Long time lurker, first time poster.

With the economy being as bad as it is, I was wondering how you all have
been doing at craft shows. I did pens at a few shows and didn't do bad, but
had to stop due to work hours changing. That was a few years ago and I was
thinking about starting again.

I would do pens and start doing candle holders, oil candles and maybe a few
other items. I found that key chains never sold that well.

How do bottle stoppers and fan pulls sell?

Thanks
Ted

"Ted" wrote in message
...
Long time lurker, first time poster.

With the economy being as bad as it is, I was wondering how you all have
been doing at craft shows. I did pens at a few shows and didn't do bad,
but had to stop due to work hours changing. That was a few years ago and I
was thinking about starting again.

I would do pens and start doing candle holders, oil candles and maybe a
few other items. I found that key chains never sold that well.

How do bottle stoppers and fan pulls sell?

Thanks
Ted
Haven't done a show yet this year my first will be in mid Feb. Last year
was a mixed bag, good shows only fair real good show only good to fair and
ok shows GREAT!. About average for the show circut but down a little
overall. I have noticed that pen turners have been in short supply for
the past couple of years, the general product turners that I saw did only a
fair to poor trade at most of the shows. I put a few "nice" turned bowls in
my booth and priced them at firewood prices and sold two in three shows
(they were the worst of the lot and the most expensive). One turner was
selling nice salt and pepper mills for cost($20 a set) at one show and
could't get rid of them. One guy with a ring master was selling out of
stock at one show, and his prices were in my opinion high (basic salad bowl
maybe 6 to 7 inches across $35 and up, 10 inch tall vase $45 and up). The
one pen turner that I saw did fair at a show were I and several others sold
out of stock.

I have done a few shows starting about three or four years ago. They
were mostly craft shows and I didn't do very well. I had several
people suggest that I try art fairs instead. I was reluctant but
decided to try. I found out last year that the better the quality
show I entered (art fairs and even fine art fairs) the more I sold and
the higher the prices I could charge. I will not do another craft
show, ever. If it is not advertised as a fine arts show I will not
waste my time.

Having said that. Every art and craft show veteran that I have talked
says that they are selling less items and that people are looking and
not buying lately.

Ted #2

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:54:54 -0500, "Ted" wrote:

Long time lurker, first time poster.

With the economy being as bad as it is, I was wondering how you all have
been doing at craft shows. I did pens at a few shows and didn't do bad, but
had to stop due to work hours changing. That was a few years ago and I was
thinking about starting again.

I would do pens and start doing candle holders, oil candles and maybe a few
other items. I found that key chains never sold that well.

How do bottle stoppers and fan pulls sell?

Thanks
Ted

I don't know if any of my experience counts, I'm in Mexico..
My sales are way down, mostly due to lack of tourism.. The economy is stopping
most folks from vacationing..
I should probably break "sales" down into 2 sections, though, maybe "art" and
"Utility"..
There is still a good market for art, and I sell 1 or 2 of the higher end
($200+) a month, but the "utility" or "novelty" stuff is slow..

As bad as the economy is, there are still a lot of folks with money, and those
are the art buyers... I think that with art, they buy what turns them on and
rationalize/justify the price later..

Pens always sell well here, especially during the holidays when a case and
mailer is included.. Easy gift for folks in the States..
Wood type is important for your local, gotta find what they like, though in
general with most turnings, dark colors always sell better than light..
When I was in Central California, exotic hardwoods sold best, in Baja, the
demand is mostly for desert ironwood..

The only key chains that do well for me are the "secret compartment" ones, which
I put 4 or 5 toothpicks in..

When I moved down here, I stocked up on fan pull kits, thinking that since most
homes here had 3 or more ceiling fans, it HAD to be a winner... NOT..

I then bought a dozen wine stopper kits (SS with multiple rings)
Nobody bought them.. 2 reasons that I could determine, not a lot of wine
drinkers and the metal part of those kits stick up out of the bottle and are
UGLY..

I went with low-profile kits like Ruth's:
http://www.torne-lignum.com/stoppers.html
and started calling them "tequila stoppers"
They sell pretty well now and are a good way to use up ironwood scraps..

Hope some of this helps... HAVE FUN!


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

My sales at a local Chiristmas show were actually up. I was prepared
for the worst. One regular client bailed me out with a $900 sale. Over
all shows were about normal last year. I sell mostly utility bowls.
Never done pens, and starting to do a lot more boxes. They do sell.

Hey Mac, get my note on the other post about trying the Easy Rougher
on your Iron wood?

robo hippy

On Jan 12, 8:54*am, mac davis wrote:
On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:54:54 -0500, "Ted" wrote:
Long time lurker, first time poster.

With the economy being as bad as it is, I was wondering how you all have
been doing at craft shows. I did pens at a few shows and didn't do bad, but
had to stop due to work hours changing. That was a few years ago and I was
thinking about starting again.

I would do pens and start doing candle holders, oil candles and maybe a few
other items. I found that key chains never sold that well.

How do bottle stoppers and fan pulls sell?

Thanks
Ted

I don't know if any of my experience counts, I'm in Mexico..
My sales are way down, mostly due to lack of tourism.. The economy is stopping
most folks from vacationing..
I should probably break "sales" down into 2 sections, though, maybe "art" and
"Utility"..
There is still a good market for art, and I sell 1 or 2 of the higher end
($200+) a month, but the "utility" or "novelty" stuff is slow..

As bad as the economy is, there are still a lot of folks with money, and those
are the art buyers... I think that with art, they buy what turns them on and
rationalize/justify the price later..

Pens always sell well here, especially during the holidays when a case and
mailer is included.. Easy gift for folks in the States..
Wood type is important for your local, gotta find what they like, though in
general with most turnings, dark colors always sell better than light..
When I was in Central California, exotic hardwoods sold best, in Baja, the
demand is mostly for desert ironwood..

The only key chains that do well for me are the "secret compartment" ones, which
I put 4 or 5 toothpicks in..

When I moved down here, I stocked up on fan pull kits, thinking that since most
homes here had 3 or more ceiling fans, it HAD to be a winner... NOT..

I then bought a dozen wine stopper kits (SS with multiple rings)
Nobody bought them.. 2 reasons that I could determine, not a lot of wine
drinkers and the metal part of those kits stick up out of the bottle and are
UGLY..

I went with low-profile kits like Ruth's:http://www.torne-lignum.com/stoppers.html
and started calling them "tequila stoppers"
They sell pretty well now and are a good way to use up ironwood scraps..

Hope some of this helps... HAVE FUN!

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Jan 11, 8:54 pm, "Ted" wrote:
Long time lurker, first time poster.

With the economy being as bad as it is, I was wondering how you all have
been doing at craft shows. I did pens at a few shows and didn't do bad, but
had to stop due to work hours changing. That was a few years ago and I was
thinking about starting again.

You might also try selling online, at somewhere like etsy.com. The
site has its issues but I think its the best venue out there. Fairly
easy to get started, and the listing fees are only 20 cents for 4
months, 3.5% of sales and paypal takes their cut as well. Good
photography is essential though.

-Kevin

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 09:28:16 -0800 (PST), robo hippy
wrote:

Hey Mac, get my note on the other post about trying the Easy Rougher
on your Iron wood?

robo hippy

Yep.. replied, too.. lol

I was considering it, but even unhandled it's pretty pricey for a holder for a
square carbide scraper..
Also, it seemed like it was for starting with a round or nearly round blank,
which I rarely do..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing