Craft Fairs - how are they going at the moment?

[Katianne]

I just wondered, of those of you tht have done craft fairs over the last month or so, how have they gone? Have you found that there is less of the 3 Ps in the run up to xmas?

I am still toying with whether I should do a few local fairs on the run up to xmas so would appreciate your feedback.

Thanks all :)

[Tip Top]

Well, I did my first one at the start of October and did very very well (over £120!) so I have another one booked early December but not sure how it will go as I think I will have a big hangover from the night before!! Hehehe!! :D

[swirlyarts]

I did the same one as Tip Top and made £8.50!!!! Not so good but I've got a 4 day one booked for the end of Nov and I know that there are lots of coaches booked in (my mum works at the place) so I'm hoping for more of a profit then!

[Quirky-Cottage]

Hi Kate,
I've definately seen an increase in sale during the past month or so. People seem to be xmas shopping earlier this year.

If you up to doing fairs again, i'm organising on in Dec near newport. Let me know if your interested!!
Sharon & NIc
:jippie:

[Katianne]

Hi Kate,
I've definately seen an increase in sale during the past month or so. People seem to be xmas shopping earlier this year.

If you up to doing fairs again, i'm organising on in Dec near newport. Let me know if your interested!!
Sharon & NIc
:jippie:

When is it Sharon?

[Quirky-Cottage]

it's on Dec 8th Sat. 12-3pm at Edgmond Village hall. Short and busy..we hope.

[Katianne]

Oh no, sorry Sharon but I can't do that day!!! Hope it goes really well tough, sure it will as the last fair went really well and was very well organised!!

[Soapwitch]

I wasn't sure how many to book this year, so many of them are poorly advertised and a complete waste of time.

I have a couple of shows this month, I've been to both of them before so i have some idea of what to expect. I've also tried a ladies pamper evening at a local school recently, that was ok and I have another to do next week.

I've started to book a few home spa parties (first one tonight), I'll be taking along my soaps, gifts and all of my new skincare and will be encouraging everyone to relax with a face mask on, feet up and a glass of wine!

Leanna

[Primmers]

Well I went to one today at a local community centre. There were about 40 stalls, of which 8 were cardmakers ( including me). The atmosphere was good and the footfall good too, but I didn't even make the cost of my table back. It was £28, and I took £15.75! There were a lot of PPP's, and I had to keep tidying the cards up as they left them in an awful mess.

If I had known that there were to be so many cardmakers I don't think I would have booked it.

There is no doubt that we all have different styles. Some of the cards were a lot dearer than mine, some were cheaper, but about 5 of us were priced at about the same.

I dressed the table with white sheets and a beautiful old linen tablecloth, and decorated with a few pinecones - it was a Christmas fair - and although I shouldn't say it, mine appeared to be the best-dressed table.

My daughter came along with her cards too ( I didn't mind, although she made no contribution to the table cost!) and proceeded to try and hog all the table with her cards: I had to ermmm, remonstrate gently with her.

I thought it a little, well, presumptuous of her to spread all her cards out without a thought as to where mine were going to go! I was a bit miffed, as I'd got everything ready the night before, with no help from her ( she went to bed, 'tired'), then this morning loaded the car - alone - then unloaded the car at the venue - alone - and while I was in and out lugging stuff about, she gaily began laying her cards out!!!

At the moment she has to walk with a stick, as she has a hip injury, and she can't carry heavy boxes, but by gum she could have carried a bag or two!

[Pauline@weddingtreasures]

I did my very first craft show last month and managed to sell the grand total of £6.50!!!

I have another one booked for the 10 Nov (next saturday <gulp>) and hope this one is much better!

Please put me out of my misery and tell me what PPP stands for?

Thanks.

Pauline :mf:

[Debeadz]

I have done 3 craft fairs so far and each time have sold hardly anything.

1st - 3 bracelets
2nd - 1 necklace
3rd - 2 necklaces, 1 bracelet

I normally share a table with my friend who makes cards and she always seems to do quite well. I don't think my jewelllery is that expensive and is normally the cheapest there, but I just can't seem to shift it. Between us from the 3 we've done we've finally been able to cover our table costs now.

