Just a couple of snaps from yesterday's craft fair in Newark. I'm a little bit torn about this entry. I want to be positive but I also want to tell the truth. I think it's only fair to other would be crafters to talk about the good with the erm, well...you know. So in the essence of compromise, I'm going to be positively truthful!
The show was not a retail success for me, or, I suspect ANY of the other crafters, as we had NO CUSTOMERS. I mean that quite literally. Makes retail a bit tricky, that. The crafters on either side of me made either one or no sales all day. There simply weren't any people attending. Very disappointing, that.
Some people attributed it to the show being so early in the fall, but judging from the number of harvest festivals I've seen, scheduled all over the Tri-state area, people DO go to them. I think it might have been a case of every crafters number 1 enemy, no publicity. Hey, you win some, you lose some. Here comes the positive part!
My Momma attended with me and I taught her how to knit, which was a blast. She picked it up unbelievably fast, which humbled me not a little bit as I remembered how slowly and clumsily I had learned the exact same skill. Not for the first time, I wished I had her brains. Go Momma, GO!
And we had some delightful visitors in the form of my cousins, Heather and David and their adorable boxer puppy, Bailey. Seeing them and knowing they'd come out to see FJKW launched made my whole day! I have been truly blessed with cousins, as mine are some of the sweetest and most thoughtful people on the planet. On both sides of the family tree. But don't tell them I said that- it'll go right to there heads! ;)
See, this is what I love about scarves- at 7 and a half months pregnant, they still fit perfectly!! I am wearing a hand knit number made from recycled sari silk from India. Spinning the yarn left over from weaving saris gives these women extra income and makes unique and distinctive pieces. So you can purchase knowing that you are helping out not only myself, but women and their families half a world away. Now doesn't that make you want to open your wallet! ;)
More positives: the looming craft fair deadline forced me to get all my projects completed, tagged and ready to buy. Also to ramp up my Etsy store (coming soon!) and get hopping on this blog. And to meet fellow crafters, exchange ideas and information and get some of my promotional materials out in circulation. Plus, there's nothing like looking back at your sparkling craft table, laden with all those colors and patterns and thinking "WOW! I MADE all that!" It's good for the ego, so it is.
For a seasonal and economical display, I draped the scarves and hats around pumpkins and gourds from the local Farmer's Market. Baby hats look great perched on top of mini pumpkins and I wrapped a scarf around the neck of a goose necked green gourd for a whimsical touch.
More pictures to come, as soon as I can persuade my attitudinal computer to upload them. Sigh. Thanks for stopping by friends and I hope you experience something magical in your lives today!
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