[Nicole]

I have always wanted to participate in a craft fair and sell my cards there. I want to get a booth and set up my little shop for the weekend. Have any of you ever participated in one? If yes did you only sell cards or do you also make other crafty things? If it is just cards do you know approximately how many cards you had to make for it?

I always look at the fairs and consider signing up but then I never go through with it! lol I need TIPS!!!

[christianscrappergal]

I'm like you Nicole ~ never done it but would really like to try. I don't even know how to find the craft fairs around here. I've tried looking online and I find lots of mom-to-mom sales (I'm not a mom). And then there are the many festival type events that cost a fortune to rent a table (anywhere from $200 to $600 per event). Way out of my league for somebody who just wants to get started.

I guess I haven't really answered any of your questions because I'm still learning myself.

[Nicole]

christianscrappergal, on 13 April 2010 - 06:12 AM, said:

I'm like you Nicole ~ never done it but would really like to try. I don't even know how to find the craft fairs around here. I've tried looking online and I find lots of mom-to-mom sales (I'm not a mom). And then there are the many festival type events that cost a fortune to rent a table (anywhere from $200 to $600 per event). Way out of my league for somebody who just wants to get started.

I guess I haven't really answered any of your questions because I'm still learning myself.

sounds like we are in the same boat! A lot of the ones I have found want you to submit some work, ok that is fine but then also a photo of your setup/booth. The only problem I have with that is we live in downtown chicago with no yard! So I have nowhere to set up a booth just to take a photo! ahhhhh lol I dont want anything fancy, I just want to sell some cards! There is one by my inlaws in WI in the fall, I think I may look into that and see if my MIL wants to do a booth with me because she is a painter. We can share a booth!

[christianscrappergal]

I just signed up for a Mom-to-Mom sale. It's 4 hours on a Saturday morning in May. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Nicole]

thanks!!! Let me know! Have fun!

[Sherlinn]

Nicole, on 16 April 2010 - 06:35 AM, said:

thanks!!! Let me know! Have fun!

I have done this several times - - a couple I rented a spot at a Christmas Craft Faire - - didn't really do well - - the folks that came wanted inexpensive little things - so after doing that two years - I didn't go back to it.

I have done a craft faire at a house a couple times also - paid a certain amount and then a percentage - one year I did well, the next I didn't.

I have gone into Retirement places - and a couple times I have done exceptionally well, got a couple custom orders, and another time, it wasn't even worth my time or energy.

I live in a smaller town - blue collar workers - so handmade cards aren't the sort of thing they "go" for. I need to really plan a good setting so I can sell off a lot of the cards I have on hand. I probably have over 100 that I have made - - maybe even more - - I just like to make them! I have, however, sold some at garage sales - - that is a funny spot - but I always sell a few!

[Nicole]

Sherlinn, on 21 April 2010 - 04:23 PM, said:

I have done this several times - - a couple I rented a spot at a Christmas Craft Faire - - didn't really do well - - the folks that came wanted inexpensive little things - so after doing that two years - I didn't go back to it.

I have done a craft faire at a house a couple times also - paid a certain amount and then a percentage - one year I did well, the next I didn't.

I have gone into Retirement places - and a couple times I have done exceptionally well, got a couple custom orders, and another time, it wasn't even worth my time or energy.

I live in a smaller town - blue collar workers - so handmade cards aren't the sort of thing they "go" for. I need to really plan a good setting so I can sell off a lot of the cards I have on hand. I probably have over 100 that I have made - - maybe even more - - I just like to make them! I have, however, sold some at garage sales - - that is a funny spot - but I always sell a few!

My mother in law had a similar experience as you explained above....so I am going back and forth. I would really hate my first one to be a bust! lol so we will see. There is one by my inlaws in the fall when the guys go hunting. She said she would help me out..but I have to decide if I want to make enough cards between now and then. Decisions decisions! I should probably just buckle down and go do it....

[HCNikL]

My mom and I have set up a booth at a couple different places in the last year. She crochets items while I do cards and jewelry. The first two were at events where I work and it went ok. We sold a few items but not a ton, but since we didn't pay a fee to set up, what we made was all profit. We went to another in December and we paid $40 for the table but only made $35 back, of which we gave $10 to my grandma and uncle for items that we sold for them. This event was nice but we had never done a true craft show before so we didn't know what items to bring, how many we should take, etc. This show helped us figure out that if we do it again we need to adjust our items accordingly. You just have to do one to see what to expect and then you can figure it out for the next ones and I think that the more you do, the better you will be at figuring out how many to bring, what kinds people like, etc. I hope this helps!

[Sherlinn]

Nicole, on 21 April 2010 - 03:58 PM, said:

My mother in law had a similar experience as you explained above....so I am going back and forth. I would really hate my first one to be a bust! lol so we will see. There is one by my inlaws in the fall when the guys go hunting. She said she would help me out..but I have to decide if I want to make enough cards between now and then. Decisions decisions! I should probably just buckle down and go do it....

My daughter has done a couple Fall Festival type things in some farming communities in Colorado - - she has done pretty good - - she has so much stuff and she sets up a beautiful display - - awesome antique display items - - she has done a couple in Fort Collins where 1000's of people come every - -I have been out there several times when she has participated - - lots of $$$ to put her display up - - and have a space - - but she doesn't do that any more - - I think she dos some smaller ones - - watch your Senior Centers, and areas that might have hightraffic low $$ participation! I am going to have to do something - - cause I need to get my name out there again!