Craft Fair Sales

I posted a couple photos on Facebook as I was packing for the craft fair.  I had 38 in all which doesn't seem like a lot for all the weaving I felt I had done.  These are the towels that I just finished in the hyacinth colorway.  They looks like hyacinths to me!

I spent a good deal of time labeling and pricing everything, something I don't usually do when I have a whole table to myself, but with half a table and only 1 1/2 hours to shop, I wanted unambiguous information.

I had eleven silk/wool blend scarves and six rayon/silk.  I sold one the day I posted this picture on Facebook and mailed it off to Yuba City the same day.  Another friend couldn't make it to the craft fair but made arrangements to get together.  She needs to buy some gifts.  And a friend from book club picked one out and asked me to bring it to the next meeting.  I was flying high, expecting the same level of response from the sale the next day.

The organizers asked that we donate a raffle item in exchange for advertising on their Facebook page.  This is the last of the felted bags I used to make and don't anymore.  I didn't mind offering it to them.  It seemed reasonable to me.

Mim learned about this event through her daughter in law.  It was well organized and we were able to set up quickly.  I learned a big lesson that day.  You need to get more information before you sign up.  The organization is MOPS (mothers of pre-schoolers) and is part of a warehouse church.  The space is their sanctuary, sans chairs.  The event was to promote the MOPS program, was advertised as a Vendor Fair and it's purpose was to help promote sign-ups.  It's a very young congregation, with lots of toddlers and pregnant moms.  They weren't there to shop and they didn't.

I think Mim and I had an appealing display and we did have looky-lous.  They had created a bingo-like card of the vendors and raffle ticket buyers got a bonus if they had each vendor sign off on their space.  That brought the ladies to our table, but they never stopped visiting long enough to shop.

Being young people, they played music over the PA system so that we had to shout over it be heard, creating a bit of a party atmosphere.  They emailed me a survey this morning asking for feedback, asking if I would do the event again.  I gave feedback and said NO. My one sale came from a grandmother.  Lovely people, not a good event.

Christina and I have tickets for the wedding next month.  We fly into Hartford where everything is astonishingly expensive: flights, hotels and rental cars.  I reason that it's the insurance capitol of the US and they know business people will come, pay the prices and then write it off.  At least the two tickets will give Ian and me enough points to fly to New York in the fall.

Speaking of fall, my break has healed but my neck still is stiff, even with yoga and massage.  Last week my yoga instructor asked me what I was doing for anti-inflammatories.  I told her that I take an Advil after breakfast.  She introduced me to turmeric as a natural anti-inflammatory, as recommended by Dr. Oz.  Ian and I talked about it after I got home and after looking at information online, he ordered a bottle for us.  We have only taken it for a week and both of us have already seen improvement.  I thought I'd pass that on, in the event it might be something you'd like to know this.