www.craftsupplies.ie

[CraftyAis]

Well done Kiki - sounds like you managed it all really well.

I have a friend selling cards (not handmade - printed but with great funny captions on them she designed herself) and magnets and keyrings at the Temple Bar Market this weekend. But so far the last two days it has been raining all day and many of the stall owners don't have canopies, so it's a complete washout really. Here's hoping it will clear up for tomorrow...

ais.xx
_________________
"If you're going through hell, keep going." Winston Churchill
Site Owner/Admin
www.budgetwedding.ie
www.craftsupplies.ie
www.diywedding.ie
www.diyinvites.ie

[Deidre]

Well done Kiki!

Ais, hope today was a lot better for your friend - rain held off for most of the day here.
_________________

[neasaod]

Well done Kiki. Great that you took the plunge and got selling. The reindeer food looks great. I'm goinng to make some this week with the kids. Where is the poem again???? I made a batch of Irish cards for my sis's friend (10) and charged her €20. Then she asked for another 10 and I charged the same but she wouldn't let me take any less than €30 for that batch. She reconed she'd never be able to buy them anywhere else. I'm chuffed. €50 for 20 cards. Mind you they were all different and I spent ages at them.....and probably didn't even break even. No matter, I'm happy
_________________
http://www.mybitsnbobs.blogspot.com/



I've child-proofed my house, but they still get in....

[Kiki]

It's a great feeling to make some money in something you enjoy doing

The craft fair wasnt great for many of the other sellers, but for me over €100 in one day is a lot....for somebody selling other stuff, like lamps @ €60 ea, and to only sell 2 in the whole day, it was bad...but for me it was fine.

I have ever since made 2 more altered journals, for men this time but turned out lovely and were very much liked by the giver. And I have sold more cards, specially x-mas ones.

Ais, I hope your friend did well. If I was living in Dublin I would had liked to get together with other craft/cardmakers and get a stall, it would have been fun !!

A friend of mine who sells cards in the Sunday Market here in Athy, and she sells mine too, has asked me if I would be interested in doing 1 Sunday a month once she goes on Maternity leave and I suppose a few months after too....and I think I would do it (sometime around March). I am thinking on looking for picture frames, any size but with a bit of a depht to make LO pages, personalised....people like novelty will see...
_________________


http://kikicrafts.blogspot.com/

[Noelle]

Well done Kiki, you did great

You should talk to Lainey about the frames, she sells personalised LO's and also has/had a stall at a farmers market I think.
_________________

[craftychris]

Well done Kiki on your first time out. It can be a bit daunting trying to make the pitch but you hit on a good seller with the raindeer food and of course, not matter what else packaging is everything and yours looks good.

I have been doing the rounds of Craft Fairs for the past ten years. I got a grand market stand with a covering, table and frontage in Musgraves a couple of years ago. It protects from the elements and keeps the product dry. Also if you are out doors you need to have thick cardboard to stand on otherwise you'll freeze to death. What I have found is that there needs to be variety of hand made products on the stand - so I sell everything I make - jams, chutneys, pickles, all with hand made cards and tags to go with them - you get the picture, a nice tray of mince pies with a card attached and the receipe. I have also made and sold bathbombs, christmas table arrangements, and various natural beauty products. Home made mince meat, salt dough - wreaths, tree decorations, stained glass sun catchers, knitted items and fleece items, mini albums already completed with just photos to add and of course, cards, cards and more cards.

The main thing I have learned over the years is to prepare early - start in June, package with a bit of va va voom, label correctly with best before dates ingredients etc, price everything clearly, work out if its worth while - if it costs 60 quid for the table then you have to have that much product made before you even get there. It also helps if you have a friend or family member to come with you so you can slip off to the loo or to grab a bite (never eat on the stand). My sister comes with me and she is fab, I am the worst businesswoman in history and would be inclined to say to reduce the price if the customer has bought a few items but she is fab at the selling bit.

This is my first year not going to the Fairs, last year I did not get as much made as in previous years due to having to actually work in my real job !! but some of the gang at Arc Angels had some products and one is the main organiser for Country Markets so I sold some of their stuff for them a bit like a co-operative - in addtion to my own. I usually make enough to cover my costs and make a small profit - mine goes to my sons autism unit. Last year I did five craft fairs and made 822 after expenses - not bad but if you add up your hours and work it out its a small amount for the work that goes in. If you have plenty of time at home during the year to do a couple of bits and put them away it really mounts up - Isobel is right about the planning if you try to do it all in one go its a pain.

Anyway best of luck to you and well done again on your success.

If anyone wants any ingredients, receipes etc on any of the above mentioned please pm me and I will pass them on.