Yes, I am finally going to do my FIRST Craft Fair!!

[utopiapoppy]

Just thought I would announce to the world (well this forum to start with) that I am about to sign up for my FIRST craft fair.

It's at my local Community Centre/Theatre and will be on the 18th November (so I have plenty of time to panic, run around like a headless chicken, oh and hopefully make some more jewellery).

The table is costing me £30 (it's 1m x 2m wide which I think is good) and it's close enough for me to strap all my wears to my back and walk to (I don't drive so may invest in a large suitcase Dell Boy style!)

The fair is in it's 4th year and from what I've heard has gone from strength to strength. I'm willing to pay £30 just to see if my jewellery sucks or not!!

Wish me Luck even though it's months away

Fiona

[lab]

good luck
at least you got plenty of time to stock up
Lois

[KarismaKandles]

First craft fair

Good luck, I sure your jewellery doesnt suck and you will sell loads especially just before christmas.

£30 is quite good especially for an established fair, I have also found local community/school fairs to be good as people know that the money they spend stays in community or school.

Check out schools for local fairs I did a few just before christmas and they were all good and have just been asked back to one for a mother days coffee morning.

[dhumphreysd]

Hi

I am a new member to the forum and, like you, I am looking to take part in my first craft fair this year. Nothing arranged yet but time to build some stock up (stained glass)

Could you give me some idea as to what I need to do.

I have heard that public liability and product liability insurance might be needed. Do you have to register as a proper company and if so, with who?

I would also be interested to know if you get any 'back boards' with the stall to hang stuff from or if you need to supply them yourself. Do you get any covering on the table to show your wares to best effect.

Oh so many questions !!

I'll be happy for any sort of advice

Thanks

Dave

PS - Good luck with the fair !

[Seahorse]

Good luck, must be good to know you ca take yuor wares there with no hassle re transport.

[utopiapoppy]

Ok, maybe I'm a little naive here but...

1. I have no insurance - if people harm themselves with my stock or the stall I'll give them a winnie the pooh elastaplast - I would hope that the venue has insurance? I could be wrong.

2. I am not registered as a company as my jewellery making is only a hobby at the mo (I do have a different 9-5) so I don't see why I should register my hobby as a business until it makes some profit.

3. Obviously I have been thinking of how to display my jewellery on the table. I have designed a workstation/display stand so that I can show off my jewellery and be making some at the same time. All I have to do now is make it!

4. As for my back boards behind the table, these "conference" ones are flippin expensive and I noticed at the last County Show I went to that a lot of people in the craft tent used free-standing garden trellis panels. I have a feeling I would paint them purple, fill the trellis area with cork board and pin my jewellery to it, or posters with offers, and also have my banner at the top.

What do people think to these ideas? As the summer's coming up (hopefully) I would have the opportunity to do a lot of work outside.

Fiona

[craftdancer]

Hi

These are my thoughts on your points/comments/queries - other more seasoned craft fair attenders may or may not agree and I'm sure you will get other views in due course.

1. I have no insurance - if people harm themselves with my stock or the stall I'll give them a winnie the pooh elastaplast - I would hope that the venue has insurance? I could be wrong.

It might be worth checking with the organisers. I have been doing craft fairs for about three years now (around 6 to 8 a year) and have only twice been asked to have insurance. Both times the premises were Council owned but not Council organised; BUT I have done craft fairs at the same premises with other organisers and not been required to have the insurance. Despite being told it was required on those couple of occasions and that certificates would be inspected, no one has ever asked to see proof (although I do have it now).

2. I am not registered as a company as my jewellery making is only a hobby at the mo (I do have a different 9-5) so I don't see why I should register my hobby as a business until it makes some profit.

There's no need to set up a company at all. Your hobby is your hobby and you are legally allowed to make some money from it (last time I checked it was in the region of £800pa) without any Government or Council departments being involved.

I have a part time business as a self employed complementary therapist (as well as 30 hours a week in an office), so I put sales of aromatherapy creams, oils etc through the books, but not the money I take for the sale of needlework and papercraft goods as these are my hobby.

3. Obviously I have been thinking of how to display my jewellery on the table. I have designed a workstation/display stand so that I can show off my jewellery and be making some at the same time. All I have to do now is make it!

Good idea! Many people find it fascinating to see the goods being made and it can encourage them to purchase. I've even had people watching me cross stitching which I do to relieve the boredom if the fair isn't very busy!

4. As for my back boards behind the table, these "conference" ones are flippin expensive and I noticed at the last County Show I went to that a lot of people in the craft tent used free-standing garden trellis panels. I have a feeling I would paint them purple, fill the trellis area with cork board and pin my jewellery to it, or posters with offers, and also have my banner at the top.

Sounds like another good idea. If you don't mind me "nicking" your idea I might investigate something along those lines myself. At the moment I make do with a couple of small display stands on the table and stuff in baskets and trays.

Best of luck with the fair, but don't be disappointed if it isn't a bustling frenzy of buying - they're all different.

Linda

[liz15a]

Hi,

I've done several fairs so thought I would add some info which may help..

I've never needed insurance and havent yet got any, but its something worth thinking about - depends a lot on what you are selling I guess and how much harm it could do if the worst happens. If someone did decide to sue it could be the ruin of you/me/any of us! I was at a fair last year and the guy on the next stall was selling paintings, but his easels kept falling over and almost knocked one young girl out - it could have been very bad indeed.......

I dont know anywhere that supplies table coverings - invest in something that will cover your table down to the floor - makes it look much more professional (but make sure no one can trip over it!!!)

