FunkyPinks: My First Craft Fair!

It took me a while, but I finally got there!

I was nervous about spending the money on a table only to be disappointed, but it turned out to be a real confidence boost!

I wasn't sure how much stock to take with me, so I decided the more the better and spent most of the week before making like made to use up as many of my supplies as I could to have a full table.

I was concious of having too much on the table and it would look cluttered, but overall I think I got it about right!

It took longer than I thought to set up the table, I had my mum and sister in tow and we only just managed to get it ready within the hour we had before it opened.

My lesson there: plan the layout in advance and make sure my stuff if ready to put out straight away, we spent a lot of time just deciding where to put things and which items to put on the stands, so my advice to crafters: plan, plan, plan!

I think we did pretty well, this is my first attempt at the table:

Look! I even remembered a mirror, thanks to my nan for bringing it to me last minute ;)

Next time I will try to make the stall look more symmetrical, but overall I think we did pretty well :D

This was the first time that the event had been held at the venue, so I was optimistic going into it, it was a 'Family Fun Day' so there were a lot of children around, and I don't think I capitalised on this enough. They loved the bright colours, but my jewellery is more for Ladies rather than girls.

Lesson two: Know your audience! If I had more products aimed at children, I might have sold a bit more, and if the girls were keen then their relatives might have been too!

I took most of my jewellery making beads, findings and tools with me, following advice that looking busy and showing customers that you actually make your items can help to generate interest.

This turned out to be great advice, (especially as I had my demanding Nan asking me to make things for her!) right at the very end two ladies wanted the same pink watch, but I only had one. So they asked me to add a watch face to one of my bracelets, so I did and clinched another last minute sale!