SORT OF BACK TO NORMAL

Hi everyone

Feeling guilty as I didn't write a blog post last weekend and really missed out on reading everyone's posts too  It never takes very long to write a post, although thinking of a witty title does, but it's one of those things that occasionally keep getting moved to the bottom of the list.  Hopefully I should be back on track now - fingers and paws crossed.

It was, as always at the moment, a busy week.  I have re-named the Godalming Independent Market to the Godalming Bazaar.  I have never felt 100% happy with a name including the word market because it gave the impression of an outdoor market and it isn't.  Two friends (Dawn of Stone Pit Crafts and Lesley, the Mad Dog Woman of Shackleford) and I put our heads together and came up with the Godalming Bazaar.  We felt it says it all and is portable - I hope to 'open' the bazaar in other areas of Surrey and needed a name that could easily be changed whilst retaining its purpose.  Thank you Dawn and Lesley for your help and support with this new venture - lots of ideas and hard work for you both that I do appreciate.

A new logo, Twitter page and email address have been created.  I am trying to re-name the Facebook page, but having numerous problems.  I know how to do it, but hit a barrier each time and have come to the conclusion today that it is because I was added as an Admin person by the previous owner of the page and it seems to be that I can only access it through my Christmas Pie Facebook page.  A hurdle to be jumped, but I am sure I will get over it eventually.

I have a card order for a 50th birthday.  The card was to have flowers, a red butterfly and the figures 50 on the front and here it is:

Yesterday was an away day spent in London with friends - we were celebrating a 50th birthday and a retirement.  We had planned to start off on the London Eye, but the queues were too long and as we had a river cruise booked, we had to miss out on spinning around in the sky.  The river cruise was lovely and I was so surprised how many glass buildings are popping up throughout London - they just don't seem to sit well with the lovely buildings that have been around for centuries.  We finished the evening with a meal at Altitude 360 which is on the 28th floor - absolutely incredible views.  We eventually arrived home, exhausted, just after midnight.  Feeling very, very tired today, but it was great fun.  A few pics of what we saw on our river trip:

This was one of the many static boat restaurants that are based along the Thames.

A shot of the London Eye at dusk through a window on the river cruise boat.  It looked so lovely all lit up.

One of the numerous glass buildings popping up in London  - it rather resembled an Armadillo.

It was a fantastic day and it's now back to work,work, work.  I have an advertisement to prepare for a local magazine - it has a distribution of appx 23,000 so I am hoping it will help increase the footfall for my next event.  

Don't forget to drop in on this week's Handmade Monday bloggers - I missed them last week, so have two weeks worth of posts to catch up with.

Have a great week everyone

Jill

MOTIVATING SUNSHINE

Hello everyone

Long lovely sunny and warm days are very motivating - but often in the wrong direction.  When you work for your self you know how easy it is to make excuses not to do something.  Mine seems to be 'I can do that this evening' or 'I will definitely do that tomorrow'.  The warm sunny days make me want to be outside working in the garden - I think because it is so rare to have weather like this in March, that I want to make the most of it in case we have snow, rain, wind and frost!  We have experienced this in April before now, so perhaps I will carry on gardening just in case the weather changes (see, yet another excuse).

Whether it is the experience of being a stallholder on many occasions or the prospect of being on the other end of the event stick, I am not sure, but I have spent more time this week trying to think of ideas to increase footfall, awareness and popularity of the Godalming Independent Markets.  Sadly, I have abandoned the Easter Bunny and as the Stilt-Walker was too expensive, that has also gone by the wayside.  However, in addition to the face-painter and balloon modeller, the Mayor and Mayoress of Godalming will attending the event on Saturday.  Apart from being something of local interest to event, it will also bring publicity for the stallholders as the local newspaper will be there taking photographs.

I nipped into Godalming bright and early this morning (well as bright and early that losing an hour could make me) and fixed my banner to the front of the Godalming Borough Hall.  Hirers are allowed to do this for the week prior to their event and as it is opposite Waitrose I am hoping that it will draw lots of attention and encourage people to visit us.  Here it is:

My pottery course finished this week - we have a long wait until the next term begins on 1 May.  I have been making figures recently and this is one of my most recent ones.  His (or her?) eyes are hidden by a rather large hat:

He stands about 9" tall and the top part of his hat is empty - I could either use him for a very small pot plant or place a tea light in his hat.  My plan is to make a much larger one next time that I can use as an outside planter.  There are two previous figures that I left for glazing over the break - one has three eyes.  The reason for this?  Because I couldn't get two eyes lined up so I just added a third for interest!

My floor plan is calling - it's almost complete and as with all of us who have taken part in a fair, the concern is will I (or in this case, they) like where I have been put.  I will let you know next week when I do a post-event blog.

