Craft Fayre Step By Step

SallyUK · 8 October 2009 at 9:56PM

Hi Folks

The local hospice has asked me if I'd be interested in having a stall at their annual Christmas market but I'm not sure I'm good enough to do it.

Could we put on this thread, some of the ideas that have been mentioned in previous threads so that I can try and work out if I have enough time to make enough different things?

And for those of you who have already done craft fayres, would you kindly give me some hints and tips on where to start organising it! lol

Towel Cakes
Coaster Calendars
Teabag Holders
Post-it Note Holders
Bookmarks
Hand-made Cards
Flannel Reindeer
Sweet Bouquets

Can we expand on this please?

Sal
x

pretzelnut · 8 October 2009 at 10:13PM

Novelty toilet roll, loo roll with a funny poem on it.
washer / dryer gift, tea towel and dishcloth with a poem.

There in the craft thread somewhere with instructions and pictures.

RustyFlange · 9 October 2009 at 12:57PM

Survival kits - cost pennies to make but sell for £'s .. I can give you ideas if you need them (PM me)

Flannel cupcakes ... again cost pennies to make approx 50p and you could sell for £1.50 I have a few cases spare if you would like them PM me your address

rainmac · 9 October 2009 at 2:03PM

Sal, first of all, you are absolutely good enough to do it, your stuff is always fab

I have just replied on another thread about crarft fairs so sorry for repeating but this is what I said plus some bits...

I did a craft fair in the summer selling things I'd made and found that the cheaper, smaller items sold much more that the larger items. So people seemed happy to buy a couple of bits for £1-£2 each but once you hit £4, money mostly stayed in pockets!!!

I am using this as a basis for what I make for the 4 Christmas fairs I'm going to do and am making...
snowman soup
snowman poop
reindeer food
decorated peg magnets, these... http://rainmacsplace.blogspot.com/2009/10/bags-and-pegs-to-show-you.html
post-it note holders
coaster calendars
jars of nothing
box of hugs
sweeties in handbags, like these... http://itsallfiddlefart.blogspot.com...-handbags.html
Teabag card with poem
Bag of snowflakes (punched from vellum) with a poem
Santa magic keys
Christmas survival kits - if I have time
Wrapped loo roll with funny verse
I haven't worked out all my costings yet but most items will be between £1-£2.

I may take a couple of pots of gold and a couple of nappy cakes but on my stall in August I found people didn't look at anything wrapped in cellophane, they went for the bits they could easily see and pick up.

So long as you are organised, you will be fine and I bet you enjoy the fair:D. Make sure you take a tablecloth/sheet to cover your table. For my craft fair in August I bought some cheap boxes from Ikea to sit underneath my sheet at the back of the table so I could display items at different heights, this worked well and I am going to empty and re-use the boxes for my Xmas fairs. Get some business cards or flyers printed up with your details so people can take one and contact you after the event (can get them cheap online). Things like nappy cakes or towel cakes may not sell on the day (only if someone comes along needing to buy a baby/wedding gift) but having them on your stall look fab and people can see them and take a card to contact you when they are looking for something.

I certainly don't have a wealth of experience as I have only done one fair

but please let me know if you have any questions x

Good luck

moonpenny · 9 October 2009 at 4:11PM

All you ladies who do fairs (I havn't plucked up the courage yet!) How do you take payments?

Is it purely cash only or, do you take card payments etc? I must say, this is the main thing that is stopping me having a stall, having to get my head around how to take card payments!

I know that if things don't cost much, it would probably be cash but Nappy Cakes etc can be a bit pricey so what then?

Claire_Bear · 9 October 2009 at 4:38PM

How do people find out where the craft fairs and things going on near them are? I'm guessing you'll want to think about booking yourself into Christmas fairs round about now, but after loads of googling and stuff I can't find any details of any near me and I'd quite like to do one this year.

My list would have...