Plan your stall out on your living room floor a week or two before hand (just sellotape out the size of your table) - this will give you an idea of how it looks and whether you have enough stock or not. Try and display pieces on different stands and levels to make your stall more interesting.

And my best pieces of advice are, dont expect any money from it, just hope you can cover your stall fee then anything else is a bonus. My own takings have ranged from £16 to £500 so it definitely varies from one event to another!!! And of course enjoy it!!

[jo's hubby]

Good luyck poppy and do check about the insurance as we live in a litigation society and you would not want to be caught out. Wer have been doing Fairs now for about 4 years off and on and never had anything happen but the insurance is there just in case

[utopiapoppy]

Thank you all for your comments (it's a bit late I know!)

I will definitely take into consideration all your comments.

Fiona

[Fran]

Hi Fiona,

Hope you don't mind some more thoughts on things! it's good that your asking and doing your research.

1. I have no insurance - if people harm themselves with my stock or the stall I'll give them a winnie the pooh elastaplast - I would hope that the venue has insurance? I could be wrong.

Those days are gone!! No one ever gets insurance when they first start out, but I would recommed it when your in a position to get it. With today's climate it's better to be safe than sorry. It depends on the type of event as to whether it's asked for or not!
For instance: a small local run craft fair at the village hall wouldn't. A larger venue like 'The Royal Highland Show' would ask for you to send in a copy of your certificate along with your application. Regarding the venue having insurance, they should have but that would only cover anything that happened as a direct result of what they did or didn't do, it would not cover crafters/vendors at all. GM Imber Ltd offers insurance at £50 per year for an unlimited number of shows

2. I am not registered as a company as my jewellery making is only a hobby at the mo (I do have a different 9-5) so I don't see why I should register my hobby as a business until it makes some profit.

Many people think that and it's got a very good friend of mine into trouble. He paid expensively for those thoughts.

Your entitled to have a hobby and sell it but I would advise you to let the Inland Revenue know this, they can tell you how much your allowed to 'earn' before it has any effect on NI and Tax or earnings on your full time work. Another reason I advise you to let them know is that, it only takes one nasty person to report you to Inland Revenue for 'earning on the fly'
You can call Inland Revenue for advise without saying who you are, tell them you are considering selling your hobby in order to keep the hobby going, listen to the advise and take it from there.

3. Obviously I have been thinking of how to display my jewellery on the table. I have designed a workstation/display stand so that I can show off my jewellery and be making some at the same time. All I have to do now is make it!

Sounds interesting! only thing I can think of here is that venues will have tables of different sizes, so you might want to take that into consideration too. When space allows I tend to have a small table to the side and work away.

4. As for my back boards behind the table, these "conference" ones are flippin expensive and I noticed at the last County Show I went to that a lot of people in the craft tent used free-standing garden trellis panels. I have a feeling I would paint them purple, fill the trellis area with cork board and pin my jewellery to it, or posters with offers, and also have my banner at the top.

Does sound like a really interesting display, I love to see all the different display ideas and the really clever way people bring them together.


Good luck!!! and earn lots!!!!

[utopiapoppy]

Well it's been a little while now, and I've managed to make some more jewellery whilst also working 50 hours a week!

I've come to the point where I'd like to start pricing my jewellery.

Which is why I would like to ask all you crafters out there, am I better off pricing in whole pounds, i.e. £4 or with the fiddly 99p, i.e. £3.99?

All comments would be gratefully received, as I have no idea.

I know the idea of £X.99 makes people think it's cheaper, but does it really work? Let me know please.

Fiona

[Fran]

I work with for £x.00 & £x.50, my reason is purely to do with carrying less change.

The £x.99 idea was not originally meant to make people thing things are cheaper. It was brought in by shop keepers as a direct result of staff not putting money through the till, so by having items at £x.99 then the clerk had to ring up on the till in order to give the customer the 1p change. It was a bonus when the people thought things sounded cheaper at £x.99

The idea still works today!

[utopiapoppy]

Thanks for all your helpful comments.

I am getting so excited about this craft fair and I've still got 5 and a half months to go! I'm going to run out of steam if I'm not careful!

Just to update you...
I've bought 2 briefcase style display cases off Ebay which fold out into 3 panels for displaying jewellery. They look very professional and I'm well chuffed with them. I'm also getting a glass-topped ring tray and 2 T-bar bangle stands - all in black. I've ordered some business cards from vistaprint (one of their many special offers that they keep emailing me about), and some business card magnets with calendar on (they were freebies) for free gifts.

I've decided against any back display boards for my first craft fair, thinking that the money I've put in so far is more than enough and any profit I make at the fair I will use to buy more display things.

I'm pricing things in 50p and whole pound denominations as I will be carrying everything to the fair in a large suitcase, and the less change the better!

I've also invested in some gorgeous deep red organza gift pouches, clear plastic "crystal cut" gift boxes, and the usual handmade paper bags.

Because of my overwhelming enthusiasm I think I've made enough extra stock already, but there's no harm in making more. And then all I've got to do is buy some purple crushed velvet to cover the table!

Wow! All I've got to do now is be patient for 5 months! If anyone thinks I've missed anything out - let me know, give me something to do!! lol

Fiona

[beadsbydesign]

Sounds like you have it covered.. DON'T FORGET MIRRORS!!!
I always price up in whole pounds and fifty p's as well. But for me it has nothing to do with the amount to carry around......it's the ease of adding up!!!
Hope you do well. Let us know how you get on. Have fun!!