Selling handmade jewelry: Tales from the Long Island Vegan Fest

I don't know if the eclipse had any influence, but this was a really good jewelry week for me! It began on a low note with jury duty (Yuck), but then quickly picked up and just kept going. I've once again been accepted to the local art fair, I have a couple more people interested in me teaching classes at their venues, and I sold a piece to a new (for my business) country: Finland. The week was then capped off with my friend Christopher's amazing Vegan Fest.

When Christopher and his husband, Scott, proposed I sell my jewelry at the event, I was skeptical. I wasn't sure that jewelry fit in with holistic doctors, nutritionists and vegan caterers. However, Scott reasoned that they wanted to include a shopping experience at the fair and that my pieces would appeal to an "earthy" vegan crowd. I agreed because I'd planned to attend, anyway, and figured I could make some animal pendants for charity. Chris decided that money would go toward Broome Animal Sanctuary, up in Middleburgh, NY. I designed 18 of these pendants and at least felt that I had a purpose for being there.

Turns out that the guys' instincts were spot-on. I raised $300 for the sanctuary -- and completely trounced my previous sales record from an event. "Earthy" vegans really did like my work!

I usually have a little down-time at fairs, where I can walk around, eat and do some shopping, but at this fair, I barely had time to use the ladies' room. It was great, though. I met some interesting, kind people and enjoyed introducing them to fused glass, as well as the sanctuary. Since this was mainly a Long Island crowd, not too many of the attendees had heard of BAS, which is in central NY, but I explained what the farm is like and how passionate Christopher feels toward this place. Some had visited local sanctuaries, but were now eager to see this one. There was even a case where one of Scott's co-workers did not purchase an animal pendant, but insisted on giving me a generous donation for the sanctuary. I offered to give her a bonus piece of jewelry, but she refused. THAT's what most of the attendees were like: open, warm and giving.

I'd expected my animal pendants to be the main draw and surprisingly, they weren't. People liked them and purchased several, but also bought my regular work. As I'd expected, I got many questions about the materials I use and how I actually create the pieces. Several were intrigued to hear about my microwave kiln. Perhaps we'll hear about some more glass artists in the near future!

I did get to take a very brief lunch break and picked up a combo plate from the vendor across the way. They served homemade black bean burgers with spicy barbecue sauce, potato salad made with cashews, mustard and vinegar -- and the most chewy and delicious brownies I've ever eaten. I never did ask what was in them, but they were rich and fudgy. I'm still dreaming about them.

One company called Pride Enjoy sold vegan rainbow cookies. Rainbow cookies!!! Those are my favorites, but I refrained from buying any because I didn't want to go overboard in sampling treats. The guys bought two containers, so maybe they'll save me one ... if they don't eat them all first.

Jon came for about an hour, but I was so busy working, I didn't even get to talk to him. He had a jack fruit and pineapple curry and was still raving about it hours later. He even said that if all vegan food is like that, he could deal with being vegetarian.

There weren't just food vendors, though. Several organizations gave out literature containing information on veganism and vegan foods; one booth had vegan cookbooks; a couple of tables represented local sanctuaries and farms; a mother and daughter team sold cruelty-free makeup and one company sold hydroponic garden supplies. There were also eight lectures, a masseuse on hand and outdoor yoga classes.

I can't begin to express how proud I am of Christopher. He's a great guy and a close friend, so I'm biased, but he really did a fantastic job in putting this event together. He sought out quality vendors. He promoted the fair like crazy on social media so he'd get ample traffic. And he put together a fair that encompassed an entire vegan experience for attendees, incorporating food, fun and wellness. I've been to dozens of events at this point, and this was one of the most well thought-out and organized. He managed to get over 600 attendees! Just look at the happy crowd. There I am (to the right in blue), selling my heart out:

I'm trying to figure out what I did *right* at this event, so I can do it again at the next fair. I think that some of the reasons I did well here were because A) I had a table right by the entrance, so people saw me as soon as they came in. B) I didn't have much competition since my booth was different than anything else there. C) I've gotten better at schmoozing and selling. That last one is important because it's a skill I'm still working on. I did channel my friend Lani a few times during the fair and managed to close the sale. She'd be proud.

