CRAFTER OR EVENT ORGANISER - CAN I BE BOTH?

Hello everyone

Wow!  What a hot week it has been.  If anyone dare says we haven't had a good summer, I will be just a little bit upset.  Okay, I know we still have lots of potential summer-time to go, but so far, so good.  The garden loves this weather, means lots of watering, but everything is blooming (including the weeds!), my tomatoes are doing very well and the sweet peas are gorgeous.  We planted some near to our back door and they have done really well, they are in a position where it is easy to water them, which really does help.

This week was spent getting work ready to photograph to send with my application to take part in the Farnham Maltings Christmas Fair.  This was a very successful event for me last year, so I really would like to be part of it again this year.  One of my submissions was a hessian bag I had decorated with glittery butterflies - these bags have proved to be and still are very popular and I do enjoy working on them

I don't take part in many fairs these days, I am more 'this side' of the table and working on my application did make me stop and think about where I am going.  Organising events is incredibly time-consuming and hard work and even though I have planned for my events to take place in the last four months of the year (one or two at the beginning of the year as well), they still take up around 2, sometimes 3 hours a day on admin.  I have also added a new string to my event organising bow: Surrey Village Vintage.  The aim of these events is to have all things vintage, but only vintage - I am being helped with this new venture by Fee Fraser, who is my 'Vintage Consultant'.  Fee has a lot of experience in this area, lots of contacts and great ideas to help the events go well, standout and become established.  If you are into vintage, check out the events on the website and make a date to visit one of them.

As the title of this blog post says, can I be a crafter and an event organiser?  The event organiser part of me wants to continue with them because apart from the hard work, I really do enjoy them and the chance to see an incredible amount of beautiful handmade work all in one place makes if worthwhile.  Much better than a department store - and the staff are often much more fun and friendlier.  When I begin work on an order or to make some stock, or browse a website of gorgeous card-making materials, fabrics, ribbons and buttons, I wonder why on earth I am spending so little time on what was my original craft-world, and craft-love.

It isn't decision time in Christmas Pie Crafts, but possibly time to become more organised so that both crafting and event organising can be part of my life without feeling one misses out.

Off to the garden now - our pond is looking a bit too full of water lily leaves.  Beautiful though they are, they are rapid growers and soon cover the surface of the pond.  The fish just about manage to peek out - mind you it is partly their fault that the lilies grow so well.

Have a great week everyone - see you at my next blog post.

Jill

SUNDAY SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Hello everyone

I didn't begin my main post on Saturday as I normally do - only managed to produce the title.  We had one of our regular big family get-together's at my cousin's house in Kent.  We all grew up together, so share lots of childhood and other memories.  The weather was great and as always, the time went far too quickly.  One of my cousin's, Maralyn Wimble, has been approached to hold an exhibition of her work - she is a very creative and imaginative artist and when I have more details about the event I will post them on here.  If you are in or around the area her exhibition is being held, I really do recommend you visit.

The Cycle tour is scheduled to hit Guildford today - my sympathies go out to the riders as Guildford High Street is paved in cobbles!  As it is the end of the race, perhaps the juddering feeling will not be too horrible for them. 

16 September is Celebrating Womanhood Day.  the main part of my post today is focusing on women, and the fabulous contribution we make to the world of handmade, as well as my normal craft and chatty stuff.

My post is not about a specific woman but about all of us involved in the world of handmade. Starting a business is very hard work, starting a business that is about handmade work is even harder.  Not only do we have to deal with the legalities of setting up the business, but we have a mammoth (ongoing) task of persuading and convincing the public that handmade is to be valued, it has been designed and created with care, imagination and expertise and will no doubt last much longer than something that can be bought on the high street.  Handmade today no longer means the knitted tea-cosy or the knitted crinoline doll covering the spare toilet roll.  However, the majority of the public still perceives handmade this way and subsequently undervalues our efforts and we must keep plugging away at changing their minds.  Do we give up?  No, of course not.  Why?  Because we are proud of our work, we believe in what we do and know that not everyone sees us as women who frequent craft fairs lurking behind tables with piles of knitted tea-cosies in front of us.  But, the added bonus here is that as we are women we don't believe in giving in, it's not in our nature.

