Recent Craft Shows :: My thoughts and reflections

Craft shows. What shall I say. Where do I begin with this post. Hmm.....

Well, I just got done doing 3 in a row, 2 outside and 1 inside. Always different, always a challenge. I, unlike many other crafters, don't have a specific booth set up. Yet. Let just say, my display is a work in progress. I am a big fan of process, so it doesn't bother me too much. I keep the elements I like and that work, but switch things up with each show as the need to display different sorts of product arises and as I add more pieces to my collection of display items. This past Christmas my husband gave me a half-form mannequin! It was exciting to use it for the first time and I tried a few different things with it already.

Prime example of my changery was at Arts in the Park, a rainy weekend show. I had 2 different set-ups on both days. The more sunny day, I had more of an open feel with the tables spread apart, customers were able to go to different areas of "my shop" to see different product. I had a table with just graphic tees, one was on the half-form with neckties displayed around the neck. But I chose to simplify things a bit on Sunday (the rain was a catalyst). I pushed all the tables together in a line and had everything right in the middle of the tent. I think I actually liked that better and may do that more. I went crazy and tied my oblong scarves around the body form and it was not bad, I may do that again too. Displaying my scarves has always been particularly challenging, so a new thing I've been trying out (before the mannequin thing on Sunday) is tying them on my rolling rack (on crazy Sunday I hung the ties from it). Previously I had been using a very lightweight wooden drying rack for display, and I'm not quite sure which I like better yet. The drying rack is always being knocked over or the wind blows it over, but I think you could see more of the scarf design from afar.

This is my second rainy show and this time I was better prepared. I bought 2 clear shower curtains to use as walls for my tent in case of rain. The first day it rained a little, so the 2 were sufficient, but I stocked up the next day with 6 more as the weather was promised to be rainy and stormy all day. I put the shower curtains up with wooden clothespins overlapping them at the corners and also leaving an opening at the front of my booth for entry. I used 6 to do this, so I still had 2 additional curtains in case it got really bad and had to completely enclose myself in my clear tent pod as I like to call it. It was so nice and cozy after I got them all up. I had plenty of light from all 3 sides (I had one white wall up at the back) and didn't get wet at all. I would highly recommend getting the clear shower curtains if you do outdoor shows - I think I may even use them sometimes if it's not rainy. They provide a bit of privacy/separation, but you don't feel secluded in a cave-like way.

I was even thinking maybe I could use the clear walls as a display of sorts for those pesky scarves....

I took some pics of my set-up as usual, but didn't think to get pics of the tent from the outside with the clear curtains up. Duh! But you can kind of see them in the background of the photo.

If you want to see more pics of some of the set-ups at the other craft shows go here.