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Oct 7, 2011

Behind the 8 ball

We are fast approaching that time of year when craft shows abound. I am quickly losing time to try and get items put together that I could possibly sell that the numerous shows in my area.
Since I first started Lynifer, I have wanted to do craft shows as a main way to get my brand out to the community. I was able to do one craft show in the beginning, with my mom. That is as far as it got. When was that craft show? Oh yes, that's right, it was within a year of things going south financially for most of America. Sales were NOT good.
Last year I didn't even try to get to craft shows since BG was due in Feb. and I was just trying to get ourselves ready for Christmas and such and getting settled in the house. Craft shows just did not work into our equation.
This year, things have flown by so fast, I have come upon craft show season and I don't really have much of an inventory to show. Between LJ and BG, I don't get much time to sew. It usually is an hour if that during nap time. I feel so out of the loop, I don't even know when or where most of the shows are going on and how I get my foot in the door. Then a great thing happened this morning!
As I was chatting with another mom waiting to pick up our kids from preschool, she mentioned that she was a crafter. She is actually doing many of the shows in our are, filling up her weekends completely in November (minus Thanksgiving so far) and possibly some in December. This was great! She even offered to take my stuff to the shows and set it up alongside her crafts and sell for me. Oh my goodness!
If I can get more inventory together in the next week or so, I have the potential to get my items out there for more people to see and touch and buy. I am just amazed that she is offering to do the hard part (taking a Saturday to sit at a show) for me. Don't get me wrong, I love craft shows, but at the same time, family time is more important to me.
Our weekends have become so precious to us since the weeks are always so hectic. Weekends tend to be when we can finally just do things we want to be doing whenever we want to and be a family. When having to make the choice of family time or selling a few things to make a little money, family time will trump. That is where my heart lies. Always will. :)
Do any of you do craft shows, or attend them as a buyer? 
As a seller, how do you balance shows and family time during such a busy show time of year?

Until next time... Happy Crafting!

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