Thank you all for your great advise and expertise in helping me
though my first show. I spent a very long Fri, Sat and Sunday at the
Norwalk Oyster Festival (CT). Weather was great and the crowds were
odd. It seemed as if every few hours the crowd would totally change
– strange. Did pretty well, but for the hours and days I put in
(10am -11pm) it really wasn’t worth it.
Set up my tent right inside the huge tents they had set up for us.
We all looked great. My Allstate cases were great to set up – built
them up a bit so my work was “in your face!” Had used those little
"Rane" shoes (my own private collection) to kind of drape my pendants
from. I got rave review and it looked wonderful, but I was getting
more action on the shoes than my work. Left the shoes home on Sun by
mistake (!!!) and set up without them. My sale were much better –
very strange! I did price all my pendants with chains (different
styles and prices were comperable depending on the expense of the
pendant so they could be switched). I did sell a few pendants sans
chain and then a few chains sans pendants (had a difficult time with
that ethically (Buy/sell)? but it was not a common occurrence. I
had all of my pieces visibly priced (wrote on black paper in silver
and placed in next to the piece) and it looked very unobtrusive with
my black velvet pads. This way everyone knew and I did not have to
jump on them. Having a small indoor outdoor carpet for my feet was
wonderful and had several pairs of shoes for me to switch in and out
of.
I am ready to do it all over again next week, thank goodness though
this will only be a one day 10-4 show!!!
~Elle
Elle, Thanks so much for your reply to Orchid on your first show. I
picked up some good pointers from you. The black tags marked in
silver-good idea!! The display with the shoes almost drawing attention
away from the sale. Bringing extra shoes to trade off wearing for
comfort. All that makes great sense and I wouldn’t have thought of these myself.
Good luck next week. Net
Elle, Well, now that the first one is over, you can relax. Good on
you as the Aussies say. Thanks for the report; especially what
worked well for you. We all learn best from personal experience, but
a first- hand report is valuable too! Best of luck on the next show.
Judy in Kansas where the heat has finally broken… no rain yet.
Judy M. Willingham, R.S.
Extension Associate
221 Call Hall Kansas State Univerisity
Manhattan KS 66506
(785) 532-1213 FAX (785) 532-5681
Hi Elle - How good of you to take time to report back to us!
I have also had a similar experience of the display holders drawing
more attention than the jewelry. When that happened, I knew I was in
trouble! . . . but actually, I had invented and forged the holders so,
I would then offer to make those individuals a holder! However,
your observation that when you left the shoes behind, you were selling
better, is something to note. Perhaps the ‘science experiment’ could
be held again to ‘test’ the results! The variables always are
changing though - people, location and time of year etc. - so, it is
hard to really know if it is an accurate analysis. When selling in an
environment with people selling a bigger product (like clothing or
ceramics), it seemed that having something vertically visible to catch
the customers’ eye, to attract them to even stop in and take a look,
was a help. Perhaps, on those occasions the shoes will be a plus!
Congratulations on a successful beginning. 
Cynthia
Hey, Judy, Hi!!!
Thanks for your letter. By the way, you have been such a great help
with so many of your suggestions about jewelry making. I have used
many of them!!! Thank you! I am just happy that I got my feet
wet!!! When I first applied to the show, I had thought it was the
weekend after the first show I really wanted to do - a small one day
affair in my town, were I was going to get the kinks out of my
exhibit!! Boy was I shocked to find out it was the week before!
Hopefully, sales will be better this weekend - at least the hours are
- one day, sunday, 10-4!!! Some difference to the 3 day almost 40hrs
at the last show! i will just have to find out what fine craft
shows there are around. It will take time, but, oh, well, we all
have to work our way though it. I was so surprised to find a real
nice article about me today in the advances program the show sends
out with the weekly paper! Who knows, maybe that might generate some
interest! At least I know that someone took the time to read my bio
and artist statement that I fretted over writing for days!!!
Thanks again, take care and keep in touch!!! Lynda (Elle) L.Disert
O’Donnell Designs Fused Dichroic Glass and Precious Metals
Trumbull, CT, were I am crossing my fingers for wonderful weather at
the Trumbull Arts Festival. In 22 years they have only had two moved
to the High School because of rain!!!