I did one last weekend at a farm park which was free of charge and had my best day but still only sold 2 necklaces and a bracelet. It was good fun being with the baby farm animals and I even got to bottlefeed a goat so it was worth going just for that :D

I have another booked on 17th Nov and then a weekend one on the 15/16th Dec. I just hope I will do better at these.

[Rodeo Lady]

Did one yesterday .

1 sale. ( A christmas one ) Could have stayed at home came back to two orders on the phone.


Anyway I always try to be positive. Met loads of nice fellow crafters who put me in the right diection for fairs for 2008.

The bacon butties were fab and the coffee was free.

Cheers Janice.:horse:

[Susie B]

... I don't know what 3ppps mean either - I'm really curious now:confused:

[flutterbybutterfly]

Ha Ha!! I thought it was just me as well. I was afraid to ask. The only thing I could think of was penny pinching people!!!

www.kimsmithcharmbracelets.co.uk (http://www.kimsmithcharmbracelets.co.uk)

[Katianne]

It means... Pick up, Put Down, P**s off! Hehee!!!

[Pauline@weddingtreasures]

LOL.......thanks for enlightening me - hope I don't get too many of those on Saturday!!!

Pauline :D

[Katianne]

I hope not for you too! Which fair is this Sat? I would call in and say hi but I'm not around on Sat - sorry!

[Pauline@weddingtreasures]

Its in Kirby Muxloe village hall!

Pauline :D

[incywincy]

It means... Pick up, Put Down, P**s off! Hehee!!!

Lol!! :sm:

I might have to get some tips of you guys soon, as i'm doing my first fair this month.

There is also a fair near you (Katianne) that i'm doing & might be of interest to you... posted here...
http://www.craftsforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7394

[Katianne]

That sound lovely!!! I am away that weekend though - darn it!! Thansk for letting me know about it though - let me know how you all get on.

[Katianne]

That sounds lovely!!! I am away that weekend though - darn it!! Thansk for letting me know about it though - let me know how you all get on.

[woodtattoos]

I've been burning like mad in preparation for my Xmas fairs. In the last week, I've made 4 dozen Xmas spoons & spatulas, along with over 150 Xmas tree decorations. I've decided to 'bulk up' on the smaller items with a Xmas theme as I think it's often these pieces that tempt my potential customers. I've ordered a nice rack to display them on and some nice postcards to with my website details. I've got everything crossed for a successful set of fairs, but I'm still bearing Emma's psychology lessons in mind from the last event I did!

Wish me luck...

Si.

[flutterbybutterfly]

Good Luck to you Si, Your very talented and very organised by the sound. I'm sure your fairs will be a sucess for you.

Kim
www.kimsmithcharmbracelets.co.uk (http://www.kimsmithcharmbracelets.co.uk)

[incywincy]

All sounds hectic!
Just been looking at your work on etsy Si, whats pyrography? I've never heard of that before? :confused:

Can't wait to see your xmas decs!

[Mary]

I did a 'Christmas Warmup' at Victoria Mills, Saltaire, last weekend. First day was great, even sold my bestest most expensive beaded cabochon, Yayyy, I thought, and Sunday still to come!!
BUT sunday started off with the lady bringing back the expensive beaded cab because the round beads I had bought for the chain bit had started to shed their colour - they were painted!!!! Talk about mortified..... anyway, it wasn't the end of the world - I gave her her money back with profuse apologies, and she ended up buying a dichroic cab that I had set into PMC, but it kind of set the tone for the day. I made one other sale, though the glass sunchatchers and coasters that my friend does went quite well. Another lady I see quite often at these events who also does jewellery - lovely handmade copper things - said it was the same for her - great on Saturday and dreadful on Sunday. Still 6 more to go before Christmas so hopefully they will get a bit better!
If I could only remember where I got those blasted black round beads I think I could be tempted into a little justified homicide.....!!!

[Hopej]

Ok so you have all got me slightly worried now.

Is this normal for this time of year for sales to be slow? or is this a bad year in general? do u think things might start picking up now its November people will start thinking about christmas shopping.

Got my first proper craft fairs coming up and am really relying on making a few sales to get me through the rest of the year.