To all those women who have been thinking about developing their skill into a business, go for it.  It is hard work and initially there will be more tears than smiles, but it is worth it.  When you make your first sale, get your first thank you, your first positive feedback you will know it is the best decision you have ever made and your smile will be bigger than you can imagine.  Good luck, we are not behind you, we are alongside you.

I hope you have been able to read this week's guest blog post?  Madeleine of the Craftsite blogged about cards and her post includes some great tips and beautiful pictures of her work.  Her cards are really lovely - thank you Madeleine for being a guest blogger again, I really enjoyed your post.

This leads me nicely into the World Card Making Day which is on 6 October 2012.  Last year I set up a competition for this event, but it was so close to the actual date that very little time was available for people to take part.  This time around, I am hoping there will be sufficient time for lots of you card-makers to join in.  I am planning on getting a sponsor (or even sponsors ) for this event as I feel it would be so nice to recognise the winning card (or cards) with a gift, so watch this space for news on this as it becomes available.  The theme this year is floral - absolutely anything to do with flowers.  It could be something made of flowers, flowers you have photographed, painted or decoupage - anything really as long as it is floral and it is a card.  Your photographs need to be with me by Wednesday, 3 October please and I will ask the sponsor (or sponsors) to vote for the top three. I do hope you will join in - I have featured some fabulous cards in my guest blog posts and do hope you guest bloggers will take part in this competition.

This also leads me into news about a new magazine (and website).  Have you heard of Make & Craft?  A magazine for the craft community that is edited by the dedicated crafter/craft supporter, Katherine Jewitt.  As the website says: Make & Craft magazine is an inspiring environment featuring contemporary tutorials and projects using a wide variety of supplies and techniques, as well as, reviving traditional crafts worth cherishing.  Make & Craft magazine also brings you  the latest trends, up-to-date products, craft books and supplies, new techniques, sneak peeks behind the scenes of Artists and Crafters, the best online sites, news round ups, a diary of craft events and a whole host of competitions and giveaways.  I recommend you check it out and see all of the goodies available both in the magazine and on the website.

Life is hectic at the moment (it's that tough time of year for crafters isn't it?) as I am rushing towards events that I need to have plenty of stock for.  My first one is on Saturday (details to the right of this post) and I am slightly panicking as my stock is low.  I keep making excuses telling myself that my main ones are in November, so there is plenty of time - however, it would be very wrong to not pay the same attention to my first one this week.  I have discovered that I always have excellent reasons for not doing something!  Perhaps I should write a blog post just using the list of excuses I have invented.  

Around, over, alongside and in between kitten fostering, I have been working on Orders of Service - I am pleased with how they look and very near to finishing them.  Next?  The table plan.  Here is a photograph of the Order of Service - names, etc removed, but I hope you like it.  The ribbon has not been fixed to the card yet, but that's the next job.  The original brief was for the main card to be pearlised cream, but was recently changed to the dark purple used for some of the trims on the invitations - I wasn't too sure at first, but think it is a striking colour combination.

Some time ago I mentioned the weird and wonderful search terms that have led people to my blog - I haven't added any for a while, but couldn't resist including these today (again, no change made to the grammar or spelling):

crafts with bricks
my oh my apple pie and country craft
posh crafts for christmas

Aren't they wonderful?

That's me finished for today - back to work now.  Do get in touch if you would like to be a guest blogger or if you want to join in the Card Making competition.  Everyone is welcome and if you are not a card-maker, why not give it a try - you could discover a new talent or an addition to your business.  I will be back on Wednesday and don't forget to come back on Friday to read my guest blogger's post.

