Well, That's That....

[julesapple]

......I've just closed down my little company. We did our last craft fair in December and have decided not to do any more whilst the country is in recession.

I really loved doing the fairs, but hated the computer work. I spent more time at my computer than at my sewing machine, which defeated the object. I loved meeting so many like-minded crafty people, but there were a lot of people who thought I was a charity and I'm glad not to have to deal with that side of things any more. How I would have loved to have run the fairs and not had to charge for tables....in an ideal world!

It's a teeny bit sad and a bit of a relief too but I'm looking forward to spending more time sewing and getting back to being creative now!

Jules

[Bigmallly]

Well you can concentrate on a different type of sowing now Jules......

[piskieinboots]

It is sad to hear but you do appear to have a positive spin on it - next time contract out the computer work

[julesapple]

BM, that was one of the problems. We ran so many fairs in the Summer months that the garden ran away with itself, and we missed getting the most out of it. We missed just sitting in it, it was like we were never at home and when we were it was just to restock for the next fair. I will miss the actual fairs and getting out and meeting people though.

Jules

[veggiechicken]

Will you go to other craft fairs and sell your products now Jules?

[Bigmallly]

BM, that was one of the problems. We ran so many fairs in the Summer months that the garden ran away with itself, and we missed getting the most out of it. We missed just sitting in it, it was like we were never at home and when we were it was just to restock for the next fair. I will miss the actual fairs and getting out and meeting people though.

Jules

Well now you can go to the fairs as a visitor, keep up with old friends plus have the added bonus of appreciating & enjoying your garden. Good luck.

[julesapple]

Suzie, lately we didn't bring in enough to pay someone else to do it. We did have a cousin doing all the admin to start with, until we discovered she was doing some creative book-keeping in her favour.

VC, I might but the recession has meant that sales at fairs are low - it's a vicious cycle; the cost of venues has shot up, so higher stand charges, there isn't a lot of disposable income to spend and spending customers are few. Added to that the rising cost of raw materials......if you cost out materials and man hours properly, for each thing you make, you'll never get the true worth of your products. We're all too used to buying cheap imports.

I'm hoping to be able to set up another web site in the future to sell my stuff, some chocolate, and the things that my sister and Mum make too. I'm looking in to that. I still want to make things, I need to make things. I can't remember a time when I didn't have something on the go.

Jules

[Piggle]

ooh that sounds good - when you get it sorted I will have a mooch! I wish I was creative - I haven't got an arty bone in my body.

[veggiechicken]

All the best with your new project. It sounds far less stressful and that's how life should be.
Like Piggle, I'm hopeless at creativity - so full of admiration for you!

[Jardiniere]

Jules
I like to make stuff too...i'm not very good at it but i try to make birthday gifts etc...you are right about being used to cheap imports...and it takes absolutely ages to make anything...I've just made my first tilda angel . took hours! And if I give it as a gift to someone they will probably just compare it with what you can buy in the woolworth type shops that we have here. The only things that sell are the really weird stuff like local wool from local herds....wrapping cheese from local goats ..
hey ho!
Can you sell stuff on e-bay? I know you don't meet anyone doing that........

[Seahorse]

It sounds like a sensible, if sad decision Jules. I think all that admin, organisation and working to deadlines would completely suck the joy out of creativity for me. Hopefully the prospective website will be a gentler path and a good compromise. Are you on Etsy?

[julesapple]

The thing about selling on eBay is that everyone wants a bargain on there - I know I do - it's the first place I go for cheap anything. On etsy, folksy, misi etc the only people you have to sell it to are other crafty folk. I don't think non-crafties visit those sites and there's always the risk of havingyour designs pinched by other crafters - it's expensive to copyright and impossible to police. They are selling opportunities, but not the target audience you really need. I have sold on both, it was hard work and very very slow. My customers are the ones who look at you, wistfully, and say 'I wish I could sew...'

Having said that, slowly is fine just now as I need to build up stock and I have 'sew' many new ideas I'd like to try. Jardiniere, well done on the Tilda angel, I know how fiddly they are. I loathe stuffing things, they end up looking like mutants.

Jules

[Jardiniere]

she does look like a mutant....a mouse mutant... a mouse angel mutant.....perhaps she should appear in her own animated film....

[Piggle]

sounds good - i like wierd looking things anyway. I might go and have a look on etsy - can't say I have ever heard of it .

[julesapple]

I have to laugh (not in a nasty way) at all of those people who say they aren't creative, because everyone is in one way or another. Gardening is creative, no? Actually, define creative?!

I've lost count of the people I've met in 30 years on the craft circuit, who say they make things, but the things are rubbish, and then they show you the most beautiful object/image/creature/whatever that you've ever seen. It's a matter of self esteem.

Jules

Jules