I've had enough :(

[HandmadeByCathyRichardson]

Hey all, I've decided I'm not going to do any more candle making. I've lost faith in myself after I did a craft fair thingy last week and made £8 - it cost £10 for the table!!! :( So I'm not happy anymore. I'm giving it up. So if anyone's interested in buying some candlemaking stuff off me, fragrance oils, dyes, moulds, wax etc, let me know ASAP either through PM or email me at sometimes_im_like_this@hotmail.com
thanks.
I've got 5kg of soy wax to get rid of btw.

[PeggyCrafts]

OH NO! Don't give up - everyone has bad days, especially at craft fairs! And in these credit crunch times, no-one really has any spare money, but that's not to say that people don't appreciate your work.

Please think long and hard before you sell all of your materials - you might regret it in the long run. Give yourself a few days off to think about other things, don't look back on the craft fair, and see how you feel. If you had another really good experience, would it put you back on track?

Find something that gives you inspiration, such as a walk in the countryside, a cup of tea, or a favourite film, and see how you feel in a couple of days. :)

Helen x

[Caroleecrafts]

Don't give up just yet, things are really tough out there. Other members have had the same problem at fairs recently. I sent out 20 invites to my Open House 10 days ago for tomorrow evening, have only heard from 4, 1 of those is not coming, will probably end up with about 6 people but that is the way it goes, buzzing last year with 30. I am not going to give up but keep trying. I do appreciate that when you do not get your rent back etc etc but things may take an upturn nearer Christmas. Have you tired a party at home, at least it will not cost much and you are home anyway.

Keep you chin up.

[HandmadeByCathyRichardson]

Yeah, I've thought about it enough though really. And especially with the credit crunch, I know it means people don't have as much money to spend, but I don't either! I've got no job at mo and with the current state of affairs it doesn't look like I'm going to get one before Christmas. I'm not making anything from my candles, so need to sell my stuff so at least I will have SOME money! I haven't totally given up on candlemaking, I still enjoy it, but I think I'll just stick to making candles for myself and family rather than trying to make money on it. Anyway, I can always buy some new stuff if I change my mind can't I? Thanks for your support it does mean a lot. :)

[Aviya Glass]

Please don't lose faith in yourself because of a bad fair. It's not your lack of ability thats the issue its just a really tight time for everyone.

I have often thought of giving up as 'every second person does jewellery' and you hear the people say 'urgh not another jewellery stall'. But it's something I enjoy and if you enjoy what you do then keep your equipment and do it just for fun, family and friends.

It will only be more expensive if you sell and later decide to buy again.

Def take a timeout and please don't take that bad fair experience as a personal reflection, it certainly isn't. The doom mongerers have been very successful in scaring everyone about a worldwide recession.

[HandmadeByCathyRichardson]

Yeah, appreciate what your saying, but I know I'm not that good at making candles. I'm not totally negative though, I know that I'm good at making the cappucino candles in a mug so I'm going to keep making those,maybe just do novelty ones instead. But I've got loads of candles that I made for the fair, about 50 left or something, so going to try get rid of them to make some money.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=120335533450

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=120335530092

[cbld]

Your cappucino candles look AMAZING!! :)

I'm so sorry you're feeling negative about it all ... hope you change your mind about giving up!!!

[beckyboo]

You may regret giving up, have a couple of months off making and concentrate on selling the stock you already have
I've lost all faith in selling on ebay,maybe try listing some of etsy,folksy etc or contacting a local gift/farm shop if there are any near you and see if they will stock them for you.
People are too scared to spend at the min , hopefully after Christmas the doom and gloom may lift a little

I agree your candles look good enough to drink

[autumn rose]

That cappuccino candle looks amazing!!

With talent like this.... keep at it for a while...you never know the next fair could be the turning point and you could sell out!

Whatever you decide to do good luck!:)

[Critchley]

Why don't you just pack it all away somewhere for now. Take it from me, you will want to have another go sometime in the future. These are very depressing times, it's all enough to get anyone down. It's also very hurtful when you have put your heart and soul into your product and no one appears to want it but in this case, its not that they don't want it but more they can't afford it. Please don't part with your kit.

[Poppy4lee]

Why don't you just pack it all away somewhere for now. Take it from me, you will want to have another go sometime in the future. These are very depressing times, it's all enough to get anyone down. It's also very hurtful when you have put your heart and soul into your product and no one appears to want it but in this case, its not that they don't want it but more they can't afford it. Please don't part with your kit.

I totally agree, pack your kit away, don't part with it. It will cost you a lot to replace it, if you want to take up candle making again and then you'll regret parting with it. Don't make a decision while your feeling down, at least, if you leave it until the new year, you'll have time to think it over, when you're feeling less stressed.

