A New Year Dawns

Happy New Year folks, I mentioned in my last post before Christmas that I had bought The Maker's Yearbook for 2018. Julie asked if I would update how I was getting on.

I started after Christmas going through the review of 2017, it was very enlightening to the extent that events just do not work for me. Are a lot of hard work checking stock to take, pricing, packing, loading up the car, unloading the other end, setting up. Then repeat at the end of the event. Yes I made money but for the time spent? Are they good advertising? No as never had any follow ups to sales. I would have been better at home promoting online. I have sold far more sitting at home online than I have at any event last year. So this year? will still do my local event in the next village in November as part of the community spirit. Have a market to use up the rent I paid for this year and too poorly to do last year but will sell of old stock at this one. Then no more bookings.

I know other crafter's who do far bigger events than me have come to this conclusion about fairs and seems as if the internet has finally caught up with us. Heard that one stall holder who made beautiful quilts paid £600 rent and only sold £120 over 3 days. How soul destroying.

Now the other thing I have realised is that I tend to have so many ideas going through my head that I never complete collections. I start making, finish about 4 items then jump to something else. No cohesion at all. My stock will go down as planning to make to order rather than oodles of stock. I will have samples of everything for my website and sell those then replace, or if more than 1 of anything ordered make as required. I can do a day turn round on most items so not a problem.

To recap this yearbook is very good, far better than a normal diary or journal atm. I would say a considered buy and know on Etsy you can download digital planner prints and use as required. It depends what works for you, I will keep you updated as may find my organisation slipping later in the year. Funny but I am quite organised in my every day life but when it comes to creating? well chaos springs to mind especially in my head, lol. There are other planners out there geared to handmade and may give a different one a go next year.

I am currently working on my new collection, not finished yet but just a teaser for you all:

Check out the other blogs at Sum of Their Stories

Here's to us having a wonderfully successful 2018