Thursday 5 December 2013

Advent :: Day five

I have mixed feelings about Craft Fairs or sales of Handmade goods.
I suppose that there are really good ones... like the Selvedge Christmas Fair (I went last week and it was wonderful!) but then they are understandably going to cost a lot to participate. But local fairs... usually involve a lot of standing around in draughty spaces and having to put up with a lot of tutting at the outrageous prices we dare charge for the items that have taken hours to make and then ultimately very few sales.
 
 
But I'm ever optimistic and I like to support local events and so this afternoon I'll be at a local school for two hours and then on Saturday morning I'll be in the Church (very draughty) for the morning.

 
When I booked a table at the school I was asked if I had Christmas items... no, not really! But I have obliged and made one or two bits and pieces...

 
Like these little book jackets. But I've not made too much because if they don't sell I'm stuck with them for another year... I can't see them selling at summer events somehow!

 
So if these don't sell this by Saturday there could be a sudden Etsy update on Sunday... watch this space!

11 comments:

  1. Oh I totally agree with you on craft fairs, I am not a huge fan either! Having said that I'm doing one this evening! !! ;)
    It's a church one (more draughts) but the beauty of this one is they organise it as a community event and the craft fair is an attraction so they don't charge for the tables. It's the only one I do now as I have given up paying to stand in draughts to be tutted at or informed that "they could make it themselves" after having almost dissected the item!!
    Your little books are lovely....good luck with you fairs!
    V xxx

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  2. I find there are very few craft sales here that sell good quality crafts. I'd rather spend the money & get something well-made. I've never sold anything at them myself (although my sister, who does, used to pester me to add to her table). She used to join a group that was very arts oriented and they rented an old Victorian house for their Christmas sales. It was wonderful to walk room to room and see all kinds of beautiful pottery, hand knits, carvings ... you name it! All the rooms were so cozy & well decorated too. I miss that, and have yet to find one to match it. I think your little notebooks are perfect! That's just the thing to keep all your Christmas lists together (I'm big on lists). Wendy x

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  3. You are so right about craft fairs - I used to do several each year at one time. I never did work out how one stallholder managed to sell all her wares. I imagine she bought everything in cheaply and just marked it all up to make a profit for herself. I used to try to keep my prices down which didn't seem to help. I sold four pictures at one fare just after increasing the price!
    Love the little notebooks - great stocking fillers.

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  4. Beautiful little books. Lists are what keeps me sane at this time of year!

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  5. It can be soul destroying at craft stalls, but those books are lovely - at this time of year they should walk away.

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  6. can't imagine you'll have any problem selling those gorgeous little books Gina.

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  7. I was frantically nodding my head in agreement with your opening paragraph and after supporting a particular craft fair for several years I eventually gave up when a handmade, fully lined zippered purse in good quality fabric was considered too much at £2.50.
    I have not bothered for over a year now and may go back to it if the recession improves. Best of luck with your fair and I shall keep an eye on your Etsy shop, just in case you understand. I love hand made gifts, so much better than shop bought.
    xx

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  8. They are lovely Gina, and I hope you are successful at your fair x

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  9. They are lovely Gina. I agree on the craft fair front, people want handmade but simply don't want to pay what handmade costs. My friend and I had a sewing and gossip session this afternoon and both agreed that there was no way we could sell our cross stitch as people wouldn't want to pay for the time we put in to them.
    twiggy

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  10. I hope you have lots of luck with the craft fairs, the notebooks are gorgeous. The weather doesn't sound as if it will help though.

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  11. These are great and I think they'll fly off the table but then I'm saying that because if I saw them at a fair I'd recognise the 'one-off-ness' of them and snap one up. I know everyone is not the same and although I'm doing a fair next week with a friend I have NO expectations whatsoever. Good luck with it and report back!

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