Heading for a Craft Fair? Read This First!

From the blog Create Some Buzz, here's a list of 14 Tips to Increase Your Craft Show Sales. Also, at the bottom of the post there's a link to an earlier piece with a checklist of what to take to a show. Even if you're an old pro at craft fairs, there's a lot of great information here.

When Silence is Not So Golden

Most of us have been there. You decide it's time to expand your business and run across an interesting possibility -- a shop or a craft fair or another venue that features handmade items. So you call, write or email to find out the details on getting in. And nothing happens. Zip. Nada. Crickets. It's easy to jump to the conclusion that they didn't like your work. Not so fast, says blog team member and etsy seller Sage Sky. In the post below, she explains that the real reason could be that the people running the operation are so disorganized that they've forgotten a very simple business rule: Vendors are paying customers and should not be ignored. Bottom line: if a business is so poorly run that they're not responding to potential customers, do you really want to be part of it? The vendor is a paying customer, too. How to read the ZERO response market. A brand new, hip flea market that features half vintage and half handmade items recently opened near my house. Two months ago, I started e-mailing them asking for a space. I have had ZERO response. I am vendor, which also makes me a paying costumer, right? So how should I take it when they don’t get back to me? I shop where the flea market is located. I am very involved in my community. I have a lot of resources that can help drive business to them. No one I've talked to has even heard of the flea market. So why for two month now have they not gotten back to me? Are they completely disorganized or do they hate my stuff? Look, it really doesn’t matter to me if I ever set up a booth at this flea market, but as a paying customer, a neighbor and an active community leader, it's just common courtesy to respond to an inquiry. So, here’s my opinion: when a market doesn't get back to you, don’t take offense. My business partner finally broke down and called them. The girl on the other end of the line, who is also the contact for the flea market, was talking to my partner on the phone while talking to someone else in the room. She told her to send the e-mail again. My partner sent it right away and again days have passed with zero response. So our conclusion is that the flea market organizers are very disorganized. But get it together folks! We the vendors are paying costumers, too. You would not have a market or a fair without the vendor. Just a quick e-mail would do the trick.

Crist Pottery at Etsy.com

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Crist Pottery...handbuilt pottery

The styling of Beverly Crist's handbuilt ceramic pottery has been a long time in the making. Always making art since early childhood, she got her B.A. & B.F.A. degrees from Florida universities and wherever she lived she always had a ceramic studio practice...in Florida, Texas, California & Germany.

She's been published in numerous ceramic/art books & magazines, as well as, had commissioned art work in Florida & California.

Not letting the moss grow under her feet, she also has been active in professional guilds & associations as an exhibiting member, instructor & board member.

Her work has been on display in several TV shows, as well as, a guest segment for HGTV's "That's Clever".

A couple of future gigs for Beverly is an impressive entry in a published ceramic/art book coming out in the Fall... "500 Vases".

She'll also be in the ACGA Clay & Glass Festival, July 10th & 11th in Palo Alto. Come up and support her there & at her etsy shop.

Help Turn Trash into Crafting Treasures -- and Earn Some Cash!

A little off topic maybe, but since so many CCCOE members have children and we all know the schools are hurting, so here's a way to reduce landfills, contribute to the crafting movement and make some money for your school, charity or club. Just go to TerraCycle and sign up. Once you're registered, you can start collecting juice boxes, candy wrappers, chip bags, yogurt containers, toothpaste tubes, tape dispensers and similar stuff to send to TerraCycle with one of their free shipping labels. Then they upcycle the "junk" into some pretty amazing things, including everything from coolers and corkboards to purses and window boxes. Even better, your group earns 2 cents for every item you send. Considering that each school child throws away about 67 pounds of trash per year, it's easy to see how it can add up to some real money.

Robert Seitz...rdotell at Etsy.com

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Robert Seitz...artisan jewelry at it's best

When I first approached Robert for permission to write this entry about him & his shop, I mentioned that I thought he should be a "rockstar". I was surprised his shop wasn't "sold out".

Robert grew up in East L.A., but left it as a youngster to travel the country...after 10 years, he returned home to share what he learned about living a good & creative life. He brings culture, handmade skills & traditions, and variety to his life and others around him.

Currently Robert has a website under construction, BUT there are some lovely additional pictures of his work in the "gallery" section, as well as the selections from his Etsy site.