changing...not as much 'handmade' items...& also w/stores like Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc (which I LOVE BTW!) can offer so many decorating items ...so that makes a difference, too. I still love a GOOD craft show & enjoy buying gifts! Good luck on the next one...sounds like a great place cause it will be bringing in lots of people! TFS! Jeanne S.

LOL, Printersdevil!!! Yes, you really should have a table of some sort for your celebration ;^P Your newly screened porch sounds great, though. Wish I could talk DH into screening one of ours. We don't have mosquitos here, but we do have lots of flies. I haven't heard of any Cinco celebrations being cancelled around here . . . yet. No Swine Flu cases reported in the area so far. DH is a family practice doc and came home exhausted last night from so many of his patients showing up with worry-produced "maybe" symptoms. Lots of calls, too. No real cases so far, though. His PA is on vacation for two weeks, so it's a bad time for this thing to rear it's ugly head. DH is getting home most nights now at 8PM because of all this. I'll be anxious to see your Cinco de Mayo table. I do have a lot of things I can use, but don't expect anything too elaborate; I'm still a novice at tablescaping. Lynn