This past Saturday I participated in a local church craft fair.  On the one hand I never have tremendous sales at these types of affairs, on the other hand they are generally near my house and not very expensive to join.  I usually end up seeing friends and neighbors, and I always, always learn something.  Here is what I learned this show:


1.  I have done it enough I have a good idea what to take.  So packing up the car the morning of the show was easy peasy.  Someday I will have more elaborate displays, but for now this works for a part timer like me.  By the way, the lamp shades with binder clips I use for necklaces ALWAYS gets comments (total price: about $5)

2.  The shutters I used behind my booth at indoor shows last fall work great bungy corded to the front of my awning.  They got the attention of passers by for sure.  And they helped my awning survive the odd wind gust since the awning stakes had gone missing. I also learned that if you transport the shutters on top of the car that leaves way more room for my assistants/slaves/children and other pieces and parts.

3.  I hadn't gotten a chance to get cash for change but I opened my cash box Saturday morning and all my change from the last craft fair was still there.  So I actually benefitted from my poor accounting skills. (Greg just leaned over and said, "I know there is about $100 in there" - this is why he is family CFO and I am not.)


4.  Always have tape and string/cord with you.  The morning was quite windy so it helped (mostly) keep table cloths in place.  Someday I will sew them to fit the tables so that they don't billow so much.  


5.  I got to use my cool directors chair that said wonderful CFO gave me for Christmas.  I loved it!  It meant I was already at eye level as folks wondered into my booth.


6.  I brought chairs and a small camp table for the kids so they built a little out of the way area ("The Nest") to chill.  Plus they wandered inside and out reporting on their finds and brought back lunch.  I'd take them along anywhere! (Emma was my photographer so I didn't get any pictures of her).


7.  Alpacas.  Not what you see everyday at a craft fair and so fun to see.  Check out more of my pictures here.

8.  It's never too late to post something on Facebook for local friends.  I didn't get around to it until Friday night.  Someone I had not seen in years who just moved back to the DC area stopped by my booth to say hello.  

Usually when I sign up months in advance for a craft fair there are other kid activities that pop up that make the logistics challenging, but this time the kids and I got the chance to hang out all day without the frenzy of other activities and they were great.  I suppose the promise of dinner after at a favorite place and milk shakes all around helped :-)

I am signed up for another local church craft fair/Christmas market in November, and I got a lead on a fun SPCA fundraiser at a winery in October.  I think I might try that one out for something different.  I know that I will learn more, plus it has "wine" in the title :-)


6 Comments

  1. Your whole set up looks really great and so professional!

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  2. I love your booth! The shutters are such a great idea. I haven't done a craft show for a few years and I'm itching to get back in the game.

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  3. I love your set up! I'm wanting to start doing some local craft fairs, and you gave me some neat display ideas. Thanks!

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  4. You and the booth look great. I can see the top of what looks like a boot/cast on your leg, how are you feeling? I too picked up a set of shutters at the Webster flea market in Florida this past winter and have recently gotten paint for them but that's as far as it went. The idea of a show at a winery sounds fantastic, I'm sure the sales there will be much better too!

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  5. Beautiful booth display! Love your director's chair too, what a great gift from your husband!

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