Ouch! A Weekend in Revue


Pictured: my set up on Sunday, at the Fridley Fall Frenzy – lotion bars, potpourri jars, jewelry, and silk florals

So, this weekend I did a show on Saturday and a show on Sunday. It was long hours, with setting up and tearing down, besides the sales themselves. Today, I very much did not want to walk to the floral shop… but I did, and I walked home. Hooray, I still have that strong will!

Anyway, despite breaking nails and getting some literal bruises, the title of today’s post is actually more about the business itself. Show fees this weekend were a total of $60. Raw profits (meaning, not calculating out credit card fees, cost of transit, sales tax…) this weekend were a total of $49. I did… terribly. I haven’t seen a negative outcome in quite some time, and never this time of year. The week overall was a net gain, because I did a private showing on Thursday, but it still felt a bit “…what am I even doing?”

I got a lot of attention, good positive feedback, other vendors traded with me (I left with more than I came in with, lol?), but I didn’t find myself with many sales to back all that talk up. I value the feedback, especially the other jewelry artist who told me my wirework was top-notch and almost unfathomable to her that anyone could make such things from wire. She mentioned having tried it once and deciding it wasn’t for her, and asked how I had become an “expert.” Had I taken classes?

No, just a decade of practice…

My favorite confidant for feedback mentioned perhaps holiday market shows “just aren’t your thing.” I’m finding myself torn by this thought. On the one hand, ones that I have done in the past have usually -just- broken the 3 digit mark. I found with Twin Cities Pagan Pride… I could be netting far more than that (which is how people manage to do this full time, obviously). But with Music in Mears and many other events I have done in the past, I usually just net high double digits. (Other exception: 13GEARS)

I was willing to throw in the towel on conventions after trying out ToshoCon, but I don’t know how I feel about bowing out of the holiday market “scene.” Maybe she is right, most of my customers *are* purchasing for themselves. I heard “oh, my sister/aunt/friend would like this” a couple times this weekend, but the person who came back to look three times at the same necklace and wanted it for herself… ultimately left without it. You generally go to a holiday market to buy things for other people. My stuff is too [different/weird/unusual] in general for people to be comfortable purchasing for other people.

Not even bookmarks and journals actually sold this time around, and even the earrings I did sell were purchased for the person’s wife. If I am to be completely honest with myself– and in this business you have to be– the things I sell at the holiday markets are usually things that I make for the holiday markets and are not items “Emerald Raven Creations” would specifically be known for. Napkin rings, lotions, potpourri jars, holiday earrings…

Perhaps she is right. I guess it is something I will give more thought in January, after the last shows are complete for the year. For now, I am off to do more traditional holiday market items for those shows. While giving up on conventions felt freeing, the thought of giving up on this feels confining, and I need to look at things and figure out where my mental process and resources reside.

Join me on Thursday for a small tool discussion that is especially aimed towards vendors. 😉

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