[UrbanAngelJewellery]

Trust me pack it away

I sold all my fimo stocks molds etc as I stopped making frames and plaques, I then got an email from an previous client wanting 10 frames and I couldnt do them, gutted!!!!

Also I sold my sizzix machine on a whim and could do with that now too lol

A very valuable lesson learnt....do not declutter lol :D:D:D

[onlyme]

I've been there too - several times, although I think it's quite a common place for artists to be. The most recent time (not that long ago) I decided to give up doing commissions, a decision I don't regret, but as soon as I'd made the decision, the requests started piling in! I was tempted to take a step back but have managed to resist, and I haven't got rid of my canvas stock (this time) because I know one day I will use it again even if only for fun. Think very carefully befor you de-clutter!

[bynicki]

I am so sorry you are having a hard time and feeling let down. I have found every fair I have done this year to be a struggle and at some I haven't covered my stall money either - it really does leave you feeling deflated.

I do agree with the comments from everyone else that maybe it is time to pack your stuff away for a while and then see how you feel in a few months. Is there anything else apart from candle making that you are interested in?.

About 90% of my sales have been from my website so I definitely think that is the way to go. More and more people seem to prefer to shop online these days.

Keep smiling!;)

[sherrielinda]

that was me sunday after another bad fair on saturday. I was moping around & it does make you think your stuff isn't good enough but now " I'M OVER IT " & have another fair in 2weeks time. The way I see it, it can't get much worse. Most of the reason for poor sales is not enough people through the doors. Like other people say, put the stuff away for a while & try & sell what you have made on ebay or similar. I love the candle in the mug, it's FAB., cheer up.:)

[auntynet]

As everyone else has said - don't get rid of your stuff. If you're worrying about money then why not approach one of your local pubs and ask if they would let you run a stall on a night in the week when they don't have anything else on. I've done this before and I found that the landlord was grateful of an event that he didn't have to organise that would bring him some customers into the pub on what would otherwise have been a very quiet night. Most pubs have a favourite charity so you could offer to give him 10% of your takings as a donation to this. A good tip is to chose one of the more "posey" pubs. ;)

Just make a few posters to put up the week before. They don't really have to be anything spectacular - get someone to do it for you if you're stuck. You could use the stock you have already made for the craft fair that was a non-starter.

Give it a go - you've got nothing to lose if you're not paying for the stall up front and you never know - you may just get some orders from it.

[buffybaskey]

no advice just hugs xxxx

[ElaineJ]

Along with everyone else I'm saying "Don't pack up" - pack your stuff away for a while - it won't be eating anything!

[RhinosoRoss]

Christmas is coming up, candles are sought.

Don't think of it as a problem, clap your hands together and meet the challenge. Unfortunately, selling is a craft I know nothing about, but I can tell you my thoughts and feelings as I wandered your web site in the hope that you can get more sales with a few simple tweeks. So knowing nothing but wanting to find something to help, here I go:

Having a web-presence is fantastic, but your freeweb site is not working for me. Google won't know about it, but for a few pounds you could have a web site that would be found by google. I can't write URLs but my colleagues recommend 123 reg if you google that it may help.

On your existing web-site the candles look wonderful but under-priced; this is coming from someone who's never bought a candle, but you're selling a cup full of wax for less than I thought I could buy a cup for! So sell to other people as ignorant as me, rather than those who frequent craft-fairs and know what is fair.

The home page font is large which when you're used to this size is bewildering and made me miss things. Because you mentioned payment in a big way, I assumed it was going to be a problem; and when you start by telling me about cheques I lose interest immediately. Then it tells me to use your email to pay with paypal, which doesn't seem professional, but then when I do check out it appears to use paypal nicely! ...and then explodes :-(
All you need is a Paypal logo on the front page. In fact, all you need is the webstore, but do get the paypal link working!

I was also wary when I saw:
"If you aren't happy with your purchase, contact me via email"
That implies that you've had lots of people who aren't happy! It's not necessary: most sites don't have any email address on at all.

Unfortunately most of that will only help in the long-term, but if you can hold on to the web-presence and the candles you have, then time will just happen.

Let me know when it's working and I'll buy one of those coffee bean ones (just to see if they pop and bang) - but only through a fully functioning paypal link!
:)

[matt.chatterley]

Don't give up! Some of the candles on your site are really cool - I especially like the Capuccino mug :)

As with the other posters - if typical craft fairs aren't working for you, try something different! Church fetes? Even car boot sales can be good places to try and get a bit of crafty trade going!

Just.. don't let it get you down!!

[OGDesigns]

Your cappuchino candle is fab!! Im going to give my sis a link to the ebay link you gave as shes candle mad too - please dont give up :)

[robin wood]

Craft fairs can be very harsh. Making things is so much more important than just money. When I make something I put a bit of my heart and soul into it and when I offer it for sale it is also a bit of me they are buying (or not) That is why it hurts when people don't buy, I can live with very little money.

