SherriLynn

Thanks Sliver... I forgot about the list being gone once before. Hmmmm. time will tell...

I haven't seen an email from craftlister for a few weeks... so I attempted to click on the website. Nothing...... it shows the site doesn't exist. Did they finally go belly up and close the website?

Yup.. I've been in the business for 12 years... About the 3rd year of business I realized that I had restricted growth in my product line with my first business name of Candlelight by Sherri. As the business grew I wanted to make more than just candles, tarts and critters. So I renamed by business to SherriLynn's...I have several different tag lines to match the different products we make. We make everything from candles and tarts, to B&B and also added a my own recipe line of gourmet foods about 6 years ago.

Hi Jennifer... is this a craft show that you are the only vendor? Or would you be asking other vendors to attend.

I'm testing some of Peaks FO's this weekend... Hyacinth..Winter Wonderland, Spicey Cranberry and White Lily Amber...making some melts and a few candles.

Testing Elements - Aqua and Sea Island Grapefruit in lotions.... the Sea Island Grapefuit is to die for OOB can't wait to get it in lotion and maybe try a few melts or a candle.

Thanks so much for your replies... I've ordered all three in and can't wait to play with them...

I'm looking to take advantage of the Peaks FO discount and want to order a few new scents.

Has anyone tried their White Lily and Amber, Hyacinth or Winter Wonderland??

I love my SFIC soaps.. and so do my customers. I use a blend of low sweat clear and clear...I swirl my soaps with a bit of white (shea), plus I add some cocount oil and Castor just as some of the other soaps have mentioned.... From time to time I also add things like poppyseeds, ground rosemary, oatmesl.. etc.

I haven't had a problem with sweating, but I do wrap my soaps in clear coverings.

I have not used the Olive oil, nor Castile soaps and probably won't try them as I have a winning blend that I sell oodddles...

Those are PURDY!!! congrats on the order.

Jack... I sorta look at is this way... He may have sold out of soap that day buttttttt...... he might have only had 20 bars on the market to sell **wink**... It is all in the marketing.. I have to share a story with you from one of my first shows more than 10 years ago.

Soy was coming in big..craft shows were saturated with chandlers. There would be about 10 chandlers amongst 60 or 70 crafters. I had a gal close to me who was sharing how she had sold out of lilac and gardenia candles that day. She was jumpin for joy. Gosh, I was thinkin she must really be doing great... I looked over at her booth, there wasn't alot in there. Only to find out in the next sentence from her that she had only brought 8 of each fragrance with her...and her only sales were the lilac and gardenia and she had made her booth rent back that day... LOL.... it is all in how one perceives

He may have tons of followers, who are looking to learn the trade to make a profit, not so much as buying soap from him.

Lauren,, glad to hear it all worked out for you...

We take cash and personal check.... dumped our credit card machines 2 years ago. We've been in the biz for 11 years and found that at the shows we vend, customers come expecting to pay cash. No matter which merchant you use, you will still pay fees and fees cut down on your bottom line profit. Typically in a $2000 show, we'll have about 15 - 20% in personal check. We have never had a check bounce...

Even the companies we wholesale to, pay us in biz check... many no longer charge on credit cards due to the high interest on cards.

I'm at $2.50 as well... can't move them at $3.00. $2.50 or 3 for $6.00.... we sell tons of balms at holiday time at 3 for $6.

I've tried 1212's in the past... they're a torch compared to using a 126. That could depend on which wax your using. I pour a blend of soy/beeswax.

I just ordered from BCN a couple of weeks ago.. no problems..

We add soybean oil and FO into BCN lotion base and it stays thick...Could the lotion, FO and soybean oil ratio be off?

There is some valuable information in the link Annie has posted. Mainly the names of all the people on the Energy and Health subcommittee.... use this to your advantage. Send YOUR letters to these people stating your case as a handcrafter. On page 8 of this topic ProudMarineMom has an example of a letter fighting for you as a handcrafter against this bill.

I agree Scented,,, where are all the people with ties and why aren't they reporting something??????

Its regulated such as food is... using stainless steel non contaminating surfaces. Food sold to public cannot be produced at home it must be prepared in a stainless steel licensed facility...

I'm with Bliss and Noodle... none of those name in my product line. Nothing prudish about me... my product line is targeted upscale and those types of names don't fit in.

I've changed scent names many times for shop owners, usually to something that would fit in their decor' or locale' and usually it will end up being a best seller for them....exp: the FO Country Clothesline,, I've renamed many times to the city of the store , like St. Cloud Breeze... gets them every time...

Interesting thread... didn't the same thing happen at this same time last year? I've never had a card hacked... and I've used just about every supplier listed on the board over the past 6 months to a year...without a hiccup.

Unfortuantely Funky that is the policy not only at FTD but at most stores. All privacy information is with held. My neighbor had a major card breach a few years back, she contacted the local police department for theft, from there it went state then to the FBI because the sale occured over state lines. You might want to start with your local police department who can give you more information. HTH's.

We do nothing in sales the first 4 months of the year iother than fill a few wholesale accounts.... it's just too slow at any type of craft show or store. Late April we do a spring show and sell tons of Mom's day items. Valentines Day nor St. Patty's were good for us.

Awesome day... congratulations on a good show,,, nice to have some jingle in the pocket for Christmas shopping

I do one show in the Mpls/St Paul metro area it's about 200 vendors in a very large church and it has a great following,,,, all the rest of my shows are in smaller cities of about 8,000 to 10,000 and are held in the schools. Some of the schools offer a shuttle bus in between them,, the cities offer special rates at hotels, restaurants etc. It's sort of a city wide day of crafting and these shows have been very successful.

We also do one show in the convention center of a new hotel, again strictly juried and handcrafted. Shoppers come from miles around to shop for the day...there were close to 5000 that came through the door that Saturday. This show is held in a northern resort town of about 9,000 people. The YMCA, the convention rooms at hotels plus the city iteself is full of boutiques and craft shows for the weekend. The business women's association helps sponsor our show and raises money for scholarships, it's very well organized.

Totally...... 2 more shows to go... then on to baskets to deliver before Christmas... I can see light at the end of the tunnel.. whoohoooo. We've been on the road since the middle of August and are ready to be home on a weekend.

I vend at only juried, hand crafted shows. Booth rent runs from $80 - $140 and I book in double booth size. I dumped any type of show at churches, expos, vendor fairs, summer festivals, etc because the money is NOT there.

For me a good day is to retail (at the very least) $1000.00,,, less expenses I typically make about $500 - $600

Great shows are like deer hunting widow weekend which was 2 Saturdays ago, we brought in $2167 for the day,,, less cost of product and expenses my profit is about $1300. The next 3 weekends are all high sales shows in the 2K bracket or so. I love this time of year... Usually we drive in a day early, set up the evening before.. and spend the night at a hotel, eating pizza and basking. It adds more to the expenses, but we need some down time with big shows, so that's where we take it.

Otherwise it's all work and no fun,, and we definately want to have fun in marketing.

It took me many, many years to weed out the good shows from those not so good, shows that we don't make $1000 we kick to the curb... I've been on the road since 1999, but finally have a decent line up of shows that are very profitable. Even through tough economic times these shows have held well.

I LOVE craft shows. I have many wholesalers find me there and it's helped me build my business big time. We're on the road doing shows about 25 weekends a year, do only a few spring/summer shows... This year we are booked every weekend from Mid August until December 10th. After the 10th is out time to fill and deliver holiday baskets for clientele'... chaching.. chaching...

Good luck... it's always great to know you have a good show going..