CRAFTER BS

Summer Craft Show Report

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:55:00 +0000

Yes, it’s been a long time since I’ve posted
to the blog. Recuperation from back to back
surgeries and then being thrown back into a
heavy show schedule has kept me from
“business as usual”.

Since I last posted in April, I participated in
10 shows. Finally, now that the heat of July
is here, I am taking a much needed rest (after
this Saturday’s show) until August 14th.

Reports of the last 10 shows aren’t rosy!
Sales are way down, attendance is way down,
and we had some horrendous weather to contend
with.

And I’m not alone! All my art and crafting
friends are saying the same. Seems we are all
taking a beating by the economy. Right now we
are in “survival” mode, and probably will be until,
at the very least, the fall. We are all counting on
Christmas sales to save our behinds this year.

Believe it or not, the high dollar shows were the
biggest disappointments. I personally did much
better sticking close to home with the $50-$75
rents. Several that I participated in were upwards
of $200-$250, required lots of travel, and they
just weren’t worth it.

I also suffered a lot of damage this year during
the bad weather. I faired better than some, many
losing tents and complete displays. All in all, I
took a $800 beating in damages in June. I’m still
picking up the pieces.

How has YOUR summer been thus far?
Till next time…….

Theresa

Rejected??!!!??

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:43:00 +0000

Back several months ago, I applied to the Chestertown
Tea Party in MD for a space in their May 29th show.
Sent in the $175 show fee, $20 jury fee, my pics and
application.

I have to admit I was surprised as heck when I received
a rejection letter in the mail. Strangely though, no return
of my show fee check.

So, I wrote the organizer:

"I received you love letter in the mail rejecting my craft
into your show for May 29th. Please return my check
for $175 ASAP"

I then crossed it off my schedule, ripped up the contract,
and made plans to take a mini vacation for the Memorial
Day weekend instead.

Imagine my surprise when I opened my email today......

"Hello Theresa, I think there has been a mistake. You
should not have been mailed out a rejection letter. I must
have inadvertently mailed the wrong letter. You have
been accepted into the show and I will be mailing out
the show materials the beginning of May" Contact me
at ______ if you have any questions. I am very sorry for
any inconvenience."

And inconvenient it was....

* I already used the $175 (foolishly) for other show bills
and this totally screws up my budget for the month.
* I already made plans for the Memorial Day weekend
for a little getaway and it means canceling plans.
* I just had finished crossing out the show on 100's of
show schedules I had printed up.
* I threw my contract in the garbage already, so I don't
even have my paperwork anymore.

But the show comes highly recommended by others in
the business, so I'll deal with it. Hopefully it will all be
worth it when all is said and done.

Till next time.........

Theresa

Negotiable? Are You Nuts?

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:55:00 +0000

I’d seen something today that blew me away.

Imagine, signing up to do a craft show, and
then seeing the following write up about the
upcoming show in a newspaper article……..

This is the quote from the show organizer:

“If you’re looking for a Valentine’s gift, the
craft show offers one of a kind handcrafted
items at negotiable prices”.

Negotiable? Am I reading this right? Is this
organizer crazy? Drunk? Or is he just
desperate to get people in the doors of the
show??

Imagine being a crafter at this show??

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t ever
do a show under these conditions. Hell, I
would sooner do a flea market, if I were
going to have to deal with hagglers all day
long.

Theresa

http://www.PinsAndPoetry.com

A New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:45:00 +0000

January! A time of year that us “show”
crafters and artists look forward to.
No shows, perhaps a winter vacation to
somewhere warm and sunny!

Me? I’m bored by January 15th. How
many of you can relate?

January usually means cleaning out files
and making new ones for 2010. Filling out
applications, and writing rent checks while
watching the checkbook take a beating.
Hunting show replacements for the shows
that sucked last year.

In February, we’ll put our nose to the
grindstone and start crafting like mad in
preparation for shows that begin in March.
Sprucing up our displays, and coming up
with new designs.

Maggie, my youngest, did it right this year!
Went on vacation, to Egypt, of all places.
(pictured above on right) She too is an artist.

Not a starving artist, just an occasional hungry
one. Now that she is back home, safe and
sound, she joins the rest of us…getting
ready for a year of hard work and praying
for a fabulous 2010, in spite of the economy.

