craft show season

[wisconsinwoodch]

Boy am I glad Its over for me, Now make the big gusse, what will sell next year, what shows do I cull out,are trere any new ones to try and get in. Over all I had my best year , this year than any in the last 10 years. The one I did yesterday was great for me ,I have done it 13 of the 14 years it was held.I had a lot of returning coustumers, That is always a big help, I even had 2 newwooden toy makers there,One was areal nice guy he event sent a customer over to me , because he doesnt do fancy colectableones The other one wouldnt even say HI. OH well thats his problem. Good luck to all of you who have more shows to go. I did 23 this year ,more than my share
The wisconsinwoodchuck. :) :) :) :)
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[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

You do deserve a rest and glad to hear you did well. This may bode well for all of us who are just starting like myself. I only do fall shows because of the Christmas season. The last couple years have been failures so hopefully things will make up for this. I am adding two new shows because I lost two last year due to closure. The jury is still out on these. I scouted a show this Saturday and it was at one time a highly rated show. I was dissapointed for the amount of crafters there were about 100 and out of those I counted 37 selling jewlery. This has become the takeover of the crafts show scene. Not impressed at all. Needless to say that show is not on my to do list. Just was looking for an earlier show. Just have to keep looking. Good luck to all who are just getting ready to venture out and to all that have been on the scene already such as Fred move over it is our turn. :) :) :)

[wisconsinwoodch]

JT.the reason I quit so early and no do christmass shows is that I have never done good at them. I dont have any low cost things that are seaosnal.Most of my big Items are bought in the summer and saved to give at christmass that wsay they are sure to be able to get them or they order them for christmass delivery .the wisconsinwoodchuck. :) :) :) :)
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[pops-shop]

For me, I hae one more big one that starts Thursday this week. My wife is trying to get me to do one early December but I'm fighting it. After pushing for this show and catching up on orders, I'm ready to take a break and work on Christmas gifts and then take a real break (do what I want to do ;)

[pops-shop]

Just got back from the show. Didn't do too bad but not as good as last year. Received 6 special orders and orders for stuff I ran out of.

Funny thing happened - made the Nativity Scene from the Holiday Woodworks and Crafts. Didn't get the lite kit until the morning we left. Finally got it glued up about 1/2 hour after the show started. Before the glue dried, a woman saw it and wanted it - wouldn't even wait for the glue to dry. Sold it to her and advised her to leave it at the booth until the end of the day (she was a vender). Had to rent the bloody thing from her on Friday in order to show it. got orders for four more so I guess renting it was the right thing to do.

[ndtroll]

Just did the first show this fall.... an in home show in our neighborhood....
We have 7 houses in our 100 year old area of town open to the public with 18 craftsmen/artists scattered throughout the 7 homes....
Traffic was down and sales were 1/2 of last year....
This weekend is "The Big One" .... (actual name of the show) on Friday and Saturday.... Hope it goes better..... will let you know next week and I will take pictures of my new setup

[Gunny]

Got one this weekend in the auditorium of the grammar school I graduated from @@ years ago... I'm trying as much as I can of what I've learned from the gang here and I'm taking a couple of new items.
I've done six shows since April and so far I've been averaging about twice the table fee. Nobody around here seems to be doing great from what they tell me but everyone seems to be having some success...
It seems every show there's always one customer who buys a lot from me ... Now if they will all show up this weekend... :)
Every show I learn something helpful...(I've also learned a lot about the dreaded "B" word...)
After this weekend there's one more and then I'll take a rest until Spring and just make sawdust... (hopefully with the drum sander I've been petitioning Santa about...)

[pops-shop]

Welllllllllllllll, it is now early February. Are you folks starting to gear up for the new season????

Be reading other posts, it seems that the weather is not going to cooperate in some parts.

As for me, maps and other stuff are in production. I would rather take my leisure in making stuff that I know will sell rather than crunch time a couple of weeks before the shows. Have 3 scheduled in April/May.

[ndtroll]

I have a number of new projects, clocks, wildlife, shelves and more, in various stages of production.... My next show is the 1st weekend of April.... If they get done by then, great....
The ones that aren't completed will be done by other future shows

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I only do fall shows because spring shows do not do well here by me. I have not spent much time in the shop because when I get home from work and being out in the cold all day and hitting the heat you just want to fall asleep. I try to do a little on the weekend. Need to retire. :)

[Jediscroller]

My first one is March 31, then 1 in April, 2 in May and 3 in June. The biggies are the fall shows, I'm doing at least 7 in Sep - Oct, and probably another 3 in November. I may skip December altogether this year though as I was swamped last year with custom orders in November/December (delivered the last one on Dec. 24).

Kevin

[wisconsinwoodch]

I start my craft shows the last weekend in May. Then its full blast tell end of november, I do take a few weekends off If I can not find good art or craft shows.I have been working full blast on stock for the summer, plus Interduceing a few new items that I have not made before.I get tired of making the same old toys day after day.I need to add to my own collection.As I have one of every toy I have ever made. good luck to every one on the start of the new year. :) :) :) :)
thewisconsinwoodchuck
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