I'm SICK and.....

getting ready to leave for a vacation.  I've been under the weather for 2+ weeks.  I thought it was getting better on Monday (hooray!), but I started running a low fever that evening.  This is getting really old!

I wasn't able to do Stampin' Up at my last craft fair.....too much to carry and not enough strength or lung capacity.  I have another direct sales business that doesn't require much set up, so I did that instead.  I was approached several times about having a booth at other craft fairs, so that was good.

My family and I are going to Disney World.  My 4-year old daughter is so excited to see the princesses, and my 13-year old son is......well, a teenager.  If you are the praying type, I would ask that you pray that I am feeling better during our trip.

I do have some projects to share, but most of them will have to wait until I return.  This is a card we made at a recent Stamp-a-Stack.

 

and here is a close-up view:

I actually cut this stamp into 2 separate stamps:  the outer snowglobe by itself and the inner circle.  I kept the outer snowglobe on the wood mount and I use the inner circle on a clear mount block.  With the stamp separated like this, it becomes a lot more versatile.  Just think of all the things you could put inside an empty snowglobe!

If you have emailed me in the last 2-3 weeks and haven't received a response, please try again.  My email account was hijacked while I've been sick and I know I've lost some emails.  I should be able to check my email at least once per day while we are away.

Happy Stampin'

 

Stamp Club Projects

At stamp club last month, members made these three projects.

The first project was the anti-bacterial soap holder inspired by Erica Cerwin.  She has great instructions on her blog on how to make the box.  I used the Owl and Bitty Bat punches to create the vampire bat.  The fangs were cut free-hand and I used a red marker on the tips.

The 12" x 12" scrapbook page also features the Owl punch....I used it to create the spooky ghosts.  The pumpkins were created with the Ovals die and the big shot with Pumpkin Pie card stock.  I sponged the edges to make them stand out a little better.

The final project was this adorable test tube holder.  The test tubes have been collecting dust in my closet for a couple of years.  I know I'll probably get questions regarding where to purchase them....I got them in a bulk buy from another demonstrator, but if I find a new source, I'll let you know.

Lisa Somerville has several patterns for test tube holders on her blog.  I used the Wicked Cool stamp set, the Spider Web embossing folder, Raven lace trim, and Nite Owl Designer Series paper to really make this project pop!

Be sure to check out the Clearance Rack on my Stampin' Up! website.  There are many items for sale at drastically reduced prices.  It's a  great time to get your hands on some fun stamping supplies.

Happy Stampin'

Craft Fair FAQ

Since I posted my series on craft fairs, I've received a lot of comments and questions looking for more information.  I'm going to answer the most frequently asked questions here, but be sure to read the entire series.  I've received quite a few questions that have been covered fully in previous posts.

How much are you charging for _____________? 

This is by far the question that I get the most!  I covered pricing in Part 3 and my prices reflect the amount of time it took me to make an item and the cost of the supplies to make the item.  I purposely did not list my prices because your "costs" may vary quite a bit from mine.  However, because it has been asked over and over (and over), here are my prices for the items I featured in my craft fair series:

• Mini Muffin Tin Advent Calendar:  $15 as shown.  I will probably embellish it more and sell it for $20.


• Covered Legal Pads:  $4-$5, depending on embellishments


• Snowman Soup:  $3-$4


• Pumpkin Poop:  $1-$2


• Holiday Planner:  $5-$6


• Jiffy Pop Snowman:  $3

Where did you find the muffin tin and white folders?

The mini muffin tin was at a discount superstore (starts with a "W") and sells for $5.  My store doesn't have them all the time, but when they do, I certainly pick up a few.  The magnets on the back are the new magnet sheets from Stampin' Up!  I just cut them into small pieces.

The white folders are a little trickier to find.  I've only found them in early August at an office supply store.  They were about 10 cents each.  Don't worry!  If you can't find them in white, you can always use other colors.  Look for red, green, or even blue.  Take swatches of Designer Paper with you to the store and see which colored folders will coordinate.  Then, be ready to shop next year at the back-to-school sales!

Do I have examples of more expensive items that I've sold?

Items in the $15 and up category have only sold well for me at select craft fairs.  I usually have more luck with items in the $10 or less range. 

This year, I'll be selling the muffin tin advent calendars, a few mini scrapbooks, and some simple home decor items.  These are usually one-of-a-kind, "took me awhile to make" items, so I don't have very many at each fair.

How well do cards and scrapbook pages sell?  How do you price them?

I haven't had a ton of luck with selling cards or scrapbook pages at craft fairs.  Most of my cards are extras from classes, and I price them at $2-$3 each.  Scrapbook layouts are priced at $10-$20, depending on the embellishments.

I don't want to discourage you from trying to sell these items.  You should always try a little bit of everything because you may find it to be a completely different situation in your area.  With that said, you may even want to price your cards a little higher.

How do I handle payments?

I accept cash and checks.  I have done credit cards in the past, but I no longer have a merchant account.  What I found is that as the recession took hold, fewer of my customers were using their credit cards.  Therefore, it no longer made sense for me to pay for a credit card service that I was not using.

If you are doing a lot of shows, it might be worth it to you to look
into credit card processing.  If you do accept credit cards, be aware
that there are merchant fees and that will increase your
expenses.....but it may increase the amount that some customers are
willing to spend.

How should I split leads with another demonstrator if we are sharing a booth?

There are several ways to do this:  take turns, keep the leads you personally talk to, dividing them up by location, splitting 50/50.  Any of these methods will work.  THE IMPORTANT THING is to make sure that you are perfectly clear on both of your expectations BEFORE the fair even begins.  

I've worked with other demonstrators at events and it can be a pleasant experience that benefits everyone.  You just have to set up a fair system and stick with it.

How do I package my items?

I don't tend to add packaging to my items.  It just adds to the overall cost and is often not necessary.  If you take a look at some of my craft fair photos, you'll see that I place similar items in baskets, then add a price card to the front. 

Well, I think I got most of the burning questions answered.  I'll be back next week with some fun Halloween projects.  I'm going to be very busy making items for a craft fair next weekend.  I'll try to take some photos and share a little info with you about the day soon.

Happy Stampin'