Have a great week everyone, I  hope you have lots of sunshine but don't forget to have a break from all that relaxing in the sun and drop in on the Handmade Monday bloggers.

See you next week

Jill

THE UNTITLED BLOG POST

Hello everyone

It is often hard to come up with a witty, snappy blog post title isn't it?  This week I couldn’t come up with a witty, snappy title so went with the one I have - not inspiring but, hey, it's a title.

How are you?  It seems we are about to drop into some freezing winter weather - apparently this is what we have missed over the last few weeks.  Just when the Camelias are flowering the Magnolias thinking about flowering and certain other plants that normally hate frost are peeping, the weather will be against them.

In between event organising and make cards and decorating bags, I have managed to spend time in the garden this week.  Apart from weeding (do weeds ever stop growing?) I sowed my tomato seeds and decided to give gherkins a try.  The problem is I may forget the gherkins and will end up with courgettes, possibly marrows!  Not too bad really as we like all of them.

I haven't found the Easter Bunny for my event and discovered that a Stilts-Walker would cost a frightening - amount but could I do it?  No way.  However, I have booked a lovely face-painter, Artyfacial, and also Mr Magic who will be doing balloon modelling.  Less than two weeks to go and, boy, am I getting nervous!  I am still up to my eyes in flyer and posting delivering and posting and the crazy thing is this is only one of six events this year!   By the end of this year I should be stick-thin - wishful thinking.

I took part in the Play Kenya Craft Fair yesterday - this is an event that runs twice each year and I have been part of if for the last two years  It is well organised, very well supported and attracts a great range of sellers of handmade goodies.  Next door to me was one of the stall holders taking part in my 5 April event - really nice to meet Jill Stobbart of the Gilded Raven.

My stall had my new range of cards using the gorgeous hats, boots and flowers I have placed on here over recent weeks as well as my Easter-themed jute bags - these included three new ones in the ever popular cat range:

I did a bit of Godalming Independent Market promotion while I was at the event.  Lots of interest and one lady has already contacted me.  However, I was very surprised when one stallholder said 'if I have to buy insurance I am not interested'.  I pointed out that apart from it being a requirement of my event insurance, it was in her own best interest.  Her response was that her work would not harm anyone - I said how about your table set up, table cloth, boxes?  I said I would forward details of my PLI so that she could see it was not as expensive as she assumed.   Surely it is better to be safe than sorry – it is also much, much cheaper. 

The hailstones have stopped, so I think I can just get some more pesky weeds pulled up before it gets too cold and frosty.  Have a great week everyone, thank you for your comments on my blog post of last week and don’t forget to join in and visit this week's Handmade Monday blog party.

Jill

LOOKING AT IT FROM BOTH SIDES

Hello everyone

Wet and windy again today, but the last few days have been so lovely.  Isn't it amazing how sunshine can make you feel?

No new makes this week - feel I am getting a little adrift from my own craft business and that concerns me, but I have included some pics of the promotional material I have produced over the last few weeks for my forthcoming events:

The 'big' banner to be placed outside of the venue the week before each event

Thousands of copies of this flyer have been produced, with the date left blank for me to add for each event.  Flyers are on their way to stallholders who have agreed to help out with promotion, lots more will be dropped through local letter boxes and displayed on notice boards and in shop windows.

I have spent a lot of time this week answering queries from stallholders, booking them in, sorting out advertising, etc.  Like many of my blog followers, I have spent oodles of time at craft events and oodles of time wondering why my things haven't sold, why so few customers turned up, why so little advertising had taken place, why the person two or three tables down seems to be doing a roaring trade.  What is the solution?

I have had lots of emails from stallholders who have taken part in previous events at the venue I am taking bookings for.  Some are pleased to be taking part again, some have decided not to because they didn't sell much.  To the 'no's' I have replied that things are changing, not because I feel they should/must/need to but mainly because when you take something on you like to put your own stamp on it.  I have added that I don't have a magic wand to improve/increase footfall, but I am working very hard to do so.

What more can I do?  I have also added that once the customer is through the door, the stallholders share the responsibility for promoting their work.  I, and I am sure many of you have too, have taken part in events where stallholders have sat and read a book/magazine when customers were at their stand, munched their way through a sandwich (sometimes a burger) while communicating with a customer and occasionally abandoned their stall to chat to the stallholder next door to them or even further away (sometimes they have left their stall without asking someone to cover for them, just assuming the person next door will help out). There are also those stallholders who have no idea of how to communicate with customers - not even a 'good morning, rubbish weather, isn't it' leaves their lips.

It's not all gloom and doom, the disappointing ones are far outweighed by the fabulous ones that you thoroughly enjoy working with.  They love their work and are enthusiastic about it, they chat to their customers, keep their stall neat, tidy and well stocked, are friendly and helpful to their fellow stallholders and rarely, if ever, moan about the event.  Thank goodness there are more of them than the unhappy ones.