Please let me know your thoughts

xx

[JBJB]

Just popping in to say they are still very hit and miss for me at the moment, and I'm doing LOADS of them!! (hence my absence recently)

I did a 4-day one recently near Swindon which was awful. Barely scraped what I hoped to make each day in the 4 days put together. Having said that though, a lady has come back to me through my website because she saw my stuff and wants to order TWELVE p.e. bags!! So that has made up for it.

I am toying with the idea of charging a pound for everytime somebody says how gorgeous my stuff is. Reckon I'd make more money that way!

It is hard - and sometimes soul destroying!

[Katianne]

I am toying with the idea of charging a pound for everytime somebody says how gorgeous my stuff is. Reckon I'd make more money that way!



That's a good idea!!! if I did that, I could give up my full tme job and craft full time. In fact Iwouldn't need to actually sell anything! Isn't it frustrating! Just god damn buy it if you think its so wonderful!!!

The best one I had was a lady telling me how lovely my black and white mirrors are, although she didn't like the black in them!!! Figure that one out!

[woodtattoos]

Kim, thanks for the compliments! :D

Incy, pyrography (or woodburning/pokerwork) is using a heated wire pen to burn designs into wood. The hotter the wire, the darker or more intense the lines/marks you make. I've been making loads of these little Christmas tree decs which I will be displaying on a keyring stand (hopefully I will finish around 500 of them) and selling them for something like... 5 for £3 or similar. Hopefully this will work and be a nice popular piece!

Emma, let me guess... you're talking about the Wroughton Christmas show? Funnily enough, I didn't hold out too much hope for that one either.

Si.

[JBJB]

Emma, let me guess... you're talking about the Wroughton Christmas show? Funnily enough, I didn't hold out too much hope for that one either.

Si.

I wasn't going to disclose that in case the organisers read it!!
But yes, it was Wroughton.
I think lack of appropriate advertising was the problem.

[woodtattoos]

I wasn't going to disclose that in case the organisers read it!!
But yes, it was Wroughton.
I think lack of appropriate advertising was the problem.

It's got the potential to be excellent in terms of size etc but I live within 8 miles of where it took place and did not hear/see advertising for it anywhere. If the organisers do read this, I think a media blitz is needed for next time. It's out of town so you need to make sure people know about it and are willing to travel out to see what's going on.

[JBJB]

It's got the potential to be excellent in terms of size etc but I live within 8 miles of where it took place and did not hear/see advertising for it anywhere. If the organisers do read this, I think a media blitz is needed for next time. It's out of town so you need to make sure people know about it and are willing to travel out to see what's going on.


People in Wroughton village hadn't heard about it!!

It didn't help that the first stall that the customer's saw (after paying £5 a head!) was a charity stall selling items in aid of charity. Apparantely they were heard to be saying things like "we're selling in aid of charity, not for profit like the other stalls" :mad:

Don't get me started - I could moan and moan and moan about how poor it was ... :p

[Katianne]

Has anyone done any fairs over the last few months that have proved successful?

[Pauline@weddingtreasures]

oh ask me on Sunday morning and hopefully I can say 'YES'!

Pauline :D

[Mary]

Here is my success story -
I have just come back from doing an evening fair at a a local school. It was only open for 2 1/2 hours and I took half as much again as my previous best ever. At one point they were actually queuing to buy!! I could wish for many more like this, but to be honest, it is lovely just having experienced it once!
So the two best I have done this year have been in a local school (in an admittedly 'good' suburb), and a day in a pub carpark which was part of a village event, again in another 'good' suburb.
absolutely shattered now - off to bed.....:sleep:

[Katianne]

Well done Mary!!!

[Rodeo Lady]

Many Congrats !!!!

You might be shattered but it's a good feeling when it goes well.

Cheers Janice.

[Pauline@weddingtreasures]

Mary, thats great news and like a ray of sunshine for us that have not done so good at craft fairs!

I know of a school fair at the end of this month - complete with a Santa's grotto etc and its only £10 for the table.

The person who told me about it has said that the organisers are not asking for crafters this year - but waiting for them to approach them. The reason for this is because the last couple of years the crafters have been far too expensive.........think she mentioned something like £100 for a handbag etc.

This year, they are looking for crafters that people can 'afford' to buy from - if you know what I mean.

Anyway, after reading your success Mary, I think I may go ahead and book a table at this school christmas fair!!

