First craft sale is in a month and I am so not ready!
By jillhill
@jillhill (37354)
United States
August 18, 2012 7:39am CST
Anyone else falling behind in their crafting? I have had so much going on that I haven't had time to start getting ready at all. I would skip the sale entirely but my daughter has sent a bunch of her crocheted things to sell for her. I am down on cards. Have to make more purses and fall things.....Halloween decorations etc. Are you under a deadline for your craft projects? Do you make fall decorations or Halloween crafts for the kids?
4 people like this
12 responses
@chrystalia (1208)
• Tucson, Arizona
19 Aug 12
Boy do I know this feeling LOL. My craft biz partner and I have several fall shows booked in Tucson area, and our Etsy site is sadly out of date as well-- and I am too busy writing to craft. I finally got a system down-- before I go to bed I lay out everything I need to mass produce my halloweeny items and other quick low cost crafts. Then as soon as I have had breakfast in the morning, I set the timer for 1 hour, turn off my cell phone, and challenge myself to go full out until the timer rings. So far, I have managed to get all my earrings made for the first few shows, a bunch of bracelets, magnets and kid stuff. My grandmother used to do this and it actually works!
Of course I still haven't started my higher end stuff, but at least we have a good stock of lower end products-- my biz partner usually creates steampunk jewelry at the shows anyway since it draws attention. He is on me right now because I haven't put any of the newest steampunk on the Etsy site-- I told him flat out to grab the camera LOL. I am pretty sure he can figure out how to take a photo-- he is just lazy about it. Since the first show isn't until the last week in September, I should be able to get some of my more complicated jewelry done by then-- I hope!
In case anyone is wondering, I do gourd art, jewelry, knit, crochet, faux finish work, and photography ;-).
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
19 Aug 12
I haven't done holiday crafts in forever for the kids. I do have that new addition so there will be more of that going on as she gets bigger. My grandmother was huge into crafts and after we reunited, she made a special Christmas decoration every year for the tree for me and each of my children. I still have them, they are very special to me.
I haven't painted in a hundred years. I miss it alot. I bet that craft show is exciting.
@chrystalia (1208)
• Tucson, Arizona
19 Aug 12
Same thing here in Washington state-- our business revenues are down 40% this year, and I'm closing down the farmers market for the winter-- can't afford to stay open. I'm just going to concentrate on spinning and dying all the alpaca wool I have laying around, catching up on repairs and stuff. The mall nearby has lost 20% of the stores, and our summer craft shows were awful. Plenty of low ticket sales, but almost no higher priced items sold, even to the tourists-- what few tourists there were. Several of our smaller towns in the neighborhood are literally ghost towns-- it's scary.
Our local craft consignment shops have stopped taking people as well, and two have closed and will re-open from November 1 to January 1 for the holiday season-- but I'm not hopeful. Oh, well-- if things get really bad, at least I'll have plenty of sweaters, blankets and long underwear thanks to the alpacas LOL.
Down in Tucson three of the bigger winter craft shows have also been cancelled-- no one wanted to pay the fees. The biggest, the 4th avenue street fair, cut their fees in half, and they still had a hard time selling all their spaces this past year. I actually got a letter from them mid summer, offering me a space as a former vendor (I did it about 2 years ago)-- that NEVER happens. That show is usually sold out by April for December, and by August for their spring show.
This is what a depression looks like, I guess. I am seriously cutting back on new inventory, and I am seriously thinking of getting out of shows entirely and concentrating on Etsy and Ebay starting this winter. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?
1 person likes this
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
30 Aug 12
I don't do fall craft fairs, mostly Christmas craft items, so I'm not yet behind. i will be soon if I don't get more done, though.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
21 Aug 12
My main crafting is scrapbooking and I haven't been able to get as much done recently as I would like to be getting done. The main thing that has held me back on my scrapbooking is the fact that I've been dealing with the court things for my best friend and I also had her children for a time. Then we were in the car accident a month ago and Kathryn and I are still having to spend three afternoons a week at the doctor's office.
I've been getting more done since the kids started school last week, but I really am a far cry from where I would like to be.
@Pegasus72 (1898)
•
9 Sep 12
I am laid back when it comes to my crafting no time restraints here. I wish you luck in getting everything done that you want to though. Sounds like you are in for the money, I just do them as gifts.
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
18 Aug 12
I have not crocheted now in over a month. I have considered picking it back up and starting to do so, especially since I am close to being done with the scarf I started on, and really wanting to do some Fall shows, but sometimes I allow other things to get in the way, and forget about the things besides here that I enjoy and relax me.
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
28 Aug 12
I rarely give myself a time frame to get any crafts finished. In other words, I've been working on crafts that are not seasonal. Am still caught up in the Sesame Street, plastic canvas crafts and have used many of the sets as gifts for friends who recently became grandparents. They love 'em! I never bother with Halloween decorations since we generally aren't home to enjoy them. We have a candy bowl by the front door to hand out candy, if we are here, and that's about the extent of our celebrating. Good luck at your craft sale and please keep us posted on how well it went.
@lynboobsy11 (11343)
• Philippines
18 Aug 12
I'm into crafts like crochet and cross stitching but I never had the chance to sell them. But there was a time I mad a cross stitched that I have to give as a gift for a dearest friend's birthday. I almost work it day and night just to give to her in time of her birthday, it was really a hard work.
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
18 Aug 12
I have faith in you jillhill 
and I know you will do it!
I haven't really made many crafts lately to sell because I'm saving to buy a car. I don't have a car and that makes it rough on taking things back and forth, etc. I borrow my daughters for shopping but this would be different because of the hours. But when I get a car, you betcha I'm going to go back to selling them! 
I use to love to do that!
I'm working on a Fairy House for my granddaughter and that's my latest project. Oh yeh, I was babysitting her yesterday and we were working with Play Dough...I made 3 little pumpkins for Halloween..does that count? 
and I know you will do it!
I haven't really made many crafts lately to sell because I'm saving to buy a car. I don't have a car and that makes it rough on taking things back and forth, etc. I borrow my daughters for shopping but this would be different because of the hours. But when I get a car, you betcha I'm going to go back to selling them! I use to love to do that!
I'm working on a Fairy House for my granddaughter and that's my latest project. Oh yeh, I was babysitting her yesterday and we were working with Play Dough...I made 3 little pumpkins for Halloween..does that count? 
@hsofyan (3446)
• Jakarta, Indonesia
18 Aug 12
Kids craft is a creative project that should be supported.
@2004cqui (2812)
• United States
18 Aug 12
Wow you sure churn out a lot of crafts Jill! There is no way I could stand the stress!
