Free Printable // Craft Fair Inventory Sheet

Craft Fair Season is upon us! Our local Carbondale, IL Farmer's Market will have it's second event of the season tomorrow.

In honor of this lovely weather and new creations, I created this document below. If you click on it, you should be able to view it in 8.5" x 11" and just print as many as you need!

How To Use: After printing the page(s), punch holes and insert into a 3-ring binder. The prettier the binder, the better, since your customers will also see this binder at times. You may also want to keep some looseleaf notebook paper or similar in the binder to record custom orders and customer/vendor info. Keep lots of business cards at hand too.

As you sell various items, write a quick description and price on the page provided below. This makes the sale process WAY easier and more organized! 

Happy Crafting...

March is National Craft Month!

Use this month to begin production for all of your upcoming fairs! The weather is finally getting better, and that can also inspire you to create new, beautiful things.

Here are a few tutorials to help get you inspired! Today I focused my crafts on girl-appropriate projects. I see tons of younger girls as well as teen girls shopping at shows these days! I'm so glad to see younger ladies understanding the importance of handmade items! Click the images to go to the pins and to learn more about the crafts below.

Making fabric-covered buttons into a hair accessory! Genius :)

Tea Party - Tea Bags from scrap fabrics and twine.

Ruffled Flower Headband Tutorial

Check out my Pin Board for more projects and how-to inspirations here: 

A Hankering to be Making This! 

Customize Your Booth! Merchandising Your Products at Craft Fairs

Check out lots more craft fair and store displays on my Pinterest Board HERE. 

Leah Duncan packaged her lovely tea towels with her name! This is adorable and a very memorable way of packaging soft goods. You could use your own signature, or a handwriting font to create a similar effect. 

DIY Customize Your Hangers! This is an awesome idea! Wooden hangers look MUCH nicer than those plastic ones. They are uniform, and space your clothing and hanging products out very nicely. 

Giant Dwarf has created custom packaging for an assortment of items. The black and white photo of the girl's hair is awesome, and will match any color product. The coffee cups are super cute ways to show how those cozies are used.

I would imagine that this booth at Craft 2.0 has their name on each and every product. 

A sign at eye-level engages shoppers from a distance. These magnets are packaged so perfectly too! Displayed inside of an old suitcase that's retro-fitted with peg board...genius!

And here is an example of some modern earring packaging. I know it's easy to just attach them to a business card but hang tags / cardstock backing is a great alternative. 

That's all for now :) How do you merchandise your products and package them for a more cohesive look in your booth or shop?

Indie Fixx - 14 Craft Show Do's

This article is fully written by and credited to: Indie Fixx by Jen Wallace
"With indie craft show season upon us, I thought I might resurrect my suggestions for craft show displays. As a veteran of craft shows, both as a participant and as a shopper, I’m a semi-pro when it comes to craft show displays. That said, I’ve put together a list of craft show displays do’s to help you attract more attention to your booth or table.

One important thing to remember is that your store should be exciting as any mainstream store at the mall, that’s what lots of shoppers are used to looking at. In fact, you could even take a field trip to shops like Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters to see how they display stuff as a stepping stone for your own ideas & solutions. Also, don’t forget to be creative!"

1. Do utilize your space well.

2. Don’t forget to price your goods & make sure those prices are visible.

3. Do hang stuff up, if necessary and possible!

4. Do provide a mirror if your goods are wearable.

5. Do think ‘outside the table’ in terms of your display.

6. Do make clever displays.

7. Do come up with solutions, so your items don’t blow away.

8. Do design custom & eye-catching displays.

9. Do use recycled materials to create your displays.

10. Do make it easy for customers to interact with your goods.

11. Do incorporate your branding into your display.

12. Do make your stuff look as tantalizing as sweets in the sweet shop!

13. Do be creative with your props!

14. Do show off items at varying heights.

How to get the world talking about your items!!

These words were taken in their complete form from Vanessa on the PaperNStitch blog.

"Selling your Art online without inspiring a conversation is exactly the same as setting up a physical art stand in the middle of a barren desert! No one will come, and your sales will languish! You have to move where the people are, and then you have to engage them in order to increase sales. This guide will teach you exactly how you can get the web talking about your art.

1. Actively Participate in Social Networks

You probably already have a blog and social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Etsy and Flickr, but do you really use them?

Take Action: Statically posting your updates isn’t enough to get people talking about your art. You have to join Facebook groups and leave comments, join Etsy circles and curate collections, and upload your photos to popular Flickr groups. Chat with people, make friends and interact, and people will return the favor and talk about your work, too.

2. Tell Your Story

Your art is all about your story. People want to know your process and your inspirations. They want to know your humble beginnings and successes. People buy handmade over mass produced items for the human element, so show how human you are and tell your story.