Theresa

BAD SANTA!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:21:00 +0000

BAD SANTA!!! He delivered me applications
for 2010, but with many a surprise!

Like everyone, I guess show promoters are feeling
the pinch. They have to be, why else would they…

1. Make deadlines for applications so much earlier
than last year?

2. Make space sizes smaller to fit in more crafters?

3. Raise the rent?

4. Start allowing buy/sell?

5. Raise their entrance fee to shoppers?

But I don’t get it!!! In times of recession, you would
think people would band together and help one another
out. Not do more and more things to turn honest to
goodness crafters away!!

In looking over my applications to send out for next
year, this disturbing trend seems to have taken hold.

Take Colorfest in MD for example. It’s a HUGE show
that is held in October and the whole town participates.

Imagine my surprise, when the application deadline
is now December 15th!

Coming up with an extra $225 BEFORE Christmas
is a little ridiculous. Not only that, they made the
space size smaller.

C’mon people. Don’t let greed destroy your shows!!

Theresa K. Hardy
http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
http://www.PinsAndPoetry.com ß NEW Website

It Just Ain't Right!!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:20:00 +0000

You didn't expect me to post about something
to give you the warm fuzzies, did you?

Of course I have a rant for you again this time!
( I mean what else is Crafter BS about anyway?)

Ok, so I participated in a holiday boutique a few
weeks ago. A 4 day drop off show that required
a 25% commission and a small entry fee.
Beautifully displayed items in a upscale town,
great advertising, and a proven track record.

I did very well, except for one problem....

The lousy bookkeeping by the organizer!!

Getting into the show, I was required to turn
in an inventory sheet with assigned numbers
to each "different" item. (not just my sales ID
number)

Come time to pick up the products that were
left, and no physical inventory was gone over
by the organizer. Ok though, paperwork sent
to me along with my check would surely show
what sold, right?? WRONG!

The envelope contained a check, that's it!
I called because obviously this was a mistake
on their part, but no dice.

So after taking my own inventory, things just
weren't kosher. Obviously some theft occurred
(which is expected to a degree). What I dropped
off, what was missing, and what I came home
with were different totals. Obviously this boutique
doesn't want to be bothered by this little fact, and
it made me think that is why there is no paperwork
given to the crafters.

I'm SURE that many crafters, during the hustle
and bustle of the holiday selling season, didn't
even bother comparing inventory so they see no
reason to bitch. (especially if they did well)

But it just ain't right I tell ya! It just ain't right!

Last week I dropped off inventory to the next
Christmas boutique I was scheduled to do.
As I dropped off my wares, they took physical
inventory when products were initially delivered,
and assured me that each and every item would
be shown on the sales report.

Ahhhhh...someone who knows how to do it right!

Will I be participating in the first boutique again
next year? Yep! Matter of fact, sales were good
enough that I am sure I'll participate in the one for
the spring. But it won't keep me from whining and
hoping they will change their bookkeeping ways!

What The &$^#^!!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:06:00 +0000

As posted on the Crafter's Guide Online Group:

In the October 10th “At The Shore” section
of the Atlantic City Press (the newspaper
that everyone reads that lives at the shore),
there was a write up about the Block Party in
Ocean City.

The Block Party that takes place the Saturday
before Columbus Day, and is an event that
has been going on a long time, was featured
on that page. The entire town participates.

Quoted from paper:

“Shoppingwise, expect stores to have sidewalk
sales and other specials on their merchandise.
For those not so interested in spending
money, check out the crafters, food vendors
and live music happening along the block party
route.”

Interesting!!! If I were participating in this event,
I think I would be curious about who would put
such a thing in the paper.

Theresa
http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
NEW website: http://www.PinsAndPoetry.com

Sugarloaf Show Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:13:00 +0000

Received this in an email the other day and wanted to pass it on
to my readers. Please let me know if you attend. I will not be at
this show, but would be interested to hear about it from someone
who has, since Sugarloaf has such a great reputation.

The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Oaks, PA, will take place on
Nov 6-8 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center where there
will be more than 300 acclaimed artists from around the country
exhibiting and selling their original handmade art, including paper,
pottery, and fiber art.

The show will also feature live demonstrations, gourmet foods,
and family entertainment.

