My Open House ~ Update

[beadsbydesign]

I had my annual Open House on Wednesday. I had handed out flyers at church, school, and some local events. However, the last farmers market where I usually hand out loads was a windy wet wash out so the leafleting there was poor.
Anyway, the house was eventually set up on Tuesday night and the following morning I was up early printing off signs for the window and the lamp posts.
Official opening was 9.15 and at 9.20 the first people arrived. numbers were very significantly down from last year but there was a steady flow through the morning into the early afternoon. The flast hour and half , no one came at all.
I then shut up until 7pm (so the family could get some tea, music practice and homework)
7pm I had another steady flow until 9pm.
Spending was down by 2/3rds on last year.
It was a really nice day with several complete strangers who'd been informed by someone who came to the market.
pictures are here

[Pebbles]

According to radio 4, spending has increased from the same time last year!

I think they lie!

No, seriously, apparently sales were down 0.1% from last year in September, but the October figures didn't look any different......

Your displays looked lovely, it sounds like you had a busy day!

[autumn rose]

I love your displays, glad you had a good day, what a great idea!

[Autumn Faerie]

Glad you had a successful day, even if takings were down on last year, it's good to know that people are still spending.

Your displays look lovely, the velvet cloth really sets off your items, and your jewellery is gorgeous and I never, ever, thought I'd say that about anything to do with spiders

[Poppy4lee]

What gorgeous displays

[Caroleecrafts]

Well done, I agree takings are down this year, mine on Tuesday, whilst I did well the takings were down about 2/3rds from the previous year.

[Bowed Over]

I don't know how you do it - your set up looks fantastic. I'm having a candle party next Friday in my house. I had one at my friends last year and did good with only 6 people there, I have asked a lot more to my house with neighbours, friends etc so hope they turn up!!! I am soooooo nervous though.

Cheers.

Lisa

[Tip Top]

You are so brave! And it all looks really good!!

Love the spiders!

[auntynet]

Your display looks fab - especially the blue velvet covers . . . . .. . . . . we use that shade of blue velvet to cover the tables on the stall.

[Critchley]

According to radio 4, spending has increased from the same time last year!

I think they lie!

No, seriously, apparently sales were down 0.1% from last year in September, but the October figures didn't look any different......

Your displays looked lovely, it sounds like you had a busy day!

Yes, I heard that too and in the same breath they said that all the pre Christmas sales were NOT due to the credit crunch. And I too have fairies at the bottom of my garden.

BBD
What a terrific display - such variety, just spent a lovely few minutes on your site.

[beadsbydesign]

BBD
What a terrific display - such variety, just spent a lovely few minutes on your site.

thanks!

Thank you all for your comments.
Both carolee and myself found takings down 2/3rds ~ take that Radio 4!!

[fairynuffy]

I need to know...what are Christmas Spiders?

Cx

Looks fab btw!

[beadsbydesign]

I need to know...what are Christmas Spiders?

Cx

Looks fab btw!

My late Gran (a very eccentric lady), always hung up an enormous rubber spider from her ceiling every christmas we just put it down to the excentric personality, but several years ago on an American forum, (yep Peter, you know the place!) some of the girls on there started talking about "christmas spiders". it turns out that there are two ledgends attached to christmas about spiders.
ledgend 1: a lady is clearing her house in preparation for christmas and shoos the spiders from her room with the sweeping brush. She goes about tidying her house and puts up the christmas tree and then feeling very pleased with her efforts, she retires to bed.
As soon as she is gone, the spiders tiptoe (on all 8 legs) downstairs and are amazed to see the tree so beautifully decorated. They crawled from bough to bough gazing at all the lovely things, before they hurried away to hide as the morning was coming. Just before dawn, the christ child enters the room and seeing the tree covered in the greay cobwebs, he took pity on the woman as he knew the great effort she had gone to. He reached out and touched the shrouded tree turning the cobwebs to gold and silver ....... the original tinsel!

The second ledgend concerns the holy family escaping from King Herod. One night as they were on their way to egypt, a storm blew up and they were forced to hide in a cave. It was very cold and the wind was blowing through the enterence. A spider took pity on them and wove a web accross the doorway. Just as he had finished doing so, Herods soldiers arrived and the spider prayed for a miracle to protect the baby. The captain of the soldiers saw the web accross the enterence and scolded the soldiers for their stupidity. Had they not noticed the web, if someone was in the cave the web would have been broken and as it was whole, there was no one in the cave.

[Critchley]

Thankyou. What lovely old yarns. I'm going to hang a spider for sure this Christmas.

[PeggyCrafts]

shame about the lower sales, but I'm glad to hear you had an enjoyable day.