Putting things at different heights. Crates would be nice. Or if you don't have crates try using something sturdy. You could cover them up with some material. I don't know what kind of things you are selling, but another idea would be to use logs in different heights. Then you could run some grapevine or some pine garland and twinkle lights(if you have electric) around them. If you want the shelves, you could use bricks, logs, or even paint cans. Then lay a 8ft board on top of them. Then you could drape with some material.
You could also use cake plates, foot stools,and crocks to get different heights. Could luck on your sale.

I was helping a friend arrange things at season long gift shop/craft show sale last night. We agreed that eye level is the best placement for selling things. There are various shelves around the room. Ornaments and things at eye level were getting the most attention. The ornaments looked good on the 3' and 4' Christmas trees. My friend loves to use props and signs for her stuff...a small wagon filled with things... a teddy bear for children's stuff. If you had a little woden sitting bench with stuff on it, it'd be cute.

I saw some other really bad displays too. One lady had Christmas necklaces laying in a jumbled mess instead of tastefully displayed hanging on something. The baskets of hats and scarves on the floor almost looked like things in a dirty clothes basket. One lady had all of her hair ribbons in a jumbled basket. I think they might sell if she had them hanging up. Someone had designed Christmas t-shirts and pants, but they were hanging on a rack instead of hanging a sample to display both the top and bottom.

The ladies next to me at a previous show had taken 2 wood framed windows (old fashioned type - two panes each) and hinged them together. They put a small shelf across the middle of each one and had things on the shelf. They also used suction cups for adhere to the glass to hang ornaments. The window was heavy and it took two of them to move it but it attracted a lot of attention.

Something else I saw that could be done on a smaller scale were wooden ladder type displays. I don't think they were real ladders, but a display made to look like a folded ladder. It might be good for hanging smaller items like hand towels. Even a small straight ladder would be cute with things displayed on it.

Short hinged window shutters work great also, just take out a few slats and place a board across, for floor displays, use the closet doors with slats. What kind of items are you selling?

Clean flowerpots turned upside down, with the saucers setting on top of the pot will hold small items and are easy to carry. They can be decorated or plain and don't require covering with fabric. Maybe use some Christmas garlands around them. Good luck with your show! Bettye

Wow...these are all awesome ideas! Thanks everybody....
I sell alot of the bagged gag gifts first of all....I wish I had something to hang them on instead of arranging them in baskets. I wish I could buy one of those rotating displays to hang them on...but they are so expensive!
I know there has to be a more creative and nicer way to do it.....
I also sell alot of handmade pins. Right now I am just laying them on a black velvet board...but I would like to again do something more creative.
Bookmarks and beaded rosaries I am also laying on the velvet board.....but the other stuff....you're right shelves would be awesome!......I do make steps with bricks and covered with material...but I just knew there could be lots of other ways too...lol...Just curious how other people display...
Let's keep the thread going so that maybe other people can get some great ideas too!
You guys are so awesome...I know I can always depend on all of you!
Happy Crafting!
Marci

If you live in New Mexico, I know you have access to cholla wood. How about getting cholla skeletons and making a lightweight ladder out of that. You can clean the skeletons by putting a solution of bleach and water in your bath tub and then use an old tooth brush to scrub away the debree. Rinse and let dry. You can cut the cholla with a hacksaw to the appropriate lengths. I bet you could use a combination of wire and glur to put it together. Prop it up against the side of your booth and stick paper clips in all the little holes to hang your stuff.

Hey!!!!!!!!! Awesome idea...you're right Cholla wood is not hard to come by here....Leave it to a fellow New Mexican!
Thanks Adella!
Marci

qtiemom, get a couple of pieces of pegboard, paint white, hinge together to make easier to transport. Put in peg hooks and hang your bagged stuff on those.

For your pins, take the black velvet boards and prop up with easels. You can get wire ones that florists use for wreaths very inexpensively. Or, do some velvet boards inside picture frames with easel backs and stand those up on your displays.

As Les discribed that is exactly how I have been displaying
my bagged items at craft shows for the past 5 years. For
Christmas I change it up by adding a fake pine garland around
the top, sides and bottom.

You could take a 4x4 (or 2x2)post and nail it to a base. Then drill holes on all sides and insert short pieces of dowel rods. Paint the whole thing, add a nice seasonal top (bow, Easter egg, angel ...) and hang the bagged items on that. They can also be transported that way.

If you have a louvered shutter or door you can hinge 2 or 3 together and slip hangers thru the slats. If you used doors they could stand on the floor and free up table space.

Collect tree branches, paint them white (or some other seasonal color), put in a flower pot, fill with cement, plaster of paris to secure and hang the bags on the branches.

beverly

I found white wire shelves at Walmart last week. They worked well to hang earring cards (the professional, plastic ones). I simply turned the shelves upside down so there were more wires to hang from. Also I've seen fire place screens used. Heavy paperclips can be bent to serve as hangers if the things aren't too heavy. Also, someone suggested wire CD racks. I priced them last night and they were under $20 for a large one that could set on top of the table.

Here is a link to a table top rack. Might be kinda late to get one ordered but a thought for next year. Keep an eye on ebay, you can get good buys there too.

I have a floor spinner like this rack, and I put most of my gag bags (4x6) on it. Also put Christmas Whisks, Jiffy Pops on it as well. Works great.

You HAVE to get height in your display. Nothing worse that laying everything on the table. If you have ornaments, take a Christmas tree with lights (lights bring attention to your booth).

You can get some baskets for the gag gifts too, I do that for Grinch Poop and some of the other smaller ones (ones I put into a 3x4 baggies), but I still do height, a small wire shelf works (Walmart), even some of your boxes you pack in can be used and covered with some fabric to add height.

We tend to be so creative with our crafts, but not with our display....and it does pay to stop and spend a little time thinking it through how you will show off what you have done.

Laura

Here is a link that might be useful: table top rack