The official site for the show is
http://www.sugarloafcrafts.com/festivals/oaks/fall/

or you can check out the Facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/SugarloafCrafts

Get OUT!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:26:00 +0000

Nothing makes a true crafter see red more
than a fraud at a juried craft show. To the
crafter it is an insult to have anyone there
with imported items and passing them off
as their own. It is also unfair to the shoppers
who have come to the show expecting to see
only handcrafted items.

Organizers are few and far between to kick
these jerks out even though they know they
have been bullshitted to. But that is exactly
what Martha did at the show last weekend in
Ocean Grove, NJ.

Martha is trying her best to preserve the
integrity of the show and isn’t afraid to stand
by the contract rules of throwing people out
on their fanny when she sees she’s been duped.

Last Saturday, an oriental couple pulled up in
their fancy car with NY plates. Out came trays
and trays of silver jewelry, the kind being
hawked on the street corners of Manhattan.
(and in every jewelry catalog under the sun)

Nowhere on the contract they filled out beforehand
did it allude to such obvious buy/sell. Pictures of
pottery is what I believe were submitted.

Good ole’ Martha gave them 20 minutes to pack
their crap and get out. True to her word, Martha was
back 20 minutes later to ensure they were leaving.
What she found was business going on as usual and
her orders were being ignored. After announcing to
the potential customers that sales couldn’t be made,
Martha then proceeded to pick up their trays of junk
and cart them to the back of their tent. Not only that,
Martha stayed right there until they were totally
packed.

Yes, these arrogant fraudsters wanted their rent
returned, but Martha stuck by the letter of the
contract and told them NO REFUNDS.

It restored faith to so many of us crafters who see
this abuse being tolerated by organizers weekend
after weekend.

Martha is a shining example of what an organizer
SHOULD be doing when shysters are filling the
shows (and taking away spaces from true crafters)

So, Kudo’s to Martha! You’re doing it right!!

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
Pin Website: http://www.PinsAndPoetry.com

New Website!!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:41:00 +0000

New Website to showcase my current line
of products! My partner Jane and I have
been wanting to do this for quite awhile
but neither of us had the time. I finally bit
the bullet, and forced myself to make time!

Since I order so many business items through
Vista Print, we choose to use them for the
website as well. The first month is free, so
we will see how it goes over the next 30 days.

So far, there are things about their template
that I’m not too crazy about. Will be calling
them and bugging them a lot this month.
Even with a template I am running into a few
frustrations.

Here is the new website address:

http://www.PinsAndPoetry.com

My other website http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
is still up and taking orders as usual. Most of my
orders for the last couple of months have been for
custom poetry, which I love doing.

Hoping that between both sites, I will be able
to maximize online sales this holiday season.

Theresa

To Pee Or Not To Pee

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:53:00 +0000

Well, I survived the Lititz Craft Show. I had
the worst possible location but I was glad to
be part of it, and very happy I got my foot in
the door for next year.

There was ONE BIG pain in the ass regarding
this show though. The placement of Port-o-lets.

You would think after 32 years they would
KNOW BETTER than to place ALL of them
in one spot. Obviously this plan was arranged
by MEN, who can easily go P in a cup if they
had to.

Once I got there (at 4 in the morning) I realized
that the closest bathroom was almost ½ mile
away. What vendor could possibly leave their
booth that long to try and walk a mile through
throngs of people??

Since I couldn’t fit my walker in the van that
day, I was shit outta luck! I wasn’t going to be
able to walk all that way. It was IMPOSSIBLE.

I quickly realized that I would be unable to eat
or drink a thing the whole entire day. And I can
be a real witch without my morning coffee!

By 10:00 a.m. my tonsils were stuck to the back
of my throat I was so thirsty.

I had no choice! As humiliating as it was, I had
to ask a homeowner on the block if I could pay
her $10 to use her bathroom throughout the day.

It was money well spent.

Wonder if my PEE FEE is considered a tax
deductible expense?

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com

It's The Big One!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:03:00 +0000

This coming Saturday, August 8th, I’ll be doing
the Lititz Craft Show here in PA. I’ve been
waiting to get into this show for years. Hope all
you local folks will get a chance to come out
and enjoy the afternoon.