The festival was so successful that Christopher has decided to turn this into a bi-annual affair. I'll definitely be back for the next one. After all, I still need to taste those rainbow cookies!

Check out my jewelry at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Tales from the craft fair: selling at Bushwick Vendors Market

This year, I've done more vending at craft fairs than I have in all of my other years of making jewelry combined. Though I've mainly sold at Ridgewood Market's monthly event, I've been experimenting with different venues. This weekend, I sold at the Bushwick Vendors Market, which was an interesting experience, to say the least.

Bushwick, Brooklyn is about a mile up from Ridgewood, which is right on the Queens/BK border. Both neighborhoods have reputations for being funky and artsy, and are the perfect places for hosting craft fairs. I figured that the BVM would be a similar type of event to Ridgewood, where local artists showcase and sell their work. I was wrong.

The event was advertised as a night market which would feature music, art and crafts. I figured it would be a fair that included some live bands. Instead, it was an immersive music/art/jam session... that just happened to have a few vendors present. Though the host was Brooklyn VENDORS Market, the vendors seemed to be an afterthought.

I really liked the space where the event was held: The Silent Barn. It's an open hall, which has an area for bands or parties, and there's a bar and backyard garden. Since it was such a beautiful night, I set up my table outside -- and was surrounded by fun and colorful graffiti art.

At first, I thought I'd be the only vendor present, but eventually four other sellers arrived. One couple sold postcards, another T-shirts, and a couple of women sold home goods. Like I said, though, these booths were an afterthought. Instead, most of the participants came to paint, drink and hang out.

This particular crowd was very, VERY young; I'm guessing that most of the people there were in their early 20s -- just old enough to drink. I'm 43 and Jon is 45... and while I consider myself to be "young at heart," this crowd made me feel ancient, lol! Jon was very amused when the bartender carded him. I explained that he was probably told to card everyone... and just wasn't expecting a geezer to show up. I thought I was on top of pop culture trends, but I didn't recognize any of the music played and the fashions weren't any I'd seen before. Apparently, I'm quite out of the loop...

There was a group of actual kids who arrived, probably around age 11-12 or so. Maybe they were with a summer camp? I'm not sure. They came early and engaged in the free painting that was offered. They did notice my table, though, and crowded around to admire my jewelry. "Do we have to pay for these?" asked a boy. I explained that yes, they're for sale and a girl sighed loudly. "They're all so pretty. I wish they were free!" Sorry, kids! I'm happy they liked my work. They had a great time painting and I enjoyed watching them express themselves through their art.

As the night went on, more young adults arrived. Many stopped by to check out my work, but the problem with selling to a younger crowd is that many just don't have cash. I can certainly understand this. Chances are, they're paying off college loans or have just started renting a place, or are at a new job. At this point, I accepted that I wouldn't be making any sales, but still wanted to see what the evening had in store.

To my surprise, I actually made a few sales. One was to another jewelry vendor, who'd arrived late. She's a fellow cat lover and purchased one of my cat rings. She was very sweet and gave me a hug after buying her jewelry. Of course, we showed each other photos of our kitties.

Around 10 p.m., the event host announced that it was time for some entertainment. I expected to hear some live music, but instead, everyone engaged in an open mic session. The host encouraged people to express themselves through poetry, music, rap, etc. A few people took the mic and recited poems or sang songs. Meanwhile, others continued to paint and the space filled up with the art. The host explained that they'd succeeded in making the space a diverse and integrated one, welcoming people from all backgrounds and race. Indeed, it was a diverse crowd, which is one of the things I love about New York City.

