My craft show this past weekend

12 years ago

Craft show was in MD. I have sold at this show for 6 years.

My sales were very good. What I noticed walking around: way too much jewelry, fewer vendors than usual, too many items not

hand made being passed off as handmade and crafters that don't seem to have any pride in their displays. I am not an "in your face" crafter. I will speak to you then let you take the conversation from there. I have all of my tables covered to the floor on all 4 sides. I dress comfortably, but not over dressed. I believe that I did well because my prices are lower than most. Lots of $1.00 items and most expensive is $15.00. I find people are buying things under $5 more than anything else. It cost $5 to get into this show and we were very busy. Nice crowd most of the day.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

grandma_bonnie
12 years ago
Thanks for the report! I understand about vendors adding a spot of paint and then claiming they made them... Sad, huh??? Glad you did well. I love being with people and take pride in my appearance and my tables - Presentation means everything and will make or break you... Love my table cloths going to the floor - nice to hide all the necessities... I also use a high stool to sit on - easy to get up when a potential customer comes up...
sunnyca_gw
12 years ago
Glad to hear it went well & you enjoyed it! I always had my tables covered with plain colored cloths to the floor so I could store my stuff underneath & put empty boxes around the front area of table (underneath the cloth so if people tried to take something all they found under the cloth was empty boxes!)Always brought a lunch that didn't smell! I hate walking by booth or table & smells like Mexican, Italian, etc or tuna sandwich-I like those foods just not while I am shopping. Cheese sandwich was what I took. Only been to 1 sale this year & they didn't have much, it was a church that used to have great stuff & lots of handmades but mostly jewelry & used items & not cookies & breads like before! What kind of items did you make that were under $5? I need ideas for little things to give folks & DD & grandkids. Jan
Related Discussions
Craft Fair This Weekend
Q
Comments (5)
Plastic bags may be tacky but the ones you take into grocery store mostly can't be washed or aren't & I wonder when there will be outbreak of roaches or bedbugs. They are trying to force us to use our own but we have enough trouble with people throwing garbage around, also when I shred mail I put it in 2 of those inside each other so it doesn't get all over the street, I understand that it is problem with birds but campaign to get people to stop leaving their trash & bags on mountain roads or at the beach makes more sense, it is going to cost a lot of people their jobs out here. So we are supposed to buy larger bags to put our garbage in, don't think that will work, I've found rotting beef stew in alley, try cleaning that up, I used a shovel & plastic bag.When neighbors are careless or overfill their trash so lid is back the wind often deposits bags on the streets, easier to pick up bag then have to figure out what to do with some disgusting trash like people that enter our neighborhood in middle of night & drink & leave their "Trojan" wrappers & contents on the streets. If I use the bags I have I will need help getting them in my car & will be carrying in 5 lb. flour then another trip to car to get couple of more items,when I get home, I do it at Sam's as I save enough, they aren't going to discount groceries at regular stores. The gift bags end up on streets too & larger critters could get caught in handles, don't hear complaints about them. It's not a perfect world, trade-offs no matter what you do.I'm sure someone will complain about bubble wrap too.(Yes, I recycle everything & have so much less trash than most of neighbors, no pizza boxes or TV dinners & wasteful packaging for me. Jan
...See More
Craft Show Pics
Q
Comments (16)
Absolutely gorgeous! As a crafter w/ 35+ yrs experience, I'd like to make 1 suggestion to you & anyone else reading... The display is perfect, clean, orderly, BUT, get some dark green tablecloths. First, that will give the "garden" appearance. More important, it will "set-off" all your beautiful creations! Weather I sell at a show or online, I use a forest green background. Started beacause I had a whole 18-yd bolt of polyester ($1/yd at Walmart). It brought out the best of everything, my sales increased, and I've done it ever since. It used to be crafts, then H&B, now, yard art too. Something so simple can make a BIG difference! Tryyyy it, you likeeee it! lol
...See More
I'm back! Started most of my tomatoes this past weekend! =)
Q
Comments (16)
cozy: Oh no...I figured you'd have a response to this. ;-) LOL...just messin'. I'm also hoping for a growing season dried up a bit, not like last year (unless you meant that I need to try up a bit, which won't happen...hahaha)! That month long of rain over a good bit of the US severely impacted a lot of people's gardens. I'm going to try and keep the legginess under control, don't worry. Hehehe...I think i've also made my decision on a hot house that i'm gonna buy towards the end of next week to put them in once they start to take over the house in Marchish. =) Hosta: In your zone, i'd definitely not start your plants outdoors or even put them outdoors at all before that show. Might be advisable to harden them off for a week or so before the show by putting them outside only in good temps (minimum 55-60) in a mostly shady, but warm spot. Then, for the last day or two keep them outdoors in a bit sunnier of a spot. You don't want people taking them home from the show and putting them outside immediately to only have them die within a few days because they are not used to outdoor conditions! =) The cold frame will obviously help with this scenario. Keep a close eye on the environmentals in it though (temp, humidity, etc.). Idealy for the fat stems you are seeking, you'd probably want some type of indoor lighting system to grow them in. They can also get leggy in that situation though by reaching for the light, so take that into account when figuring out how long to keep the light on them. Filtering it somehow with a shade cloth of sorts wouldn't be a bad idea. Most gardening supply stores or hardware stores carry greenhouse poly covering that will filter varied amounts of light through it. Anyways, I could go on forever...lol, but that should give you a starting point. =) My seedlings usually start a bit leggy, with my system, before I transplant them to their 2nd home (semi-translucent plastic cups), then they just grow out more than up afterwards and make up for it. I never use any artificial light, but have heard many good things about lighting systems from others on here. They do cost a few $ though. One other point, if you start the seeds 5 to 6 weeks before the show, you will have some small seedlings, which you may already be aware of. I put my blog as the "This link might be useful" thing below so you can get an idea of what size they will be at that age, and it also has a great link to catman's page, Grow Your Tomatoes, which has a lot of useful info too. woodcutter: Yea, I was lucky enough to get them off a seed trade! I'm really looking forward to seeing how they do compared to some normal 'cheapie" Burpee seeds or whatever. Let me know how yours do. - Steve Here is a link that might be useful: Steve's Garden
...See More
Crafts Show Results
Q
Comments (39)
I am so glad to hear of all the successes on shows! Christopher...you are so so right on the tips you gave! I have been doing these shows for 20 years and the BIGGEST and I mean the BIGGEST tip I can give anyone is STAND UP and GREET every and I mean every customer that is at the table! Even when kids come to look, talk to them, they will then go to the parents and ask for money! I am a stickler on that. My Boyfriend of 4 years goes with me and helps me so much. But at the beginning, I had to tell him to stand up, talk to people. NOW, he sees exactly what I mean! I know at the end of the show you will be tired but better to be tired wth a full wallet than relaxed with an empty one! The other thing I HATE is to walk up to a table, and see the Vendor with their mouth full of food. OMG that bothers me. When we eat our lunch or what have you, we walk away from the booth one at a time to eat. My other advice, always straighten up your display! People will pick things up and then almost always not put them back the way they were....I am constantly, when there is not a crowd, re-arranging and straightening out my displays. I have learned in all honestly, that the more items I display, the more I sell. I have things priced from $1.00 to $35.00 and if it wasn't for the smaller priced items at some shows, I'd come out with nothing. Anyway, just a few tips too! I hope you all do well at your shows. I have another show this weekend. It is a smaller one and a first time show for me, so we'll see how it goes. I had nothing else scheduled this weekend so I thought I'd give it a try Wish Me Luck! Marci
...See More
concretenprimroses
12 years ago
I've been trying to think of things that I could make to sell for under $5 but that would "go with" my plate flowers. I want to stick to a theme, and I guess its flowers and recycling.