Lititz, PA is host to one of the largest annual
juried craft fairs on the east coast. Tens of
thousands of people will be coming to the 32nd
annual of this craft festival. Many will be
traveling on bus trips from New York City
and New Jersey.

Each year, it is said, the fair seems to be better
than the previous year’s show, but competition
for a booth at the fair is stiff. It’s a miracle I got
in. There are over 800 vendors!! Check out the
picture of the massive amounts of people and
you’ll see why crafters who make it past the
jury and get a space, participate every year
without fail.

The craft fair is so large that the central
downtown area of the town is closed to all
traffic. On the confirmation papers it tells
crafters to arrive by 5 a.m. for set up, but
friends of mine who are veterans at this show,
tell me to be there by 2 a.m. if I want to get to
my spot to unload and set up in time.

Truthfully, I can’t imagine getting there that
early just to be able to get to my spot to unload.
But with over 800 crafters, I guess it’s really
not unreasonable.

I’ll be sure to post the outcome of my day
there after I recuperate. Between the expected
heat of an August day and the early hour I will
be up, it’s a good bet that it will take me days
to get back to normal. Hopefully though, I’ll
be singing my way to the bank on Monday!

Theresa

Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com

This Weekend's Craft Show

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:53:00 +0000

Rain, Rain, go away! I think most of us that
do craft shows on the east coast are already
fed up with all the gloomy rainy weather.

Last weekend’s show was a wash out for me.
Although the show was moved to an alternate
location, it wasn’t a very well thought out plan
by the organizers. It was held in a parking garage.
Needless to say it was dank and dark as a tomb
in there. Bathroom facilities (port-o-lets) were
2 and ½ blocks away, and there would be no
food available. So we didn’t even unpack. Just
turned the van around and headed home.

It’s not so much the rent money that was
forfeited that stung, but the lack of income for
the week that had me so disappointed.

But that’s the life of a traveling crafter!

This coming weekend we will be merchants at
the Celtic & Highland Games festival on both
Saturday and Sunday. A real high price tag on that
show for us! The rent alone will make me cry if
we are rained out.

The Celtic Festival is something we always look
forward to each year. Entertainment is bar none.
And the high energy, and festive mood of everyone
makes it a particularly fun event.

Hopefully I will have some good news to report
on Monday.

Theresa

Happy Father's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Happy Father’s Day to all of you out there.

My own dad passed away when I was a
teenager, but I still think of him. Especially
on a day like today.

Here is a poem I wrote especially for dads
all over the world.

DAD

There is a very special Dad
That I sincerely love
An earthly reflection
Of the "Father" up above
And I was blessed to have him
According to God's plan
He is my Dad - He is my Hero
He is my Superman
I'm sure he too must have an angel
Guiding him while on this earth
To watch over him and love him
Like he has done for me since birth

Copyright: Theresa K. Hardy

HOW TO BE A ORGANIZER WHORE

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:08:00 +0000

Just when you think you have done the worst
show of your crafting career, another one comes
along that beats it by a mile, through no fault of
your own.

I have a real BEEF to complain about this week…
Organizers that are downright greedy!

HOW TO BE AN ORGANIZER WHORE!

1. Advertise the event as the 56th annual, but
don’t tell the crafters it’s the FIRST year of
having crafters participate.

2. Advertise an expected attendance of 5,000
but neglect to mention that crafters will be
located way off the beaten track. We were
lucky to have 500 people find their way to us.

3. Stipulate on the contract that set up starts
at 5:00 a.m., and you must be ready for business
by 7:00 a.m. Then, don’t have activities start
for the public till 9:30-10:00. (but do sell crappy,
overpriced breakfast to the crafters).

For a FIRST year event of having crafters,
a $65 booth fee is total greed!! All of us felt
we were in a red light district with motley
prostitutes.

Most of us used due diligence, asking organizers
the necessary questions, BEFORE sending out
our applications. But it doesn’t do much good, if
the answers were not truthful.

I seriously doubt that many, if ANY, made back
their booth fee. I guess I was one of the lucky ones
to come home with $120.(8 customers)

Meanwhile, the prostitutes (umm..I mean organizers)
made off with over $4,000 to add to their G-String.
And they wonder why us crafters turned into a
bunch of CRABS. Next year, they just might be
ITCHING for crafters!

