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Arts and crafts

Selling things you make at craft fairs?

228 replies

redhappy · 20/01/2011 10:12

Considering this as a way of making a bit of extra money. Not expecting it to pay the rent!

Anyone dp this? How successful is it? What sort of things sell best?

I can knit, sew, and we have just bought an electric jigsaw which I am thinking about using to make some wooden dolls.

OP posts:
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hambo · 16/02/2011 18:32

Bunting..a girl after my own heart..Do you have a facebook page as I know lots of my friends would like to see your stuff but I looked on your blog and could not see one...(totally useless though!)

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hambo · 16/02/2011 18:32

me I mean, not your blog!!!

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Kryshees · 16/02/2011 18:38

giggles Nope sorry no fb page...

just the bloggy blog and the [www.kryshees.folksy.com folksy shop]

Although if you go to the blog...there wil be a fb button at theend of each entry, so you could fb it and the link would go to your fb...make sense???!

x

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Kryshees · 16/02/2011 18:42

ok, so spelling and punctuation seriously a problem....

You will forgive me I am sure! Smile

and tries to get this right this time!

[[www.kryshees.folksy.com Kryshees Shop]

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Kryshees · 16/02/2011 18:42

titters

[www.kryshees.folksy.com Kryshees shop]]

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Kryshees · 16/02/2011 18:43

I give up...but you get it!

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hambo · 16/02/2011 20:18

I do get it! I will try that!

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Kryshees · 16/02/2011 22:40

:o) Promise I wasn't drinking!

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hambo · 20/02/2011 09:35

I have an NCT fair coming up - anyone else tried them? Might not do too well as most people looking for bargains....but might be good for future sales? Will return to let you know!

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Kryshees · 20/02/2011 15:41

I've never done very well at nct sales, but I think people do want bargins.

However I did a nearly new sale, took nothing, but had over £100 of commissions from it in the next couple of months...

I tend to do better at the greener living type events. Sustainable living things. that might just be my niche more tho?

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MosaicTree · 22/02/2011 12:51

If you want to do Christmas craft fairs, the advice that I've read is to book yourself in now, particularly if you make jewellery as there's many crafters in that field.

I've done one chairty coffee morning - impromptu and great sales - and one craft fair - planned in advance, sold very little - to date, so am still on a learning curve with this one.

I also sell on Folksy - www.folksy.com/shops/MosaicTree - baby hats and other bits.

Having spent some time on the forums on Folksy, the general advice is to also increase your own profile through facebook, twitter, blog etc - but this of course is all dependent on time available - less easy with family life! I've managed blog (www.mosaictree.blogspot.com) but haven't quite made it to facebook yet!

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coldcomfortHeart · 22/02/2011 13:40

Yeah I blog too (cold comfort crafts), and if I put a link in my status on facebook visits really go up- I loathe facebook though (not sure why, but I do!) and twitter is an unknown entity! My friend who is setting up a homewares shop is mega into twitter and swears by it...

Am definitely thinking about folksy though- do you make many sales through it, folksy ladies?

Your blog looks really nice, MosaicTree- I like the driftwood the knitted items are photographed against, it's such a nice textural contrast.

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Kryshees · 22/02/2011 14:14

ooo @mosaictree and coldcomfortheart! Found both your blogs and folksy,and am following you I think!

i like folksy and I get quite a few sales through it.I like how easy it is to use. [www.kryshees.folksy.com My folksy here]

I twitter too, it raises hits to my sites, but not sure about sales it yet. :o(

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Kryshees · 22/02/2011 14:16

ok, didn't do the link very well, but you get the gist!

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coldcomfortHeart · 22/02/2011 18:03

Good to hear about the user-friendly aspect of folksy, Kryshees- it has taken me a while to get to grips with wordpress!

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hambo · 22/02/2011 21:06

I have started a blog due to your comments above - but too shy to share although I have managed to follow you Kryshee! Will now look for you Cold Comfort and you too mosaic tree. My blog has no graphics yet and my writing style is grim. I find twitter very odd, I keep trying though...I will follow you guys now if I can find you but I am called thecreativeshed.....who knows why!?

I keep meaning to do a folksy page but like you say Mosaic, there is only so much you can do time wise...make stuff, then advertise and then twitter and facebook and blog and aaaargh!!!!

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hambo · 22/02/2011 21:09

Har have to tell you - just followed @coldcomfort who seems to be a political activist! With only five followers...Ooops

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Kryshees · 22/02/2011 21:17

I don't quite understand wordpress tho blogspot seems pretty methodical, I have 70 watchers!

Have you all found ukcraftforum too...its my home!

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Kryshees · 22/02/2011 21:18

I don't fb I am afraid for kryshees, except personally. Thats my only 'me' space where Krysia can hide

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coldcomfortHeart · 23/02/2011 08:28

Grin

Ah well I used to be a bit more political in my student days... but now it's all about which thimble to go for HOW EXCITING! So er, not me hambo! Was that twitter, because I'm not on it yet. If you click on my blog link above and subscribe (there's a box mid-way down the page on the right) you can 'follow' my posts. (If you want to that is!)

Pop a link to your own blog! If it's anything like your website it'll be lovely.

No, haven't found ukcraftforum yet kryshees, will check it out. This forum is nice but it can be a bit quiet. Although very helpful if you have questions...

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Kryshees · 23/02/2011 10:12

My blog is www.kryshees.blogspot.com Blush at the compliment coldcomfortheart. x

Just found hambo on twitter and following you. Need to try get my head around wordpress!

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FuppyGish · 26/02/2011 17:54

I've only done one fayre and sold quite a few bits, probably cleared about £150, mainly on sell on etsy though my shop haven't really tried folksy yet.

Anyone know of any craft fayres in the Worcestershire/West Midlands?

And how did you sell at the NCT? I thought they were all bargain type children's clothes?

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hambo · 27/02/2011 20:10

Hello FuppyGish. I have booked a stall at one in March so not sure how it will go...I just looked up the web site for my area and it said there were some stalls for crafts. You can put leaflets into the NCT bags advertising too, which I might try for the further afield places.
I'm not sure if NCT do this normally of if this fair is a one off!

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hambo · 27/02/2011 20:23

Fuppy - just looked at your shop - really gorgeous things, I can see why you would sell loads. Honestly, next birthdays I am coming bakc to this thread and buying lots of cool things. I will be the top auntie!

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MosaicTree · 28/02/2011 06:51

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