First Craft Show – Lessons Learned

Reflecting on my first open air craft show… Some thoughts, notes and tips.

Overall the experience was great and a real adventure too! The only serious “mistake” was the weather and, sadly, it’s something I have no power to control. But I should learn to take the weather forecast more seriously. Especially when the forecast is stable for several days before the show, hoping that the meteorologists might be wrong yet again is just over optimistic stubborn.

Price tags – next time I’m using them.
I have far too many too different items to correctly memorize all the numbers. Although leaving the price tags off gives a good reason to start conversation, it also gives a huge headache when trying to calculate on the spot. Awkward pauses and probably an impression that the price is made up (and sometimes it is). No good. Also, too many people are too shy to ask the prices.

Speaking of headache – medicine!
If you don’t normally get headache, why be prepared for your head exploding, right?
It’s extremely unusual for me to get a headache out of the blue, but on the second day of the show it came… and hit me with a million tiny hammers on each and every cell of my brain. Unfortunately, fellow artisans only had meds to help with stomach and digestion issues.. Makes you think what stress does to people, huh? Probably need to put those on my list too. You never know where the stress hits you next time.

Spread some copper love
And knowledge. I had people pointing at my copper earrings and with a puzzled look on their faces asking if it’s silver. Whut?!
I really need to prepare and print out information sheets and care instructions. Maybe even arrange a mini display showing copper in different stages of oxidation.

Organize packing stuff and all extras in advance
Prepare to actually make sales – only knowing you might sell something is not good enough. Next time I’m putting all my packing materials in one neat box than can be kept on the tabletop for easy access. Just the things you need to close the sale (no tools, no mirror wipes, etc).

Prepare to do adjustments.. quickly
Meaning I don’t have to dig through all the bead boxes to find those two tiny coral beads to extend the bracelet. For the bracelets that can be easily adjusted, next time I’m putting those few extra beads in a separate bag or box. Even better – reserve some matching beads as soon as the bracelet is made. And know where they are.

Get calculator!
Using the mobile phone calculator is just too clumsy. Not good enough.

Keep the tools dry
If you’re working during the rainy craft show, make sure you’re not leaving your pliers on a wet tabletop or directly exposed to the rain. They rust and you’ll be amazed at how quickly! If your pliers get wet, wipe them dry immediately and don’t put them in a plastic bag (it traps the remaining moisture and promotes rust). Seems kinda obvious, when you think back.. It’s time to get WD40 and some machine oil to stop my pliers from rusting further.

Have some sterling or titanium/niobium earwires
Maybe. For the definitely-allergic and the allergy-paranoid people. My earrings are mostly copper, and it’s not always easy to convince a customer that it’s very unlikely to get an allergic reaction from handmade copper earwires (and that she’s far more likely to react to the factory made “silver color” or “silver plated” wires).
By the way, my own mom could (and would) wear only silver for the most part of her life. Good for her, bad for me – recently she’s discovered that she can wear copper as well.. and she loves it! (result: “want that!! gimme gimme gimme!”)

Extend price range
Have items at a variety of price points. Offer more lower priced items, and (possibly) have a separate display with one price. It might not be an easy task to balance work/materials input, but the cost variation should be minimal and the items fairly simple and appealing to the wider audience.

AND/OR

Offer ‘design your own’ earrings
Maybe. Still thinking on this one. This might appeal to those who are not in a hurry and would like to play or select the colors they like/need. Limit and guide the options with several example designs, offer to choose materials from the handmade beads and findings. This might work, what do you think?

The event was called the Days of Ancient Craft and took place in the medieval castle on the lake island in Trakai, Lithuania. The last two pictures you saw here were taken by a talented photojournalist Renata Drukteinytė aka Crazytė. Feel free to browse the full photo album of the event and get the feel of the middle ages.