Theresa

End Of Month Blues?

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:42:00 +0000

For any of you who had a craft show last weekend, did
you notice a downturn in sales?

My first three shows of March were excellent. I didn’t
see any decrease in sales, despite the economy being in
the toilet. Matter of fact, I will go so far as to say I saw
a surprising increase over 2008.

But this past weekend? A total dud. Wasn’t worth getting
out of bed for. I’m not complaining really, just making a
very obvious observation.

Seems not too many people have extra cash by time the end
of the month arrives. I can honestly say, I’m in the same
predicament.

Starting to think I should stop booking shows that are the
last weekend of the month. At the very least, avoid doing
shows that are expensive or far to travel to.

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
Angels, Poetry, Pins
Poetry Blog: http://www.AngelsByTheresa.blogspot.com

BS RADAR

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:56:00 +0000

I’m happy to say our first craft show of the season
was a success! And my BS radar was still up and
working like it always is.

While at the show…
My daughter purchased a little hat for her daughter
from one of the booths that had all hand sewn infant
clothes and accessories. Once she was back at the
booth, we turned the hat inside out, and there in all
it’s blazing glory was a “Made in China” tag.

This was a show that did not accept buy/sell BS and
clearly indicated it was for handcrafted items ONLY.

Well…you know what I did, don’t you? I walked
right back there and kindly asked for the money back
and told them the purpose of a handcrafted show was
to eliminate imported products and we were only
looking for hand made items. All of the other
crafters around us were surprised at my actions and
were, quite frankly, surprised at my boldness, but
happy I did so. I think I spoke for all of them
regarding my distaste for bullshit.

But I don’t get it!! Don’t crafters understand that it
is up to US to police each other and take a stand?
I mean, my God, we all sit around and complain
about the shows turning into sludge from the crap
getting into them. It’s partly our responsibility to
keep the CRAFT shows, CRAFT shows.

But getting back to the craft show…
For a spring show, we happily managed to 10x
the rent, people came and spent money, and it
was expertly organized.

We had a crappy location, but it was the first
year we were there, and I guess someone has
to get the crappy spots. We were right by the
unloading doors, at the end of an aisle, where
I wasn’t sure we would be seen. Especially
since the vendors next to us put up high drapes
on their booth, hiding our existence.

Kudos to the organizers for a brilliant idea to
keep the crafters from packing up early…they
announced cash and gift certificate prizes to be
awarded to vendors who didn’t start packing up
before the show’s end. I think it was the first show
I was ever at where crafters actually stayed set up
till the last minute of the show. For a spring show
this is just about unheard of.

This coming weekend we will be at a community
college in Northampton, PA. A show we have done
now for a few years. Another show that seems to be
well organized and a pleasure to work. A show of
quality handcrafted items.

My BS radar will still be working. Will yours?

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
Angels, Poetry, Pins
Poetry Blog: http://www.AngelsByTheresa.blogspot.com

2009 Craft Shows Starting Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:12:00 +0000

All systems go, in spite of the snow!

My friends in NJ got hammered with 10”
of snow today. These snow pictures were taken
from my sister’s house in Whiting, NJ.
Looks beautiful, doesn’t it? It always does
until you have to shovel out. Here in this
part of PA we were lucky to only have 4”.

If the NorEaster would have hit this coming
weekend, I would have been very bummed
out. This Saturday is the start of craft shows
almost everywhere. We’ll be at a show in
Lancaster, PA… at a show I have never done
before sponsored by the American Business
Women’s Association.

To say I am excited is putting it mildly.
I can’t wait to get back into the swing of
things. Twelve weeks without a craft show
is torture to me, and to my wallet. (anyone
else notice that many space fees went up
this year and deadlines for apps were earlier?)

If you have a show this weekend, please come
back for a visit and leave a comment on how
it turned out. Or email me. Would love to hear
about your show and trade notes with each other.

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.comPoetry Blog: http://www.angelsbytheresa.blogspot.com

Bead & Bitch

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:47:00 +0000

After 10 months of non-stop craft shows and
being dizzingly busy, January and February seem
to be a bit of a letdown. The cold and snow are
keeping us indoors, and there is only so much
catch up cleaning you can stand doing without a
much needed break.

So…..

