|
|
Post by rockyraccoon on Oct 21, 2004 2:27:31 GMT -5
if this posts twice sorry - the last one seemed to go to cyber space. kd's jewelry caused me to order lots of beads and pester her for guidance but i am coming along - thank you kd!     this sure is fun! how many of these do you think you would need to have made to go to a craft show? kim |
|
|
|
Post by sandsman1 on Oct 21, 2004 5:42:34 GMT -5
hey kim very cool looking i dont know how many you would need for a show, but i think the more the better
|
|
|
|
Post by krazydiamond on Oct 21, 2004 7:27:50 GMT -5
 WOW! those are great, Kim, very, very nice! love the beadwork! love the background rocks too! love the stones, love them, love them, love them!!!! whoooohooo!!! i am trying to build up some inventory too, i am thinking enough to cover your table at least....i've never tried to hawk my wares at a show, so i am totally in the dark. Emerald website is informative on this subject... and i keep giving my stuff away as presents, which in the long run actually saves money you would be spending on something else as a gift.... you got some talent going there, i'm very impressed! KD
|
|
|
|
Post by hermatite on Oct 21, 2004 9:01:44 GMT -5
|
|
Emerald
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 417
|
Post by Emerald on Oct 21, 2004 9:56:03 GMT -5
Those are beautiful Rocky! I always based my inventory on what I wanted to earn. If you have alot of traffic at the show, then you want lots of inventory. For instance: If I want to make $1000 in sales, I'd better have at least $2000 in product available. You will never sell the entire $2000 unless you are pricing your stuff extremely low and people buy them up because they're a bargain. This doesn't guarantee that you'll make that $1000....all it does is prepare you for a good show. On average, I would expect around $300 in sales a day at a small show. (This was for small ticket hand painted items mind you) If the show went into a weekend, my best sales were on Saturdays, and I might pull in up to $750 on that day. If I did a HUGE show (We have one called Yellow Daisy) I might pull in upwards of $3000. It all depends on the show. So be selective on the shows you sign up for. I think I wrote in the articles on my designcottage site to be sure the show is WELL-ESTABLISHED. (link below) If you do a show that your local middle school puts on...you'll be lucky if you sell enough to pay for the booth fee. However, your chances of selling alot goes up when you participate in a show that has been going on for 10+ years and is juried....because they should have a guaranteed attendance. I don't remember if I posted this link before...but I wrote these articles for people wanting to do craft shows. You'll find 5 articles under Craft Guides on the right side of the page. designcottage.com/Sure hope this helps! Helen |
|
llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
|
Post by llanago on Oct 21, 2004 10:22:35 GMT -5
Kim, those are beautiful! I really, really like the last one. I have a job, a toddler, a husband, an hour and a half commute, a mortgage and...well...let's face it...i'm tired... so I couldn't face the challenge of making enough stuff for even one show.Tired? I guess! Makes me tired just reading that sentence! Where did you even get the energy to type it!  I need to get myself busy making stuff too. I have several places I can put my walking sticks on consignment and there's several huge flea markets in San Antonio am planning for. I also have a number of project ideas in mind and I need to try to make one of each to see if I can actually get the idea from my head to reality. But, I'm like Herm, when I get home from work I'm tired and just want to do nothing, as my house evidences. (If people saw my house, they would never hire me to clean theirs! ) I am hoping I can get some stuff made during the winter for the spring craft shows. If we have a bad winter, I probably won't get much done because most of my projects and ideas for projects will be made using all this weathered wood I have collected and require sawing. Guess I could haul the miter saw in the house, but it's messy enough already! llana |
|
Emerald
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 417
|
Post by Emerald on Oct 21, 2004 10:49:39 GMT -5
Just another thought... Usually with the betters shows, you have to sign up 9 months in advance. (Sometimes, as much as a year or more in advance.) I guess nothing worth-while is without effort.  |
|
|
|
Post by Cher on Oct 21, 2004 11:27:16 GMT -5
Kim, those are absolutely beautiful! You're doing terrific work. I know what you mean about KD's stuff being inspiring, it's got me going to, just got my catalog from firemountain. Have to get something tumbled first that is worthy though.