I have to say that everyone was extremely polite and encouraging to those who went up to speak or sing. Some shared some very personal stories, but the crowd applauded loudly and cheered them on. I really enjoyed seeing the next generation engage in art, literature and music.

In the end, I took a loss since my sales didn't make up for the registration fee. This obviously wasn't the vending event I'd expected and I didn't quite fit in. Still, I'm glad I attended the festival and am happy that my money went toward a great cause. I'm all for promoting the arts, especially to younger folk -- and I love that there's a free space where 20somethings can share their work.

Check out the rest of my handmade jewelry at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Tales from the craft fair: Readers Studio tarot convention experience -- and some BIG news!

I'll share the details of my time at the Readers Studio in a moment, but first some exciting news! My glass tarot and mythical pendants are going to be available at three stores: Chakra Shop & Tarot I and II (in Texas and Pennsylvania, respectively), and Sparkledragon's Magical Emporium (in Pittsburgh, PA). I put my items in the mail this afternoon and really hope my stuff sells well! Meantime, I'm negotiating with some other stores and am thrilled to finally be getting my work out there. I'll keep you posted as things come up.

And now, let's discuss RS17! The event was different from anything I've attended and was mainly a positive experience. I didn't sell as many pieces as I'd hoped, but I did make a profit -- and I picked up some valuable tidbits about selling to an audience that's into metaphysical items. Overall, I had a fun weekend and met some lovely people.

The convention was held at the LaGuardia Marriott, which is right by LGA airport. I'm local so it was a short trip for me, but attendees flew in from China, India, Australia and the UK. There were also people from Canada and every area of the USA. Altogether, there were about 200 attendees, but the world was well represented.

Most of the lectures were held in the ballroom, while the vendors' tables were placed around the border of the room. I had a half table, which was three feet of space. It was smaller than the table space I usually get, but I managed to fit everything. The good thing about jewelry is it's pretty compact.

Thursday's sales didn't get off to a great start. My table partner hadn't yet arrived, nor had the man who had the next table over. So my stuff was crammed into a small space, while I was sitting next to a large bank of empty tables. The area looked lonely and not too many people stopped by my booth. Meanwhile, a tarot celebrity was sitting to my left and was selling dozens of his absolutely gorgeous hand-illustrated decks and books. Attendees were asking him to pose for photos and a crowd of people surrounded his booth. His work is amazing and he was really nice, but I was admittedly envious as I sat at my quiet table.

Fortunately, things picked up when the lectures began and I could soak up the atmosphere. I'm not going to go into too much detail on the workshops because I'm still a tarot newbie and wouldn't do the lectures justice with my simplistic descriptions. I will say that I have a new appreciation for the artistry and history surrounding the cards -- who knew that so many different types of decks exist?! -- and have a better understanding of how the cards can play into psychology. Participating in the lectures, even from the sidelines as a vendor, gave me the chance to meet people and get a better sense of the tarot culture. In some ways, it reminded me of my years at Soap Opera Digest. Covering soaps was about so much more than simply documenting the storylines. There was a whole history and culture associated with the shows and the fans. Being in this crowd gave me a similar feeling.

At most craft fairs, vendors sell for a steady block of time. At the convention, people shopped between lectures. Fortunately, sales picked up for me in the afternoon and people purchased several of my tarot-related items. I was particularly pleased when Judith's friend, Janet, (who's now my friend, too) bought one of my fancy tarot necklaces. I'd joked about not putting a Death pendant on a fancy chain, but Janet had me swap out the image for the Death card. She had me hold the piece for her and came back to pay for it, so I told her, "Don't worry, Death is waiting for you." Here she is, modeling my Death Necklace:

The next day perked up a lot. My table partner finally arrived and we hit it off. Judith also decorated my table with colorful, flashing lights and sparkly scarves. I brought a faux candle and a pair of maneki nekos (Japanese cat statues meant to bring luck to merchants). Judith also set up a dish full of candy on my table. So my booth was now covered with lights, sparkles, toys and "bribery chocolates."

