How much stock for first craft fair?

[Wick'n'Wax]

Cast your minds back, waaaayyy back to your first ever craft show How did you know how much stock to take with you?

Its in mid October, but its geared towards being a christmas craft fair.

I've decided on some fragrances, pink sugar, baby powder, vanilla, sugar cookies, nag champa, mango, strawberry and eggnog.

Was going to offer 4 size pillars, 3 x 3 1/2, 2 x 6 1/2, 3 x 6 1/2 (all round) and 4 x 4 1/2 square.

Doing some travel tins and any apocathery jars I have left at the time, only got 10 to start with. I have some mini galvanised buckets and glass dishes.

I also want to do some christmas themed hurricanes, maybe a couple of shell/sand candles, some orbs with pressed flowers on.

Then there will be a few novelty christmas candles. Also melts. Going to try a few ghost orbs and one halloween fragrance, but not sure in what.

Have I bitten off more than I can chew? 50 days till fair, 8 of those I'm on holiday......

Oh and its a 2 day fair (although I don't have to do the 2nd day if I don't want too, its in the same price).

I'm really starting to panic about whether I can do this, I can cancel up until the 1st October.

If I had a 'game plan' as to exactly how much and of what I was doing, I might feel more confident.

ooh votives, I forgot the votives, jeez

[chauntelle]

My first craft fair wasnt as busy as i hoped but i was up until early hours of the morning as well as pouring for a couple of hours each day for almost two weeks. i still didnt have enough to fill the table! Maybe start with a few less so theres not so much pressure on you although you need a mixture of styles you dont want to take on too much and be too tired to be at your best im no expert at shows and im sure some one else can offer you much better advise but everycandle you make you will have to wrap label and thats before you even get started in the set up ie shelves or display unit to give you height!" I suppose you also need to think about how much space you have to display?

I believe that you can never take too many candles but at the same time you need to enjoy this and not take on too much.Just My opinion, hope it goes well and you have fun:D

[Wick'n'Wax]

Thanks Chauntelle, I've got 12foot of table, 18 if I need it.

Was going to get my dad to make me some mdf risers.

Theres so much to think about lol

[chauntelle]

Maybe then if you've got the space and can get help with the set up and labelling then you know if you can make that. I suppose if i was doing a big show and was looking for a game plan id probably start with pouring the most popular candles first and leave the ones your least bothered about till last at least that way if you do run out of time you've got the important ones!!! Only you know whats right. and dont forget food,drink and as much pos you can (price lists, leaflets, biz cards maybe a free prize draw where people have to leave contact details such as email address to be entered and then you have their details to inform them of your nxt show, open house or special offers and directing them to your web,just an idea that has worked for me before)Good luck you'll be fine:cool2: