Usbourne Books?

[BeyondBeads]

Hi all,

Advice and thoughts required.....

I have been approached by an Usbourne books representitive who is interested in a stall at the fair i am orgainising. My plan is to keep it strictly to individuals hand making items. However, with something like books it's difficult as people don't tend to make them themselves so they wouldn't be in competition with other legitimate crafters and it would be nice to have something a bit different.

What do people think in this case?

Thanks,
Laura

[Apple Tree Crafts]

It's Up To You....

...It is a bit of a dilemma.

We've been approached by someone selling japanese kitchen implements, an Usbourne seller, and a woman selling Party plan scrapbooking parties.

The Usbourne seller was lovely, and wasn't at all offended when I explained our ethos. The kitchen tools lady was ok, but a tad miffed when I turned her away.

The Party plan woman was on the phone for an hour! Alarm bells started ringing about 5 minutes into the call, and after an hour or so's banal chat she finally admitted what she was selling. I was politeness personified, but it got my goat because she was prepared to go to any lengths rather than just tell the truth.

I'm all for promoting reading, and my kids loved the Usbourne books, and I'm all for promoting crafts and getting more people involved in taking up crafts. But we decided that our Fairs were just for Crafters, so they weren't appropriate stallholders.

BUT this is your Fair..you have to decide. You could ask them if you could put them on a list, and call them if you have spare tables to fill but explain that you want a craft fair mainly for crafters. The books would be appropriate, as it's a school.

BTW I tried hard to be able to do this Fair, but I'm supposed to be shop sitting for my MinL. I can get Himself to shopsit, but I can't get to BS because I can't drive....asked my sister if she wanted to do it (she drives) with her glass painting, which is lovely, but she's got a wedding that day. Seems lots of people wil be getting married on 07/07/07!!

Would much rather do your craft fair than sit in a boring fabric shop - I love fabric, but this lot's dreary.....no taste at all!


Jules

[Apple Tree Crafts]

Ooohhhh!

Mega long post....wake up y'all......sorry!

Jules

[euston-74]

Sighhhh...

Oh, I get so sad when I hear about people in the party plan line who are all coy like this! We have tried so hard to be upfront about what we do - just good honest parties for fun - no recruiting, heavy selling etc - but I fear sometimes we get tarred with the same brush!
I am doing a local craft fair in November (!), I'll be using it to introduce my parties BUT also offering a kiddy orientated make and take to keep the kids amused. I think if someone is good enough to let me into a predominatly handcrafted only show I should give something back.
Having said that - I'd consider having some of these 'alternative' stalls for variety - but I'd see if I could fill the hall with crafters first.
Mel

[0103media]

Everyone needs to eat and drink so do you allow food stalls ..

Good debait..


I think the best way to think about issuse like this is "does it do what is says on the tin"

If its a "handmade crafts fair" then handmade only..

You need to pick a direction.. Best to do it ASAP and just stick with it..

IMHO!

[BeyondBeads]

Thanks for all the advice!

It is a dilemma as i originally set out to have purely handcrafted items. I certainly wont allow mass produced cards or candles or cosmetics or the likes but books is a different matter.

I am thinking of approaching a face painter and a manicurist or the likes to draw people in too. So, if i say no to the books do i scrap the idea for other wares which aren't handmade items.......

At the end of the day i want to draw as many people in as possible for the good of everyone so it really is a dilemma!

I will be having tea and cakes etc, i for one can't go a day without a cuppa!!!

Thanks,
Laura

[BeyondBeads]

Oh and Jules, i'd love to have you there too!

July really is prime time for weddings it's true!

[beadsbydesign]

Someone who manicures is using a skill or art form. They could not do it if they did not have the flair. The face painter is using their own artistic processes. I see books as no different to phoenix cards (the bain of my life!), virgin vie etc. They are not offering any craft / art in selling their product. Stand true to your ideals and say NO!!

[beadsbydesign]

Tea is made by someone and so are cakes therefore they are art!! (in a loose sense! LOL)

[icecreamgirl]

The trouble with letting in osbourne books or anything similar is that the public may be spending money with them that they would otherwise have spent at a craft stall.If you get yourself a reputation with the crafters as someone letting in non-crafters you will struggle in the future to find stall holders.just a thought....

[BeyondBeads]

I hadn't thought about that - people spending all their dosh on books rather than crafts! Not good!

My other concern is that if i take one i will be inundated with offers from the others and i'm certainly not interested in any of them!

There is already a craft and traders fair at the school on a regular basis and as a stall holder i was dissapointed to see that the majority of stalls were held by companies.

I think you are right though, all the other things in their own way involve a skill of some kind. So, i think i will go with my gut instinct and stick with my original conception for now! That will set me apart from the other event at the school too.

Thanks for all your advice,
Laura

[handmadeheaven.biz]

Not sure if this has been and gone but I actually work for Usborne as a book designer. Probably shouldn't put my twopenneth in but books aren't really handmade crafts are they?! Facepainting etc isn't either but fits as it is a hand-created skill by the artist themselves.

PS: Loving all the different spellings of Usborne! We have many variations when we get sent things so it's not uncommon. I'm always surprised by the job applicants we have who spell it wrong!! Like you would! lol!!!

[goldy1]

No they are comercial end of discusion.
One thing I hate when I go to craft fairs is seeing a table full of stuff that is clearly not handmade by a Crafter.
That goes for jewelry that is just mass produced and cheap. It maybe handmade but on a production line. The public may not be able to tell but I can.
sorry end of rant.
If I go to a fair and it's like that I won't bother going again.

[Katianne]

I agree...

...with what everyone is is saying - if you want to keep it all handmade then the books don't really fit into this. Up to you but I agree with everyone. Cakes, face painting, nails - all artistic and crafty as far as I'm concerned. I also think these are really good ideas and adds that extra variety and bit of fun to you event.

[BeyondBeads]

I thought long and hard about this one and asked loadsa people their opinions! And yes, i eventually decided that whilst it would be something a little different it wasn't true to my original idea of a purely 'craft' fair. I was also worried that the floodgates might open if i didn't take a strict yes or no line.

Laura