getting ready for my first craft fair.

**heaven** · 10-25-2002, 11:04 AM

Okay the craft fair at the catholic church is 24th of Nov. i have just under a month. i need ideas to make this go off right. I have soaps i am doing, and some of Lori's little bag things, thought i would do a couple of baskets and i have the wreaths, okay now i need ideas. (Oh and i have two of Lori's snowman cookie jars) THANKS LORI for all of the ideas. I want this to go off well though and it is going to be a tough crowd, (i know the town.) so i need to decide how much to sell for and a few more things to do. Any ideas. TIA. Heaven
And i am debating on the lanterns that lori did too, i don't know if i should sell or send to my mum.

**captclearance** · 10-25-2002, 11:11 AM

The little bags I sell for $1.00 each.... I sell hundreds of them !!!!
The gallon sized snowman cookie jars I get $15.00 each ......
Tell us what kind of craft supplies for have.....
Do you have a food dehydrater ?????
The oil lamps sell for between 7.00 for very small (like those tiny bottle with corks that you get at walmart for 2/1.00 all the way up to 50.00 for very large jars...... about $12.00 to $15.00 for the mason jar ones....

**heaven** · 10-25-2002, 11:14 AM

i have a ton of soaps, soapcicles, blocks of soaps, jars of bathsalts.
i can make up just about anything i just can't think of anything. thanks for the prices.

**heaven** · 10-25-2002, 11:15 AM

sorry yes i do have a dehydrator by the way Dah. oh candles and tarts too. forgot those.

**Patchworkgirl** · 10-25-2002, 12:42 PM

I don't have any ideas to offer, but just wanted to wish you luck!!

**MJsLady** · 10-25-2002, 01:27 PM

Good luck Heaven!
One thing, try to do stuff thats different from the others. I hate the creft fairs where all the folks decide, "hey this is a hot craft" and they all do the same thing!
Wish i could be there i would buy from you!
Hey anything that doesn't sell put in the auctions!

**homesteadmamma** · 10-25-2002, 01:57 PM

Heaven, wishing you good luck. I remember my first craft sale and I was a nervous reck. It went over really well though and I made a nice little sum.

- make things others don't have like MJsLady said. I too hate craft sales where everything is the same.

- price reasonable and you'll get lots of sales.

- make some business cards. We get so much repeat business by having had business cards. Even if you don't get another sale from them, your getting exposure.

- have lots of change!!!! Invariably, someone will want to hand you a $20 for a $1.00 things.

That is one thing that really gets me.

- have fun. This has got to be the biggest pointer I can give you. It needs to be fun because once its not, then you become a basket case and it just isn't worth the hassle. Always remember THERE IS ANOTHER CRAFT SALE I CAN ATTEND if this one doesn't work!! DON'T GET DISCOURAGED if the sales aren't what you expect them to be - There is always another craft sale.

- Keep track of what you sale. I always bring a book with me that way I can remember what is "hot" and what isn't. I also will write down comments others make. I will also mark down prices that I see of something I might make so I know roughly what to charge. Having a book with you, if someone wants to make an order, you can immediately write their name down.

Good luck!!

**heaven** · 10-25-2002, 02:12 PM

thanks guys we just found another one in the paper, the week before but it is $30. per table verses 10 here in town. i don't know if i can make enough to cover that much. How much is too much for a table?

**~Sherry~** · 10-25-2002, 02:23 PM

I don't know much about this, heaven. Just wanted to wish you luck. Thanks for asking all of this, it will be useful for me since I want to do these next year.

**MJsLady** · 10-25-2002, 02:29 PM

One more thing Heaven As CJ said have fun! I I see a sour puss at a table I won't stop. If i see a smiley sorta chatty person I do stop! and thats where i spend money if the prices are reasonable

**homesteadmamma** · 10-25-2002, 05:08 PM

Heaven in regards to the table rental. I always look at a couple of things for a table.

- where will you be. On a wall isle (which I prefer), down the middle or in some little place where there isn't much traffic. Find that out first.

- I live in Canada and have never paid more than $25 for a table and they have to be wall tables.

- You always need to make sure you'll cover your table rental. In most cases you do, but if you feel you won't sell $30.00 worth of stuff, then I wouldn't pay $30.00 for a table.

There is another thing here I always do about craft sales. I know some would probably disagree BUT I do not go to the huge craft sales. I find them crowded, the tables very costly and most of the stuff way overpriced. If you don't price things high, then your sort of snubbed!! kwim. I love the smaller craft sales where you get to meet the customers, share your craft with them and it just basically is such a different atmosphere. (At least that is what I've found so far.)

Also on this craft stuff - keep a list of the different craft sales you see advertised. Being as its getting late and you probably won't get into most, mark them down and the contact person and number. Late next summer, contact those people. They may not be the contact person anymore, but they can usually tell you who is. Then begin to book tables. If you don't do this this year, you'll find you forget where many of them are.

Another thing to do, if you can't get to many this year as a seller, go as a customer. Get the feel of the place and the feel of the vendors along with the customers. Does it feel like a friendly place, one where you can sell your crafts and one where you feel comfortable with. I did this the year before we started craft sales and I found out the ones I for sure didn't want to go too. Also I wrote down prices, albeit on my hands but again I had a good range then of prices.

HTH

**MJsLady** · 10-27-2002, 12:35 AM

My step mom ( I just thought of this!) Used to do ceramics before daddy died. She said the local walmarts had sales in their parking lots and she sold more there than the other big sales. From what I gaterd though most times she broke even or a little better.
She did it just to cover her cigs, and daddy did it to just get out some after he retired.

**heaven** · 10-27-2002, 12:43 AM

to tell the truth if i sell nothing, i should think at least i am out of the house, but i would be totally devastated, I fear rejection too. I am so sad i know.

but i am going to try it, at least the one here in town that is 10$.