Take Action: Update your blog and social networks frequently with your process and the adventure that is creating your art line. It will resonate with people, and they will spread the word. (Especially if you get your readers involved in the process! Think of creative ways to make your fans a part of the story.)

3. Make Friends in the Community

Genuine networking in your niche is invaluable, not only for rapport and inspiration, but also for starting the conversation about your artwork.

Take Action: If you see artwork that speaks to you somewhere online, stop and follow that person on their social networks and send them an e-mail. Let them know that you appreciate what they create. Leave comments on your favorite blogs. Starting this conversation is how you create friends in the community. You’ll talk about their art, and they’ll talk about yours.

4. Ask People to Write About Your Art

This is the common-sense answer, and it’s one that few people try. Find a resource that you feel would be a good fit for your artwork, and kindly ask if they would publish a story about your work. Many publications ask for people to submit and appreciate the free content. Be creative, write helpful guest posts for blogs or tell your story in a magazine. Don’t by shy, just ask!

It’s up to you: With consistency and a little dedication, you can get people talking about your art and spread the word of your line and vision. Get out there and get them talking, it’s your job to spark the conversation about your art."



This article and words were found HERE...

Craft Display of The Day!

This cute craft table is great! This display by Gifts Created is nice, bright, and has a touch of earthy-ness to it.
The banner is great and doesn't overwhelm the table.
The astroturf is a nice, cute touch too!
I like the way she has built up her back level, by using bricks and MDF board, then sewing a slip cover for it. The wicker baskets with the red cloths inside are also great for displaying and cohesively organizing her plush creations!
See her FLICKR stream {here}...

Cow Mountain Creations : How to Display Clothing at Shows

Wow! I am totally enamored by this awesome seametress. She and her husband are a team of crafters who really know how to set up a nice craft fair booth. It looks like she is always really stocked up, and has unique items that no one else has.
Her cute aprons and pajamas are surely crowd pleasers.
I saw her booth recently on Flickr, and have been thinking of it ever since.
It looks like they use a gridwall system as well as wooden walls to display this large amount of clothing. Clothes are so hard to display, and they really seem to have a clothing store inside their tent.
I would be at this booth for hours, looking at all of these nice items and displays.
It's like stepping into a huge closet and never wanting to leave :)

Make sure to check out Cow Mountain Creations on Flickr HERE.

Craft Fair Extraordinaire Feature Interview #14 (Sarita Baby)

Since I love sewing for babies SO much, this seamstress is right up my alley! Sarita Baby creates some of the cutest items for babies, like bibs, quilts, toy tethers, binky clips, and much much more. She uses mostly designer fabrics, which is such a good idea - the prints are recognizable to even those who do not sew themselves. The quality of these nicer fabrics also is great, since the materials hold up after many many washings! Perfect for an item like a bib which you will be washing A LOT!! Sarita Baby uses quite a nice and colorful display. She hangs some items, while folding others in cute baskets with signs on them stating the price and name of the items. Since her prices are very reasonable, this is a great and welcoming idea!

Please read on to learn more about Sarita Baby...


1) Sarah Gaylor/Sarita Baby, I live 30 minutes outside of Toronto, www.saritababy.etsy.com
Flickr Page Here.
See her Facebook Page Here.
Don't miss her items at The Cuddly Bunny Here! She has been a busy lady :) This setup is astonishing! I can't get over it...What an honor!



2) I make modern funky baby accessories out of designer fabrics. The line includes: Bibs, toy tethers, pinafore dresses, quilts, pacifier clips and more.

3) My 1st show was the Heart of Country Craft Show, it was a 3 day event and very successful. I have done some shows that had a very poor turnout which can be hard.



4) My favorite show to date was the Better Baby Expo in Peterborough. There was a lot of people and a lot of advertising done for the show.

5) My least favorite was a show in Lindsat that was at a lodge. (it shall remain nameless) There were no signs, advertising people at the show!!



6) My target audience is young modern moms who are not interested in the disney/cutesy animal baby products. My best sellers would be my bibs and my pinafore dresses.

7) I always put an ad on Kijiji for the city I will be doing a show in (it's free) I put the event of my Facebook page, and my blog. I hand out a lot of business cards at every show and make sure to check out my fan page which is on the card.



8) I am in the process of organizing my first show with another local Mompreneur, Crazy Baby. We are deciding on the venue, advertising, dates. It is a lot of work.

9) Facebook has brought me a lot of business just from my fan page a lone! I lets people see what you are up to and new products. Etsy was where it all started though, I love that website! Flikcr is a great place to put your photos on and people from all over the world can see them, it's amazing.



10) Difference between Art and Craft Show? When I think of an art show I think of painted pictures, sculptures and things of that nature. When I think of a Craft Fair I picture anything and everything handmade.