Cher
|
|
|
|
Post by rockyraccoon on Oct 21, 2004 11:29:17 GMT -5
thanks everyone for the kind words. my mother asked me to make one for her best friend and the one in the second picture was to be it but you know how we are never satisfied with our own stuff so i've started another for her. she wants it in neutral colors and i've got the beads laid out but am waiting on the stone which may take a little bit as i have my eye on one in the tumbler. we have a really big (well big for our little area) that comes up in april - i think i'll shoot for that and see how i like it. we have a really nice restaurant and antique shop that puts things in glass cases on consignment and i might look into that. but first i have to get enough made!! hermatite and emerald thanks for the links. though they kind of scare me all that talk of how much you'll spend to just get there . i'm spending plenty now!! ;D kim |
|
Emerald
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 417
|
Post by Emerald on Oct 21, 2004 11:34:47 GMT -5
Rocky,
Your work is beautiful and I think it would sell well. From what I can see your workmanship is "right on"!
nice restaurant and antique shop - This sounds like a really good start...
The April show sounds good too! Don't wait too long to find out who runs it and how long in advance you have to sign up for it. The photos you've shown should be enough if it's a juried show. They're beautiful... Some of the juried shows have VERY specific requirements on what you can submit for photos...size, type etc. If the April show isn't juried, and you get to meet the person who runs the show, be sure to bring along your work. I would assume, once they see your work, you shouldn't have ANY problem getting in!
Best of luck with everything. I know it's a big investment.....but you seem to have an eye for making lovely jewelry, I'm sure you'll do well.
|
|
deepsouth
fully equipped rock polisher
He who rocks last rocks best
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,256
|
Post by deepsouth on Oct 21, 2004 12:39:43 GMT -5
Lovely necklaces Rocky,
I hope you do well at the show.
Looking at the quality , you must do well.
Great stuff
Jack
|
|
|
|
Post by hermatite on Oct 21, 2004 12:40:59 GMT -5
Okay, yes I'm tired...and old...and did I mention fat? LOL...seriously though, I doubt if there's a single person here who doesn't suffer at least a little from "I could do that " syndrome. You know...that's where you see some jewelry and think "$200 for THAT? I could do that!". I was just looking at the jewelry in the catalogue I get from the Metropolitian Museum. Sure they give you the historical info on the piece they recreate, but man I was looking at one of their bracelets and the soldering looked just awful to me. Yep...you guessed it "I could do THAT!". Rocky your stuff is lovely...have faith in it. And like the one article there said "be prepared for negative comments from people who have no idea what they're talking about". (Actually I'm tired, old, fat AND a big chicken when it comes to negativity). But seriously, your stuff is nice and the rocks made it unique in the world. Just think about it...there'll never be another piece anywhere like it..ever. That alone gives it value. Anyway...like I said...good luck and let us know how it goes!
|
|
llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
|
Post by llanago on Oct 21, 2004 13:18:04 GMT -5
Herm, I see stuff all the time and say I can do that! Then when try to actually do it, I find I can't! LOL! My hands are so clunky I don't know if I will ever be able to do jewelry - guess that's why I am doing more wood and rock stuff. I can do the wood stuff! And gluing the rocks to the wood I can do, but all that intricate work in jewelry making gives my hands fits!
Walking stick, birdhouses, planter boxes, etc. decorated with rocks are more my speed! LOL! But I am going to at least try the jewelry stuff one of these days. All these pics of this beautiful stuff everybody is making inspires me to at least try!
llana
|
|
|
|
Post by cookie3rocks on Oct 21, 2004 20:09:49 GMT -5
Hermy,
They couldn't be more beautiful. Youve gone above and beyond making a comercial product, you are an artist. I've got my stuff in a glass jewlery case in a salon and nothing yet, but I know I'm gonna have to do chains or ribbons or something for them to sell. Youve got it all right there. I took me a long time to get the nerve and even though it's not selling, I still want to do it! You can make this happen, K? Believe in your ability and don't give up. ;D
cookie
|
|
|
|
Post by rockyraccoon on Oct 22, 2004 1:21:39 GMT -5
i e-mailed pictures to some of my friends and family and one of my friends replied saying she wanted christmas presents and how much was i selling them for . oh my i was still floating in creative la la land and have a deer caught in the headlights look now. i need advice!! kim |
|
|
|
Post by puppie96 on Oct 22, 2004 2:33:54 GMT -5
Dang, I had a long post in progress and my *** computer up and crashed on me. I was saying that first, I love your pics, great stuff, and second, I was babbling about craft shows. I started a business in the late 80's which endures; it is primarily a craft show business (not jewelry related) with some wholesale. Nobody has ever really asked me about how to do this, but certainly I've learned a lot and I started out knowing less than nothing. A few random observations:
Having a small inventory isn't as much of a problem as you expect it to be, and in fact, sometimes it even seems to help -- especially if it's a sparsely attended show where people might walk on past a complicated display but will stop and look if you have a smaller easily visible display. How you display is critical, you have to put your best foot forward and consider spending money if you have to, just to show it well. I never went out purposely with a small inventory, but when I've had to -- like dividing it to do 2 shows at once -- it was amazing how much got sold out of them, probably because you can make more effective displays when you have less stuff.
