Not too shabby don't you think? I've certainly increased my wares since last year's Bizarre Bazaar shows and being located right next to the farmer's market meant lots of walk by traffic too! My paper pennant flags I whipped up last year bit the dust with all the wind storms in Kamloops so I upgraded to a laminated version this time:
I think I need to make a few more triangles to get the banner to fill the space a bit better, but it certainly did the job for the mean time! And even though I didn't snap any good pics of the church yard, trust me, it was a great day. I'll have to try to take a few more images for you next time so you can see the fountain, gazebo, and gardens they have! It was so pretty!
Ok - back to the crafts, it was my first show in Kamloops with some of my crafts I made for the Kelowna shows (like my mustaches, felt earrings, and stickers) and it was quite the challenge fitting it all in. I experimented with setting up my new photo/memo clips and ended up just laying them on the table:
I figured the clips would have to be horizontal so you can see the illustrations on them and they did a great job of adding some colourful pops to the table. And speaking of horizontal...I ended up adding a little side table to my display to lay my cozies on since the wind was just too much to have them propped up. Oh! You can see my wands in this shot too:
I'm still not totally sold if that added on table is the best way to show off my items but it is concealed with matching table cloth so it could be worse.
As for the sales, it was a super slow start. I am going to blame the slowness on it being the day after Canada Day so after a night of fireworks and partying most families were spending their Saturday's recovering and sleeping in. As the day progressed the sun popped out (hooray!) and things got a bit busier. I sold a few items (some cabochon studs, stickers, buttons, and rings) and had loads of positive comments on my items! No one understood what my french press cozies were (even though they were labeled - I guess Bodem coffee makers aren't that popular) so I think I will have to move them for next time. I also didn't sell nearly as many pocket mirrors as I have in the past so it might be time to rethink their display too! I didn't sell a single smiling wand (and they kept falling over in the wind) so I think I'll get some glass rocks to weigh them down next time and hopefully by my next show people will be ready to spend their moolah on my handcrafted goodies!
I also really wanted to show you some pics of me and my table/items/outfit but my lupus rash has taken over the bottom half of my face again and although Fraser is a wonderful helper (he set the tent up, carried all the heavy stuff, and ran back home to get my phone and bookmarks I forgot), he is an awful photographer and the blurry/unflattering pictures I had of me on Saturday were just too dreadful to share. Not even photoshop could fix those babies. Boo. I think I'll need to ask some semi-pro photo takers to come snap some shots for me next time (hint hint Kate or Quinn - I'll pay you in rose rings!). Hehe.
The next two Saturdays I am attending weddings so I won't be back at the market until the 23rd. I've got loads of crafty supplies that should be arriving in the mail soon (since the postal strike is over and all) so I'm really hoping I'll have some new goodies to peddle at my next sale! Any suggestions or thoughts on how I can improve? Any tips for display set up? New goods? Advertising? Photography? So much to do! What do you think?
You'd think a guy with a fine arts degree would be a better photographer. In fact, Neal is a photographer, and he sucks at taking snapshots of people. I'll come on the 23rd and take pics of you, and you can take some of me. We can even make duck lips.
ReplyDeleteYour display looks amazing. I don't know all that much about these things, but I wouldn't worry about changing your pocket mirror design too much until you've been there another week. Like you said, this was probably a slow day in general - and if the weather's not awesome, people tend to stay in. I think people like to look at products and then come back to buy them another week, so you might notice those people who were complimenting you busting out their wallets the next time around. It's too bad you're at weddings the next two weekends because that's when I would guess those complimenters would be looking for purchases.
Speaking of weddings, I think those magic wands would make awesome wedding favours. And as for your tent - WOW!!! It's huge and awesome.
I think you're display is fantastic! I have seen literally hundreds of crafty/artisan displays and your is definitely one of the best! I agree with Lesliejm-not selling pocket mirrors may have nothin to do with the display-it was the day after Art in the Park so people may have spent all their crafty money for the week!
ReplyDeleteYour Dad always says that on long weekends in Kamloops everybody leaves town to go the the lakes etc in the area so that could be part of the problem of not many sales too. Is that a run on sentence?
ReplyDeleteAaw, fun! Your table looks super-cute! :) and as for the french press cozies, have you thought about having a demo (empty) french press out, with one on it? I found this is helpful for my coffee cozies, at fairs - they get to see it in action!
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