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

MONDAY'S MINI MUSINGS - PART 3

Hi everyone

Welcome back to Handmade Monday- a great way to promote our blogs and showcase our makes.  It's great fun to read everyone's blog and leave comments about the beautiful work crafters produce.  Thank you to everyone who commented on my last Monday's post - I am glad you liked the card.

Today's card is for Christmas.  I love ribbon, and seem to buy quite a lot of it - my big problem is I love to see things in their natural state (so to speak) and hate cutting into them.  However, the ribbon I used for this came from a reel with 45 metres on, so I can afford to 'give up' some.  The card is standard heavy-weight white card, A3.  The topping is woven red ribbon which I have fixed to another piece of card and added a further sheet of thin card to the back to ensure it was neat and tidy.  I spent some time wondering what to put on the front by way of a greeting.  Initially I was going to put something onto acetate and fix it to the ribbon, but my concern was possible damage to the ribbon with any fixings I may use - brads would have created indentations.  I then decided the best thing to do was to not use acetate and just place the holographic rub-on straight onto the ribbon and here it is:

Some of the sections of ribbon look raised in the photograph, but I think that is just that the camera has picked up slightly the glossy Christmas bauble motifs.  I am never happy with the photographs I take - too much light, not enough light, wrong angle, etc and feel I need some expert guidance on how to get it just right.  One day perhaps - after I have got to grips with clearing my work room!

Autumn it may be, but let's hope the sun keeps shining for a few more weeks.  However, the colours of autumn (reds and yellows, gold s and browns - so gorgeous) are very inspirational to crafters and it gives me an idea for a range of cards using these lovely colours.

Have a good day everyone - I will be back posting on Wednesday, but in the mean time don't forget to visit the other contributors to Handmade Monday.

Jill

THE SUNDAY TIMES

Hi everyone

Thank you to everyone who has commented on my posts of the last week - I love to read the comments and also to visit your blogs.

Another week has gone and I am still running to catch up with all of the things on my card-making To Do list.  Came to the conclusion recently that I work very well under pressure and at the moment there is no pressure to complete work, ie as in 'this card must be made by tomorrow' pressure.  Although having said that I think I am so overwhelmed by my To Do list that I have probably lost the plot completely!

Wednesday was apparently the official first day of Autumn - the good news is that the 'weather-makers' don't know that yet because the last couple of days have been glorious, very summery and the forecast for most of this week is for sun, sun and more sun - and high temperatures.  Excellent.  However, for me this is hard as I want to be outside gardening and really should be inside card-making.  Decisions, decisions.

I haven't made lots of cards this week, but am pleased with the ones I have completed.  Still several that are work in progress' just needing some glitz, glitter and sparkle added to them.  I recently bought a pack of Jolly Nation (or Paper Nation as it used to be called) box cards.  These are cards that are framed, have layers added inside the frame (these could be people, animals, presents, etc - depends on the card type) to build up an almost 3D image.  The lovely thing about the cards is that although when standing they are a box of approximately 3" x 5", they can be laid flat for posting/placing inside an envelope.  Here is an example of the ones I have so far made - I think they are great fun cards, hope you like them too.

I still haven't tidied up my work room - beginning to run out of excuses not to get in there and sort it out.  Busy week coming up, lots of cards to make, so maybe next week...............

Decision made, the garden has won.  Much too nice not to take advantage of this weather, so crafting later on I think.

Have a good day everyone - don't forget to check out tomorrow's Handmade Monday post.

Jill

THURSDAY'S BLOG HOP (MY SECOND ONE)

Hello everyone

What a gorgeous day - now this is what September should be link.  Fingers crossed it lasts to the end of the month.

Well it's Thursday Blog-Hop time again - the days are rushing past so quickly.  Although I have been busy making Christmas cards, for today's post I thought I would include another male card.  For some reason, I seem to not make many cards for men although I do make cards that could be used for either female and/or male friends/relatives.  So another line for the To Do list: make more male-themed greetings cards.

Anyway, back to today's one.  I love Art Deco (I enjoy Poirot as much for the plot as the furniture and the buildings) and also am a big fan of leaded glass windows (coloured, pattern, anything), so this combines both.  Although Art Deco is really curvy, I feel this card does reflect some of that era.  The card-stock is plain white, size A3; on top of that cut slightly smaller than A4 is a sheet of burgundy card-stock.  I printed the salutation on plain white paper using a Gothic-style font (not very Art Deco I know, but it looks good) - I fixed this sheet to the burgundy card and then added the cut-out Art Deco topper.  I think the colours are very eye-catching.

