[Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft markets

Wed Mar 14 19:12:19 UTC 2012

I found a case that has 3 sections and I separate my bills and I can keep the case in my pocket.  I have not made business cards, since I do not have a home e-mail, but I have made fliers.
I have a small tactual portfolio, where I can slide the pieces of plastic camvas out of the plastic and people can feal them.  I also have a book with a lot of pictures of my work.  People can see a design and request it in a spacific color.  My naibor was looking at my work and wanted a gift for a friend.  She saw some coasters done in purple and black, but she said her friend likes blue, so off I go, making them in 2 shades of blue.

Terry P.

-----Original Message-----
From: Blindhands at aol.com [mailto:Blindhands at aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 2:40 PM
To: nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft markets

Lindey,

I do have a couple of tips on handling money.  They do have metal  money boxes.  We can get them here in the states in office supply stores It  does
have a tray that fits in the box and is made out of a hard plastic.   The tray
has divider for putting paper money  and has 4 dividers.  I  put larger
bills if I get them under this tray in the bottom of the box.   Another thing I
use to use, I made an apron that had pockets that were deep  enough to put my hand in and put money in deep enough so it would not fall out  or poke out.  I made enough pockets and kept the individual dollor amounts  in each pocket.  I would have another pocket up higher and be small enough  to fit my
business cards   The apron was a cobblers apron so it would  hang from my
neck and tie at my back.  With the apron you did not have to  worry if someone would walk off with your money box.  I would have the  money box with me and put it in a safe place.  That way I could keep higher  bills or checks or whatever in the money box and occasionally sort money out of  my pockets.

Joyce  Kane
_www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
Blindhands at AOL.com

In a message dated 3/14/2012 5:45:30 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, stephlin at iafrica.com writes:

Wow,  thanks to everyone for your responses and great ideas. I sure have a lot  of ideas to work with and to consider. I already have business cards with  print and braille on, which I am hoping to display or hand out as the

occasion presents itself.
About identifying notes, I am working with  South African rands, so not sure if a standard note id app will work. I  unfortunately don't have an iphone yet, otherwise I could have used the  color id app since our notes are all different colours and also different  sizes. There is a small device which will let you measure notes, but it  does take time to position the notes and check where it comes to. I am  also considering a type of container for money with divisions so I can  place and find the notes more quickly. This was my first experience, and  overall, it wasn't too bad. The products I make and sell are actually for  children, including bath salts, soaps, bath gloves, toiletry bags, craft  kits, etc. so they are not expensive and will hopefully fit in with what  people expect to buy at a flea market. My next market is at a primary  school festival.
Thanks again to all. Your input is much  appreciated.
Lindy

Find PRACTICAL PRODUCTS on FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/practicalproducts
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sahar Husseini" <sahar at inebraska.com>
To: "List for blind  crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent:  Wednesday, March 14, 2012 1:16 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner]  Selling at craft markets