Pauline :D

[Primmers]

Best of luck at your craft fair!

I think it depends on what type of fair you're off to as to whether people think your goods are expensive.I'm not sure what you make!

Regarding the £100 handbag, I don't think customers carry that kind of cash to craft fairs: maybe the seller took debit cards or cheques.

I would have to really want the bag to go to a cashpoint and get the cash for it, but then I'm not a handbag fan. I have two very, very good ones which last me for ages: I then throw them and buy another two very very good ones.

Most of the fairs I've mooched round have been priced in the kind of money people carry, if you follow me.

The handbag lady had probably costed the bag to include her time, and that's something the customers never think of. And I think, from reading the forum, that many crafters who are selling just to make a bit of extra money, like me ( or in my case, lose it!) don't cost their time in. They cost up the materials and add some on for profit and overheads.

I have a fair on 8th December, but it's not for cards. The organizer already has a cardmaker, and he will only have one of each craft, and there are strict rules - no bought-in stuff, no mass-produced stuff.

So like a ninny I said well, can I come and sell bookmarks and bookplates then? And some super tote/beach bags I made?

Of course, says the organizer. And I hadn't a bookmark to my name at the time.... I have now..... and they take almost as long as a card to make. They're smaller, of course, and cheaper in materials except for some of the sumptuous card I've used, but I still had to sit and think, design, execute and assess the result. And chuck the naff ones.

I have made some little ones for children which I intend to put at the front of the stall - yes, pester-power -out of craft sticks ( OK-they're lolly sticks!). I painted the sticks where the colours weren't too good with non-toxic acrylics. I then glued a little wooden embellishment to the top, then, when dry, varnished with a satin varnish.

I was paranoid about checking all the components for toxicity. I then had the brill idea of sticking dome stickers to card to stiffen them, cut around very close to the sticker, and mounting those on lolly ( sorry, craft) sticks. What a chore that was - I won't make any more of those!:p

These little things, though very pretty and eye-catching, took AGES and AGES to make. A dozen were snapped up by friends for their children, so I'm a dozen down ( with no payment, they're mates after all).

I also made some in a laminator. I laminated sequins, feathers, skeleton leaves and dried flowers and grasses - not all together, you understand -into, variously, credit-card size laminating pouches and A4 pouches ( these guillotine into four bookmarks). And it took hours - laminators aren't the quickest of machines. The results are lovely though, especially the small sequinned ones. I still have to add ribbon tags and beady danglies to those. They look very delicate, but are wipe-clean and quite tough.

I do hope you do well. It can be very disappointing if you don't, but all the events I've been to this summer, be it market, carboot or craft fair, I have enjoyed!:)

[fragg1es]

Can I ask what show you are doing on the 8th? I doing one on the same day in Wellingborough :)

[Mary]

Still on a bit of a high from yesterday - and will have to get very busy now making stuff to replace what I sold ready for the next 5(!) shows I have got before Christmas.

What I really wanted to add was that I took the plunge a few months ago and got myself a credit card machine, and I really believe that has made a difference. As some of you know, I do mostly jewellery with silver, crystals and beads, and having taken Peter's advice I actually put some of my prices UP. So being able to take credit cards meant people were much more able to buy on impulse. The machines and setting them up is not cheap, but I think it has proven itself already.

Anyway, I am telling you all this because I think the combination of smallish local events in good areas, plus being able to take plastic, seems to be a good combination, for me at least. Hopefully it might help when having to made the decisions about what events to do.

(Of course, what will happen now is that I will follow my own advice and do really badly!!! :sm:)

[elsiebob]

hello,

i just wanted to share with you all that i did a school fair on Weds night and took £78, i was very pleased and people even had to pay to get in so i even more surprised!! £18 of my takings was from the lady from the PTA who organised it but it was fun and i met lots of other crafters.

i have only got 2 more fairs booked which are both next week - Friday and Saturday so i am still on the lookout for some more to do.

i am still trying to set up my website (thanks to mr.site) but i need to photograph my stuff again plus i am trying to get a picture of an allium that i can use on the site to match the business cards i have had printed!!!! AAAGGGGHHHH!!!

hope all goes as well for everyone else.

