10 Lessons for Vending at Craft Markets

Emily Claire Studio has been doing craft markets for a little over a year now. Here are some lessons I've learned about how to be prepared and how to have fun:

1. Do it! Last summer I quit my job, bought a tent, and signed up for markets. I can't say I always believe in myself, but they say you have to fake it till you make it! It is rewarding to be your own boss and people will respect you for the creative work you do.

Just. Do. IT.

2. Create a good website. Simplicity is key. People want to be able to look you up online, so let them know you are a real business with a real website. I tried a lot of website creators and I love GoDaddy. It's simple and inexpensive and gives you WAY more photos and storage space than any of the other website creators. Click here to check out mine.

Logo by Justin Deister

3. Take good photos! Practice makes perfect. I even took a class in college on product photography and still don't feel like I get it right. It's taken me almost three years since then to have photos I'm proud of. Again, I think simplicity is key. I'll be posting my guide to jewelry photography in July.

Photo by Emily Deister

4. Be choosy about which markets you do. After trial and error I've found it's really only worth doing juried markets. Event coordinators for juried markets care what their overall market appearance will be, so they carefully select people with actually handcrafted products (as opposed to buy/sell goods) and a nice display. These shows are usually more expensive to attend, but that money goes towards a nice venue, good advertising, and more customers. Remember that the Markets need to sell themselves to you, just as much as you need to sell yourself to them. If you get accepted to a juried market, it's a good sign that your product, photos, and website are appealing! Click here to see a list of markets I'll be doing in Colorado this year!

June 27th and 28th 

5. Be choosy about the timeline of your markets. Spring, for example, is a slow retail season... like so slow I won't do any markets. Then summer really takes off with markets almost every weekend! Currently I'm realizing that maybe I don't want vend every single weekend of the summer... I'm missing out on BBQs and parties and camping trips. Find a balance with your life. Tune in to what season is good for your product. My jewelry sells better during the summer and fall months than during the Holiday season. You'll only find that out by trying a lot of markets.

6. Buy a decent tent. I got mine $300 from Costco and it's a gem. Treat it well and don't ever EVER try to take that thing down by yourself. They are tricky beasts. Always extend the tent legs two at a time on the same side. So ask for help! When I'm not wrangling parents and brothers and boyfriends into helping me, I just ask a neighbor vendor. Everyone is happy to help :) Also, you MUST have tent weights. It's a danger to you and everyone else if you skip this important piece. Check back in July for a tutorial on how I made mine.

7. Wear closed-toe shoes when you set up/take down. Seriously. I've seen a neighbor drop a tent weight on her foot. Just a total accident that meant lots of blood, a broken toe, and a hospital visit right before a market started. Luckily she had a friend take over her booth. You can switch into cute shoes when everything is set up!

8. You deserve to be here. When I tell people what I do, they think I'm making "a little extra cash" at Grandma's Knitted Craft Fair. I'm training myself to say, "I'm a jewelry artist. I handcraft silver jewelry from raw materials, so I do metalsmithing and use gemstones. Then I sell my work at a few local shops and Fine Craft Markets." I know that the more I build myself up with those explanations the more "real" my business will feel to me and to them. At markets sometimes I do feel like a sideshow when things aren't going well; sitting at a circus, waiting for attention... but I remember that other people wait their whole lives to follow their dreams.

A bad day 

9. Don't listen to that curmudgeon. Some people suck. Like the grumpy old fart who told me my earrings looked like, and I quote: "a piece of earwax on a stick". Or someone who literally told me my display was prettier than my product (like thank you why don't you just slap me across the face instead). As much as I'd like to tell those people to shove off, just smile and shrug. You will encounter the dumbest and weirdest of all people. But, if you remain sweet, you'll also win over returning customers and new friends. I've met some truly awesome people who love to support me and that is what inspires me to keep going.

A photo by a favorite customer!

10. Introduce yourself to the Event Coordinator and your vendor neighbors. Ask the coordinators how to get their attention if you need help, and let your neighbors know you'll watch their booth if they need a bathroom break. Being friendly is like the ultimate best personality trait in my opinion! I usually make a point to visit my neighbors booth and compliment their product, but don't be disappointed if they don't do the same to you. Don't buy things from them just to be nice, but do if you really love their product, or offer to trade. I've made some good friends and business connections by getting out of my own booth.