It was planned that I would be meeting up with
my crafting friends in Atlantic City on Wednesday.
But, between all of us trying to come up with
enough craft show rent money for applications that
are laying all over our desks, we decided to postpone
till sometime in March.

Somehow we couldn’t justify blowing our much
needed money on the slot machines, at least not yet.
Since our shows start in March, our thinking is that
maybe we will have a little bit of play money by
then to gamble with.

So instead, we’re going to a friends house for a
crafting party! Everyone has heard of a Stitch &
Bitch, but in our case it will be a Bead & Bitch.

We’re putting our collective heads together for a
brainstorming session and for Jane to teach me how
to make Treasure pins that she just designed.

Tara, along with baby Skylar, will be going and Tara
will come armed with all her beads in tow and start
making much needed inventory.

I have to admit I am looking forward to the bitching
part as much as the crafting.

One of us will no doubt bitch about the hassles of
married life. One of us will bitch about living alone
and hating it (that’s me) and one of us will lovingly
complain about lack of sleep and be seeking “new
mom advice”. And we’ll all be expressing some
angst over the economy this year and how it will
affect the upcoming show season.

It will be therapy at it’s finest.

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
Poetry Blog: http://www.angelsbytheresa.blogspot.com

Glinda

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:52:00 +0000

Well, I finally got a Garmin.

It was underneath my Christmas tree from
a very generous Santa Claus. (my sweetie
Craig)

No more getting lost going to craft shows but
like I told Craig…get used to taking directions
from a WOMAN.

Friends of mine had given their GPS names.
Greta, Genevive, Svetlana, etc.

But my favorite name is Glinda (the good
witch) She will get you home when you are
lost in Oz as easy as clicking your heels.

OR WILL SHE?

I got a chance to use Glinda this past Friday,
going with my daughter Tara, to a friend’s
house outside of Philly.

So we start off on our way, programmed to
reach our destination in less than 2 hours.

We turn on the radio. We start to talk.
We get lost in conversation.

We realize Glinda has been talking to us,
telling us to take the exit ramp. We’re in the
wrong lane of course and we hear her say she
is recalculating.

So the radio goes off and Glinda now has our
full attention. Problem was she was telling us
to turn left on a one way street going in the
wrong direction. So we continue going straight
instead. She tells us she is recalculating once
again…

And oh my God did she recalculate. Took us
in the seediest part of town and put us right in
the middle of a traffic jam.

I’m dancing in the front seat. Not to music but
to keep my kidneys from exploding.

You can program Glinda to take you to
churches, restaurants, hotels, etc. But Glinda
doesn’t take you to bathrooms in the middle
of Philly, where the convenience store workers
are encased in a booth of bullet proof glass.

We didn’t get to where we were going for 3
hours but we did get there! (and of course I
headed straight for the bathroom taking baby
steps)

So Glinda the good witch did her job.
Not with a click of the heels, but I think if we
didn’t have her with us, we would still be lost
in OZ and my kidneys would have ruptured.

I’ve since named my Garmin “Regina”.
It is of latin origin and means “Queen”.
And everyone knows that when the queen
speaks, the radio goes off and everyone
shuts the heck up!!

I’ll get better at this. By time the craft
shows start up again in March, we’ll be
good friends.

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
Poetry Blog: http://www.angelsbytheresa.blogspot.com

National Bankruptcy Day

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:05:00 +0000

Just when you think the BS can’t get piled any higher
or deeper, along comes the government…

Did you know that February 10th, 2009 is being called
National Bankruptcy Day? It’s right around the corner
and it will be the sad day when many of us crafters will
be forced out of business due to the implementation of
CPSIA regulations.

Thousands of dollars and red tape will need to be dealt
with by anyone who sells anything geared to children.
Toys, clothing, jewelry, everything!

If you are a crafter, you NEED to familiarize yourself
with the facts of this impending disaster.

One of the best articles written about this is here:
http://www.rescuemarketing.com/blog/2008/12/15/cpsia-and-homemade-toys/

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
Poetry Blog: http://www.angelsbytheresa.blogspot.com

A Load of BS

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:37:00 +0000

Received this interesting email a few weeks ago from
a fellow crafter regarding her recent experience with a
real B.S. promoter. Read this and be forewarned. An
unscrupulous promoter may very well be approaching
you, dropping cow patties, so be on the lookout. Sham
Wow’s and sweat socks are on the rise!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At a show earlier this year, I was approached by someone
from Country Folk Art Craft Shows who told me she was
“pre-jurying” me and the jury fee would be waived if I
wanted to sell at one of their shows. I looked through the
material…they sounded reputable and put on shows all
over the country.