Nadia
:o)

[Primmers]

It's a craft fair in Harborne, Birmingham, at a community centre, I think. The organisers called it Quinborne, because it's on the border of Quinton and Harborne.

I have just asked them if I could take my fabric and felt Christmas decorations as well as the bookmarks and bags, but they said no, as they don't like too many different articles on one table.

I am in touch with Richard Cowley about the Elford Victorian Fair on 1st December, but I need public liability insurance, and having applied for a quote online, got a message from the company that they need to ask me one or two questions and will phone on the next working day - that'll be Monday.

It looks lovely on YouTube, and I would love to go.

Unfortunately OH is pulling a face at the general cost of the insurance - it's about £50 for a year - as so far I just haven't made any profit and in fact am running at a loss. But I've only just this year begun to try out various markets for my cards. I think there's too many cardmakers chasing too few customers.

I've tried a stall at a popular local market (council run), two or three carboot sales, a big craft fair at a community centre, and a Gala Day at a local charity's premises. At not one of them did I make my table money back. Loads and loads of PPP's, remarks about how lovely they are ( well buy one then!)

So you can see why OH is a bit dubious: I haven't done well so far this year and there's a lot of depressing news on this forum! It isn't just cards: it seems to be craft in general.

[fragg1es]

Im soooo worried now about my first craft fair lol and you are not alone with an oh that doesnt appreciate a passion for crafting. I mean how can you explain to a man that its more important than washing his dirty socks or congratulating him on the size of his bogey lol ;) (just joshin about the bogey - honest)

Thing is the more craft fairs you do the more exposure you will get. I'm thinking it will take a year or so to get people used to me being about and what I do. Hopefully then people will come back to me or contact me directly.

My first fair I am selling my jewellery, scarves and candles - im hoping to find a product that sells. If I have to luck I will try something different although I guess alot of people wouldnt want to do that. I tried a carboot but they didnt appreciate they were buying handcrafted goods, they wanted everything for 50p. Its a totally different mentality to craft fairs.

Do you sell anywhere else? If you dont maybe its worth looking into. Maybe even approaching shops, my local post office sells handmade cards and to be frank they are pretty awful.

Good luck with the fair, fingers crossed the christmas buyers turn out in force. :)

[Primmers]

Fragg1es

I haven't tried anywhere else yet, but I might ask my local shop if they will carry some of the cards.

I have decided, reluctantly, to give the Elford fair a miss, as I would have to take £100 to break even. As the goods are relatively low value, I'd have to sell an awful lot of cards to get up to even break-even point, and I am beginning to wonder if I'm looking for a market that isn't there.

I will try some local 'school' type events. The tables are much, much cheaper, and events are usually held regularly.

Unfortunately, I usually see the banners advertising craft fairs the day before they're due to be held, by which time it's usually too late to get a table.

As for washing dirty socks: well, if it was left to me they'd still be dirty!
My OH must be the most unspoiled one in the country. I must admit that I am no housekeeper: housework bores me senseless, and I can usually think of better things to do than hoover and polish. Nevertheless, any housework that is done is usually done by me - OH would sit happily like a pig in a sty for ever, and never see the dust and dog-hair- and I resent it bitterly.

He does iron, though, not only his own but mine as well. I cook, as I don't mind cooking, and he can never quite get the timing right to get all the various components of the meal all ready at the same time! he thinks it's magic or sorcery!:o


I have tried to upload a pic of one of my favourite cards for you to see, but I'm afraid that the KB allowed for a pic on here is so tiny that my program wouldn't take the original pic down that small without it's losing all definition.:confused:

[craftdancer]

Unfortunately, I usually see the banners advertising craft fairs the day before they're due to be held, by which time it's usually too late to get a table.

Make a note of those you see - with the contact details - and contact them in respect of NEXT YEARs event. (I go to one which is always held at the end of November, but they send out the booking forms in April - they're super organised! And I've been to one today - washout re sales, but that's another story - that books stalls several months in advance.)

HTH
Linda

[craftyfoxni]

fragg1es i sell my handmade bags and knitted handbags and bits at craft fairs and i also do some carboot sales over the summer and my usual line is 'i usually sell this at the fairs for x amount but today it is y pounds cheaper' and sometimes you find that if they think their getting a bargin they are well pleased

[Katianne]

I know of a school fair at the end of this month - complete with a Santa's grotto etc and its only £10 for the table.


