Craft Fair today ..... actually in profit!

[Primmers]

Daughter and I toddled down to Pershore today for a fair in the Town Hall. I booked the table ages ago.

It's a lovely market town with a very middle-class reputation, and I was hoping for a largish fair in a very pretty building.

However, the fair was held in an annexe - which wasn't a problem, as it was light, airy and pleasant, and the organizers had put up good signage.

What didn't help that there were two other fairs in the town that day.

There were only 12 stalls, and of those only three were hand-made goods: mine, a lady making beautiful cards shaped like lanterns, and the organizer herself. The remainder were toiletries and toys - new ones, not jumble-sale stuff.

The table was only £10, and the organizers had arranged for tea/coffee for us, which was a nice touch.

And daughter and I were actually in profit! We only sold one card: the rest came in on bookmarks. And we made - wait for it - 36p!:D

I made an 80 mile round trip, so I'm down on the diesel. Oh, and I spent a bit....

Having said that, the atmosphere was really nice, but we just didn't get the footfall. I don't think that having three in the same small town on one day helped, but that would be beyond the organizer's control.

So if I ignore the diesel, the time, the getting up at crack of dawn and so on, I have to find a way to spend 36p....

[twiggypeasticks]

Hi
Well done, don't spend it all at once :-) seriously though, sounds like you had a fun day and it's good experience for next time. What did you have on your stall? I'd love to have a go in the future when I have a bit more time
Sarah

[Primmers]

We had Christmas cards, some birthday cards, bookmarks and fabric Christmas tree decorations. Most of the customers admired these but sadly no one bought any!

[silversurfer]

I wonder when these experiences will bring profit. I've spent long hours making a ended up in the same boat as primmers, ho hum....

[woodtattoos]

So if I ignore the diesel, the time, the getting up at crack of dawn and so on, I have to find a way to spend 36p....

Hmm, I'd vote for a KitKat or Snickers!!! :D

I've spent hours making extra items for my next few fairs and I'm getting concerned that I won't make the table costs now. Lots of nice Christmassy items to tempt those casual buyers into parting with their hard-earned cash... getting worried now though.

[DebsB]

What a shame Primmers, I know this will sound cliche but chalk it up as experience.
You never know how a fair is going to turn out, but with there being 3 fairs on at the same time you would have thought the organiser would have turned it to their advantage with extra posters posted around the town to bring in the public that were already visiting the other fairs.

[Primmers]

I think I'll go for the KitKat... with a cup of tea.

I will chalk it up to experience - as you say, you never know how a fair will turn out.

I'll be busy making stuff for a fair I have on Saturday ( Silvercat's) and then I have another the following two weeks: ne, I have another two: that will take me up to the 8th December.

Himself is getting grumbly, I do hope he pulls around and gets rid of the long face. After all these years I can read him like a book, and know he can't stay grumbly for very long.

He takes no interest whatever in cards, papercraft, or anything else I do:occasionally, if he thinks Something Big is coming down the line he will come and watch for a while.

What he is brilliant at is practical ideas. He's not the least bit creative himself, but he has great ideas for displaying things - it was his idea to put the cards into pretty baskets lined with crochet lace doilies of which I have hundreds - and to invest in a couple of proper card stands to increase the table-area ( build up, not out!)

He's a whizz on the pooter too, and will spend ages looking for things like pretty fonts, he will resize pictures, make tables for printing labels etc

He is however, getting restless at the expenditure.......:mad:

[bagsandbuttons]

it seems like it was a day to do 'well' ;) !

i had a stall at the closing down of digbeths coach station; what i thought would be a well advertised, and highly frequented event. i was wrong! not one sign outside, so no passers by would have had a clue anyone was inside...and barely any people inside anyway...
luckily it was free to sell, but i sold one item, a £4 makeup bag...but i then spent £4 on buying a scarf from the vintage shop across the road because it was freeeezing!! the two stalls either side of me sold nothing! and everone packed up 2 hours early as every single person had left by 3pm!

i did meet a news reader off bbc midlands news, who was making a farewell speech though, so i guess thats one plus!

xxx

[Primmers]

Well, BAgs, I'll put it down to experience. I've had my KitKat now!

I have had to knuckle down to make some more bookmarks for the fair in Quinton on 8th December: I think the organiser put a thread up on here as he needed a stall or two more, as he was short of a craft or two.

It looks to be very well organised, as he is strict about what he allows - no mass-produced, bought-in stuff and I think only one of each craft.

I am also going to investigate putting things on Etsy: I'm off work today with a horrible cold, coughing and spluttering, and a temperature.

All I really feel like is going back to bed with a couple of hot water bottles, and going back to sleep.

I'm going to Silvercat's fair in Coventry on Saturday and hope to do better there.:)