Craft Fair Checklist - What do I take ?

Panic now beginning to set in as first craft show in less than 2 weeks, so I thought I would make a list (I love lists !!!). Although I have done fairs before, it was several years a go and I am trying to remember all the lessons I learned then. Somehow writing everything down in to a well ordered list stops me fretting. So what do I need for my craft fair ?

1. Gazebo
2. Tables
3. Chairs
4. Products to sell
5. Packaging / Bags
6. Labels
7. Signs
8. Table covering
9. Display stands
10. Warm Clothes
11. Money Belt
12. Change
13. Coffee !!!
14. Food
15. A smiley face
16. Business cards
17. Pens, paper, scissors, sellotape
18. Gaffer tape
19. Paracetomol
20. Receipt book
21. Mobile phone
22. Camera
23. Tissues
24. Calculator
25. Cardboard to stand on
26. My list

If anyone has anything to add to the list please leave a comment. I will update the list after the show !

Other sites I found giving useful help and advice:

http://www.annieandre.com/2009/10/craft-fair-check-list-things-bring-craft-fair/

http://brightoncraftaganza.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/cheklist-what-to-bring-to-a-craft-fair/

http://www.artisimportant.com/SRAJD/resources/CraftShowChecklist.pdf

http://indiefixx.com/2011/06/08/craft-show-checklist-what-to-bring-with-you-2/

Upcycled Packaging and Display Stands

I am trying to stay as true as possible to my business idea of upcycling, recycling and reusing to create packaging and display stands for my products. There has been a lot of experimenting with cardboard !!! In the end, because my products range in size so greatly - from necklaces to long coat racks - I decided to try drawstring bags made from old duvet covers, sheets or any other cotton material I can find.

There are plenty of free patterns on the internet, and I am no seamstress, so after looking around for a while I found

http://www.purlbee.com/easy-drawstring-bag/

Although I didn't follow the pattern exactly, it gave me the ideas I needed. My bags are even simpler to make (no block bottom and drawstring on only one side)

So now I just need to set about making 70 or so bags for my first show in a month !!

Pallets seemed the obvious thing to use to create display stands. Seems they are really difficult to take apart though !!! So after a lot of sawing to create lengths of  wood I have managed to create the first crate of five I need for my stand. It will be finished my painting it white with emulsion for a 'shabby chic' effect.

Phewww !! Now all I need is to finish making products !

3 Tier Cake Stand

Making of a 3 Tiered Cake Stand

Really trying hard to stay focused on my main products and not get side tracked - there are so many things to make !!!

Yesterday we picked up some plates I bought on ebay which have a lovely blue and white pattern. I have 6 large plates and 6 smaller plates. I already have the fittings to put together the cake stands so just need to drill holes in the plates !!! (Easy ????)

I have practiced this a few times before on broken plates, but I really didn't want these to break. The trick seems to be keeping the drill bit cool - you can either keep stopping the drill and cool it with a damp cloth or some people seem to use a spray to keep the drilling area cool. (Don't forget, if you are trying this, to use a drill bit designed for drilling through ceramics and tiles). These plates have a decent rim on them, so I was able to add a pool of water to the plate and then 'wet' drill the holes. Success rate 6 out of 8 plates unbroken - result 2 wonderful 3 tiered cake or cup cake stands. (and a few broken bits to trim into necklaces)

Now I just need to wait for the sun to shine to take some photos and get them on sale ....could be a while looking outside......

3 Tier Cake Stand made with vintage blue and white plates

Now for sale via the website - http://www.rescueandrevive.co.uk

Looking for Craft Fairs / Places to Sell

Managed to get a few more items listed on Etsy this week and also beginning to get the website sorted. Take a look at

www.rescueandrevive.co.uk

Slowly getting to grips with Twitter - following / followers and Etsy Treasuries / Circles and Teams - so much learning !!!!

Still looking for physical places to sell though - craft fairs / school fairs / shops etc in Hampshire. I have emailed a few markets but as yet no response. There is a market in Alton that looks good, one in Petersfield and one at Port Solent, Portsmouth - not sure how difficult it will be to get a spot though. Fingers crossed.

Photography is slowly improving (I think) - constructive criticism welcome :). This is a solid oak coat rack upcycled from the cross bars of a vintage coffee table

Blog, Folksy, Etsy, Ebay, Twitter, Facebook, Website - how many things need updating !!!

I've been trying to get things up and running online - Wow, what a lot of options / things to do / potential selling tools, so far I have my blog (but you know that because you are here !), I am selling on ebay, I have set up an Etsy shop, a Folksy shop, have a Facebook page, have a website, have a twitter account - phew, I think that is it so far.

So I'm wondering which of these online tools will prove to be effective. I have always sold on Ebay, but it is very expensive so I would like the cheaper alternatives of Folksy and Etsy to work - time will tell. Meanwhile I must remember to tweet, update the facebook page and blog and link it altogether via the website. I hope the time pressure to perform the online tasks won't outstrip the time needed to actually make my products !!!

Here are the links to some of my internet 'places'

Etsy shop
Folksy Shop
Follow me on Twitter
Rescue and Revive Website

More products - Broken China Pendants

I've been working hard on a final range of products - this has proved quite difficult, mainly because the business is built on the idea or upcycling / recycling and so I am limited to making things for which I can find the raw materials fairly easliy. Problem is you never know what form the materials will come in. So, an old coffee table might lend itself to being painted or if it's too damaged it may be better to turn it into shelves or a coat rack.

I have come up with a list that I hope to (roughly) stick to, otherwise I will end up being distracted by new ideas all the time. The current list is:

Coat & Jewellery racks
Shelves
Necklaces
Picture Frames
Black boards
Book Marks
Coasters
Signs
Book ends
Cup cake stands

I have spent some time making some prototypes - first of which are broken china pendants. To make these I have smashed a plate (well my son did !) chosen some good shapes from the pieces and then used a grinder attachment on the drill to finish the edges. I did try drilling holes, but haven't mastered that technique yet ! So, the pendants have a bail attached to them to allow them to be hung.

I'm quite pleased with the results:

What do you think ?

Wild and Windy Workshop

Today's weather  - 3rd January 2012 - was very wild and windy. My workshop is an old den at the bottom of the garden that has been used for all sorts of things over the years we have lived here. But now it's well and truly mine and full of my 'toys'. The latest addition was my Christmas present - a frame for my drill that turns it in to a Bench drill

This now means my drill holes are pretty much perfect and I can whizz through drilling lots of holes. This morning saw the creation of 4 coat racks

Loads of time saved :) These racks were made from a vintage coffee table (the struts between the legs), the pegs added and now they just need a lick of paint

Tess (my dog) was not impressed with the weather !!! and found it a bit unsettling when the workshop nearly blew away several times through the morning :(