What Christmas Crafts are you making or finding at fairs this

10 years ago

year?

I'm always looking for fun new Christmas crafts ideas. I'd love to hear what you are making or seeing at craft fairs this year?

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Comments (11)

grandma_bonnie
10 years ago
I am pretty much selling the same thing as I've sold in years past. I added a Santa Wreath made with tulle but I doubt if I'll do it again next year... It's crazy but my mainstay is still the microwave potato bags. They just keep selling - someone will get it as a gift and will return to me to buy more as gifts for their friends... At my show last week-end, there was someone elose selling the potato bags (made with polyester batting) - the manager of the show called them to my attention and asked if they were safe - had to tell her they are a fire hazard! She was told to pull them off the shelf! I sold over 50 of my bags... I also make microwave popcorn snowmen - I believe I've shown these before. I also sell the Wiener Wiener Washers as the 2013 Tacky Gift of the year..I keep selling the same items and they just keep buying them!
tripletmom83
10 years ago
I have become obsessed with deco mesh. This is my second project with it, but my first wreath. It is for my Mom.
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What a fabulous looking booth & beautiful stuff! And those birdhouses rock oak deer, nothing short of amazing! I am the next person in line to agree with the others when they say to mingle with your customers in a sort of chatty, neighborly manner. Sometimes some things need a little explanation in either the design or thought behind it & some things just almost sell themselves with just a bit more of a nudge from you the seller. You can bet that if you are selling something that is different & a good seller, someone next year will be copying your stuff & they'll be at the same show. I like to try to change things up from year to year, but still do some of the same things, just kickin' em up a notch, if you know what I mean. Some of the reasons that one booth might do better than another is if you can find your stuff cheaper & sell it cheaper, your gonna make more sales. That's why I love refurbishing junk & GS finds. You have next to nothing in it & can turn it around & make a good chunk of change off it if you can think of the right thing to make it into. One year, me & DH made some unique signs & was selling them for $20. No one bought a single one, but I had 3 men literally taking measurements & notes on how they were made. I never seen them being sold anywhere else, but I didn't sell them either, only to friends & personal acquaintances. i wish everyone that's doing craft shows this year all the best of luck - we're gonna need it!
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What Christmas crafts are you guys making this year??
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Comments (9)
Here is what the inside of my book box looks like: These are my instructions: The poem says: Write down your worries, fears and doubts. Close the book don't let them out. Release them to God by saying a prayer and let our dear Lord take them from there. I used a google image search of "head of Christ" graphic. You could use "praying hands" instead or graphic of your choice. For the box part, use a 6 1/2 X 11 sheet of white cardstock. Score all sides at 1 inch. Score the short ends again another inch. From short ends, cut all 4 corners in to the main score line. Fold, score edges, glue to form a box. Cover: Cut off the 1/2 inch of the 8 1/2 to make a rectangle 8 X 11. Score at 5 and 6 inches, forming the "spine" of the book. I used 3 layers....printed outter cardstock, white cardstock, then another printed cardstock. Sandwich a ribbon for tieing the book shut between the two inner layers. Glue bottom of box on the right hand side of the book cover. Insert a pad of paper and a pen in the box. Decorate the book cover any way you like. I made a layered and embossed cross. My notepads I got at Staples and they are 6 X 9 inches in size.
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Craft Fair report from Saturday
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Comments (1)
Thanks for the report. You are so right about "unique items" selling. It always has, it always will. We've got 5 shows left for 2010, so we're busy as all get out. We're doing the last four of Castleberry's shows in Salem, NH Nov 12-14, Wilmington, MA Thanksgiving weekend, the big Hartford, CT Christmas show Dec 3-5, and back to Salem, NH the second week in Dec. We also have one more show with Country Folk Art in Albany, NY Nov 19-21. Then we're off until the last weekend in January when it starts all over again.
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Who do you shop with at craft fairs ?
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Comments (7)
I take along - me, myself and I. I enjoy going alone cause I can putz around and not worry about whether someone had enough and wants to leave. If I do go with someone, it's my girlfriend who really isn't into crafty things but will go just to get out of the house. At the huge Big E (NE States Exposition) last year, I spent over $200 and she spent less than $20 on a bracelet, she didn't want to go this year. So I went myself. Funny, while visiting my two sisters in OH this past May we went to Factory Direct Craft Supply warehouse and they wanted to leave for lunch. I exclaimed "I AM NOT LEAVING" - bring me back something to eat. I was there for four hours!!! Love it, Love it, Love it. Sal
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grandma_bonnie
10 years ago
That is spectacular!
tolebrush
10 years ago
i am seeing alot of jewelry and fabric (aprons, towels, etc.) gifts plus alot of them are buying and selling made in China gifts trying to pass them off as homemade. Makes me mad that they think we can't tell the difference or don't also go to those sights. lol
grandma_bonnie
10 years ago
I wish there was an answer to this problem - I went to a small church where there were only 9 vendors but the church ladies made sure they were only hand made items being sold... I only made $575 for the two days but everyone was so nice and the atmosphere was wonderful. You might look for juried craft shows, but that doesn't always work when people lie about the things they sell. We have one gal at the Farmer's Msrket that buys manufactured items and adds a dot of paint and calls it her own...
juellie1962
10 years ago
grandma Bonnie - you (or someone) had a link to your snowman popcorn guys. I lost it. :( Do you still have a picture and maybe instructions somewhere? I made a couple of them about 3 years ago, would love to make some more!
tridogdude
10 years ago
Just finished making some copper roses for Christmas. Working on a few other and a giant sunflower.
sorie6 zone 6b
10 years ago
Oh my that wreath is beautiful!!
Love the copper roses too.
juellie1962
10 years ago
those roses are beautiful! Are you a welder? My dh is and he does a lot of yard art type stuff!
christopherh
10 years ago
As a metalworker I can appreciate the work involved in the roses. Very nice.

One thing I did see more of this year was glass blocks. Not just drilled with some lights, but a wide array of ideas, designs, etc on the faces of them. Many were hand painted with opaque paints and had the lights filter through the background.
amber2321
10 years ago
Wow, that mesh wreath is absolutely beautiful!

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What Christmas Crafts are you making or finding at fairs this

Comments (11)

grandma_bonnie

tripletmom83

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