Last but not least, some up-to-date pics of Ash and Micro.  They are growing very quickly and should be very soon be off to their new home.

Jill

AND THE SECOND 'FRIDAY GUEST BLOGGER' IS.....

Me: Jill Spain of Christmas Pie Crafts

Why was my work not accepted?


I am sure many crafters have applied to show their work at events that required submission of work prior to the event (often referred to as juried events).  This can be stressful and at the same time every exciting, but it is an important part of ensure the quality of handmade is maintained.  Some organisers will require photographs of work, some details of the seller's website and some require samples of work to be sent in for assessment.  Very often work has to be submitted at least 4 - 6 months prior to the event and the waiting can be hard-going.

Hopefully our work is accepted and we have a place at the event - success.  However, it does happen that our work isn't accepted and often we don;t know why.  It's rather like a job interview, if you don't get the job you contact the company to find out why.  The same applies to an event, if you don;t hear from them by the date you expected to, or if they advise you that your application has been unsuccessful, contact them.  You need to know why you 'didn't get in'.

At this stage we question ourselves: what is wrong with my work, isn't it good?  Unfortunately, sometimes it is down to quality of workmanship.  Think of events you have attended where the work is declared as handmade - was it really handmade?  Was it good quality?  I am sure many of us review competitors work and occasionally doubt the quality.  The questions are 'would I buy this?', 'would I really want to sell this with my name on it?'.  I am sure that 100% of the time the answer is 'no' and this is partly how a jury reviews work.  They are looking for work of excellent quality to not only ensure their reputation is maintained but also the reputations of their exhibitors.

However, it is not always quality of work that prevents a crafts person taking part in an event, it can come down to something as basic as a poor photograph.  There seems to be a strange assumption that no matter how poor the photograph is, the viewer should still be able to see what great work is being submitted.  The percentage of high quality photographs submitted to juried events is staggeringly low - in fact I read recently that it is only 5%.  Isn't that worrying?  Very understandable why good work is rejected for no obvious reason - often we cannot see that our photography is poor.

Your work is good, but your photographs don;t do it justice.  This could be the photographs you submit to the event organisers as well as the photographs on our website.  Wrong backgrounds, poor lighting, wrong angle - all of these contribute to a poor photograph.  The important thing to remember is that the photographs may be the only representation of your work the event organisers and potential customers see - you want to wow them in the first few seconds of viewing, because that is all the time you have to grab their attention.

You don't have to hire professional photographers.  There are lots of websites providing guidance on how to take a good photograph.  However, just bear in mind the following suggestions and your pictures should be good:

• Always use a white background to photograph your products - this makes your work stand out as there is no background distraction.  It can also make shadows an enhancement of the item being displayed
• If you want to use a coloured background, use just one solid colour.  Don't be tempted by patterns, checks, swirls, etc as they detract the eye from the focus of the picture.
• Ensure you have good lighting - this may be natural or artificial.  Practice will show you how to use lighting to improve and enhance the appearance of your work.

Good photographs show you are a professional and that your work will be an asset to an event.  Just think, one of your photographs could be on the front cover of the event programme!

There are other reasons why work is not accepted at events, not to do with quality of work or photography, but that's another blog topic for a later date.

Good luck

FATHER CHRISTMAS IS PROBABLY PACKING HIS SLEIGH

Hi everyone

27 days to go to Christmas - with the mild weather we have been having, seems a little strange to be rushing towards a time that we often associate with snow, cold weather.  In fact at the events I attended over the last few days, people were commenting that this time last year travel was difficult, the temperature was bitter and we were knee-deep in snow.  Lovely though it is to look at, please Mr Weather Man, keep the snow away for as long as possible.

