We have a winner

Saturday's Show may not have been a huge financial success, (you need customers in order to make sales), but it was certainly a success for me. I not only met a ton of wonderful people, but I gained confidence in setting up my booth, talking up my wares, taking credit cards etc. Space was a bit tight, but I even had a great time being sandwiched in between Moonlight Bindery and Penelope Designs, because both crafters were uber nice and fun to chat with when the customers were scarce. I am feeling so good about the fair, I am now planning to do another show in Woodbridge on March 8th that benefits the Gar-Field Highschool PTA.

In More exciting news- I have randomly selected a winner from the drawing I held at the Craft Show! I ended up with 19 entries to win this lovely handmade Sterling Silver and Multicolored Beryl bracelet.

The winner is: Kelly P. of Columbia Maryland

I will be mailing out her new bracelet tomorrow via USPS first class mail. I hope you enjoy it Kelly!

I had a lot of fun running a drawing and I think I'll do it again at the Gar-Field Craft show in March. In this case I mostly had other crafters participate, but I hope the next show is busier and I can get some real customer involvement.

Who cares though! Free stuff is FUN! Woohoo :)

PS. Thanks to Lourdes of Glass On The Square, who put the entire show together. Thanks for your hard work Lourdes.

Snowdrop Show is Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the Savage MD craft show featuring 30 crafters from the DC metro area. I have some new designs that I haven't put online yet, so if you want to see them, you have to come out to the show!


I have most of my designs packed up and priced. I have a tablecloth (well, a bedsheet), and earring cards and hangers and sales slips and a credit card reader, and jeez I sure feel like I'm missing something. I am even taking some supplies so I can change the length of necklaces and such if there is a demand. I talked to my mom on the phone today, and she told me to take an item to work on in case there are slow periods. I also have to pack a lunch!

This will be my first ever craft show, and I'm nervous as heck! I know that I make great stuff, but I have yet to show it in person to complete strangers. No matter what happens, at least I will have met the other crafters from EtsyCrest, and gained some experience.

I will also get to see how the more experienced crafters run their tables, how they are set up and how they manage customers. I am also running my own drawing for a bracelet - my most popular design, a beautiful ring of Aquamarine coin beads, hand wrapped and looped with sterling silver wire. From that drawing, I should get a number of email and snailmail customer contacts.

My husband I think expects me to come home with $200 or something, but I will be amazingly happy with one sale. I know the other sellers who have coordinated the show have put a lot of work into the hall rental and signage and advertising, but it's going to be cold tomorrow, so we'll see how many people stop in!

If you are coming to the show, I will see you there! If you have any advice for a first-timer, let me have it :)

Sales make me happy!

Over the weekend, I finally made my second sale on Etsy. I was so excited. There is something amazing about a random stranger appreciating something that you really labored over. The necklace is actually one of my favorites. It combines Pietersite cubes and amazonite beads of different sizes and colors, and very very fine 26 gauge sterling silver wire.

It is extremely lightweight, and the pietersite has an amazing range of colors.


The only thing I'm worried about is that it is only 15 inches long + a one inch extender. When I first started, I made everything pretty short like this because that's the way I prefer my necklaces. Then I read some threads on the Etsy forums, where person after person stated their preferrence for 18-inch necklaces. That surprised me, so I have started making them longer in general.



Does anyone have good statistics for the average size of women's necks? Mine is about 13.5 inches, so an 18-inch necklace hangs down really low on me and looks funny. Does anyone who does shows have an idea of what size I should shoot for? Maybe 16-inches w/ a 2-inch extender if the design allows?