Girl Power Rings by Emily Claire Studio
*with stamped message on the inside*

I hope you feel inspired and prepared to start vending at Craft Markets!! 

Next week (while preparing for the Denver Flea– June 27/28th) tune in for a "packing" list; 

Things You Need to Attend a Craft Market

Lucky Market

Hi and Thanks for visiting me last Saturday at Horseshoe Handmade Market in Denver! The weather turned out well and I first need to thank my parents and boyfriend for helping set up and sell <3

This was the first large (and what I call "real") craft market that I've done and I really enjoyed it. I met some sweet fellow vendors like Wendy of Hemmed In Boutique who makes adorable dresses and aprons for girls. And I had some yummy treats at Em's Ice Cream who are usually posted on the 16th Street Mall in Denver.

I have been hard at work getting my booth together by sewing up tablecloths, creating interesting displays, tagging and carding my jewelry and figuring out how to do sales tax for each city. There is a lot more work behind the scenes than anyone knows. Trying to figure out how to deal with unpredictable weather and few-and-far-between bathroom breaks was difficult but I feel good about how the show went overall, I met my own sales goals, and treasure the compliments my customers gave.

I am so lucky to have Anne Deister of SpringLeaf Studios as my mother, a quilter and graphic designer and all around "Beautiful Maker of Things". She let me borrow two of her quilts to decorate my booth; Facets which is a pattern sold on her Etsy and Craftsy sites, and a couch-runner she recently made for Swap n' Stich, a book by GenQ. I cannot tell you how many people came in to adore her quilts! I should just stop making jewelry and sell her quilts instead, seriously. 

I might soon post some photos/tutorials/tips on creating display items. I try to create things that are different from the (friendly) competition and definitely don't look store bought. I try to remember that the whole picture is about branding; connecting each piece to my style. 

In the meantime I'll be practicing my French.

Au Revoir!

<3

Gone Walkabout

I quit my day job.
While I have the cushion of living at home I decided this summer was the right time for me to make a commitment to myself as an artist.

I'm kind of on a "walkabout" to find inspiration and drive to become the craftswoman and businesswoman that I want to be. I want to dive in head first to Emily Claire Studio, my jewelry, my art, and the shows and markets that I'll be attending as a vendor for the first time. Creating this blog is also part of my artistic endeavor. I will try to write more often, share about myself, what inspires me, what I love about metalsmithing, other artists, and lessons I've learned while traveling.

This Pinterest Board shows some of my current inspirations for travel this summer.

So the first thing I did was take off for the desert. Ummm an extremely dry boring plot of unending nothingness is very inspiring Emily... but in Colorado if you drive far enough through the dusty San Luis Valley you come across the Great Sand Dunes, and at the right time of year (May-June) the Medano Creek runs along the base of the dunes.

The water was only a couple inches deep and runs right across the warm sand. It was so nice to wander through the water and take in the views of the mountains and sand dunes around us. 

And here's my adventurer brother Jordan. We tried to sled down the dunes, which allllmost worked. A piece of cardboard would have worked better than a sled.

Beware the sun. 

Lesson learned: don't wear flip flops unless you want to hobble back over the dunes with broken ones. Tennis shoes are too hard to walk in the sand, so socks are the winner, really! Your feet won't burn on the hot sand and you can still sink in and run around. 

Lastly, don't take your camera up there... oops. Had to take it apart when I got home and blow out the sand. Although I love to take photos, I mean really really love to, I've been trying to tell myself to put the camera down sometimes. Just enjoy the moment and see it with your own eyes while you're there.  A photo can never capture the colors, scents, sounds, breezes, shadows, textures, or details that you can by experiencing the moment fully. It's hard as an artist to stop framing the scene as a piece of art... and try to remember the time you spent there instead. 

If you've never been it's definitely worth the trip. There's a great campground in the park, called the Pinon Flats Campground. It fills up fast though! I'd say to make reservations wayyy in advance or get there really early (like 10am) to find an empty spot. 

In Emily Claire Studio news I'm excited to be a vendor at this weekend's Horseshoe Market in Denver. It will be held on July 12th, from 9am- 3pm, at 46th and Tennyson St. Horseshoe Market will be a great chance to see some handcrafted goods and visit my booth to see my freshest jewelry! 

Thanks for reading and I hope to continue this blog with all kinds of interesting topics :)
<3 Em