Pauline - Can you PM me details of this? And does anyone else have details of any school fairs in the Staffs area, running up to xmas? Thanks!

[fragg1es]

fragg1es i sell my handmade bags and knitted handbags and bits at craft fairs and i also do some carboot sales over the summer and my usual line is 'i usually sell this at the fairs for x amount but today it is y pounds cheaper' and sometimes you find that if they think their getting a bargin they are well pleased

I never thought of doing that, its a great idea. :D

[caketopper]

I have tried to upload a pic of one of my favourite cards for you to see, but I'm afraid that the KB allowed for a pic on here is so tiny that my program wouldn't take the original pic down that small without it's losing all definition.

You should upload your pics to flickr or photobucket and post a link to them from here, thats what most of us do :)

[woodtattoos]

I've seen a few people mention school fairs so thought I'd ask a question!

I've got a school fair coming up but I'm beginning to worry that there aren't going to be many other crafters there at all other than me! I'm worried that I might end up being a craft stall in the middle of a jumble sale of second hand toys etc.

I'm wondering whether to go ahead regardless and see what happens, or pull out to build up the stock for my other Christmas craft fairs.

Any suggestions/opinions gratefully received!

Si.

[Primmers]

Thanks Caketopper!

I use Photobucket for my eBay pix.
Just now I'm laid up with a pulled muscle in my shoulder: I'm just soooo bored with not being able to do anything but read ( revise!) that I came on here to see what was going on and it hurts like fury to type: I'll try PB later on if the blessed thing gives me a bit of a break.:mad:

I'm hoping that a heat-pad, rest and cocodamol will clear it up. I wish I knew how I'd done it: I'd feel better! I'm still having physio for a trapped nerve in the other side, so I'm walking round like Quasimodo. It's the bells, it's the bells....

Heigh-ho, back to the sofa with a 47 kilo labrador who truly believes that ALL the sofa belongs to her..... she's the original Primmers. Yep, that's her name.

[caketopper]

Your welcome, I like flickr myself but i think they are both great, hope you get better soon

[Primmers]

Well Caketopper, all isn't wasted today. I've found that I can work on my lap on the sofa making Christmas tree decorations out of fabric and felt. They're all hand-sewn anyway, so I just put all the components on a tray, and because I can't lift my head very well - well, I can but it's really painful - I jusr hold the work down on my lap and I can see perfectly well.
I have to use the table occasionally to cut out new shapes, but at least I'm not bored anymore unless it's with daytime TV. What drivel.

Think I'll concentrate on my sequins and beads, which are FAR more important, being sparkly.

I've just got up to make myself a cup of tea and thought I'd have a look on here while the kettle's boiling.

I'm afraid OH will have to cook tonight: I daresay it'll be spag bol, because when he cooks that's what it always is!

I'll have a go at PB tomorrow: I was trying to load the picture direct from my computer and teh site really didn't like it at all.
I'll have to see if I can remember my PB password. Oh dear.

On Friday night my daughter and I are going to scope out a local, regular event which is held at a nearby community centre. We thought we'd have a recce first to see what it's like, and then perhaps, if it looks OK, take a table next week. It's an evening event and runs from 7-9 p.m.

The tables cost £7, and includes chairs and lighting, I think. I want to see what else is there - like you, I don't want to find myself in the midst of a jumble sale.

On the other hand, I've had real bargains at jumble sales -beaded handbags for the beads, jewellery to be broken up for the beads, embroidery threads, linens etc.

My favourite tablecloth, which I use on my table at craft fairs/other events, was bought from a jumble sale for 50p. It is an eight-foot square of cream Belfast linen, beautifully embroidered around the edges with cottage garden flowers. I think from its design, it must have been made in the 1920's perhaps as part of a bottom drawer, as I had a huge bag full of other embroidered linen from the same sale. I think that they must all have been donated by one family - the work is all clearly by one person -who simply didn't realise the value of what they had. It looked like a house-clearance to me.

Once the cloth was washed, starched and pressed, I realised what a beautiful thing I had. OH, who usually does the ironing, won't touch it in case ( he says) he scorches it, but the truth is I'm so fussy about how it's ironed he won't risk it!;)

[Katianne]

Primmers - the fair you mentioned, is it anywhere near to me?