The decorations seemed to work and many more people approached my table. I sold some more big-ticket items and got to know my fellow conference-goers. Not all purchased my jewelry, but most struck up a conversation. One lady wore a "Kitchen Witch" shirt and explained that she was a Wiccan/former line cook. I noted that I'm also a "Kitchen Witch" since I perform alchemy with my glass in my microwave.

Another woman, who hailed from New Mexico, wore chili pepper earrings and we had a discussion about my trip to her state. And a third lady and I joked about her name being the same as a pop star's wife. Really, everyone who stopped by was friendly. Also, no one gave me a hard time about being new to tarot -- and no one pressured me to join in anything. I was afraid I wouldn't fit in, but the environment was very warm and accepting.

The banquet was held on Saturday night. I wore a semi-casual dress, but several attendees donned tarot costumes. Jon joined me that evening and had his introduction to the tarot world. He knows even less about the practice than I do, but enjoyed meeting my new friends.

Judith and I were invited to perform in the banquet talent show. We played "Fool On The Hill" and "Every Little Thing (He) Does Is Magic," in honor of The Fool and The Magician, which are the first two cards in the Major Arcana. Judith and I have played together many times, but it's always been for seniors. It was great entertaining a more "mainstream" audience. Judith pulled out some rock star moves with her guitar and the attendees were all on their feet as they danced and sang along. I became emotional because I wasn't expecting such a lively reception.

The last day was pretty quiet and by the time I got home, I was exhausted. Like I said, I wish I'd sold more, but I came away with great ideas for the future. One attendee suggested I make pieces with runes (ancient letters) etched into them. My table partner advised me to make wire wrapped crystal pendulums. Judith thinks I should design etched pieces with simple Zodiac symbols.

My biggest take-away from this event is that when people attend a specialized conference, they want specialized items. Though the attendees admired my regular glass pieces, most purchased tarot and spiritual-themed stuff from me. If I do another metaphysical-type event, I'll fill my table with items that relate to the theme. In this case, I had a few tarot and Zodiac pendants that were mixed in with a bunch of other pieces. Next time, I'll put the mystical jewelry front and center and have only a few "regular" things.

I'm really happy I participated in this conference, mainly because I met so many wonderful folks. Hosts Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone did a fantastic job organizing this event and made sure the newcomers felt like family. Also, preparing for RS17 is what led to me making metaphysical jewelry ... which in turn, led to me getting my work into stores. So I owe Judith a huge thank you for setting me on this path! I don't think I'll become a professional tarot reader, but I do appreciate the beauty and passion behind the craft. I enjoy learning about new things and like to stay open-minded. RS17 helped me see the world in new ways.

Stay tuned for more news on my jewelry -- and check out my pieces at Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.

Weird tales from the craft fair: Selling handmade jewelry at Ridgewood Market, the sequel

I'm currently in the middle of one of the busiest weeks I've had in a while. The tarot fair begins Wednesday night -- aaarrrrgh! -- and I have a gig tomorrow. Meantime, I had my second run at Ridgewood Market on Saturday.

My husband, Jon, and I are avid walkers and are training for Avon's 39.3-mile Walk To End Breast Cancer, which is in October. So when I mapped the market and saw that it's not even five miles from our home, I suggested we walk there -- especially since it was supposed to be a beautiful day.

Bad idea. Though five miles isn't that long a trek for us, it's a much different experience when schlepping craft fair paraphernalia. Also, it rained. On top of that, we discovered that about a mile of the path that goes past a cemetery is unpaved and without a sidewalk ... even though it's on a main road. Needless to say, plodding through a dirt path in the rain with a suitcase and bags wasn't fun and by the time we made it to the market, we were both kind of cranky. But we did it! We walked the entire way and didn't give in to catching a bus, even though several drove by. Happily, the market is held in a German beer hall, so Jon rewarded himself with a beverage and I indulged in delicious potato pancakes.