> Also, you might want to invest in a  money identifier.  If you have an
> IPhone, there are a couple of  aps.  I also have the IBill, a
> stand-alone money identifier; I  paid $100 for it, and it was worth
> every penny.  I don't leave  home without it.  I am not usually
> comfortable selling by  myself.  I've done craft shows, and I find
> them more stressful than they're worth.  Lynda, it is so good to hear
> someone else  echoing my sentiment.  It's funny this has come up just
> after  you and I
corresponded
> about it.  I feel validated, as I told  you in my private message to
> hear you saying what you said because  people think I'm crazy when I
> tell them I'm not comfortable with  craft shows and that I think they're often a
> waste of time.   People are often looking for a bargain, and not
> necessarily  quality.  The best craft shows I have ever been in are
> those at  convention.  I love doing those; they are definitely worth
> the
stress.
> *smile*
>
> Warm regards,
> Sahar Husseini
>  For hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind jewelry, please visit my Website at
> www.saharscreations.com Find me on Facebook at
> www.facebook.com/saharscreations And remember, "Obstacles don't have
> to stop you.
> If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give  up.
> Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around  it."
> Michael Jordan
> ----- Original Message -----
>  From: "Lindy van der Merwe" <stephlin at iafrica.com>
> To: "List for  blind crafters and artists"
<nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>  Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 10:39 AM
> Subject: Re:  [Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft markets
>
>
> Thanks,  Linda, for all the tips and ideas. I have not yet decided to
> do  the craft market on a permanent basis. You have reminded me to
> also look for some other alternatives and have given me some great
> ideas to work with. My sincere thanks.
> It looks like I will  have someone with me for my next market, so I'm
sure
> it
> will  also help me get comfortable if I decide to do this type of
> selling  more in future.
> Kindest regards.
> Lindy
>
> Find  PRACTICAL PRODUCTS on FACEBOOK:
>  http://www.facebook.com/practicalproducts
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "River Woman" <riverwoman at zoominternet.net>
> To:  "List for blind crafters and artists"
<nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2012  2:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft  markets
>
>
>>I sell jewelry and knitted accessories. I  no longer do "craft shows"
>>but
I
>>do some higher end "Holiday  Markets."  The ones I do now are set up
>>boutique style where  the customers show the entire show, then bring
>>the things they wish  to purchase to the "check out" area where it is
>>sold and bagged for  them. This works perfect for a blind person
>>because you do not stay  at your area, other than to come in a
>>replenish the stock.  A  much better clientelle visites this type of
>>market, and you get  much better prices.
>>
>> I did do craft shows  for quite a few years. I soon learned that
>> shows held  in churches, fire halls, and schools are typically very
>> low end ones
and
>> flooded with tons of people there to have lunch and visit, but  not
>> to buy.
>> And, they are not discriminate about how  many vendors they have
>> selling
a
>> particular thing. ie, they may  have a dozen tables of jewelry
>> vendors - which means very little  sales for any of them.
>>
>>
>> I do only one show  now in which I am there at my booth the whole time.
It
>> is in a  museum, so again, the clientelle is much better and they are
>> really there to buy nice things.
>>
>> I always have a  family member at my booth with me.
>> I am alone at times when they  take a bathroom break, and after doing
this
>> many times for the  four years I have been without sight, I am always
>> quite nervous.
>> There is no way anyone would know I am  blind at all. Even after I
>> say
so,
>> they are skeptical about it. I  look them in the eye, and I engage
>> with them through gestures as I  always did before. There is nothing
>> about me that reads "blind"  unless they saw me walking in with my cane.
>>
>> Customers  always say "over there" "that one" "this one" the "pink one"
>> etc.  That is the normal way for a person who can see to designate
things
>> and they have no idea that we cannot know what they mean.  They are
really
>> clueless about blindness - I sure was! I  understand this.
>>
>> Here is what I do that helps  though:
>> I put a  clearly marked  price tag is on every  item.
>> If they ask the price, I hand it to them and say, "Here, you  can see
>> the price on the tag." I also put any other pertinent  information on
>> the tag - I use large tags so it is  very CLEAR to them.
>> Money? I have the bills put in an order that  is always the same. I
>> use only bills and never have any change.  This eliminates a very big worry.
>>
>> I never price  anything with "cents" involved. Everything with only
>> "dollars"  this way the item is $5. or $10. etc.  You can back the
>> taxes  off of the price after you get home.  When you do your
>> pricing, just round it UP to the next dollar amount. This has saved
>> me so much worries. This way you need never worry about making
>> change with those coins.
>>
>> You can get a money ID thing  for your bills. I have an ID PacMate
>> that reads bar codes so you  can even make bar codes for your items
>> which is pretty  cool.
>>
>> Any time I sell things that are different  colors, I put them in "Roy G.
>> Biv" order. In fact, everything I  can put into that order in my own
>> house - all my jewelry is in Roy  G. Biv order. Roy G. Biv means Red,
>> Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue,  Indigo, Violet.  In my home I have
plexiglas
>> containers that  are tall. Each one has a lid, and each one holds one
>> color of necklaces. They are in Roy G. Biv order on my dresser. No
>> worries about what color I am getting, if it is kept  in order.
>> Another special container holds all my earrings in this  order, too.
>> I found a wonderful Earring Box on Home Shopping  Network. It holds
>> 72
pairs
>> of earrings. All in order and easy for  me to find just what I am
>> looking for.
>>
>> I  do know that some people will definitely cheat you if given the
>> opportunity. If I had not had my daughter with me to watch the
>> transactions, there were some times when I would have given a  person
>> change for a $20. when she really gave me a $10. and the  person
>> stood there waiting for the change. My daughter saw it  happening and
>> ran over to clue me in. Also, teen age  girls come into your booth in
>> groups and they are there to steal -  one engages you in conversation
>> while the firends are  stealing. This happens a lot at outdoor
>> festivals. I cannot imagine
being
>> in the booth alone without some watchful eyes to watch the  crowd -
>> especially when you sell jewelry. It is small and very  easily slid
>> off the table into a tote bag even when a  person CAN see well.
>>
>> Those would be my most important  tips after about 10 years of doing
>> arts festivals, craft shows,  and markets.
>>
>> Lynda River Woman
>> -----  Original Message -----
>> From: "Lindy van der Merwe"  <stephlin at iafrica.com>
>> To: "List for blind crafters and  artists"
>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent:  Tuesday, March 13, 2012 3:03 AM
>> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner]  Selling at craft markets
>>
>>
>>> Hi  there,
>>> To those who sell at craft markets, I was wondering  about a few things.
>>> 1 Do any of you manage a stall or a table  on your own, or do you
usually
>>> have someone there to  help?
>>> 2 If you do it on your own, how do you answer the  questions: how
>>> much
is
>>> this? or I'd like to take this ... or  Do you have change for this?
>>> 3 How do you handle sorting and  exchanging paper money?
>>> I had my first experience with selling  at a stall last Saturday and
>>> these were some  of the aspects I had to deal with.
>>> I don't think it is  immediately obvious that I am blind, which did
>>> make for some  awkward situations, I thought.
>>> Perhaps there may be some  obvious answers to some of these
>>> questions,
or
>>> perhaps I just  need some practice with being more comfortable in
dealing
>>> with  strangers in that type of setting?
>>> I know it will be most  helpful to have prices on either the
>>> products or on the  containers they reside in, but it just felt like
>>> people related

