May 27, 2010

Where have I been?

I just love how life goes. Totally unexpectedly.
Anyway, after the last few posts, you all probably figured that I was too busy doing other things to post.......
But truth be told, I have been too busy TATTING!
Long story short, I have a friend who offered to team up with me and do a craft show (she has a scrapbooking business called JustYesterday. you can find her on etsy under that name) Anyway, there was a small show coming up, and after not much thought (!) I agreed to go for it even though it was only a week away. How hard could it be? (Mwahahahahaaa)
So, I spent the entire next week (to the neglect of almost all housework) preparing. I got in a mad frenzy and made all new packaging and earring cards, built some display, ordered some display, and went to five stores to find all the stuff I needed, and I pretty much doubled my inventory of Jewelry!
I can't beleive that I got it all done, and it would not have been so had my hubby not stepped up to the plate majorly with the kids and the house. He let me sit in my chair and tat like crazy! I made a gazillion pairs of earrings, 6 pairs of hairclips, four haircombs, two bracelets, and at least one necklace.


Here is one of the new things that came from all this productivity.....a darling little haircomb with some swarovski sparkle thrown in for good measure. It didn't actually make it to the show, my step-mom saw it and had to have it :-)

Anyway, here you can see my display at the show. The earring rack is from a seller on etsy, Wulds workshop. My Grandma (the one who went to shuttlebirds with me) got it for me as a gift. The wire thing in the middle holding the hairclips is a little silver stand that I found at a garage sale across the street just a few days before the craft sale, such luck because usually I don't make time to go to garage sales! The stand on the right that is on the blue riser is what hubby and I put together with stuff from the wood section from joann.

The show was fun, albiet not as profitable as I would have liked. (I little more than broke even) It turned out to be more than half direct sales (partylite, arbonne, avon,....you name it, they were there) Now I have nothing against direct sales, but it's hard for handicrafts to compete with all the "special deals" and whatnot that they offer. That's a whole other topic..... Anyway, the friend I mentioned who shared the table with me, is someone I hadn't seen in a long time. So we got to catch up and make plans for future craft shows, and we also made friends with another etsy seller who was there. So I would not call the effort a loss. I'm all prepped for upcoming craft shows, and I'm motivated to try and see if I can contribute a little income by putting some more effort into the etsy shop. In fact, a new display piece should be here today, so I should be able to get some lovely new photos.


Thank you all for your kind comments, I so love to hear from you.





14 comments:

Sally Kerson said...

Firstly Krystle well done for managing to get such a great display finished in such a short time. Many years ago we used to take part in craft shows but found that people were not prepared to pay for hand made goods, which was a big disapointment. Hopefully now the tide is turning and people appreciate the work that is put into handicrafts. I hope so and wish you all the best for the future, whether it be with crafts shows or by selling through Etsy.

Paula C. said...

That hair comb is beautiful!!! Your display looks very nice too! Maybe you would have better luck at a craft fair closer to Christmas. Everything you make is so pretty!

God's Kid said...

Hi Krystle,
I just have to say that the hair comb is awesomely beautiful! I love it! And from what I can see on the display table, you sure had to have caught some attention with all that beautiful stuff even if though they weren't the cheaper manufactured stuff :D I think it looks great and would have loved to have seen it all in person. Keep up the good work! :) Have a great day! And special blessings to your whole family!!!

Fox said...

That is one fine-lloking craft display! Well done, Krystle. Very, very impressive.

I look forward to seeing some of those pieces on your blog, sometime when you find the time!

So good to see you here in blogging Tat-land!
Fox : )

Miranda said...

What a great display you set up! I wonder if there are craft shows near you that ban the direct sales people; I mean, if they're going to call it a craft show, I would expect handmade items, but that's just me.

Marilee Rockley said...

Beautiful display! Do make more of that hair comb design, it's stunning!

Tat-a-Renda said...

You managed a lot in the short time, and a lovely collection too.

Tattin' Kat said...

That is a beautiful display!!

Kathy Niklewicz said...

I'm kind of smiling here because you're now getting deeper and deeper into the trenches!

This is how it starts, with one little craft fair! It ends up loading up the van with tables, linens (in a rolling suitcase), displays, boxes with your stash, gift bags, dollhouse, Christmas tree - oh wait, that's ME!!! But I started out with one little tatting basket with shuttle and ball for demonstrating, and nothing to sell. Then I sold three snowflakes, and I was off and running for several years! Have to admit, though, that I never really broke even! I just enjoyed that someone wanted to purchase something I made! And I do love demonstrating!

I also tatted in the wee hours and up to the last minute! I no longer can keep up that pace and don't make that many things to sell anymore.

But I know YOU are up to it, because you're three people!!

Your display looks very professional, and I like the book with the photos. All your ideas are amazing, and I LOVE the hair clip!

P.S. Our husbands are unsung heroes! My DH even helps me set up and often talks to visitors, too.

Tatskool said...

That was a GREAT achievement and worth the effort. I bet yob got a great buzzzz out of doing it, What a pity that you didn't get to go tho'.

IsDihara said...

Your display is engaging and draws people in. Once they are in, they should be drooling over your incredible lewelry and accessories! Well done, Krystledawne!

Unknown said...

Like you said, craft shows are fun to do and you can make a little money, too. I agree that closer to Christmas, you will do much better. Don't be discouraged.

You can always teach tatting, too. I have taught many people to tat and made some good money doing it. If you had 4 students at a time and charged $20 each for a 2-hour session, it's worth the time, right?

victats@gmail.com said...

The hair comb is lovely- no wonder it didn't make it to the craft sale! You display looked modern and professional. I find that alot of the so called craft shows aren't really craft shows. In fact it really pisses me off to go to a craft show and have no actual crafts displayed. Most of the time its mass manufactured junk.

Krystle said...

@victats--I know! Handmade is better!~