Show cancelled!!

[Anne]

That was a heading on an email I got today.  And of course this is the one at home which would have entailed no travel or extra expenses.  Sigh........ So now I have a slot I have to fill - or skip and carry over the stock I've made for it till next year and I hate to do that. Sent a few emails out and got a quick reply on one of the big ones I've done in the past.  They have openings, which is an indication of what's happening in the economy! So......now we have to decide if I'm going to do that show which means I have to make a whole lot more stock and we'll have to travel over the mountain roads in the winter (which my hubby hates doing) but we like the extra money we'll make out of it and we know it won't be as much as in years past, but ................. 

Would one of you make this decision for me please - and take a couple of weeks to come up here and help me make stock if the decision is to go for the big show.  lol.

[Tre V]

Oh Anne! What a shame. Wish I could help besides being sympathetic.

[Becki]

Well, crap...that really stinks!  I'd love to be able to come up there and help but I'm afraid all the help I can give will be in spirit!  Think about it...you'll make the right decision!

[Kev]

I wish I did live  closer to you..I'd help you..it would be fun to be able to work on glass with another person.

[Audrey]

I'm so sorry, Anne. That is a bummer.

[Barbara]

Oh Anne that stinks but you will make the right decision.Wish I did live closer would help in a heartbeat and nice to do glass with someone that likes glass also

Barbara

[Lou Ann]

Anne,

I am sooo sorry to hear that!!! I personally can't give advice because I've not had one cancelled yet but I did not attend Toni's school fair this Spring like I normally do and it turned out that it was a flop anyway so I didn't feel as bad missing it (other than the school didn't get my money)...

When do you have to sign up for the one that is over the mountains in the winter -- I would probably wait as long as possible to see if you can get a feel for how fairs are going at that time...

good luck however you decide
Lou Ann

ps good thing about glass is it isn't perishable....

[Anne]

thanks all.  Yup, tough decision to make, it really boils down to how hard do I want to work in the next few mos cause I'd really have to ramp it up.  The show is in Calgary - for those of you who know where that is - where the Calgary Stampede is - in the same park! A big show - such a shame cause if I'd known about this 3 mos ago it would have been a no brainer.  So, I guess I sit down tonight and figure out how much more I'd have to make for it to fill in the blanks and could I do it in the time I have. Yes, wish some of you lived closer - it would have been fun to have company that did glass!! (Get lots of the other kind) lol, we live in vacation land!

[PiscesGlass]

Ah Anne, so sorry about the show.  But lets entertain some other ideas.  One thing I'm thinking of doing this Fall is inviting other friends of mine that do fine crafts and advertising and holding an Open House for a weekend!  So you could "make your own show".  You can either charge your other craftsmen a small table fee for showing their wares or not.  I don't plan to because I have no idea whether anyone will make a great deal of money on this, or at least not at the first one.  But it would have to be advertised EVERYWHERE you can.

The other idea you might want to entertain is a Craigslist ad or spending some time to use blogspot or wordpress and create your own website.  It's not as difficult as you might think and bring you in some sales that way.

I probably wouldn't want to make a trip over icy winter roads for a show..no matter how much stock I have. Plus with the economy right now...well...I just don't see any shows being very good money makers at this point in time.  Sorry..what a bummer I must sound like....eh.

Now as far as the Calgary Stampede is concerned, man..would I love to come see that.   And I'd love to live closer...I'd most certainly come do glass with you! 

Hugs, De

[Lou Ann]

One thing I'm thinking of doing this Fall is inviting other friends of mine that do fine crafts and advertising and holding an Open House for a weekend!  So you could "make your own show".  You can either charge your other craftsmen a small table fee for showing their wares or not.  I don't plan to because I have no idea whether anyone will make a great deal of money on this, or at least not at the first one.  But it would have to be advertised EVERYWHERE you can.

Anne,

My mom and I have discussed this very same thing... except it would be just us and instead of advertising we were going to invite friends and past customers so that way we didn't end up with a bunch of strangers in the house (in my area that could be a bad thing)

LA

[PiscesGlass]

You could also hold it for probably a nominal fee in a church building or basement.  That could avoid the awkwardness of having it at your home.