I set up my booth pretty much the same way I did last time. I really love those risers I purchased. They're an effective way to arrange my glass pendants and add a little depth to my display.

Last time, I joked that I wanted to be seated across from the man selling animal parts instead of a bakery stall so I wouldn't be tempted to have too many treats. Well, guess where I was placed? Apparently, he and his wife, who makes ragdolls, have sold their items at every Ridgewood Market since its inception four years ago. Good for them! I'm wondering how many people buy jars of animal parts, but he must do well if he keeps returning. Indeed, there were many people who stopped by his booth to look at his stuff.

Unfortunately, not as many folks visited my booth as I'd hoped. Even though the fair is indoors, the rain kept people away and the crowds weren't as big as the last event's. Still, I did make a profit and, as always, met some interesting customers.

I'd made several pairs of wire wrapped earrings for the market, but my customers ended up buying a variety of items. They purchased a few glass pieces, as well as wire wrapped ones, and even an enamel pendant. I'm particularly excited about finally selling this pendant, which was a double-sided cat, because I've had this piece for several years and it's special to me. One side is a ginger cat and the other is calico; I created it in honor of my friend, Laura, who runs the Marmalady Facebook page. Marmalady is a tri-pawed cat who "blogs" about her adventures and raises money and awareness for the sanctuary Cat House On The Kings. She has nine kitty siblings and one canine brother. Jon and I actually visited Laura and her animals in 2015 and I made a version of this pendant for her. The orange side represents Marmy and the calico side was to honor her then-kitten, Willow (Willow is a big girl now and Laura has since gotten three more cats!).

Anyway, a woman approached my booth and admired my glass owl pendant. She then asked, "Do you have any pieces with kitty cats?" Well, she came to the right place! I'd actually placed several of my glass cat pendants on a riser and she enjoyed looking at those. However, she chose the Marmy/Willow piece instead. She was thrilled when I told her about Marmalady. I think jewelry is much more interesting when there's a story attached.

Three of the women who purchased from me asked if my crystal pieces are healing or if my rainbow briolette earrings helped align chakras. This amused me since I'll be selling at the tarot fair and have been trying to get my work into metaphysical shops. I wasn't even trying to reach that audience at this event, but they came to me! I was honest and said that I couldn't guarantee that my jewelry would heal or align anything, but that making my pieces is always a positive experience for me, so they do have good energy in that regard. This satisfied those customers and they all bought items from me. I had a long discussion about jewelry making with one of the ladies and suggested she come to the Reader's Studio convention next year.

There were a few people who didn't buy anything from me, but had a lot of questions about my glass. Some folks treat these fairs almost like a museum, where they'll admire the products and ask questions, but not spend money. That's fine with me. Obviously, I'm there to make sales, but I'm happy to discuss my passion, as well. One woman took my card and explained that she produces a local cable show and invited me to be on it. We'll see if she actually gets in touch, but that could be a lot of fun if anything materializes.

I still haven't figured out what appeals to this group. Last time it seemed as if they wanted more wire items, but they also liked the glass. Jon believes that my variety is what's attracting them. Next month's fair is during the day, so it'll be a different crowd of people. I'll continue making a bit of everything.

The evening ended early since the crowd had dispersed around 10, but I had a great night! By then, the rain had let up, but Jon and I took the bus home. The next time we explore Ridgewood by foot, it will be without bags.

Check out the rest of my jewelry at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Selling handmade jewelry: weird tales from the craft fair

It's September, start of Fall Craft Fair Season... which means it's time for another edition of "Weird Tales From The Craft Fair."

My latest event took place on Sunday. It was my neighborhood's local Community Arts Day and I was happy to participate. Vendors are juried for this event and though this was my third time selling at it, I was rejected for its second year. I no longer just assume I'm going go get in and was thrilled to be chosen. Here are some shots of my table. No, I do not know who Jeff is...