11) My upcoming shows are: The Kid2Kid Sale this weekend Sunday March 28th in Peterborough, Ont at The Evinrude Centre,
from 10-2, Saturday May 15th ath the Ajax Convention Centre, Ont for the Mom2Mom Sale, The Heart of Country Craft Show in Oshawa, Ont. October 22-24 at the GM Centre, and last The Christmas Craft Show in Oshawa, Ont. Nov 28th at Kinsway College. I am always looking to book more though :)



12) I think the best advice would be is to make it a shopper friendly as possible and show how your item would be used. I am selling Sophie Leashes/Toy tethers and I have them displayed with one around Sophie the giraffe and one around a sippy cup. I sold out at my last show! Display some things at eye level, and at different layers. I am forever tinkering with my display.

13) My advice for doing shows is to have fun and make as many contacts as possible. It will show in future sales.

Craft Fair Extraordinaire Feature Interview #13 (Good Girls Studio)

Today, we will learn a bit more about Johanna Ely from Good Girls Studio! I am pleased to hear that she participates in quite a lot of trunk shows and other fun, fashion-related events. I love the photos from this show: Good Girls Studio @ Durham Art Walk. The table covers are a cute addition too! It is great how the table display tends to always have 2 layers/levels to it. This wonderful artist really considers putting her work into a magical little environment of its own, perfect for a shopper to get lost in!! The vintage jewels, and also the vintage looking displays mesh perfectly together!!! Here is her fun interview:



1.) Please tell us a bit about yourself:
Name/Company Name: Johanna Ely/ Good Girls Studio
General Location if you want: Raleigh NC
Website or Contact Info:http://goodgirlsstudio.com
Her Etsy Page.

2.) What form of art/craft do you make? I am an eco-friendly jewelry designer & I revamp vintage jewelry & found objects into modern one of a kind wearable art.



3.) When did you start vending at Craft Fairs? Were you successful at first? I've been at it for 3 yrs now. My first 2 markets I barely covered my booth fee!


4.) What is/was your favorite Art/Craft Fair you have ever attended/vended at and why?I love selling at the Rock & Shop markets in Raleigh. Beer, bands & shopping...what more could a girl want!/!

5.) What was your least favorite Fair to attend/vend at? Why? Don't really have a least favorite but I do NOT like outdoor fairs. Your best bet for rain or 100 degree heat would be if I was working a tent ...always!!! Not even kidding! I've stopped working outdoor festivals!


This plate display is genius!!

6.) Who tends to be your target audience? What tends to be your best selling item(s)? 24-40 yrs. who are vintage hoarders or fashionistas. My best selling items are my Backstabber Collection which feature vintage pocketknives & hearts. There story line is "we were best of friends until you told everyone my secrets " !


7.) Do you ever do marketing for your upcoming shows, or do you leave it to the Show Coordinators? If you do promotions, how do you do them, and do they seem to work well? Do you ever do giveaways at shows? Give out lots of business cards, etc...
I promote any & all events I attend through Facebook, twitter & my blog. The last show I did was a fashion show /fundraiser & I met quite a few FB fans that I hadn't met in person! Never thought of having a giveaway at a show, something to ponder!


8.) Have you ever helped put a show together or run a show? Which one(s)? Not yet (aside from hosting my own home or store trunk shows) but it is a goal of mine for this year!




9.) How have Flickr, Etsy, Facebook, etc helped you expand your crafty business? I've met & made soo many great connections via Etsy & FB. The support of fellow artists means the world to me! It's great to be able to bounce ideas off like minded craftistas!



10.) What do you think the difference is between an Art Show and a Craft Fair? If there is any difference...I personally feel that the major difference is the perception of the words art vs. craft & that gives the buyer a price point in their mind. I personally do terrible at any show labeled "craft" as I have a higher end jewelry line. Most people who go to those shows expect to purchase most items under $20 & my median $ amount is $56. That being said, you all know the saying "opinions are like..." ; ) Just my own 2 cents!



11.) If you wish, please list your upcoming shows for 2010 and beyond.
On the schedule thus far are 2 back to back fashionshows...
CouturEvolution April 16th (put on by the fashion dept. @ UNC) & Redress Raleigh April17th (an eco-friendly fashion show). I'll be selling at the Green Bazaar as part of planet earth day on the 17th as well.



12.) Any words of advice for people who do not think their setup is as good as it could be? What is your most successful layout for a table or booth. Be as general or specific as you want.
It's all what you make of it Let your personality shine. I love the use of vintage props with my jewelry as it compliments the aesthetics of my designs. Use what inspires you & if all else fails, a black tablecloth can be your best friend & let your work shine out & stand alone!


13.) Any closing remarks? Research, research ,research! Don't apply to just any 'ol market/fair. Do your HW first & find out a bit about it. How long have they been around, how do they promote? Get feedback from other vendors who have worked it before. It pays to do this rather than waste your time at an event that no one attends or showing up to an event that isn't for your target market.