[icecreamgirl]

Just thought i'd share...
Just done a 'life Style' evening at a hotel..
I know it's not a craft fair but we've done it before and made a killing.
Not so tonight!!
Made the table money (by the skin of our teeth!) but that's it, the numbers were down from last year and no one was buying anything!!
It's bad of me to say it but in a way i was relieved that no one else did very well either, and i can't understand it as there was some really lovely stuff there, local art galleries etc had some little bits and pieces (handmade decs etc) to buy as well as paintings,
I can't understand why people would go and not get their christmas pressies, i'd be in my element at some where like that!! In fact i did buy some tonight which was great as there was some different stuff to the usual shop bought stuff..
On the other hand a friend of mine is a medium and she had a queue all night, she reackons when times are hard people will spend money on readings if nothing else.
Reackon i'll have to get her to teach me!!!!
Hmm on the plus side got a big order earlier today so i don't have to make anything new for that!!

[Primmers]

Katianne

The one my daughter and I are going to recce on Friday?

It's held at Wombourne Community Centre every Friday evening from 7 till 9 I think.

As it's just a couple of hours, I want to see what's involved, what the footfall is etc. It's only a few minutes in the car from me, so I don't lose anything by going and having a look this Friday evening. I'd also like to take a look at what people are buying, and what they're prepared to spend. Most of my stuff is between £1.25 - £2.00, quite low value.

I'm not sure what kind of event it is - is it like an indoor car boot, a jumble sale, what - I don't know.

I'm hoping to be fit to drive by then, well, I'm hoping to be fit by Wednesday when I have to get to hospital for physio!

Jenni ( daughter) and I have a fair on Saturday at Pershore Town Hall. I hope we do better there than at Pelsall, although Pelsall is the best we've done this year. For Pershore I have bought some proper card stands, and provided I arrange them properly we won't look like rabbits down a rabbit-hole! We've all seen stallholders peering out from a fence constructed of display stands!

I've managed to sit and make some Christmas decorations today and have quite a nice little basketful: I've had to keep stopping though when this flippin muscle spasms and scrunches itself up. And I've poked a hole in my finger with the end of the needle: I've had to find out my thimble.

Have you tried to get a table at Quinton/Harborne on 8th December? He's the one who is strict and only allows one of each craft, hence I'm taking bookmarks and bookplates to that one, not cards. He seems very professional.He's already sent me some flyers and some little posters to put up, nicely done ones too, they don't look cheap and nasty.

[fragg1es]

Hey everyone,

Well I did my first craft fair yesterday and it turned out to be a disaster lol

To start with I was placed in a little corrider with one other stall selling jewellery oops I sell jewellery too. There was no heating at all as a fire had cut electricity the day before and the generator could only power the lighting. It was freezing cold really unbearable.

My dad counted 14 jewellery stalls in total OMG :mad: To be honest it was more like a glorified jumble sale, lots of imported goods and some of the stuff looked like it had been doing the rounds for a few years lol It was a shame as some people had some gorgeous stuff. The fair wasnt even advertised well and I guess many people assumed it wouldnt be open so turnout was very poor :confused:

In the end stall holders walked out early demanding their money back and refusing to book for next year.

On a positive note I made my pitch money back and was approached by a lovely lady looking to sell my scarves and jewellery in her new shop. :mf:

So not a total disaster maybe just not the best experience for my first fair. But hey ho I wont be beaten :)

[alisoni]

good for you fragg1es that someone likes your scarves and jewellery for her shop. what a disappointing fair though - it seems pretty standard that there's going to be loads of mass produced jewellery at fairs at the minute.

[caketopper]

Did Pauline say how she got on at the craft fair last week or have i missed that one?

[FireFly_G]

Unfortunatly the last Craft fair that we did (beg of Nov) we didnt even break even :frusty: It was really annoying when there was another table selling mass produced tat. what was even more annoying was when I went to the loo there was a woman trying a necklace on ( from the other stall) asking me if it looked ok grrr :mad:.

I had spent a good three days making lots of Gemstone and glass jewellrey.

I took the remainder of my stuff into work and made just shy of £50 so it wasnt a total waste of time.