I was worried about being put on a side street rather than on the main road. Even worse, my table was put right under a shop awning and birds pooped on the table (thankfully NOT on the jewelry!!!). My friend Lani was with me, though, and she stayed calm -- and insisted that a bird pooping means good luck.

I'm not sure if it really does bring luck, but we actually got a lot of traffic and Lani was the best sales partner I could've asked for. She has retail experience and is a natural "people person." I always chat with people who approach the booth, but she managed to close a few of the trickier sales. For instance, one woman liked a pair of silver wire wrapped spiral earrings, but thought they were too long. Without missing a beat, Lani said, "Oh, she'll shorten them right now. Give her five minutes." I did... and the woman ended up buying the earrings and a matching bracelet.

There was also a woman who couldn't decide between two pendants. I thought she was just going to give up, but Lani talked her into settling on one ... and she purchased that and matching earrings. Thanks to Lani, I made more at this fair than I ever had.

I have to give myself some credit, though, because I worked my butt off preparing for this event. I spent many late nights finishing glass pieces and came up with new ideas for designs. A few people purchased my wire work, but most of my sales were the dichroic glass.

As always, I met some interesting people throughout the day. The first person to purchase something from my table was a politician, our neighborhood's councilwoman! She was really nice and bought a glass Star Of David pendant. Soon after, I was approached by a woman who was wearing a beautiful wooden necklace. When I asked her about it, she explained that it wasn't made of wood, but was constructed of polymer clay designed to look like wood. She took my card and later e-mailed me to send me some links about working with clay. This might be something my senior students enjoy doing, so I'd like to look into it.

I did see some familiar faces, too. My husband, Jon, stopped by to help me set up and take down the table. I was also visited by good friends Judith, David and Leah. Our favorite "visitor," though was the black and white cat who appeared in a window of the apartment across the street. He sat for almost an hour watching us from his perch. Lani named him "Belvedere." Obviously, we don't know his real name or even his gender, but we enjoyed his company!

I didn't take too many breaks, but during lunch, I took a quick look around at the other booths. A few vendors returned from previous years, including a young woman who paints striking abstract portraits. Last year, she only sold large paintings and a few other vendors suggested she sell smaller, less expensive pieces. She followed the advice and ended up doing well this year.

One of the first-time vendors, who had a booth near me, makes tinfoil sculptures. His stuff is amazing! His most popular item was his foil roses. Leah and David purchased a tinfoil dinosaur for their 4-year-old son.

Overall, it was a great day, but there's no time to relax. Tomorrow, I have another fair AND a gig at the Atria. In the morning, I'm selling more of my glass pieces and in the afternoon, Judith and I are performing a bossa nova program. We're playing pieces such as "Girl From Ipanema" and "Agua de Beber." As a flutist, I love Brazilian jazz, so I'm looking forward to this.

Meantime, the holiday season is quickly approaching, which means much more jewelry-making for me! Check out the rest of my collections at Naomi's Designs, MayaGirl Creations and Glass By Naomi.

Upcoming Craft Fair!