I rarely do craft fairs because I find the negative feelings for me outway the positive. I am lucky in that my wife is very good at web design so I can sell my work that way.

The important thing is to make because you enjoy it and not to get dispirited if you have not found the right market yet, you can see lots of folk here love your work, feel proud to have made something nice when plenty of other folk were sitting in front of the TV.

[HandmadeByCathyRichardson]

Thanks for all your messages guys. Is good to know that even though I don't know any of ya, you still care enough to give me advice! Thanks! At least someone's bothered! :)

[Critchley]

My goodness Cathy, you really are down arn't you. Try and keep talking to us, we may not have met but you do have a good, supportive, non critical family here, use us. Appart from anything else we are access to sound, solid advice and information - all for free.
Please do keep talking.

[Poppy4lee]

It's good to talk and you can see from what other crafters have said that people aren't openning their wallets, at the moment :mad:. So please, please don't take it all to heart, just get it off your chest as Critchley said, please do keep talking.

[caughtfraught]

Hi Cathy,
Ozzie from Fraught iron ,keep at it my love it aint always that bad.
We did our first fair at northampton stopped overnight in a hotel meal out drinks etc cost of the table,what did we sell?sod all we had a face like a bulldog suckin a wasp!
Our next fair was good,the one after crap,the next was good again.
Its hard sometimes but you need to believe trust me its worth it.
xxxxxxxxxxxx Ozzie;)

[flame]

hi cathy

as a fellow candle maker i can totally understand how you feel. I've been making candles for over 10 years now and when i first started, it was a flourishing full time business that ofetn saw me some months, making more money than my hubby does at his full time job!!!

with everything else, the orders started to lessen and lessen every month and more and more cheapie shops were selling cheap bad quality candles that people were more than happy to buy reganrdless of the fact they were crap.

About 2 years ago, I gave it up as a business with the full intention of selling everything and just maybe making some candles for my own use. However, here I am 2 years later, still making the candles although be it that its only a small part time business and some months i don't make any money at all.

But, i still love making them and love recieving comments from my customers, its hard work, depressing, annoying and sometimes upseting, but please please don't give up.

Believe me I've had a few hard mnths where I've come home and said that's it, enough is enough, i hate it all and am selling it all but i know that i would regret it at the end of the day.

Try and see it through to next year and maybe try a few different things, new fairs maybe even wedding fairs and think about advertising. I know it will be worth it in the end.

Vicky xx

[Beadwerkz]

I know exactly how you feel! I was made disabled just over a year ago, and can now rarely go to a job that I love and am stuck in bed a lot of the time. I turned to jewelery making to try and make something positive out of everything bad that had happened and I really really love it. It's also given me and my mom something to do together, and is a great stress reliever. The longer I was off work though, the harder things became financially, and so we decided to try and sell our stuff. After a lot of positive thought I set up my website and bought lovely gift boxes etc, even booked into a couple of craft fairs but after a dismal response it is really getting me down too. I have thought long and hard about selling off my stuff as well, but with times like they are I would probably not get much for them either. Hmmm I didn't mean to turn this pot into a depressing moan, just wanted to say that I know how discouraging it feels, but I really can't imagine what my life would be like now without my jewelery, and i wonder if you feel the same about your candles.

By the way, your cappucino candle is stunning. i think you're very talented!!!!

Love Claire

[shiner]

I just seen your thread I and read all the response although few of us have met we are all of a kindred spirit being drawn together through our desire to create we all feel a sense of loss when one of us is down. I was forced to go on the sick about a year ago after years of pressure from my doc and fiancee (now my wife) I have had 1 op and am now waiting for the op to fuze 3 vertabrae in my neck now they tell me I wont be going back on the tools I'm a carpenter 30 of years experience, I've now got to go back to college to learn another trade at an age when my peers are thinking of winding down, if it wasn't for my family and my crafting I don't know what I'd do.

I hope everything works out ok for you. Keep on making those candles they're great

[Critchley]

I just seen your thread I and read all the response although few of us have met we are all of a kindred spirit being drawn together through our desire to create we all feel a sense of loss when one of us is down. I was forced to go on the sick about a year ago after years of pressure from my doc and fiancee (now my wife) I have had 1 op and am now waiting for the op to fuze 3 vertabrae in my neck now they tell me I wont be going back on the tools I'm a carpenter 30 of years experience, I've now got to go back to college to learn another trade at an age when my peers are thinking of winding down, if it wasn't for my family and my crafting I don't know what I'd do.

