hey soso, I have never done a craft show yet but hoping this year to try one....I sell my art to stores directly right now and do custom work....(i paint on vintage items..windows, old tobacco cans etc...)I love turning old discarded ojects into works of art....right now the hot thing in nj is the shabby chic...french country....folk art stuff...signs are hot to here with just simple things put on them...well anyway what i would love to know is what crafts are hot in your area...and wb:)

I was snooping around the forums and I decided to check in here as I haven't been in this area for a while.

I too do craft shows full time. Mt wife and I started doing shows in 1980 as a part time gig. I quit my "real job" in 1994 and lever looked back. We do about 30 to 35 shows per year all over the northeast. From Burlington, VT to Boston, MA to Philadelphia, PA and as far west as Buffalo, NY. Craft shows are our only income and while the shows do fluctuate, I cannot think of doing anything else.
I personally know other exhibitors that make 6 figure incomes just doing shows. We all love what we do for a living!

Christopherh - what is your craft?

I've loved crafting since I was a teenager, but have only done shows for about the last 10 years. I work full-time and have had health/family issues this year, so my crafting has been put on the back burner, but we do have three shows scheduled -- two in November and one in December. If we have quite a bit of inventory left after the last show (especially perishable items), we sometimes have an open house for friends and family. I don't think of myself as a "professional" crafter, strictly a "hobbyist" and I craft more for pleasure than for money, but I usually make enough each year for a couple extra house payments. We do what I would consider medium sized shows and our booth fees are between $30 and $45. I have a few friends that enjoy crafting and there are two or three of us that do shows together. It's more fun with friends and we're able to help each other out, but I'm really going to have to hustle and get some things made if I'm going to be ready this year!!

Thanks,
Janet

Glad to see there are some people still making crafting
profitable as well as fun. It can be done. It takes
good planning.
I love to craft and it is a huge bonus to make a profit crafting.
I look for crafts that have a high profit margin
and concentrate on what sells best and cut out slow
moving crafts. It's a challenge.
I'd love to hear some tips from Christopherh
I know many crafters struggle with bad sales.
I try to keep my prices low and try to concentrate on
what I think will attract the shoppers....not what I
personally like......Also try to make items that various ages would buy and also some items for men and a few
for children.

Anyone else have secrets for success.??

This is my last year in doing craft shows. It just doesn't pay for me. I don't think it's the SHOWs themselves - it's what I do.Stained Glass Suncatchers. It's right in that grey area of what is considered art & what is considered craft. I might TRY an art show next year & maybe that will be good. I'd also love to know what craft people make when they do crafts full time ~ ~ !

I change from year to year to keep it new a fresh and go with what is selling for as long as it is selling and
then move on to other items.

A crafter next to me at a huge show, who does glass like you, has found a good plan. ( I'm proud to say I encouraged her to do it years ago. lol)

She designs a new style angel ornament each year and has many in various glasses and colors.
People return each year to buy the new syle.

She still has a few larger pieces each year , but the angels are a reasonable price and she sells out every
show. She use to do several shows, but now does just the one big show and sells out.

Danaoh,

I make house numbers. I have been making them in various frame styles since 1997 and have sold over 25,000 pieces at an average price of $25. I am known in our circle of exhibitors as "The House Number Guy". Before that we did everything from fabric flowers, to ceramics, to collage music boxes to carousel horses.

The shows range in space fees from $40 for a small school show to over $1,200 for a major flower show in a city. The flower shows are a fantastic way to make a good income during the winter months as there are no craft shows here in New England during that time. And items like stained glass, and anything that hints of spring does well. Sales can average over $3,000 for 3 days exhibiting.

We also do shows with a nationwide promoter called "Country Folk Art". They draw over 10,000 customers to their shows and that's where a number of the pros exhibit. Some will drive up from Florida to the northeast and set up. I have friends that live in MI, WI, IN, PA, NY, MA, etc.

Exhibitors become a family and we will help each other whenever we can. As an example, we were doing a show in Hartford, CT and an exhibitor was towing his trailer from western PA and broke down in NJ. Another exhibitor got into his truck, went to NJ, connected the trailer and brought it and the guy's wife up to CT in order to set up and sell. These guys were competitors! But friends.

The average crafter never gets to that level. But I have found that if you enjoy what you're doing, you will usually do a better job, and make more money. There are lots of tips about doing shows that can apply to shows and it makes no difference whether or not it's a school show or a major show in an expo hall. But the biggest tip of all is HAVE FUN!

Well being a crafter for profit I will certainly have to say christopherh has renewed my faith that it can be done,,making a living at this wonderful thing we call crafting....thanks for your input...

We do craft shows, probably 20 years now, but I think I am an "intermedate" level. I consider Christopher to be a professional crafter, one that does this full time and it is their income.

I am in the middle, no longer a newbie, but not to the pro level. For awhile we would do about 15 shows a year, but this year only 4. Several of the "big" shows have discontinued and it is hard to find something new that is established.

Best advice is "word of mouth"....hearing from another crafter that they did well at a particular show. HOWEVER you always have to remember, what they sell is different and how they sell it is different. I have recommended shows before, only for that crafter not to do well, so I tell them "I DID WELL...you might also", there is no way to promise how they will do. And I know the same is true if someone suggests a show to me.

Seems like the past 5 years the sales have dropped for many crafters (the ones I talk with). I know a LOT that have dropped it altogether. I LOVE CRAFTING, I won't be quitting. I keep hoping it will have a turn around ANY DAY NOW!!

Our sales at the new shows we have done have been great (means a new customer base) while the old shows are staying steady (I make different items stuff each year for the old customer base).

My shows have gone from 4 to 2! Craft shows are really being discontinued in my area.

I also do shows - have been at it for about 25 years - but took several years off while raising my kids. Probably the last 10 years or so I've been back at it. I only have 6 shows scheduled this fall, and fees range from $35-$80 per show. I usually bring in anywhere from $350 to $1000 per show. After many years of sewing and selling stuffed items - teddies, country dolls & angels, I've switched the last 5 years or so to all computer generated crafts - mainly survival kits and gag gifts. These range from $1.00 to $5.00 in price and I make more money now than I ever did selling more expensive items. It's also easy to generate inventory quickly as many of my shows are back to back weekends. I'm a stay at home mom, so we don't depend on my crafting income - it's just play money. I usually try to make a major purchase for our home every year, like an oak table, chairs, hutch one year; an oak bedroom armoire another year. New mattresses for several beds last year and this year will be carpet for our basement. I like having a goal. I also keep my own checking account into which all the craft show proceeds go and this also pays for all my expenses (supplies, show fees, etc.) for the next year. It's also my play money throughout the year, so I can buy whatever I wish without feeling guilty!! I love doing shows, but last weekend was my first of the season and it was a bust. I made a whole $75. This usually is a good show, so I don't know what happened. Hopefully it was just a fluke and this Sat. will be better. I also try to come up with new items every year and people come back looking for what is new.

Good luck to everyone doing shows!

Arlene