Spring is in the air, which means it's time for craft fairs! My next one is going to be the Great Neck Street Fair in Great Neck, NY on Sunday, May 6 from 11-6. I'm booth No. 217 and we'll be assembled on Middle Neck Road, which is the main drag in Great Neck. So hopefully I will see some of you readers who are from the NYC/Long Island area. I'll be selling my items at a discount -- and my stuff is perfect for Mother's Day! I've done a few craft fairs already, but am feeling more pressure to do well at this one. For one thing, there's the situation with my job. As you know, I was laid off about a month ago and am now freelancing/selling jewelry/taking classes. That said, I'd like to do more than just break even this time at the fair. I want to come home with a nice, hefty profit! This street fair is supposed to get thousands of people, so it'll be nice way to kick things off. It's about more than the money for me, though. I've been working my butt off on my jewelry this year. I've been creating new designs, experimenting with different techniques and just trying to make higher quality, prettier jewelry pieces. I hope that people recognize this and my efforts pay off -- literally and figuratively. I've had to learn about being a businesswoman and I'm anxious to put my gathered knowledge to the test. I plan to be more assertive -- not annoying or pushy -- but just more "out there" so that people know who I am. And I'm going to make sure that my booth is not next to my nemesis'. Yes, I do have a craft fair rival, and no, she doesn't sell jewelry. She actually sells kitchen products. But she is so annoyingly aggressive and will lure people away from your booth into hers ... while you're talking to the customers. Ugh! This happened to me at two shows and I'm not letting her steal potential buyers from me again. Other than that, I've enjoyed doing fairs, though they're a lot of work. So if you have a craft fair in your neighborhood, please go and support your local artists. And if you're in the NYC area, come to the Great Neck Street Fair!

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs on Etsy.

Selling At Craft Fairs: 2012 Goals

Now that spring is officially here, it's craft fair season -- and I have at least two to look forward to once I return from vacation. However, I hope to do several more, now that I'm working more hours on my jewelry business. Last year, I did four, which was my goal at the time; this year, I'd like to at least seven. If I do three in the spring, one in the summer, one in the fall and two during the holiday season, I'll easily reach this new goal.

This time around, I'm feeling a lot more confident about attending the fairs. Let's face it, my first couple of fairs just didn't go that well. I wrongly expected people to come to me, which they didn't. I've learned that you need to come to them, too, and attract them to your booth. I feel like I have a lot more higher-end, quality items for sale and also have a better idea of what to expect when I go these festivals. I also need it more now that this is part of my full-time job!!!

As you know, I've been writing online articles for HubPages and I've just published a piece called How To Sell At Craft Fairs. These tips come from my personal experiences at fairs and festivals, so if anyone reading this also makes jewelry and wants to sell it, here are some ideas for how you can successfully do so.

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs on Etsy.

Upcoming Craft Fairs

It's getting to be that time of year again, craft fair season. So far, I have two lined up: I'll be doing the Great Neck Street Fair on May 6 and the Lexigton Craft Fair on May 19.

I did the Lexington Craft Fair last year and had a great time. It's sponsored by the Lexington School For The Deaf in Queens, NY and was so well-organized. The weather was perfect and I made a lot of sales. All in all a wonderful day! So when they invited me back, of course, I said yes.

I haven't done the Great Neck Street Fair, but it's supposed to be a well-attended event. Now that I've done a few of these festivals, I have a better idea for how to bring business to my table. I know that I need to be more assertive. I can't just sit back and expect people to come by; I need to say hello to passers-by and hand out business cards. I'm also going to display my jewelry a bit differently and see if that helps.

2011 was a decent start-up year for me, but I want this year to be even better.

To purchase my wire wrapped jewelry, head to Naomi's Studio or
Naomi's Designs.

Craft Fair Etiquette

This past weekend, I sold my goods at the Farmingdale Street Fair. There was a large crowd, but it was hot as hell and we stupidly didn't bring a tent. Still, I made a few sales and many complimented my work. That's always nice to hear, even if those people didn't buy anything.

Unfortunately, I encountered many rude and annoying people during this particular fair. There was the one woman who broke a bracelet after trying to put it on without unclasping it first. Don't do that! Ask the vendor for help if you're not sure how to wear a piece. I should've charged her, but decided ton not make a scene. Luckily, I had my tools on hand so I could fix it.

Another woman tried on a necklace that had an obvious pendant, then placed it back on the display upside-down. Again, ask for help or take the time to think. It's jewelry, not rocket science.

I'm sorry if I sound so crabby because I really do appreciate every sale I make. But you have to understand that it takes hours for me to construct these pieces. I don't just assemble ready-made parts; I try to make everything from the chain to the jumprings to the clasp.