I came across a great post on UK Handmade, very refreshing to have a different viewpoint from a seller and I am going to recommend my sellers have a read through as it contains some brilliant advice about how to approach and get more out of events.

That's it for today, sorry it seems to be a bit whingey, must be the miserable weather.  It is an interesting experience moving from one side of the stall to the other (and back of course).  I am thoroughly enjoying it and so glad that I am able to have a foot in both camps - er, think that is what I mean.  Now it is back to the drawing board to think of new and interesting ways of promoting my events - now, do any of you fancy getting dressed up as a greetings card?  A candle?  Bracelet?  Gloves?  These will catch peoples attention as they walk along the high street and will certainly make them flock to the event.

Have a great week everyone and don't forget to drop in on the Handmade Monday bloggers to catch up on their week's escapades.

See you next week.

Jill

THE LATE, LATE, LATE SUNDAY BLOG POST

Hi everyone

I thought January would be fairly peaceful - silly me!  It's nice to be busy, but at times the old headless chicken appears.

I am in the process of booking dates/venues for my new venture and have had lots of lovely emails from past and present exhibitors wanting to take part in this years events.  I feel a little nervous about all of this, which I know is natural, but really looking forward to what this year brings.  If any of my blog followers are local to me, please do get in touch if you would be interested in taking part in one of the events - dates and venues will be on here soon and in the market's Facebook page (and its very own blog, which I am setting up as we speak).

In addition to the events, I am also starting bi-weekly card-making workshops at Farncombe Day Centre.  the plan is to not only add an extra activity for regular users but encourage new visitors to the centre.  The Day Centre is in a lovely building and it seems a shame that more local residents do not use it for meetings, lunch, cake and coffee pit-stops - I am hoping that I may be able to encourage new and experienced card-makers into my workshops.  My fellow crafter, Dawn of Stone Pit Crafts, is running a weekly knitting group at the centre too - so if you knit and want to natter as well, it's the place to be.

A short post this week to keep everyone up-to-date, but I will be back next Sunday with lots more information about this year's events.  Have a good week everyone and don't forget to visit my fellow crafting bloggers at Handmade Monday.

Jill

CRAFTING TOWARDS CHRISTMAS

Hi everyone

Not sure if the title of my post should be crafting towards Christmas or panicking towards it.  I can successfully find a million and one reasons for not doing something, and that is exactly what I seem to be doing at the moment.  33 days before my first Christmas Craft event in which I have to make Christmas cards, every-day cards, gift bags and boxes, Christmas wreaths and if time is on my side, candles (these have appeared on my mental to-do list since last year and have tended to not move from the bottom)!

I have taken the plunge and will be attending a Wedding Fayre on Sunday, 7 October at the Frensham Pond Hotel.  The couple whose wedding stationery I created recently recommended me to the event organiser at the hotel, so this coming week will be spent making some display items.  There is apparently one other wedding stationer at the event, so I am hopeful it will be a great success for both of us.  Do I feel  nervous?  Yes!  I am using the purple and cream card from previous work to create one range for next week (I have plans for others) and include everything from Save the Date to place name cards.  Here is a photograph of the invitations - not too sure about them yet, but only mocks so can play around with them some more this coming week:

As my blog readers/followers know I have a competition running on my blog to mark World Card-Making Day (6 October).  I have received some really beautiful cards already, and I know more are on the way.  There is still time to join in, so please do - as mentioned in my recent posts the competition is being sponsored by new craft magazine Make & Craft who have been great at supporting and promoting this event (the first issue is due for publication on 12 October - very exciting, so don't miss the launch party).  There is still time to enter (the closing date is Wednesday, 3 October), so why not join in?  I will be posting all cards received on a special blog post on Saturday, 6 October and I would like to ask everyone who visits and comments on my blog post to drop in on Saturday and comment on your favourite card (or cards) please.  There are three prizes so the three cards that receive the most comments will be the winners.  I will announce them on Facebook, Twitter and the Crafts Forum and in my blog post on Sunday, 7 October.

I hope you caught this week's guest blog post from Emma Louise Szostok.  Emma's cards are really beautiful and look at her gorgeous wedding invitations - being someone who likes black and white, I think they are stunning.  I think a lot of us can understand Emma's feeling about being 'hidden away' at a craft event.  I once attended one where I was place in the refreshments room with two other crafters.  Great, I thought, bound to stop and buy - sadly, no because all visitors were interested in by the time they got to my room was food and drink.  It's a learning curve that seems to have no end.

I have had 5 invitations this week from local schools to take part in their Christmas Fairs as I attended last year's events.  It is nice to be remembered, but I am sticking to my decision to do few and hopefully more high-profile ones this year. The right decision?  I will let you know once they have all taken place.

