Good Show, Bad Show, Red Show, Blue Show

Well, here it is, my craft show booth:
(It was not this blurry in real life.)
I had a great location - pretty much first thing they saw when they walked in the doors. I had to sit off to the side of the table, but that was ok.

Bad things about the show:
1. Not very many people came. It was raining, so I think a lot of people who might have come from other buildings didn't make it. The candle booth people (who were across from me) and I spent a lot of time staring at each other.
2. Not very many people were spending money. I think most of them were just wandering through on a break, and didn't seem too excited.
3. I only sold $120 worth, and $3 of it I owe to Minda, my friend who provided the jewelry from her family in the Phillipines.

Good things about the show:
1. I made $117!
2. Somebody bought something. (As I had hoped in my pre-show post.)
3. I learned that I have everything I need. It was a good trial run for a "real" craft show. My table was a little small, and it looked full. I could definitely "fill up" a bigger table.
4. I feel much more confident now. While I didn't sell a lot, I did get a positive reaction from people, and nobody else was selling anything either. If I was sitting there with a table full of product, and everyone else was selling out, then I'd have to take the hint. And a lot of people stopped to look, and complimented me. They just weren't in the mood to spend $40 on a bracelet, I suppose.
5. I thought of a few things I could do to better show the product, like better labels on each piece to show that they are made with gemstones. I have each box labeled, but when you take the lid off, the label is upside down. John wanted to place the lid down upright and then set the bracelets on top, but I thought then the box wouldn't stay lined up with the lid, and the bracelets wouldn't be tilted up, and etc. etc. I know, I'm such a perfectionist. I think I'll also arrange things by color. It'll look more cohesive that way.
6. I got to see my best friend and her husband (the one who set me up with this gig) and her daughter, who loves me very much. She cried when I had to leave, which is sad, but I'm very glad she likes me that much.

So I think I'm going to try a few more local craft shows. I think that they would have more people and more people-who-are-looking-for-things-to-buy. It's the time of year for indoor shows, so I don't have to worry about having a tent or a fancy booth.

But today I am tired. Maybe tomorrow I will post a bit about the EZ blanket, which is coming along nicely, or the yarn I bought for the thrummed mittens I don't need but have a strange compulsion to make. It's just Lamb's Pride, so I'll post pictures once I get started, but it's such a pretty color. Maybe tomorrow the sun will come out, and I'll use the back of my "Bethany's Bangles" sign as a backdrop for pictures, reminding the neighbors that I am crazy.

I take Paypal. I really, really, do.