It wasn't until I photographed this card that I realised that I should have printed the salutation in burgundy coloured ink to compliment the border - or even better practice my Calligraphy skills (well perhaps a lot more practice needed before I commit to something like this.

Don't forget to visit the other Thursday Blog-Hop participants and have at look at their lovely work.  I will be back blogging on Sunday.  Enjoy the rest of the week.

Jill

THE WEDNESDAY POST

Hi everyone

Hope your week so far has been good.

Caught a quick weather forecast the other evening for next month - apparently we will have snow!  In October???  Not really helped by the fact the the forecasters are also predicting a very bad winter.  We clearly have done something really bad to deserve this weather.

Went to see a production of Macbeth yesterday at the Yvonne Arnaud theatre.  Very good.  We had booked seats up in the balcony but on arrival were told that as so few had been sold, all theatre-goers were being seated in the stalls.  Excellent - we had great seats, of our own choosing, right in the middle, so our view was brilliant.  A very hard working cast as each member played more than one part.  I love going to the theatre and can't wait for the next visit.

Today's post is a brief one as have set myself a full day of card-making and already I am getting behind with my plans.  So disorganised!  No card makes to show either as have several 'in production' and hope to show them in tomorrow's Blog-Hop and my post on Sunday.

In the meantime, pics of Jazz and Daisy who haven't been blogged about for a week or so.  Jazz is not keen on this weather and it makes him very grumpy.  He is a sunshine boy, but Daisy doesn't mind as she prefers being inside anyway.  As you can see in these pics, Daisy is about to drop off to sleep and Jazz is thinking about it too.

Have a good day everyone.

Jill

MONDAY'S MINI MUSINGS - PART 2

Hi everyone

It's Monday again and that means it is Handmade Monday- I am looking forward to visiting all of the other blogs that take part is this great event, leaving comments about the stunning work produced and the interesting and often amusing things that my fellow bloggers do.  As always, lovely to have visits and read the comments and feedback on my blog too.

A busy week ahead. My first pre-Christmas fair is not far off and I need to settle down to Christmas card-making, rather than keep flitting from one project to another.  Self nagging needed here.  Off to the Yvonne Arnaud theatre this week with a friend to see a production of Macbeth - going to one of the afternoon matinee's.  Not so busy and of course tickets cost less, which is always welcome.  Top of my list this week?  Clear my work room - top of my list next week?  Yes, you guessed it, likely to be clear my workroom.  The rest of the list is too long to repeat and unfortunately contains loads of things from last week (and many previous weeks) that didn't get done.  Where does the time go?

Back to Handmade Monday - my 'make' for today is the Congratulations card I made and here it is:

The card is A4 folded (white).  I fixed a crinkle-edge green sheet and on top of that a crinkle-edge white layer (you can just about see the edge of the green).  I then added a gold adhesive sheet on top of that.  The next layer was browns, creams and green stripes and to this I added an 'academic' frame.  On raised golf foil I added congratulations at the top and, as requested in the order, September 2011 at the bottom.  To balance the stripes I added small pieces at the top let and bottom right corners and also a strip along the bottom, just above the wording  The client's brother had achieved his PhD in Maths & Computing, but I didn't think the card need pics of figures or computers, so I created a layered embellishment, to which I fixed a small piece of paper with congratulations printed all over in a very small font; I then printed the full name of the recipient onto the embellishment (for this pic I have covered the name, just in case he hasn't received the card yet).  My customer was pleased with her order and I do hope her brother is too.

Off to work now - I can hear the card-making 'stuff' calling me, well a cup of coffee is calling me first of all.  Don't forget to check out the other Handmade Monday blogs, plus my followers and those I follow - they are great blogs and very inspirational.

I will be back on Wednesday - have a good week

Jill

SUNDAY'S BLOGGETY BLOG

Hi everyone

Firstly a big thank you to everyone who has posted comments on my blogs of the last week - I do appreciate it and feel it makes blogging all the more interesting.  Another big thank you to my followers and those who have 'joined-up' this week.

As always, I begin my blog a few days before the posting date and today is Thursday and the weather is absolutely gorgeous.  A plea: is there any chance we can have the rest of September and, just to make us feel good, all of October like this?  The early mornings and night time can be nippy (well, not too nippy), we can cope with that, but warm sunny days would be wonderful.

It seems that my plea feel on deaf ears as yesterday the weather was the pits in the afternoon and today, although no rain, is dull and grey.  Sadly, I don't think the sun is planning on shining much today.