It has been a very busy week in Christmas Pie Crafts land.  Three events in four days and I feel very tired.  Events have been busy, but spending is quite sporadic.  Certain items (food produces (pickles, jams, mustards) are always popular) sold well; bought-in items (shoes, handbags, jewellery) also did well; handmade doesn't seem to be doing very well at the moment, although I am not sure if this is UK-wide or just in certain areas.  The events I have attended have been very well organised and the footfall was good, each one had a good selection of products.  A friend emailed me yesterday evening to let me know of another event that took place in Surrey yesterday that only had 30 people through the door.  So, what is the answer?  Handmade items only or a mix of handmade and bought-in?  I have taken part in both and I really don't know the answer - my crystal ball is a bit cloudy recently (must be the snow on the way!).

I have been trying to find out recently what customers actually want or look for when they go shopping.  Most have said they want to buy items made in the UK, quality and value for money are at the top of the list too.  Unfortunately, nobody has yet said why they wouldn't buy handmade - so will keep on trying to track down any possible reasons for low sales.  Has anybody else carried out any sort of survey to find out how people feel about handmade goods?

Several months ago I started a range of mini-cards - they had dual purposes: gift cards (with envelopes) or mini greetings cards.  These have sold really well and this, I am sure, is due to a single price of 60p or 5 for £2.50 - everyone loves a bargain.  I added to the range with Christmas themed cards and these have also proved to be very popular.

Less than four weeks to Christmas which means not many Handmade Mondays left either.  I completed an order over the weekend for a birthday card for a rugby loving penguin fan.  I was going to post a pic on this blog, but the recipient is a possible blog-viewer and as his birthday isn't until later in the week, thought it best not to.  Instead I am including a picture of a butterfly-themed card I made during the week.  I love butterflies in crafting and think they add a gorgeous look to cards.  This is a stepped card and I have used butterfly-flower themed background paper and added silver/glitter decoupaged butterflies as well as butterflies cup form paper I had in stock.  Don't forget to check out the other Handmade Monday bloggers - gorgeous makes that you really must see, and of course read the great blog posts.

I am having a bit of a restful day today - I have two card orders to make up and will spend some time making final items for this weekend's event.

Have a good week everyone - I will be back on Wednesday with my mid-week post.

Jill

THE HOLIDAY IS OVER

Hi everyone

We have been on holiday in Malta for the last week and the weather has been glorious.  The temperature during the day around 22 degrees and about 16 - 18 degrees at night.  Hard to believe it is November - being a typical Brit we went prepared for cold weather, but did have the common sense to pack summer clothes - just in case, and thank goodness we did.  The fleeces and long-sleeved tops returned home unworn and leaving them at home would have made our luggage so much lighter.  Our apartment was in Valletta, seconds from the harbour and the views were amazing.  I haven't had a chance to make a card for Handmade Monday, but thought I would post some of the pics I took in Malta.  

The view from the balcony

Our apartment is in the centre of this picture, on the second floor

Parking in the town of Valletta is almost impossible, and definitely impossibly expensive.  The best way to get into town is to walk - from our apartment it was uphill all the way, about 60 steps - much better on the way down.  However, the picture above shows another road into Valletta and climbing this one was definitely not on my list of 'must do's.

 We took a harbour cruise whilst away, and access to the leaving point was by ferry.  On the return ferry I was able to take this shot of the sunset.

Lots of gorgeous boats and yachts are moored in the Grand Harbour of Valletta - we saw one that had three stories!

Another view of boats, but slightly smaller ones this time.

As you know Malta was awarded the George Cross in recognition of the Maltese peoples bravery.  The above picture is of the plaque outside of Valletta's 'Buckingham Palace'.

We haven't been to Malta for many, many years and although so much has changed one thing has remained the same: the lovely people.  They are friendly, helpful and go out of their way to make visitors feel welcome.  We had a great week, so many beautiful buildings in Malta and I took a lot of photographs which I am planning to use in my card-making.

