Sunday, May 19, 2013

The Craft Fair... Day One

Last night I wanted to come home and post, or sew, but instead I watched an episode of Murder She Wrote on Netflix (yup, I'm nerdy and tired of what's on TV these days) and went to bed before the sun went down.   I realized my camera was still wrapped up with the craft fair stuff for tomorrow and so pictures will come later.

Besides... I was a teensy bit depressed.

I got to the craft fair and set up my shop and it was beautiful.  I wrapped tulle around the tent legs and hung quilts from the side, and used the bright colored nursery fabric I had in the house to drape my tables and I was kind of shocked by how professional it ended up looking, since the tables underneath the draping fabrics were kind of pathetically broken looking on their own.  Then I set up my quilts and the blankets and toy rolls.  I dressed my mannequin and hung my Baby Bath Time Aprons and stood there and waited for the sales to come rolling in.

People arrived.  The area was flooded with shoppers.

Now this isn't my first craft fair.  I've been to small town craft fairs my entire life.  And I've had booths too. I thought that if I easily made $500 at these little craft fairs I would at least easily make back the almost three hundred dollar fee at this giant 60,000 person craft fair.

Two hours in I'd had plenty of people tell me that the quilts were beautiful.  I'd had a grouchy old woman act like $50 for a quilt was ridiculous and another say that a terry cloth bath time apron was a horrible idea and I'd continued to smile politely (as someone who has given a ridiculous number of baby baths in the past five years I can say that it is actually incredibly useful... but it reminded me of the scolding elderly woman at the last craft fair who was offended because "only nuns" should be allowed to sell rosaries...  There's one in every crowd, folks!).

But not a single thing had sold.

As I sat and thought I realized that going with baby items in a town where it feels like a school is closing every five minutes, probably wasn't the best route.  The words:  "Oh these are beautiful, but I don't know any babies..." drifted past my ears repeatedly.

"I should have gone with dog and cat beds," I found myself thinking as strollers with dogs went by.  The booth with paintings of cartoon cats looked like it was doing well.  But no.  I do ultimately make things that I enjoy making, and I'm not really a dog person at all (I know, I know, shocking admission...).

I dropped my prices a bit.  Two quilts and one blanket finally sold.  Patrick and Paul and I sat there, making little shady spots for Patrick as the sun moved, for 12 hours...  I have one more day of the fair today.  I'm hoping for better luck, but I'm not giddy and excited anticipating even a single sale after yesterday.

The prep time in the 10 days before the show was about 120 hours.  Add the twelve hours from yesterday (and none of the work from the two previous months) and I think I made less than 10 cents an hour.  With the two months prep, not counting the booth fee, and we're look at like a penny an hour...

I'm afraid this is my last craft fair...

On the positive side, and I'm really, really searching for a positive side right now, I guess I'm going to have a whole bunch of quilts to post on etsy very, very soon...

22 comments:

  1. I had been waiting for an update from you and I am so sad to hear of your disappointment. Praying that today you will be blessed by a totally different group of crafters who will see the beauty of your work!

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  2. I've been watching Murder she wrote too!

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  3. Oh dear! I am so sorry! I know you have worked so hard! I pray today is a totally different day!

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  4. Oh Cam! Oh I am so, so sorry! I wish I could come shop. Will certainly pray the Holy Spirit light a fire under… I mean within your shoppers today! Hang in there.

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  5. Cam, I really do think that is the way of craft shows, it totally depends on the "audience." It's not the quality of the items you're selling (or at least not in every case), it's whether that particular group of shoppers is looking for what you have. Anyone who thinks that a handmade quilt should be priced lower than you've priced them is far too familiar with shopping at places like Walmart where the people who produce the goods do get paid sweatshop wages. It's great that crafters now have Etsy so they can reach a much larger market.

    I hope today goes better and that you at least make back your booth fee. So sorry that this event that you've been preparing for for so long has turned out to be disappointing.

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  6. Oh, I'm so sorry! Thinking on the bright side, the work that you put into actually making the items will not be lost if they sell on etsy.

    Now I wish I knew a baby to buy something for! I'll be there once the due date of my newest cousin gets a little closer.

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  7. So sorry to hear the first day was a bust. Hoping for better shoppers today. And I'm sure those quilts will sell on etsy!

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  8. So sorry to hear about the fair.........but, at the same time, I'm looking forward to seeing you quilts available for sale online soon!!!!!

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  9. Oh my! Sounds aweful! I am also praying that you have a better day today. Maybe some of those doggies need a new quilt? lol Have a blessed Pentecost!

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  10. I'm so sorry to hear that the fair hasn't gone well for you so far. :( I know how hard you've worked for the last several weeks, and it must be so sad and frustrating to not sell much at the fair after all that.

    If I might make a suggestion, have you considered having a booth at a church's craft fair, preferably a church with a fair number of kids? It seems to me that your gorgeous quilts are exactly the kind of thing that a doting aunt or grandma would love to buy for a niece/nephew/grandbaby, and being at a church craft fair might mean that you'd have a wider customer base that's more tailored to you, if that makes any sense? Also, have you considered perhaps entering some of your quilts in a local quilt show? A friend of mine is a professional quilter, and that's how she gets a lot of her business.

    Best of luck today!

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  11. Have you put up any snoods in your craft fair? You might consider as there may be some orthodox Jewish women who would be interested and it might also bring interest to your shop if you wore a headcovering. Just an idea?
    Don't give up yet, Cam. Look around and see what is selling and maybe that will give you some ideas.

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  12. craft fairs are SO hit or miss. I tend to not go for the expensive ones because it is such a big gamble.

    Hopefully today is better!

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  13. Aww hugs! I'm so sorry the craft fair didn't go as planned. Prayers that today goes better and that everything sells on etsy.

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  14. I am sorry day 1 wasn't as successful as we were all hoping. I can't imagine how disappointing it Was.

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  15. Yep, I've given up doing hand work to sell. People won't pay a fair price. Heck, I have a hard time getting people to pay cost. And I refuse to do all that work and lose money. Hope your Etsy sales go well.

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  16. Maybe it's a regional thing. That kind of stuff sells like hotcakes in Nebraska. But most of us also skip putting dogs in our baby strollers too.

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  17. I'm sorry, Cam, that's so disappointing...

    Definitely praying today is better for you!

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  18. Here's hoping for lots of families with babies and toddlers coming by today!!!

    Marie

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  19. I'm so sorry it has been such a disappointing experience. (hugs) You work so hard!

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  20. I'm sorry to hear your report, Cam. I decided not to sign up for my big fair for next December because I feel like that every single time. When I post my leftover items on Etsy or put them in a local shop, they sell out quickly... but I'm learning that my price range is just not suited to a craft fair in most cities. I took a blanket (very similar to the ones you make) to craft shows for years. Every one loved it but no one ever bought it because I would never drop the price lower than what I thought it was worth. I finally gave it to my baby boy. :) Anyway, don't be down. It's not you or your work. People are really just looking for bargains and don't understand the value of handmade. Blame Walmart...lol. Either that or just can't afford it. Your work is gorgeous, Cam. You'll sell it after the craft show. Happy Pentacost!

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  21. I am so sorry that some people don't know quality when they see it!

    Never fear! Their loss in hand is OUR gain on ETSY!

    Cathleen

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  22. I just wanted to let you know that I enjoy reading your blog, which I follow like 2 years ago! I am also a Catholic mother of 3 small children, 2 girls 1 baby boy. You are a genuine and authentic person and a kind woman. God bless you and your lovely family.

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