Next time you attend a craft fair, be mindful of the vendor and think about how much work went into their merchandise. Please make sure that you treat them -- and their goods -- with respect.

To buy my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs.

My First Craft Fair, a.k.a. Tales From The Dark Side

Today was a big day, my first craft fair. As you can guess from my blog entry title, it had its ups and downs.

Jon and I got up at the butt crack of dawn to get to this thing. I figured that it would take me a while to set up my jewelry, so we got to the lot about two hours before the event. Many other vendors were there already, so there was a festive spirit in the air. Unfortunately, there was also a lot of wind, so my stuff kept blowing over. We attempted to put up a tent, but the entire thing blew away, so we didn't bother. We then tried to hold down my displays with masking tape and rocks, but even then, the strong winds would knock down my things.

Still, I was determined to make the best of things even though I was freezing my ass off, tired and annoyed that my jewelry was getting tangled by the wind. But I tried to enjoy myself. I chatted with other vendors, I ate some yummy chocolate pretzels ... I people watched. There were a few other jewelry booths there, but I seemed to be the only person selling original, handmade stuff.

At 10 a.m., the fair officially opened, but there was very little traffic. Everyone said it was because of the chilly weather and the fact that it's the beginning of the craft fair season. Either way, it was frustrating. A few people glanced at my booth, but didn't say anything. I sat and shivered because I was so cold.

Around noon, things perked up. My parents stopped by to say hello, though they didn't buy anything. Then my friend's little sister came by. She's been meaning to purchase my jewelry online and decided to see my stuff in person instead. She liked a bracelet ... but didn't have money. I put it on hold for her.

Later, people finally began to stop by. I had many potential buyers compliment my pieces and my talent, and ask for a card, but I think my prices (which honestly weren't that high) scared them off. I lowered them a bit for the next interested parties and one woman came close to buying a necklace. But then her evil friend said that the Swarovski beads looked like plastic. There went my sale.

Many more people came by to look and take a card. See, I don't get this. I'm the type of person who either buys something or doesn't, so I don't see why they have to wander around until they make up their minds. Needless to say, no one came back. I have a feeling that my business cards will end up in the garbage, but I'm hopeful. One lady asked me to hold a necklace and earring set for her granddaughter and promised to return. She didn't. Another woman asked if she could buy just one earring. I was willing to bargain it, but she decided not to.

Finally, FINALLY, the crowd began to pick up around 3:30, and a woman bought two pairs of earrings from me. That was my only sale for the day. But I did learn some things. A) I need to lower my prices, especially for the second show I have coming up. B) I need to talk to the customers more; they seem to like that C) Some vendors told me that this particular company doesn't get good crowds, which I saw today. So I need to find a company that does better advertising.

The bad news is, I didn't make much money. But the good news is that people seemed to really like my work. They called it "unique" and "so pretty" and kept saying that I was talented. Many said that they liked that it's different from the average jewelry out there. So I think that with better advertising and lower prices, I'll have a better time at the next show. Glad I got this one out of the way!

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs.

My New Business Cards!

Below, I'll share a preview of the business cards I ordered. I feel so "official" now. Before jewelry making was just a hobby, but this makes it a business. It's a bit surreal.

When choosing the design for my card, I tried to go with something that reflects my designs: elegant, chic and fun. I liked the rich, earthy brown colors, which is why I picked them for the background, but there are some swrirly designs on there that remind me of the spirals I often make in my jewelry pieces.

Turning a hobby into a business isn't so easy, I'm discovering. There is a lot to learn. On one hand, the Internet and sites like Etsy make it easy for artists to show off and sell their items. On the other hand, the accessibility means that there's so much competition. I think my pieces are unique, but I still have a lot to improve on in terms of being a salesperson. I feel confident with my skills as a jewelry maker, but not so much as an online entrepreneur.

Still, I'm determined to get there and am sure that I will succeed. Meantime, here's my business card:

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or Naomi's Studio.