I know the feeling. I do craft fairs,too. I watch what people are buying when they come past my booth..From my observation -- cheap kids stuff goes. ( probably to shut the kids up !) LOL People are buying CHEAP ... and some crafters are selling cheap ...( The can't be making any profit ) It's ashame --- Craft fairs have totally been taken over by imports ~

I have even noticed that there is no interest anymore in people taking "craft classes" at the local school in the fall. Last year I signed up for 2 craft classes and both were cancelled because of lack of interest. So sad eh!!

I just cancelled the two craft shows I was scheduled to do this fall. It's so hard for crafters to even cover their expenses these days, let alone make any money. There are so many vendors (catalog and stores) that now sell the items that used to be hand crafted...and sell them at such low prices. Most of these things are made in foreign countries, using cheap materails and labor. How are crafters supposed to compete? The prices that craft stores charge us for materials is very high. The last craft shows I have attended seem to be no more than some place for people to go. People aren't buying. They're just walking around and seem to be barely looking at the items vendors have for sale. Personally, I love crafting but I think I'm going to have a gigantic yard sale and sell all my clutter while I can still get some of my money back.

I did my first craft event last December. My original ideas are what sold best. I made souvenir (sp?) Christmas ornaments and practically sold out. Some of the ideas that I had gotten from here didn't sell well like the jiffy pops. Since my event was at Christmas, people were walking around with that blank stare and seemed willing to buy anything if it was cheap even if it was of poor quality. I made my items higher quality and priced them accordingly. People still bought them. I physically sold less items than some of the other crafters, but I made as much, or more money than them because my stuff was higher priced.

I love to craft, but probably wouldn't like it as much if I HAD to do it. I focused on marketing stuff with higher quality, originality, etc. You don't get paid for your time, but I made more money than I spent so I was happy. I just spent the last week camping in the Taos area so I've got a few ideas inspired, but original ideas buzzing around in my head for the next year.

I have been to quite a few garage sales this summer where people are selling off their craft supplies. People are getting out of the craft business I think. I am surprised that Michaels is still in business. Last month I was in at Joannes and I noticed that there were crafting inventory was down and they were selling a lot of imported things now.

that's a shame! I am having a jewelry sale this morning. I am not advertizing though I live in highly traveled area so I'm gonna just see what happens. Well I also wanted to say I love going to craft sales! I love to shop :)Good luck to you all, maybe things will turn around.

Honestly when I hit a craft show, the only things I'm looking for are primitive country type items. I mostly am drawn to booths with wooden items only or rusted metal! I like something new and different and I don't really like the cutesy painted country items done by pattern. I LOVE signs and other items like that with neat sayings. And if the items just happen to be antique items done up in interesting ways, I'm really for it!

I very rarely go looking for holiday items unless it's close to that holiday. Like there is a craft fair at the local high school every year on the Sat after Thanksgiving. DH is usually at home putting getting the tree out of the box while I'm at the fair and I find a few new ornaments for the tree or other items to sit around. But you don't normally see me buying up Christmas items in July like others may do...it would have to be a GREAT bargain or something because I'm just not in the mood yet then! LOL

Let me introduce myself.

I am a full time crafter. I do craft shows for a living and have beem doing it full time since 1994. I live in VT and do shows all over the northeast. I have paid as little as $20 for a space up to over $1,300.00 for a space. So as you can see, there are numerous levels of shows. From Churches and fire halls up to major promoters like "Country Folk Art".

What sells at shows? I can tell you from personal experience that something new or original to the customer is what's going to sell. If you have an imagination and see an IDEA, and you can improve on that IDEA you can be successful. I do not advocate copying a design but using an IDEA.

I also am not afraid of the imports. We call it "buy/sell" or B/S in this business. I will even take the idea behind some of the B/S and make it myself.

What DOESN'T sell? Anything from a pattern book. Because the customer will see the same thing at all the shows!

Use your imagination and don't be afraid to fail. Because when you hit on that one item, You'll know!

Good luck

I agree with Christopherh. I've been in the business since '97 and have managed to keep sales up. So far my items haven't made it to the import field yet...they're very original and one-of-a-kind. I see others who make similar stuff, but mine has a twist.

Too many craft shows with too much of the same thing cause burn out. There are no new craft ideas coming out, and frankly, there just isn't a lot of quality talent. Many people can do something, but it's the ones who stand out above the crowd that make it.

Our local craft mall used to be all handmade, now it's just basically a resale shop...lots of booths done up cute, but full of GS finds that they're reselling. or B/S stuff. Nothing new!

JEWELRY Handmade. (where's nikki been? Hopefully she's off sitting on the beach on some island thinking up things to make....as in ........ dog collars....)
ANYWAY...

Yes, I think jewelry is always a hot seller, I know I have no problem selling, women want to look pretty, it makes them feel good!