[Nfb-krafters-korner] Ideas for craft markets
Lindy van der Merwe
stephlin at iafrica.com
Mon Mar 19 07:36:50 UTC 2012
Wow Joyce, this sounds so wonderful, a great way to draw people to one's
stall and do some selling while providing some educational craft fun for the
kids and their parents too!
If anyone else can think of ideas like these to share, please do. Perhaps I
could do something similar with my bath salts as they are different scents
and colours?
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: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 7:25 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft markets
>I was hoping Laurie Porter would comment on this. As she does Farm
> Markets every week starting in the Spring going into December. I believe
> she
> does 3 or 4 each week. She sells her jams and her beaded jewelry. So
> she is
> a good resource. Her email is:
> _freespirit1 at tds.net_ (mailto:freespirit1 at tds.net)
>
> I have done quite a few craft shows, but I have always gone with a sighted
> friend. I use to do candle art. It is mainly for children, but adults
> enjoyed it too. It is granulated color wax, some are scented, too and I
> had
> all different glass jars that the children would do kind of sand art in
> the
> jars. When they were finished creating their master pieces, they would
> come over to me [my friend would direct them to me while collecting money]
> and I would add the candle wick, pack the top of the glass ware with
> serrand
> wrap, put the top on jar[if it had a twist top] or tape serran wrap over
> the
> opening, tape the lid on the jar, add a bow on top and add a label on the
> bottom. The label read: Made by me! Me being the kid that made it. I
> had a poster sign hanging from my canopy that would say" Made by Me!
> That
> defintely would attract customers to check out what all the baskets with
> glass jars, wine glasses were arranged on a couple of tables were all
> about.
> Of course they wanted to also see what the kids were doing. I always set
> the working table as out in front. I would have arranged small tin pie
> pans
> around a table and my hubby had fixed me a plastic bin that would hold
> the
> plastic bottles of colored wax , that I had labeled in Braille and all
> the
> scented ones I used the labeler that was large letters. That way the
> kids/adults would know what scent it was as the scented ones also were
> colored.
> I needed to know when I got home what was what as I filled the bottles.
>
>
> I loved doing this and I did it after I went blind not before. I love
> working with kids.
>
> I had to stop as my friend hurt her back and couldn't do it with me any
> more and I couldn't find another person to do it with. I miss it and
> would
> go back doing it if and when I find someone that could help me with sight
> and
> liked kids.
> Joyce Kane
> _www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
> Blindhands at AOL.com
>
>
> In a message dated 3/14/2012 11:00:53 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> sarahmsykes at gmail.com writes:
>
> I haven't done very many craft shows, but I've done a TON of
> exhibiting for my job and I can say that the stress level goes way
> down when you are doing a show with at least one other person. Aside
> from any visual or money related concerns, it's just better to have
> someone with you, to have conversation if the show is a dud and you've
> got no business, to pinch hit for each other for lunch breaks, to
> handle multiple transactions when business is booming, etc.
>
> Sarah M Sykes
>
> On Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at 6:16 PM, Sahar Husseini <sahar at inebraska.com>
> wrote:
>> 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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>>>>> Nfb-krafters-korner:
>>>>>
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>>>>>
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> 03/12/12
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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