Things make a post...

[dantesspirit]

First, the stuffies, etc that will be listed this week-



Owls and Gingerbread Houses...



Dogs...



Cats...



Sharks...



Foxes...



And Pumpkins!



Second... didn't do as well as we'd hoped at the last local event for the year. No one did. People just weren't buying. They were window shopping and visiting.

I did sell 2 out of the 4 dogs, a cat, a shark, the rabbit, and several ornaments, so it wasn't a complete waste. Made booth fee back, made next year's booth fee, made enough for lunch for the two of us and to buy some utterly delicious homemade fudge that will last us 6 months or so (we literally eat wafer thin slices at a time, being very concious of being diabetic/prediabetic).

Quite a few first time vendors came around, asking if we'd done this before and if it was always this slow as far as sales. No, this year has been bad for handmade sales at local events everywhere. People just aren't buying. Other things are more important.

I stopped doing events where I sell absolutely nothing- that may be to my detriment, but if I'm not even making booth fee, what's the point?

I may try a christmas market next year. Especially since my line of handmade ornaments is up to nearly 2 dozen now.

I will say though, if I had a dollar for every person who told me my pieces were 'cute', 'adorable', 'gorgeous', well, I'd have made out like a bandit.

Ah well.

Next Crash City Con is in August 2023, so I need to find a hedgehog weaving pattern, make a prototype Llama, make more Werebunnies, a couple more Sharks, Dogs and Cats with built in pouches, Raccoons, and Bears. Also need to finish that fool Penguin. And figure out next year's ornament.

Comments

[tarasacon]

The stuffies are adorable! I particularly like the owls and the kittehs. :)

I’m sorry that the fair was so slow, though not surprised. I think a lot of people are pinching pennies.

re: a dollar for every person: It’s not much use Right Now, but building awareness of your products has value in the future.

(For example by habit born of necessity, I’m a delayed gratification shopper. I can enjoy a product in the booth for multiple visits to a market or fair before I hit a point where I will buy it as a gift for myself or someone else. But my ADHD means impulse shopping can be A Problem, so unless it’s something for which I have a need, I have to keep my wallet locked down.)

[dantesspirit]

so far, the gingerbread houses and owls are listed. This year's ornament will be next.

Around here, building awareness seems to be an ongoing thing, lol. I think this area is just over staturated with handmade artisans/crafters(which is why I stick to mostly online promoting, etc, reaches a wider range of people) and people get overwhelmed, *on top* of the economy and inflation just taking every bit of spare cash.

The vendor next to me, who's been doing that show for 20 years, said, 'You can tell the ones who are going to buy versus those just window shopping. The window shoppers keep their hands in their pockets or don't pick things up to look at them.'

He was surprisingly accurate. Normally he sells out of his homemade fudge. This year, he sold maybe half what he brought to the show.


...so unless it’s something for which I have a need, I have to keep my wallet locked down.

Unfortunately, that's us as well. Otherwise the credit card gets out of control and we struggle to keep up with bills. So if we can't budget something in, or don't have ready cash for something at that time, we don't buy it.

Thankfully I *did* make enough between the two shows for Yule gifts, and that's really all I ever hope for anymore.

[dantesspirit]

also, if something I make that you love sells out by the time you can get it, let me know, I can generally custom make it again for you.}:)

[tarasacon]

🙂🙂🙂