My First Craft Fair...
Hey Everyone...
Well yesterday was my first ever craft fair - Pretty Little Jewels, attended the Vintage Tea Party & Gift Fair at the Boogaloo pub in Highgate, North London...
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| My First Ever Stall |
It was a beautifully sunny day - 28 degrees, and not a cloud in the sky...
Perfect, you would say for a craft fair...
Unfortunately, not...
It seems everyone was out enjoying the sunshine somewhere else - I assume, by the sea, in parks and having BBQs but certainly not at the fair!
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't completely dead, but there were very quiet periods, the other sellers, most who have been before said it was the quietest they had seen the fair in their experience...
However, the best part of the day, was all the FANTASTIC support I had from friends and family! The fiance helped me a lot. My mum and dad came for dead on 12 noon and stayed most of the day - even purchasing a few things. The fiance's mum came too and bought a few bits. One of my bridesmaids, a friend and her boyfriend all popped by and bought up lots of my homemade chocolate goodies. But special mention must go to my friend Marian, who stayed right til the end, helped pack up, and really had fantastic salesmanship, putting me to shame! She even bought me some printed stickers for my goodies she had specially made! She even brought me a little present to congratulate me on my first fair! Thank you Marian!
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| My lovely gift from Marian - perfect for me! |
All in all, all of my sales were to friends and family - which I feel entirely guilty about! Apart from one sale to a fellow stall holder who bought one of my peter pan collars for her daughter.
I made back the price of the stall, and a little bit more - but it all feels a bit fake as it was from the goodness of my friends and family's hearts...
I have to admit, as soon as it was over, I hit a big anticlimax, crawled into bed and tried to sleep. Turns out I had an awful night, full of nightmares and tossing and turning...
Today, I am blue, deep blue. All the investment of time, money, care and heart has drained me. I feel that even if I had sold one or two more items I would feel better.
I won't give up! That's not my style. I am already looking at possible other fairs, with a higher footfall, and bigger atmosphere...
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| Me with my stall |
All I can hope is that, as it seemed, everyone had a bad day trading and it wasn't down to my stock...
And there is a very slight possibility of further orders on folksy, from handing out business cards, but I am not entirely hopeful...
Jewel x
P.S. Thank you for all your support! I hope that this horrible feeling will pass and I will have the energy and passion again to carry on!
My first fair went the same and it was only because of family and Friends that I made back the price of my table.
ReplyDeleteHowever, my second was a lot better, not fantastic but good enough to lift my spirits.
Having a different style now to a few years ago, I'm a little nervous as to what the Christmas fairs will be like, I guess I'll find out soon enough!
B xxx
Oh dear! My first one 'was the quietest they'd ever seen' too! A big chunk of my takings was also from a friend.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're not too put off, ones in the run up to Christmas *should* be very different!
Aww hunny sorry you are feeling blue. I think your stall looks lovely, and you made all your things. I went to a craft fair on Weds... well it was more like a wholesale jewellery and scarf fair, very little was handmade. Christmas is coming up so hopefully you will make loads of sales.
ReplyDeleteDx
This is a common tale of most first time fairs, I don't know why first fairs are like this! I am doing a couple of fairs and like you my confidence will most likely taka a big kicking! I am sure you second fair will be better, I think you have to give it abouy 5 fairs to get the hang of it. Look at stalls that do well, see how they display their stuff - are you too cheap? This is a big one strangely! xxx Chin up hun xx
ReplyDeleteFrom what other comments say,it is can be the way with first fairs. Don't be too hard on yourself. Your things are lovely. I also think it will pick up more toward Christmas. I don't think it's a reflection on you at all.xx
ReplyDeleteOh no, you poor thing - after all that hard work and excitement!!
ReplyDeleteStill at least you weren't thrown in at the deep end............you will know exactly what you are doing for the next one!
I hope the sunshine will perk you up again!
-x-
I think it's just unfortunate that it was quite so hot, people who would otherwise have popped in probably ended up on full days out with the family instead. It's definitely nothing to do with your stock, and your stall looks great in the pics. Keep at it!
ReplyDeleteFrom what I have heard from others Christmas fairs tend to be a lot more successful as people are out buying gifts etc, don't give up hope and just put this down to experience and a warm up for all the others in the future :) xxx
ReplyDeleteI think the stall looked lovely.....you never can tell at these things how it's going to go....but the Christmas season is nearly here and I am sure you will do amazing at that!
ReplyDeleteChin up...you did a fab job x
Nattie xx
Some good comments. The good weather had gone for us yesterday but I can imagine it was a major factor down South, those beaches looked packed. Look at as a learning curve, you'll know what to expect next time.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that your first fair wasn't a monetary success. I did my second a few weeks ago and made £10 after expenses and that wasn't taking into account the petrol spent travelling, the food brought and so on!!!
ReplyDeleteI do wonder how people who do this "for a living" make money!!
Victoria xx