I hope everything works out ok for you. Keep on making those candles they're great
I have made four different career moves during my working life, not always out of choice either, mostly due to family commitments. Each time it was a big thing but also quite exciting. I often had no choice in what I moved on to but then again, I had no disabling problems either.
You will be able to make this choice, within limitations I know but the decision will ultimately be yours - I am sure you will enjoy the challenge.
Have you decided what to study for yet?
P.S. They tell me agism is now illegal so milk that too.

[HandmadeByCathyRichardson]

Its nice to hear all your advice and stories, I can appreciate it's not just me that's having a tough time selling things at the mo. I'm not totally giving it up, nor am I only doing it to make money out of it. I make candles because I like to, and thought I could make some money out of it seeing as I'm unemployed at mo. Have absolutely no money and thought I could at least make something until I find a job. Well I'm selling my stuff now because 1. I need the money for xmas and bills! and 2. I still want to make candles, but am going to just make the cappucino ones: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120337126811&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DSelling
and perhaps branch out next year sometime to do other novelty ones eg muffin ones and things like that. I won't need all my moulds and things like that for them. Am selling the wax http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120335530092&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DSelling because I've no room for it and don't need it at mo. I can buy more when I need it. Anyway please please please! If anyone's interested in the wax, or the 50 or so candles I've got to sell http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120335542463&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DSelling let me know, place a bid, or send me an email or something if you want to make an offer. Really could do with the money :( Thanks! :D

[jenig12]

Cathy
Can see where you are coming from and just wish you luck with whatever decision is right for you, no one knows your circumstances better than you do and whatever anyone says there are tough times ahead of all of us.

- I really like the cappucino one and would be interested in buying one-your listing has ended and can't find one on your site? pm me if you relist

[PaulineR]

Like you Cathy I have had a run of really bad craft fairs where I have not covered the table or the petrol over the last few months combined with very few sales from my websites and shops.Also like you I am considering giving up completely before I end up in debt buying supplies. I have been thinking about this for a few months and only kept going till now because of the fairs/Bazaars I had booked, my last one of the year is tomorrow. It is a coffee morning at my twin grandchildrens school, the last one I did there was very productive and took more money than I expected too, but not expecting to sell anything tomorrow.

I have decided to give it till the start of the new year to see if my shops and websites get improved sales. But I really expect to be closing Pauline's Candles at the start of the new year.

I have loads of ' your candles are marvelous and really smelly' comments and load of views in my shops. One of my melts has had over 200 views but no one buys they just look and leave comments, I am afraid as much as I appreciate all the comments and they make my heart swell with pride. I really need them to buy the candles.

So unless things change I will be giving and will not be around much in the forums as it will hurt too much to read and see all those lovely creations everyone makes

All the best and big sales to you all.
Have a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year everyone.

[HandmadeByCathyRichardson]

Oh Pauline, its exactly how I feel! I really hope it picks up for both of us. It is really nice to hear good comments, and sometimes it makes me feel like I'm making the wrong decision, but comments don't help you out financially, and lets face it, thats the sad but true reason for giving up. I love making candles and cards, but I can't do it for nothing.
Anyway, will someone please take this candle wax off my hands, I need rid of it, theres 5kg of it and am selling it for £20, which is £10 less than I paid for it. But am open to offers at the mo cos I desperately need money to buy the boyf's xmas present and would rather take less than none at all. Please!
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/merchant/catr1987

[penchanted]

I know how you feel! and i know about the moneys tight situation, you sell anything to make ends meet! I can understand you wanting to sell your candle gear..but if you ever wanted to start it back again it would cost twice as much to buy back unless you want to try another hobby!

Times are tight! noones buying! I make jewellery but also have my own online store and i have'nt had a sale in weeks! Ive also been thinking of putting my jewellery making stuff on ebay the whole lot must be worth £300.00! ive collected glass beads from diffrent places books, gold wire etc etc

I have no job either so really know where your coming from, and im in debt! but you have to look at another side of life to sort things out, have a break thing of new ideas.

hopefully it will be better next year but never give in hun,

ive got myself a credit card to help me with all this 0per intrest for 6 months, then when i get on my feet to pay it back

[blondegal]

I had my first ever craft fair last night and didn't even make back the door.
was very disappointing, but will keep trying. I'm sure you can do well in the future, everyone is struggling at the mo, some people didnt sell a thing last night. if you stick your bits to one side for now you could still use it in the future, especially if you'll be making them for yourself and family still. I hope things work out for you!

xxx

[Moonbeam Angel]

DONT GIVE UP, PACK AWAY like every one says. Also please read my thread "This has got to be the best ever craft fair" I know how you feel, I have spent loads on my mosaic bits and pieces and I AM NOT GIVING UP, things have got to pick up and unlike mosaics everyone needs a candle!!

(((hugs)))) and Angel wishes to you.xxx