Snowman Soup
Sock cupcakes
Flannel reindeers
Sock pints
Snowman/pudding/santa pebble magnets
Shabby chic hearts lavender decorations
Fairy wands
Cookie/brownie jars
Pots of gold
Half eaten gingerbread men decorations
Felt bird decorations
Melted crayon shapes

I think, I keep changing the list around

Like has been said, all my things would be under £2.50-ish because I think people ar emore likely to buy a couple of little cheap items than one big expensive item.

rainmac · 9 October 2009 at 5:01PM

moonpenny wrote: »

All you ladies who do fairs (I havn't plucked up the courage yet!) How do you take payments?

Is it purely cash only or, do you take card payments etc? I must say, this is the main thing that is stopping me having a stall, having to get my head around how to take card payments!

I know that if things don't cost much, it would probably be cash but Nappy Cakes etc can be a bit pricey so what then?

I've only done one fair and took cash only but would have been happy to accept cheques too. Not sure how an earth you'd do card payments at a craft fair?

rainmac · 9 October 2009 at 5:06PM

Claire_Bear wrote: »

How do people find out where the craft fairs and things going on near them are? I'm guessing you'll want to think about booking yourself into Christmas fairs round about now, but after loads of googling and stuff I can't find any details of any near me and I'd quite like to do one this year.

My list would have...

Snowman Soup
Sock cupcakes
Flannel reindeers
Sock pints
Snowman/pudding/santa pebble magnets
Shabby chic hearts lavender decorations
Fairy wands
Cookie/brownie jars
Pots of gold
Half eaten gingerbread men decorations
Felt bird decorations
Melted crayon shapes

I think, I keep changing the list around Like has been said, all my things would be under £2.50-ish because I think people ar emore likely to buy a couple of little cheap items than one big expensive item.

Fab selection of goodies, I'd be a customer of yours for sure

I am doing 4 fairs in the run up to Xmas: one for my local toddler group who arrange a shopping event once a year, one for school (arranged by school charity committee), one for preschool (again organised by charity committee) and one arranged by my mum and dad's local town council. If you are looking for venues you could ask at such places. The WI in a village local to me are running a craft fair later this month so they may be another organisation to ask?

moonpenny · 9 October 2009 at 5:12PM

Thanks rainmac! I worry about all the practicalities like this and then decide not to do it. I think with Nappy cakes being more expensive I would have to sort this out first or lose sales.

Claire Bear - You can find fairs in your area at www.stallfinder.com but I don't know where you would find out about "smaller" craft fairs etc.
For the smaller fairs maybe - school, library, local rags, posters in shops. Not sure really!

rainmac · 9 October 2009 at 5:22PM

moonpenny wrote: »

Thanks rainmac! I worry about all the practicalities like this and then decide not to do it. I think with Nappy cakes being more expensive I would have to sort this out first or lose sales.

Claire Bear - You can find fairs in your area at www.stallfinder.com but I don't know where you would find out about "smaller" craft fairs etc.
For the smaller fairs maybe - school, library, local rags, posters in shops. Not sure really!

Moonpenny, I know what you mean

If you have cards/flyers made up people can always contact you after the fair to order items. Maybe you should try a fair and see what happens? I would think most stallholders are not geared up to accept anything other than cash and cheques.

Claire_Bear · 9 October 2009 at 5:34PM

Thanks

I've never done a craft fair before so am worried I wouldn't make enough, or I'd make too much and no-one would buy it so I'd have to bring it all home again.... eek! Plus I'd have no idea how to present my stall or anything, but at least I've got plenty of time to do some research about it. I vaguely remember there being signs up at the Town Hall about christmas crafty fairs, I'll go and ask in there, I never thought of asking schools, do you find you have to change your stock to reflect this and put more stuff for kids out, or is it a lot of parents buying more 'grown up' items?

Thanks for the link too, Moonpenny, just going to have a look

Ooh, I'm all excited :rotfl:

Hmm, apparently the only one is in Stoksely, and the Town Hall aren't having one this year

Will have to keep an eye out for smaller locally run ones

Craft Fayre Step By Step

Comments

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free