Their application material states: “All Country Folk Art
Shows, Inc., are juried. Artisans are selected for high
quality and outstanding work for the mutual benefit of all
participants. All items for sale must be pre-juried by
Country Folk Art Shows, Inc., and in the style of Early
Country Life in America, or items that could blend with
the Country, Primitive and Americana, Northwoods
Rustic, Shabby Chic, French Country, Victorian, Fine,
Traditional & Contemporary Folk Art themes to include
clothing, artwork, pottery, gourmet foods, etc.”

I put it away, mainly because I don’t consider my
product Country Folk Art, and more importantly, their
shows were pretty expensive.

I was contacted by this company this fall and told they
were putting on a show in Reading, PA. They did tell
me it was only the second time they had done this show,
but the previous one was well attended and most of the
vendors were returning. They offered me a coupon taking
$200 off the cost of the show, making a 10x10 space with
electricity $310 for 3 days.

I asked them to check my website and look at my jewelry
because I didn’t think I fit in with their Country Folk Art
theme. They did, and told me they thought my stuff would
do just fine. So I said OK and sent my check.

Well…upon arriving at the Reading Expo Center, I found
myself part of a show that included someone selling sweat
socks, a booth selling “Sham-Wows”, tubs and tubs of
cheap mass produced $1 Christmas ornaments, the
ubiquitous Peruvian sweaters, $20 sheet sets…you get the
idea. Anyone who attended that show Friday night surely
told people not to bother attending. What a bunch of crappy
stuff! Highly juried, my you-know-what!!

No one I spoke to made their booth fees. I bought in $400
over the entire three days. (The previous week I made over
$700 at a local high school in six hours) At least I didn’t
pay full price!

So far, an email sent to the promoter has gone unanswered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
Angels, Poetry, Pins

Poetry Blog: http://www.AngelsByTheresa.blogspot.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:17:00 +0000

ME AND MY SICK SENSE OF HUMOR!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all.....even the turkeys!

Theresa :-)

POOP Happens!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:51:00 +0000

Where the heck does time go? Weeks have flown
by and I haven’t been able to catch my breath
long enough to write a blog post.

Being a grandma has been a pure delight!

And the big news is that we introduced baby
Skylar to the world of craft shows 2 weeks ago.
Thankfully it was local so we didn’t have to
leave the house until 6 in the morning.

With stroller, bottle warmer, and diaper bag in
hand, we set off on what turned out to be one
of the best shows so far this year.

Now how hard can it be to take care of a little
7 week old sleeping baby at a craft show?

Not difficult at all…………..except the fact that
they POOP.

While Tara was unloading the van and starting
to set up the tables, I picked up the baby to find
a foul odor wafting past my nostrils.

Off to the ladies room we go. And boy was I in
for a surprise. The kid pooped like a horse in a
stable. It was everywhere. On her outfit, on her
body, and now all over my hands. (it was pure
luck I didn’t get a souvenir from her on my new
white shirt)

I had to practically give her a bath in the sink.

Last week, we were at our next show, and she
did it again. Though this time we were a little
better prepared. (and I brought an extra shirt for
myself just in case I wasn’t so lucky this time)

This kid normally is a night time pooper, but it
seems on Saturdays she decides to color our
world in the early morning.

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com

Poetry Blog: http://www.angelsbytheresa.blogspot.com.

BE-BACKS!

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:12:00 +0000

I’m pleased to introduce to you Quinn McDonald and her great
article on those infamous Be-Back people us crafters all have
to deal with at every show. Enjoy!

Guest Article by Quinn McDonald: BE-BACKS

She looked interested in my jewelry. "This is so different," she said,
moving to the next piece. "Now this one is really different," she said,
trying on another piece. "I can't believe how different these are,"
she murmured, "none of them are alike, and they are all so different."
Finally she turned to me, and said, "I'm shopping for my sister."
Pleased, I said, "Do you see anything she might like?" The potential
customer sighed. "Well, no, I'm looking for something different.
But I might be back." Then she left.