A busy week really, despite the feeling I haven't got anywhere.  However, had a card order for someone whose brother had achieved a PhD in Maths & Computing.  Probably not a blog follower, but just in case I will post a pic of the card in my Handmade Monday blog post.  In the meantime, here are some more pics of the 'letter' cards I have been making - some are the final versions of those I posted in Thursday's Blog Hop as work-in-progress.  One new one is Sam; for this I used an electric blue letter and topped it slightly off with a silver letter - I think it creates a nice finish.

A short post today as need to get back to card-making - so many events and so little time to get everything prepared.  Don't forget to check into the blog throughout the week to catch up on news and new cards.

Have a good week everyone

Jill

THURSDAY'S WORK IN PROGRESS BLOG HOP

Hi everyone

My pics for today's Handmade By Me Thursday Blog Hop are work in progress.  I used to sell a range of cards with names in large peel-off letters.  I would stick them onto coloured card, cut them out and embellish cards with them.  They were always very popular, but I haven't made any for a while.  However, in place of them I have a different range.  Small textured cards to which I have added large Anna Griffin letters (some silver, some electric blue - I am a big fan of Anna Griffin paper, toppers, stamps, etc, they are gorgeous).  I couldn't decide whether to leave the cards with just the letter or add names to them - so the ones featured in today's Blog Hop have letters added to spell out names.

In addition to the letters I will be adding further embellishments - not too many because I don't like over-decorated cards.  Some will have punched shapes removed or added, some will have other embellishments, some will just have a backing paper added and on some of them I will water-colour flowers and leaves.  I may have to add some colour to the the last three letters of the card with the name Erin, as they are not really standing out because of the stripey background paper I have used.

I have prepared quite a few to embellish and will add them to my Handmade Monday blog post.

I hope you like them - the card size is 4" x 4" and the sale price will be £1.75 each.

Don't forget to check out the other Thursday Blog Hop contributors.  Enjoy the rest of the week.  'See' you on Sunday.

Jill

WEDNESDAY'S CHATTERINGS

Hello everyone

Monday morning of this week was very strange for me.  For 20 years this particular Monday of every year has been frantic.  Have I got all of my courses prepared?  Have I planned sufficient activities for Induction?  Have I got a room booked?  Will the students turn up?  Will I turn up?  The day started off very wet and grey and I couldn't help thinking of my (now ex) colleagues and how they would be coping - most inductions will involve tours around the campus visiting various buildings/departments - in wet weather this can be grim.  However, by 10.00 am (the start time for most inductions) the sun was shining and I know this will cheer everyone up.  Good luck everyone - I hope the day went well for all of you.

Busy planning what I will be selling at the events I have booked.  Selling handmade work is hard going, particularly at the moment when everyone is being so careful about what they spend their money on.  Apart from a varied range of prices, good quality is very important and I know I and my fellow crafters place that as top priority for our products.

I took part in this week's Handmade Monday for the first time.  Had the opportunity to read some great blogs and view some really lovely work.  It's an opportunity to share our words of wisdom, so review my post for Monday of this week and have a look at the other blogs.  I will so be taking part in this week's Handmade By Me Thursday Blog-Hop that Caroline (caroleecrafts.com) organises - these are great opportunities for our blogs to meet a wider audience and as always it is lovely to have comments and 'meet' other crafters.  Thank you everyone for the lovely comments you left for me, and I am embarrassed to say I still haven't made a start on my work room - perhaps today........

Below are pics of two of the Christmas cards I mentioned in my Monday Handmade post:

Both cards are made using thick A3 stock and 12" x 12" scrap book paper.  I tore the edgers of layers of complimenting backing paper for the first card - I like how this looks and often use it.  Both cards have a holographic embellishment and initially I was a bit concerned about how these would look, but I am pleased with the finish.

That's today's chatterings finished, off to make more Christmas card stock, well a little bit of craft retail therapy first.

Have a good day everyone

Jill

MONDAY'S MINI MUSINGS

Hi everyone

This is a mini post as I am taking part in a great blog swap called Handmade Monday.  Every Monday lots of great designers take part in this event to showcase their work and share this with their fellow crafters.  Click on this link Handmade Monday to see the other great blogs taking part.

My plan for today had been to tidy up my work room - as with most plans it is still, er, untidy.  However, I worked on some more promotional material and produced the A4 card below.  This is on burgundy-coloured card stock, with different embellishments - I love the blue of the first letters, a great contrast to the dark colour of the card.  The card will have a plain white insert and I will add it to my 'wall' display at the Bourne Mill Antique Centre in Farnham.

Have a good evening everyone, and don't forget to look at the other blogs taking part in Handmade Monday.  I will be back blogging on Wednesday as usual.

Jill