Have a great week everyone and don't forget to check out the other blogs on Handmade Monday   

Jill

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Hi everyone

I suddenly remembered late yesterday that I had planned (and included a reference in several posts) that on 21 September I was going to post a 'What do customers expect of craft sellers at events?'.  I clearly didn't tie the piece of string around my finger tight enough!  It then struck me that despite shouting about the need for contributions, sadly I only received 2.  Yes, 2.  Does this mean that fellow crafters, our customers and potential customers think we are doing everything just right?  Sadly, I think a lot of us know this isn't really true.  So, along with two two generous people who have contributed their thoughts/ideas to this post, I have put together the following points - as they say on the television when announcing finalists, these are not in any particular order and I know this list is by no means complete.

• Arrive at the venue early - nothing more frustrating for organisers, other sellers and you than a late seller - puts you in a panic and you may miss putting something vital on your stall.  Plus, if stalls were not allocated before the day, you miss out on what could possibly be the best spot.
• Once you have set your stall up, walk around the hall/room and look at it from different angles.  Does it look appealing?  Eye-catching?  What do visitors see when they first come into the room?  Too much height at the front of your stall, or graduated to tall items (or small items on shelves) towards the back?  Have you placed all packing material, crates, boxes, etc out of sight?
• Linda (Made By Ewe) made an excellent point that a stall should have a cohesive collection of items for sale, supported with business cards, packaging and props in matching colours.  This creates the impression of a professional and cared for business.  It is important to build a brand as people will remember you.
• Caroline (Carolee Crafts) recommends it is a good idea to have something on your stand to offer visitors - a tin of gorgeous sweets, or chocolates.  This often encourages people to stay and look at your items and, fingers crossed, buy them.  They will remember that you were a generous stallholder.
• Smile and greet your customers.  No, don't pounce on them and overwhelm them with words, but be cheerful - make a general comment about the weather (let's face it, we can talk about the weather non-stop in this country).  OK, some visitors may walk away because they are shy, but you will find that most are so pleased you have spoken to them that they will stay, look at your work and buy.  Visitors remember the cheerful stallholders by name.  Not every visitor to your stand will buy, but they may take details or remember your stand and buy from you at a later date - so don't treat them any different to the ones who buy something.
• Have business cards, order forms, details of future events - not too much paper as, sadly, it may go straight into the bin, but enough for people to want to read about your business  Very often visitors come to events with the sole intention of just collecting information - if they have yours, you may get a call later.  
• Keep your stall tidy, but don't fuss too much as visitors may feel they cannot pick your cards or jewellery or bags up to have a look at them if you hover and give the impression of disliking them moving things around.
• Don't remain seated when visitors approach your stall - if you have a 'high-rise' display they may not see you.  If you remain seated, it creates an impression of lack of interest in what you are doing.  If more than one person is manning your stand, don't continue chatting with each other or turn your back on your potential customer.
• Try to avoid eating and drinking when you have customers at your stall.  I know you have to eat and drink, but be aware of potential customers approaching.
• Don't pack up before the event ends - I know it is disheartening if sales are low, but no products means no sales, and you could have a rush of last minute visitors.  If your stall is empty, visitors will go/spend elsewhere.

I know this may seem a negative post, don't do this, or this, or this, but I have attended many events as a seller (and as an organiser) and witnessed some stallholders behaving as though they didn't want to be there, couldn't really care about potential customers, grumbled non-stop about the event in front of visitors, ignored potential customers completely and some that sat and read their newspapers throughout the whole event!  You are (I should say we are) running a business and the aim is to project a professional image of handmade items to everyone who visits to encourage them to buy and come back again and again.

Most important thing to remember, enjoy yourself.  If you look cheerful and enthusiastic you can create a friendly atmosphere around your stall and this all helps to turn visitors into customers - and hopefully, customers who will continue to buy from you long after the event has ended.

If you have any other points to add, please post them in the comments section and at a later date (promise I will remember this time) I will put them all together and re-post as a separate item.

My Wednesday blog today is linking up with Welcome Wednesday, so click on this link and visit the great blogs who are taking part in this week's Blog Hop.

Jill