After disappointing attendance at the handmade only Christmas shopping event yesterday, I'm hoping to make back some of the fee I paid to have a stall tonight!
Not sure why there were not many people there last night, maybe people are more organised this year and have completed their Christmas shopping.
Or maybe people don't have the money at the minute to buy hand crafted gifts?
Who knows!
Today the event organiser was on BBC radio Devon promoting the event, so I'm hoping for a better night tonight.
I made less than I spent yesterday, but couldn't resisted all the wonderful handmade items people had but so much love into making!
At least I have an interesting character to talk to on the stall next to mine.
Wednesday 7 December 2011
Friday 25 November 2011
Wednesday 16 November 2011
Busy times
Just over 5 weeks until Christmas and I'm so unprepared!
Why is it the older you get Christmas seems to come around sooner and sooner. Each year I'm set on getting all my shopping done nice and early. So why each year do I end up running around the shops about a fortnight before?
I had a look around the shops yesterday so I have an idea what to get people this year. Just go to make sure nobody else is buying the things I have in mind.
With just over 2 weeks to go before my craft fairs (3 in 1 week) I'm beading like a crazy person.
Today I made about 10 keyrings, half a dozen bracelets and some necklaces too.
Still so much to do, I didn't realise there was so much preparation to do for a craft fair.
I have to get a table covering, a banner, props for my table as well as making lots of lovely jewellery and gifts to sell.
Yesterday while I took the dog for a walk I started to get some of my props sorted. I decided to have a branch in a vase with pretty silver stones, sprayed silver to hang some necklaces on. I also picked up some holy and ivy too, not sure if Ill use it yet, but I'll spray it up and make my mind up later.
My mission for next week is to make up my table to see what it will look like. It will also help me see what gaps I have so I know what to make.
I'm really excited about the fairs, I just hope they all go well and people like what I've made oh and I make some money too!
Why is it the older you get Christmas seems to come around sooner and sooner. Each year I'm set on getting all my shopping done nice and early. So why each year do I end up running around the shops about a fortnight before?
I had a look around the shops yesterday so I have an idea what to get people this year. Just go to make sure nobody else is buying the things I have in mind.
With just over 2 weeks to go before my craft fairs (3 in 1 week) I'm beading like a crazy person.
Today I made about 10 keyrings, half a dozen bracelets and some necklaces too.
Still so much to do, I didn't realise there was so much preparation to do for a craft fair.
I have to get a table covering, a banner, props for my table as well as making lots of lovely jewellery and gifts to sell.
Yesterday while I took the dog for a walk I started to get some of my props sorted. I decided to have a branch in a vase with pretty silver stones, sprayed silver to hang some necklaces on. I also picked up some holy and ivy too, not sure if Ill use it yet, but I'll spray it up and make my mind up later.
My mission for next week is to make up my table to see what it will look like. It will also help me see what gaps I have so I know what to make.
I'm really excited about the fairs, I just hope they all go well and people like what I've made oh and I make some money too!
Thursday 3 November 2011
Desperation - not good for sales!
Something I have noticed among some fellow costume jewellery makers, is the amount of people flooding Facebook groups with their items for sale.
Now I'm all for a little self promotion but this just seems to be ridiculous. Apart from filling up the page so responsible posters items get lost, it all just comes across as desperate to me.
One poster I have noticed in one of the many groups I belong to, has taken to putting comments on her own posts to keep her picture bumped up to the top of the page. This may be fine if the group admin allows this but the comments that are left are things like "any takers?" or "why is nobody buying my jewellery?" I have to bite my tongue a little as temping as it is to say "because you reek of desperation" it might also have something to do with the badly lit out of focus pictures that the person is using.
Surely the best way to sell your work is to take your time staging the photograph and the quality will speak for it's self. Also to engage with others and take interest in their work.
Get your name known in the group for being friendly, give hints and tips to others and complement their work. In my opinoin the sales will come eventually and you wont be known as the annoying person that is just out for themselves.
Anyway rant over for today and here's a picture of my latest Christmassy creation.
Karen x
Now I'm all for a little self promotion but this just seems to be ridiculous. Apart from filling up the page so responsible posters items get lost, it all just comes across as desperate to me.
One poster I have noticed in one of the many groups I belong to, has taken to putting comments on her own posts to keep her picture bumped up to the top of the page. This may be fine if the group admin allows this but the comments that are left are things like "any takers?" or "why is nobody buying my jewellery?" I have to bite my tongue a little as temping as it is to say "because you reek of desperation" it might also have something to do with the badly lit out of focus pictures that the person is using.
Surely the best way to sell your work is to take your time staging the photograph and the quality will speak for it's self. Also to engage with others and take interest in their work.
Get your name known in the group for being friendly, give hints and tips to others and complement their work. In my opinoin the sales will come eventually and you wont be known as the annoying person that is just out for themselves.
Anyway rant over for today and here's a picture of my latest Christmassy creation.
Saturday 22 October 2011
Really should blog more!
Hi I've been away for a while but have come back raring to go.
The last few months have been busy, I never knew it was such hard work setting up a business!
It's not just the financial side of it, its all the self promotion that seems to be the hardest. With all the technology available it seems like you have to be in 10 places at once. Taking time to blog!! posting on social networking sites and trying to set up your own web site while trying to sell on another website. It's all quite a mind field really. I must get more organised and plan some time each day to get on top of all theses things.
I have now started doing jewellery parties. The first was a real success and i sold lots of items. It was also a great learning curve for what I had to do for my future parties. The second was completely different, all I had planned to do and say went straight out of the window. It just goes to show, you cant have the same format to each party. You just need to judge the crowd and tailor it for each host and their guests.
One thing I did discover is that I need help! It was hard work having lots of women descend on you wanting to ask questions, to purchase items, place orders and wait to have their jewellery wrapped. I am lucky to have lovely friends and family in my life to support me and have one special person who will help me with future parties while I'm living in Plymouth.
Having said that I'm due to move next year so will need to find someone else will to give their time freely to help me.
I shall leave you with an image of the earrings I made this morning.
Karen x
The last few months have been busy, I never knew it was such hard work setting up a business!
It's not just the financial side of it, its all the self promotion that seems to be the hardest. With all the technology available it seems like you have to be in 10 places at once. Taking time to blog!! posting on social networking sites and trying to set up your own web site while trying to sell on another website. It's all quite a mind field really. I must get more organised and plan some time each day to get on top of all theses things.
I have now started doing jewellery parties. The first was a real success and i sold lots of items. It was also a great learning curve for what I had to do for my future parties. The second was completely different, all I had planned to do and say went straight out of the window. It just goes to show, you cant have the same format to each party. You just need to judge the crowd and tailor it for each host and their guests.
One thing I did discover is that I need help! It was hard work having lots of women descend on you wanting to ask questions, to purchase items, place orders and wait to have their jewellery wrapped. I am lucky to have lovely friends and family in my life to support me and have one special person who will help me with future parties while I'm living in Plymouth.
Having said that I'm due to move next year so will need to find someone else will to give their time freely to help me.
I shall leave you with an image of the earrings I made this morning.
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