cybersix Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Hi all!I'm getting ready for a craft fair on next sunday (8th december).I already did two fairs past year, all in all things went well but I couldn't stand the cold.This year the city where I live decided to put up a fair and the great thing is it's inside a hystorical palace. The fee is really small, only 5 euros, I have just to take the candles and the table cloth with me. Lighting and heating are already there, along with the table.So I decided to jump in.I have about 120 candles ready, some are pillars, some containers, in 12 scents.I have melts and little scented sachets also.Really don't know what to expect, I am still new to this city and no one remembers if this fair already took place in the past years.I hope I will do well!!!!Thanks for reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Node11 Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 (edited) Good luck at the craft fair! Sounds like an interesting venue. The price is right and the setup sounds nice. Hopefully you get some good foot traffic being inside and are able to clear out some year end inventory.No sympathy for the cold here, lol. It's 30° (-1c) and falling with 6-9 inches of snow likely tonight. We most likely won't see an above freezing temp before late February or early March Settling in for the big freeze.Let us know how it goes! Edited December 4, 2013 by Node11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 OMG I so hate cold!!!The past year after the whole day out in the freeze I couldn't even drive back home, it seemed as I was no conscious of wha I was doing.Terrible!I hope there will be lots of people, I found out they had to make a selection to assign spaces and I've been confirmed. I will be the only candlemaker it seems! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubure Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I wish you many, many sales, Sabrina! I'm doing a fair this sunday as well, it is the only one I do. Quite small but not expensive and I always make a few bucks.Cannot stand the cold as well, but I will be inside again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SliverOfWax Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Good luck, and stay warm. I, too, hate, HATE cold.The thing about craft shows is you won't make sales if you aren't there. Be as many places as you can and haul as much product as you can carry. Then hope for the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Gook luck at your craft fair! Hope you make lots of sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justjasen Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) I love craft shows. Luckily we have 3 major ones right in my town (April/September/November). I am thinking about doing a few that are 90 minutes away next year as well..will just depend on how wholesale sales go and whether I will have time.Good luck at your craft show! Hope you sell lots!!!!!!!! Edited December 5, 2013 by Justjasen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 Thanks everyone!!I don't love fair so much, until now the few I made were boring, luckily I had a friend in the booth next to mine.This time no friend, but since it's near where I live many other friends told me they will pass by.I hope. I am not too good at smiling and talking with strangers.But how do you manage to survive a whole day out in the freezing we're having?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Here I am!I'm attaching some pics, I discovered only once I got there that my table was surrounded by a couple of ugly fake walls. I didn't have anythong with me to cover them up, so in these pics the whole thing seems a bit sad LOL.It was not bad, I was one of the few who made some sales. 60 tables divided on three floors. In the room where I was no one sold anything except me. I made 200 euros, the fee was 5, no other expenses since it was near home (5 minutes drive) and I ate some sandwich I had prepared before. Not too bad, but I'm puzzled by customers. I had small pillars I was selling at 8 euros, medium at 10, tumblers at 5.everyone bought the small pillars, I thought because 8 is less then 10, but the 5 euros tumblers didn't sell. Who knows.It was the first time the town organized this indoor fair so many things could be improved sicne they want it to become an annual fair. The palace was not decorated at all, from the outside no one could tell there was a craft fair going on inside, no signs in the streets at all. I was the only candlemaker. My friend went to see other fairs in other cities and she told me there were no candles at all. I am more puzzled. I would pay someone to tell me what's the matter here LOL!Thanks for reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scent Cellar Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 Your pillars are very beautiful. I hope you are able to find more fairs to particiate in. Can't imagine walking by your booth and not buying at least one thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 I do like the tumblers, but your pillars are beautiful! Could it be that the tumblers are not colored? I think they are pretty uncolored, but the pillars steal the spotlight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Thanks Jan and Georgia, hubby said that maybe tumblers are a bit insignificant (I let them uncolored because of frosting, and to accentuate their natural aspect) and anyone can find them almost everywhere (at least something similar).Maybe the small pillars are a good half way between the 5 and 10 euros and they got a really nice and unique candle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puma52 Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 Wow Cybersix! Your candles are beautiful! Glad you sold candles today even though there were no signs outside. You will do well...those are just so, so pretty!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktaggard Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Here I am!I'm puzzled by customers. I had small pillars I was selling at 8 euros, medium at 10, tumblers at 5.everyone bought the small pillars, I thought because 8 is less then 10, but the 5 euros tumblers didn't sell. Who knows.It was the first time the town organized this indoor fair so many things could be improved sicne they want it to become an annual fair. The palace was not decorated at all, from the outside no one could tell there was a craft fair going on inside, no signs in the streets at all. I was the only candlemaker. My friend went to see other fairs in other cities and she told me there were no candles at all. I am more puzzled. I would pay someone to tell me what's the matter here LOL!Thanks for reading!I am finding that customer preferences can be very unpredictable. One show, I sold tons of body butter. I stocked up on it for the next show and did not sell one . My lotion bars, on the other hand, sold completely out that show. I had sold very few lotion bars before that. Candle melts and warmers sold awesome at one show and did not sell as well at the next. I guess what I'm saying is just keep on going, and see what happens next. Your candles are really beautiful, who knows - you might sell tons on container candles next show. Oh, and making 200 Euro on a 5 Euro entry fee is really awesome!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 Thanks everyone for chiming in, and for your kind words on my candles!All in all I'm satisfied, but I still have many items left.This last period was crazy I was making candles while discontinuing my motorcycle shop so I am too late now to apply to other fairs, there's one next sunday wich is huge (130 tables), concerts, spaces for kids but it's full. So I don't know where to go to try to sell the rest.Other venue I was thinking is, since I have to complete my website with a cart, is to use what is left to work on packaging and setting up the cart with some promotional winter sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChandlerWicks Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Contact the other fairs & ask if they have a wait list in case someone cancels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 Contact the other fairs & ask if they have a wait list in case someone cancels.Already did, they didn't give lots of hope!I love your signature!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChandlerWicks Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 (edited) Thanks!At least if you work on your website, you'll be home warm with family!Do you make soap? Edited December 9, 2013 by ChandlerWicks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 Thanks!At least if you work on your website, you'll be home warm with family!Do you make soap?No I don't make soap. It's an idea I sometimes play with in my mind, but it looks a bit complicated and I don't have room where let soaps cure.Some pillars are going to friends and family, the rest will go through the packaging experiments and shooting sessions LOL, Ijust bough a new light tent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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