Christmas craft fair ideas?

[Chris152]

I'm doing one this year, apparently works well, paid entry, selected sellers, nice location and all that. I did another recently (my first), a more local affair, and learned a lot - in particular, that in addition to the stuff you like making that carries a matching price, it's a good idea to have cheaper items that are easily liked and bought.

Any ideas for Christmas-themed cheaper items that in your experience sell? I don't have a scroll saw (so the word 'JOY' gets a bit tricky on account of the O ) but have a lathe, bandsaw, power tools and those tools you push around with your hands.

Ho ho ho. :ho2

 

[thetyreman]

from what I've seen you'll be lucky to sell anything at a craft fair.

 

[AndyT]

I know there are thousands of dirt cheap offerings around, but is there still a market for phone/tablet stands? Basic slab of wood with an oblique slot in it.

Possibly if you can offer a bit of a story they would sell "made from an apple tree in this village" "old reclaimed slow growth pine" (aka bit of old joist from a loft conversion), that sort of thing.
Could be a way to use up offcuts and every hard to buy for relative has a phone these days.

 

[Chris152]

Ben - the last one was ok, 5 hours covered all costs and paid for a month's workshop rental, but the main thing was learning how it all works and how people respond to what's for sale. The woman next to my table was selling needle felt animals, cute little creatures and peter rabbitty things - jayz, you should see how people loved them. She took way more than me.

Andy - that's got to be worth a shot, and as you say it's all scraps so not much to lose. I've no idea if people actually use those things, but I guess a lot of Christmas shopping is just looking for something seasonal and a 'nice thought'?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

from what I've seen you'll be lucky to sell anything at a craft fair.

That's rather insulting. :lol:

 

[Chris152]

from what I've seen you'll be lucky to sell anything at a craft fair.

That's rather insulting. :lol:

But possibly true! ha. I'd completely missed that, Phil. Goes off in a huff...

 

[sunnybob]

Two "c"'s for craft fair selling success.
CUTE
CHEAP

Oh, and if youre collecting for an animal charity, you got it made.

 

[Simon_M]

I know there are thousands of dirt cheap offerings around, but is there still a market for phone/tablet stands? Basic slab of wood with an oblique slot in it.

IKEA think so, they have a BERGENES stand. It costs £2 and is made of laminated bamboo which they claim is from a sustainable source.

https://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/0730164_ ... JPG?f=xxxl

The product comes shrink wrapped and has four felt-like brown pads on the holding surfaces. The dimension of the cut holds both a mobile or tablet with/without a case - no complaints. There’s quite a lot of bamboo furniture scattered around their store.

In bygone years the bamboo canes would have been split/planed into strips of tapering equilateral “triangles” and glued together and bound with silk to make quality split-cane fishing rods.

 

[disco_monkey79]

I saw some mini birdboxes for sale once, as christmas tree decorations (i.e. waaaaaay too small to be of actual use). Been meaning to make some for myself, but still haven;t got round to it...

It took a bit of time, so might mean it's not worth it in terms of cost to make vs. what someone would pay for it, but I did turn a snowman, with drilled and glued in eyes, nose, buttons etc, and brown pipe cleaners for arms. And I turned some little "penguins" - a very simple shape (imagine something very close to a bowling pin) and then painted it mostly black, and left it plain for the "white" bits (this was from scrap white wood), and painted on the eyes, beaks and feet. Both of those projects were very well received. I varied the height and girth of the penguins, to give them a bit of character.

 

[Chris152]

Basic slab of wood with an oblique slot in it.

That one, ma'am? The one from the beech tree rumoured to have been planted by Queen Victoria herself on the day her first child was born? Normally it would be priceless but today, as it's Christmas, £7.50.

D-M - yes, those birds' nest decorations look great but like you, not sure about the return for time and not sure my skill's up to it. A family of penguins could do the trick tho! Maybe a penguin advent scene...

edit - Also available with extra-festive fir:

 

[sammy.se]

Add a rebate underneath the large part behind the slot for a wireless charging pad, and you have the wireless version as well.

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[Chris152]

Add a rebate underneath the large part behind the slot for a wireless charging pad, and you have the wireless version as well.

Had to do a search to see what that is! It'll have to wait for Mk II, they seem to be about 11mm deep which is about the total depth of the bit of wood I've used. Definitely a good plan - I'm using the one I just made and it's quite nice to have the phone upright, but for sure that all stops when I need to charge it. Which wouldn't change with my phone - one of the kids' hand-me-downs that won't charge wirelessly.

 

[BigMonka]

I reckon that bandsaw reindeers in a variety of sizes would sell pretty well.

 

[sunnybob]

You can offer bespoke kitchen accessories too.
i made this from beech, it has a 5 lead charger hidden on top and a drawer for loose change at the bottom.

https://pbase.com/john_cooper/image/166877071

 

[Chris152]

I'd just assumed that was scroll saw work, they look great. Just watched this by Matthias Wandel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PGXbgQTNv8
Definitely on my to do list!
Thanks BM.

 

[woodbloke66]

from what I've seen you'll be lucky to sell anything at a craft fair.

Agreed; I tried one a few years ago at the Guildhall in Salisbury, a very pleasant venue. I had to piggy back 3rd party insurance from the organiser's policy, pay for my table and all I managed to sell was a few turned mushrooms and a single bowl. On the other hand, a couple of weeks ago I packed a load of small turned items into the panniers on the high-wheeler and had a morning at a Sunday boot fair on the city square, all for the princely sum of £2 for my pitch...and I then sold over £40 of stuff - Rob

 

[Chris152]

You can offer bespoke kitchen accessories too.
i made this from beech, it has a 5 lead charger hidden on top and a drawer for loose change at the bottom.

https://pbase.com/john_cooper/image/166877071

This is a whole new world to me - I'd heard of wireless charging but didn't realise it's so popular, and still doubt that it can actually work. I mean, how does the charge get from the charger to the device?! Looks good sunnybob - I like the idea of wood working with hi-tec stuff. That said, that's not a quick/ cheap thing to make...

 

[Rich C]

This is a whole new world to me - I'd heard of wireless charging but didn't realise it's so popular, and still doubt that it can actually work. I mean, how does the charge get from the charger to the device?! Looks good sunnybob - I like the idea of wood working with hi-tec stuff. That said, that's not a quick/ cheap thing to make...

Wireless chargers use magnetism to transfer charge. Actually quite similar to any other transformer, albeit less efficient. Same principle as induction hobs.

 

[sammy.se]

You can offer bespoke kitchen accessories too.
i made this from beech, it has a 5 lead charger hidden on top and a drawer for loose change at the bottom.

https://pbase.com/john_cooper/image/166877071

That is smart.

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[sammy.se]

Ooh, another thing might be Faraday boxes to keep car keys in. Cars are getting nicked everywhere cos of that keyless technology. Metal and wood together probably needed.

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