De

[JoanFrances]

I did home shows when I was doing/teachinbg ceramics, and they were very successful.  I few friends even booked some for me at their homes.  The good thing about that was that they had other friends not invited to the first show.  When you do these shows, you are not compeating for sales, so the buying is all yours, and not devided between other artists.

Hope you come up with a suitable solution Anne.  I have a winter show too that I don't like traveling too, and I don't live in the mountains, but I can understand.

[ct4mom]

Anne, That really does stink and I'm sure you will come up with a plan. I like De's idea maybe that will work for you.. Good luck.

[Tre V]

Icy winter roads...carload of glass...sounds a scary to me. Does one of your friends belong to an organization or church that would let them use the hall fee-free? Especially in smaller towns or suburbs that is the case. Consider how much you would spend on a road trip, take a third of that and spend it on advertising..?

[Anne]

Well the decision got made for me in a round about way.  Guess we're driving the winter roads.  They offered me a 10x10 corner booth - couldn't look that gift horse in the mouth!  So I guess I'm working full days for a while instead of noodling around in here!!

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

[Audrey]

Sometimes it is better to have the decision made for you.  You'll get it done. Just don't stress over it.

[PiscesGlass]

Yup a 10 x 10 corner booth is ALWAYS nice!  Good luck and I'll hope that the weather is mild so you won't have any problems getting to and from your show! 

De

[Malinda]

cool deal....glad you are going to this one.

[ct4mom]

cant pass up on a corner spot. Just hope the weather cooperates. Good Luck

[crazyone]

I am still reading old posts, I just wondered how this show turned out. Was it worth it?

[Anne]

I am still reading old posts, I just wondered how this show turned out. Was it worth it?

Well.............we got to visit old friends!!!!!!! The show-----------hummmm, can't say as it was a real success.  Remember I mentioned not to look a gift horse in the mouth? 2 days into the show we were starting to realize why that 10x10 booth became available.  We were across from a double corner booth who sold chocolate covered fruit and they 'hocked' it like carnival barkers.  We think that whoever was given the booth originally cancelled when they saw who they were across from.  In speaking to other vendors at the show they all told us that when they register for that show they stipulate they do not want to be anywhere near those vendors.  So.......no it wasn't a great show for us unfortunately.  Every time someone stopped at our booth the woman across the way enticed them over to their side with free samples.  Who says no to free food? And we weren't the only ones that suffered that fate, everyone around us felt it too. It was really unfortunate but I learned a valuable lesson.  Now when I register for these peoples shows I request NOT to be close to food vendors.  The company who puts on these shows actually called me this year to talk about it and told me I'm not the only one who feels this way - oh gee what a surprise!  They are actually considering putting all food vendors together in these shows, as well as limiting how far out into the aisles they can sell. These are huge shows which means they'd probably have 2 if not 3 rows of food vendors.  If they were all in the same area it could become really interesting! If they put them in one area then we'd all have to worry less about sticky fingers too.  Anyway, to answer the question, sales weren't as good as we'd hope they'd be but we came home with some $ in our jeans so what can one say. 

[Audrey]

I am so sorry to hear that. How awful for you. At least you made some money. Sounds like they really do need to do something about that situation. It just isn't fair.

[Rebecca]

Most of the shows around here have the food vendors together.  Sort of an ourdoor food court.  That makes it easier when a family wants to eat and everyone wants something different.  They also have some tables and chairs in the food areas so people can actually sit down and have a meal and rest.

Rebecca

[Anne]

I know Rebecca, the outdoor shows here do the same thing. But many of the indoor shows seem to think it's a good thing to intermingle them. I think it's slowly changing tho as many of the 'other' vendors don't want to be anywhere close to the carnival barkers that many of them seem to be. Most of the food vendors in the inside shows aren't selling meals, they're selling demo type stuff where everyone can walk around licking their fingers.  Yuch!

[crazyone]

Sorry the show wasn't what you hoped. That would be very irritating having the food booth steal your customers before they even had a chance to look at your items. They should put them together or let them know that yelling  like a carnival barker isn't welcome.

[Evelyn]

Anne, thanks for sharing the results - good and bad, love the last part, at least had $ in pocket.  At the upcoming weekend's show, all the food vendors are put in one area and crafters are separate.  The boardwalk show runs from 17th to 34th - arts and crafts runs from 17th to 26th, then the food vendors, bands, etc.