There are no dogs. Somebody will love each item that you make, in fact, the one you think is a true dog will be the greatest thing somebody out there ever saw. Trust me.
When I started out I did all shows. The little community and school things, etc. In some cases, you have to have a bit of a track record in the little shows before you can get an app. for one of the bigger ones. Get some cards printed and put your business card in the bag with all your purchases. You'll start getting mailings and calls from other orgs. having craft shows, trying to get you. In the beginning I had more time and less money so doing all these little shows was more practical than it would be now, and it might not be feasible for you. I always made some money and I learned a lot about the whole bit through doing this. Among other things you find out what crowds will work for you and what won't and then you can avoid the events that figure to be losers. Eventually I had my show calendar narrowed down to a few that are annual events where I knew I'd do well.
People that like your stuff will become a possibly small, but loyal, customer base. Cultivate them. Often they will be your liason with a shop that would carry your stuff, either buying it or on consignment.
Don't be afraid to go into stores and show them your stuff, especially small local retailers with mall space or kiosks (but I don't know where you live). If a retailer doesn't want to buy, then you should try to talk them into a consignment as a dry run -- no risk to them.
If you find a promising show, sign up for the next year and try to get the same space, people will expect to see you and look for you there if you do this regularly. Also, it helps build a reputation simply by showing up every year. Unless, of course, you were assigned a bad space, in which case, try to suck up to the organizers and in subsequent years emphasize that you are a regular and therefore you should graduate up to better spaces. Hold on to a reasonable space that you get by chance, of course, if you can. It goes without saying that sucking up to the organizer is always a good idea, get their name, be pleasant and trouble free for them, make sure your space looks nice during the event and that you pick up any trash afterwards, follow the rules of the event (don't leave early, follow the parking rules if any and the set up times, don't ask for favors unless you are a longer term vendor).
Try to get yourself into promising events like a barbecue or small carnival, even though they aren't soliciting for people to sell crafts. Occasionally this works. I had a 4th of July gig that lasted for years that I got off of meeting the organizer at another show and selling him on the idea of bringing me into the annual barbecue.
If a big ticket, major attendance event comes along, like a music festival or major fair, give serious consideration to doing it. puppie96 Law #I: It is amazing how much stuff you sell when you have 250,000 people or so strolling by. When you balance the books you may not make as much money as it seems while you are selling it, but you will sell a lot of stuff, it will be an emotional boost, and you can always let it drop in conversations with customers that you have done the "whatever whatever" gig, if it would impress them.
Well. I have to admit that I only skimmed but didn't really digest the other posts on this subject. I have a feeling I maybe hit on some subjects that aren't in the more conventional books and articles about crafting, and if so, I hope it is helpful. I'm sure I have many more.
|
|
|
|
Post by creativeminded on Oct 22, 2004 10:08:57 GMT -5
Those are beautiful necklaces, as for how many to take to a craft show I would say a minimum of 20 or 30 with supplies to work on some as the people shop. The first booth I set up I worked on some chainmail and many people stopped to watch what I was doing and a couple of the them bought something. I also had several people tell me that it was good watching someone working on something they were selling.
My second booth I set up I offered the customers a choice of what they saw or to pick a stone and I would wrap it right then and there. I really only had one person take me up on that offer, but he was very pleased.
Tami
|
|
|
|
Post by puppie96 on Oct 23, 2004 3:36:38 GMT -5
Tami, that's a great point. Any kind of on-the-spot production is a real draw and I had forgotten all about that, since mine didn't lend itself to that. There's so much you can do with stones. Jewelry seems tough to me, like you really must have to do/make something that stands out from the crowd.
|
|
WOW! those are great, Kim, very, very nice! love the beadwork! love the background rocks too! love the stones, love them, love them, love them!!!! whoooohooo!!!