Be-backs. Artists joke about them, mutter when they leave, roll their
eyes when they hear the phrase. But Be-Backs are a part of the show
artist's life, and knowing what to do may help you improve your sales.

The Eskimos may have a hundred different words for snow, but
craft-show goers have at least five meanings for "I'll be back."

"I'm looking for something nice to say as I leave." No craft show
attendee can make a purchase at every show or from every artist.
But they will never buy unless they come into your booth. It's your job
to delight them, entertain them, and make them like your work so
much that they will want to buy it. But you can't force someone to like
your work or to spend money they don't have. A browser who wants
to leave without insulting you will often say "I'll be back." It's the
equivalent of "I'll call you," that you used to hear (or say) at the end
of a date. To paraphrase the title of a popular book, it means they just
aren't that into your work. Let them go.

"I didn't find exactly what I wanted." Perhaps the browser sees
something that makes an impression, but it's not exactly what they
had thought of. Maybe it's not the right size or the color they had hoped.
This is a Be-Back worth talking to. Ideally, you have a greeting or
statement you make when someone comes into your booth. If you get
a response, you can add another statement and begin a relationship
with the browser. A friendly exchange is something a client will
remember more than the artist reading in the booth.

Do some detective work. After welcoming a prospect into your booth,
find out about their taste in color, style, shape. Do it by saying
something interesting about one of your pieces. Did you make the
frame for that photograph? Is the color of the plate a happy accident?
Once you engage a client with a short (about 15-20 second) story, an
interested prospect will have some sort of response. Are they shopping
for themselves or for a gift? What are they looking for? If you have
something similar that's not out, mention it. If you do custom work,
mention that, too. They may not have to leave to find what they want.

"I want to compare prices." It doesn't matter if you have high-end items
or a sales bin, some customers simply must hunt for a bargain. I don't
recommend lowering prices, ever, but if you want the looker to become
a buyer, you might want to hand the Be-Back a card with your booth
number written on it, and add, "If you do come back to my booth, I can
offer you X% off if you make the purchase today." It's wise to have a
date on the card as well. You want that sale today, it's not a coupon for
the future. How much to discount? It doesn't have to be a huge percent,
even a small amount can make your booth more attractive than
someone else's. But it is also important to remember that price is
not every shopper's hot button.

"I'm bored." There are always people who come to shows because
they need to kill time. You see them strolling the aisles talking on
their cell phones, not looking right or left. Sometimes they come
with friends and both stay deep in conversation while standing in
your booth. Worse still, they might come into your booth, handling
everything without seeing anything because they are absorbed in
their story. They want attention, but it's hard to get it and keep
talking on the phone, so they use a number of phrases to get your
attention. They will ask if you have a website, if you will be back at
another show later in the year, if you have a retail store with more
inventory to see, or for a card. They are hard to convert to clients,
but since a show is all about sales, it's worth a try..

Go ahead and speak to them, even though they are on the phone.
Maybe they can handle a second conversation. Try adding a detail
about a piece. If they are truly not interested, they will leave.

"I want to see everything at the show before I buy anything."
There are some people who cruise the entire show, marking down
favorite booths. They then make another pass, deciding what items
to buy. They may even make a third pass to decide between favorites.
These shoppers are persistent and careful shoppers, and of all the
Be-Backs deserve your full attention. If they show interest in a piece,
tell them something special about it, or give a brief description about
how the piece is made or how it can be used. These shoppers are
attracted to friendly and special attention, and worth your effort..
Try to begin a conversation with them about your work, their interests,
what they have seen at the show so far, or ask their opinion on a piece.
Once you have some information about them, try to help them visualize
how they can use your piece.

Many interested show-goers come to a show to live the life of an artist.
Give these people some attention and share something of interest to
them, and they will be the Be-Back who always comes back to visit
your booth.

(c) 2007-8. All rights reserved.

Quinn McDonald is an artist and a certified creativity coach who
helps her clients get unstuck and move forward. She runs
workshops through her business, QuinnCreative.

See her work at QuinnCreative.com

Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
Poetry Blog: http://www.angelsbytheresa.blogspot.com.