>>> to
>>> me using gestures a lot of the time, which  obviously made
>>> communication somewhat difficult and even  though I wanted to
>>> respond in a confident manner, I found it  quite challenging at times.
>>> Any ideas and thoughts would be  much appreciated.
>>>  Lindy
>>>
>>>
>>> Find PRACTICAL PRODUCTS  on FACEBOOK:
>>>  http://www.facebook.com/practicalproducts
>>> ----- Original  Message -----
>>> From:  <Blindhands at aol.com>
>>> To:  <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, March  13, 2012 5:28 AM
>>> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Looking for  volunteers
>>>
>>>
>>>>I am looking for  teachers to teach the classes.  Do you know or are
you
>>>> interested in teaching any of these suggested  classes?  I need
>>>> volunteers to  teach.
>>>>
>>>> Heads up we hopefully will be  having an email class with an
>>>> Origami  project
>>>> in  the near future.    I will do a  soap class and a sewing  class,
but
>>>>  I
>>>> am busy with kicking off my new craft  business.   I am  not sure if I
>>>>  can
>>>> fit classes in that I will teach between now and  middle of  July.
>>>> I have 4
>>>>  holidays between now and then to fill orders.   Hopefully I am
putting
>>>> St.
>>>> Patty's Day Wild Irish  Roses to bed maybe by  tomorrow.  I have
>>>> 100 in  reserve for my Irish Bar that is selling soo many  of
>>>> them.  I spent the last
2
>>>> days
>>>>  working on Easter ones to get a head  start.  I will know on
Wednesday
>>>> if
>>>> they need any more St.  Patty's Day  ones.
>>>>
>>>> We need to  wait for the Latch Hook class to be finished before we
start
>>>> a
>>>> new email class.  I want  to only do one at a time email class for
>>>> now, until we  work any problems out.
>>>>
>>>> So think about  what you can teach, host a chat night  topic.    I
will
>>>> be
>>>> there to help with what YOU  do.
>>>>
>>>> Krafters Korner is for everyone  and everyone makes Krafters Korner
what
>>>>  it
>>>> is!
>>>> Joyce   Kane
>>>> _www.KraftersKorner.org_  (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
>>>> Blindhands at AOL.com  _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>>
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03/12/12
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>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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