Thank you for all your good wishes last week, and ideas, and support! It worked!
I spent the week sewing like a mad thing, and getting organised (apart from a day in Dublin on Tuesday, but that's another post!). I managed to gather together a fair selection of items, from small low priced to lap and baby quilts.
Saturday morning Middlest came with me, and spent most of the day with me too, and we met the people and set ourselves up. I counted 18 stalls, several artists and photographers, candles, woodwork, calligraphy, cards, and some textiles like myself.
There was a steady stream of people throughout the day, mid-morning and mid-afternoon being the busiest, and many of the stalls did quite a brisk trade, I'm told. There was a good bit of interest in everything, and lots of questions and chat from people. Several friends stopped by to sit and chat for a while, which was really lovely of them, and anyone I knew stopped to chat too- I caught up on a LOT of people !!
It was a pleasant enough day,except for the fact I only sold one item, for €6- a decorated tea-towel! The family keeps saying 'put it down to experience'. Huh! Some experiences one can do without!
Ah well. The Hub thinks I should just draw in my horns and call it a day. He's been fed up with the sewing and mess for about twenty years now, I think he reckons I've had a good enough innings and my time would be better spent concentrating on him...ummmmm....
Well, we''ll see. I closed the Etsy Shops for the day, just on the off chance I sold the same thing twice, ha ha, but I'm thinking I'll leave them closed for August and do some thinking...and possibly some tidying and clearing too. My sewing machine could do with a serious clean and oiling, I broke three needles last week, and at least one I think might have been because of built up of lint as well as the thick fabric.
Later in the week I'll tell you about Tuesday in Dublin as it was a lovely day out!
5 comments:
What a shame that you sold so little after all your hard work, but it's good to hear that you managed to get there. I took a table at a craft fair recently and only sold one teensy pincushion, so didn't even make my table money back. I'm taking a table at a Christmas craft fair and plan to make some small items for it, so we'll see what happens.
Better luck next time!
Heckety, I used to go to craft and antque shows. I found that there was no rhyme nor reason as to whether it was a success for me or not. The difference in the results were staggering. My first show with Art and Soul -- the table cost me $35 and I sold almost $1,000 in less than 3 hours! By the third year, the cost of a table was up to $300 (!!!) and I sold $700 in goods -- just enough to pay my daughter for her help, my gas and hotel room. So it was a washout:) I find all the loading and setting up to be too physically demanding. Is there a shop where you could rent a stall space or sell on consignment? I think those are easier options....
It isn't just about the selling, it is also about the networking, people get to know what you're about and they know where to head next time they are after gifts and what nots.
Besides every woman needs a hobby that makes her happy!!
Hope you are otherwise well, sorry I haven't been by lately struggling to find time for blogging! This parent gig is just as hard as I'd expected but harder than I'd anticipated!!
:) Hazel
OK I agree with Trishia there is no rhyme or reason for one it's great another it's lousy. But the networking Hazel talked about is good too. I find smaller, less expensive items sometimes sell better.
As far as hubs......just let him know sewing = sanity...we all as women need just a little something just for ourselves...and BTW I've already told my hubby I want a new sewing machine for Christmas :)
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