The non-crafty stuff

First of all a belated, but nonetheless grateful thank you to Julie at Anglers Rest.  Julie held a Books Giveaway blog competition recently and I was lucky enough to be the winner - I received my lovely prize of the book Toast by Nigel Slater.  Thank you Julie.  I do recommend to those of you who are local to Guildford and of course Christmas Pie that you visit Julie's other blog.  She has some incredible pictures on there of life in this area in days gone by.

We are back to being a two-car family again - thank goodness!  Transport where we live is not very frequent and if one of us is out, it means the other one is very restricted as to what they can do.  I know in these times it may seem extravagant and I am sure when we both retire (do crafters retire?) we will have to re-think the car situation, but at the moment they are both necessary. The good news is that the new car seems to run on fresh air (I wish), and costs considerably less than the previous one to tax and maintain.

I went to the Godalming Independent Market on Saturday - not as a stallholder, but as an assistant stallholder.  I helped a friend set up her stall, 'hung' around for about an hour when the event opened and then.  This was the same friend, Linda, who helped me out last weekend.  She makes gorgeous cakes and one in particular, walnut and coffee, was very popular.  However, one 'customer' informed us that she had seen another cake-maker (not local) selling a similar cake for £3.50!  How she had managed to do so to cover ingredients, time, power and make a profit I have no idea!  I was just waiting for the customer to tell me that this cake-maker was 'only doing it as a hobby'!

I started my main pottery project last week - a mask made of porcelain.  I have made the basic face part, and spent some time rolling porcelain into worm-like shapes for hair.  I haven't quite decided on the mask's features, but I do fancy a wild hairstyle.  I also dipped my necklace and earrings and if they have been fired this week, I hope to be able to add them to my next Sunday's post.  I chose Denby Blue - when I did a test piece this came out as a purple colour, which was lovely.  Problem is, will it be the same this time around.

Don't forget to send me the photographs of your card(s) for the World Card-Making competition by Wednesday of this week - please send them to christmaspiecrafts@virginmedia.com.  I have some great guest bloggers lined up for October, and if you would like to start the ball rolling for the November bloggers, please do get on touch on the same email address for the card competition.  Don't forget to visit the other bloggers taking part in this week's Handmade Monday event - I know you will find lots of lovely makes and posts

Have a good week everyone - I will be back on Wednesday, my guest blogger will be here on Friday and I will be posting all of the card entries here on Saturday

Jill

TODAY'S GUEST BLOGGER IS.....

Loretta Farrell who organises events in and around Godalming.

Markets

How often have you taken a punt on a new area, a new market only to stand around most of the day and sell more to the other stallholders then anyone visiting the market?  Or worse, you walk around to check out the other stall-holders only to find there is nothing you like or would buy.  Yes, I know that feeling and so Godalming Independent Market was born.  It was not to start another business it was simply to try and bring back the original idea of a general market.  Free entry, with space to explore fine and interesting items and discover new art, gifts and items I want to take home and no one else would have.

The vision: hand-picked, good quality, well-priced stalls that would fit the area, don’t charge entry, promote it well and build a name for the Market.  Basic, simple and what all good markets should be.  But that is not what shoppers are finding, with more of the same and mass markets popping up in every village; shoppers are not finding little treasures or prices they want to pay.  The older crowd still see markets as a place to find a bargain while the younger have not really been bitten by the ‘find’ of the market with quality handmade items.

My job is to sell the stall-holders and make a place where both stall-holder and shopper are happy to be and hopefully supply the right shopping experience that the people coming find new, exciting, well-made products they want to take home.  To help me do that I have application forms as not all stalls will work in my area after, all I live in the village, have children at the schools and hopefully have a good understanding of what type of people would come to the market.

Applications are a necessity so I can see the quality of work, I also ask for websites so I can promote the business beyond the Market via social media.  I have deadlines so people can plan their working life and ensure I get a good mix of stalls.  I can say for every five applications two will be jewellery and one homeware textiles designs. With so many it really is hard to choose.  It comes down to basic professionalism.

Two stallholders at the same market can have two very different experiences so it is not just your items on sale but you.  If you are sitting reading a book I would walk past your stall, if you are not interested in being there why would I check out your stall.  To my surprise I have had a number of stallholders say people have called and placed orders after the event, and in a few case months after.

Loretta’s next event is 19 May 2012  at the Clock Barn Hall in Hambledon near Godalming.  It is a Fundraising Health, Beauty & Fitness Fair.  On the day there will be free health and fitness talks and fitness classes including Zumba, Fitness Boot Camp and Kids Fitness class. There will be a relaxation room with space to sit, read a book and just relax with aromatherapy candles.

For more details http://www.facebook.com/pages/Health-Beauty-Fitness-Fair-Team-Hannah-Fundraiser/198948830191311?ref=tn_tnmn