Just Goes to Show ya...

I'm so happy to be able to report that I had a great show! Now, just what does that mean?

My booth is conveniently located between the Men's and Women's rooms. Which you might think is a good thing. But I think that the horrible Feng Shui flushes my potential profits down the facility along with other matter.

I teach almost every weekend and don't put a lot of energy into selling my work. I only do this one show, which is put on twice a year. I call it my hobby show. So, I have different criteria for judging what makes a good show than others might.

This booth space is the smallest in the entire show. Only 5' x 6'. Good on the wallet and excellent for someone who doesn't have that many pieces to display. My new set up was perfect and allowed viewers to look at my wares without the usual crowding that happens at table booths.

• I made more than twice my booth and expenses. Maybe even three times (haven't done my finances yet). Because I bought new display items, I'm counting that expenditure in my break even figure. Most information I've seen suggests that five times your booth fee is the minimum "take" to aspire to.

I used earthquake putty to attach the laminated photographs to the cardboard pedestals.

• Friday (always a slow day) I made two big sales. Yay! Saturday was a fabulous day with 7 great sales. Sunday was a fun (but tiring) socializing day with only one little pair of earrings leaving the nest all day long. Three days is too much for my old body I think, and with my lower energy on the last day - the energy of my booth also flagged and visitors to the craft market felt it and weren't inclined to look my way.

I got the little battery powered LED lights at the same lightbulb store where I found 6500 K daylight bulbs for the Ikea floor lamps.  

• Lots of friends and fans dropped by to visit which is always energizing and inspirational. Thanks. You know who you are. ;D

Using black lentils or rice seemed like a great idea, but it's messy and the jewelry tends to sink down into the grain. Especially when customers like to poke it down intentionally. I guess even adults like to poke and prod unusual material to see how it reacts. Sigh.

• I've done this show enough times that I feel a part of the community of vendors. As I walked around the show before it started, I was greeted by artists I used to admire as an attendee.

Love the little plastic stands for my rings, but amused that customers tried on said rings without bothering to detach aforementioned stands.

• I got lots of admiring comments, good long looks and interest in my eclectic work from attendees and vendors alike. And that always adds up to a successful enterprise.

Too many folks thought the Look Book was a freebie and I replaced it with postcards on the second day. The wrought iron screen is there to act as some kind of a barrier or separation from the men's room door.