I think my little painted plates would be very cute hung on the tree, but I think are worth more to me as plate flower centers. I might make some flower brooches.

Kathy
concretenprimroses
12 years ago
Congratulations Toomanysquirrels on your successful show!
Kathy
sunnyca_gw
12 years ago
Bracelets came up that I made some time ago, they are easy & fast & cheap as you use recycled buttons. They would look pretty with your flower plates. Could make earrings to match! Just make sure you have a good lamp for light & get those ends closed so they won't lose the bracelets or earrings if you make them. Jan
concretenprimroses
12 years ago
I was just admiring those bracelets recently, with the flower buttons. I'm really not a jewelry maker (I may be the only person on the planet, lol). When I have tried they fall apart. Just not good with the needle nose pliers I guess. I may make flower brooches with a button in the middle.
Kathy
toomanysquirrels
Original Author
12 years ago
I sell mostly painted wood products. I cut the things out on my scroll saw and then paint them. My big sellers are ornaments and pins. Both under $5. I don't make much of an hourly salary, but i am able to get most of my wood free and I buy paints when they are on sale. I have added felt flower pins this year. They are easy to make and cost is very low.
Red flowers are the most popular.
oldcrafty
12 years ago
Glad to hear you had a good show. Been yeeeeeeeears since I did a show. Now I am just a shopper, and on a budget. The shows I do attend seem to be all high dollar, I like it when I find handmade and reasonable. Handmade is getting the hardest to find! I just wonder what all the folks with soooo much big bulky jewelry, that's fast going out of style, is gonna do with all there inventory! I always appreciate it when I find something for little ones at a good price also.
concretenprimroses
12 years ago
Thanks for the hint about the red brooches. I'll have to look for more red fabric in my stash.
Kathy

My craft show this past weekend

Comments (9)

grandma_bonnie

sunnyca_gw

Related Discussions

concretenprimroses

concretenprimroses

sunnyca_gw

concretenprimroses

toomanysquirrels
Original Author

oldcrafty

concretenprimroses

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

My craft show this past weekend

Comments (9)

Related Discussions

toomanysquirrelsOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

toomanysquirrels
Original Author