Christmas Market 2013

Myself and Becki Jarman arriving at just before 7.30 am - note the dark !!  We were joined very shortly after by Rachel

There were 2 stalls to set up and the 3 of us set about laying table cloths, putting up lights and bunting (which I purchased from the £ shop - I can use these at home afterwards)

gingerbread bunting

Lotty's boxes - she was able to use the lids to raise her boxes at one end to show what was on offer

Becki's display of paintings and book marks again displayed at different levels due to her easel

my work displayed.  I did take a vinyl record which I had made into a cake stand and I used this to display brooches

the morning shift

Sidra's bags displayed at the end of the stall

Olly's drawings, some raised slightly and some full upright against the bars on the stall

Gracie's cards propped up against a box wrapped up in tissue paper

Lotty's gift tags

Becky's signage showing her pricing for bookmarks

my wooden blocks which I stacked and put at the back of the stall so they did not block the items at the front

Last minute signage which we thought of when there

Sidra's display of badges and bags

Rachel and Gracie's cards, each wrapped in cellophane and priced

the afternoon shift

The signage from the Brewhouse/Making House

 

The day started well at 7.30 am with myself and Becki and Rachel arriving early enough to set up the stall in time for 8.30 am.   We laid the College table cloths, put up bunting and battery operated Christmas lights bearing in mind health and safety i.e. in a position no one could trip over anything, or get poked in the eye   

I sought feedback from Tracey from the Brewhouse as to our stand display and at first she was polite, but eventually said that

1. it was flat and we needed to raise items so we set out wrapping a couple of boxes in tissue paper to raise Rachel and Gracie's cards and also Olly's pictures.  
2. we mix our stuff up because we had each set out our work in individual displays and she said that by the time a potential customer had started one side of our display and worked their way to the other end, they will have forgotten what they'd seen.  
3. The bags should be opened up as they look like tea towels

When I'd received the feedback from Tracey I spoke to the other girls and told them what she'd suggested and  we duly set out mixing up our stuff.   There was concern about prices if we mixed things up because not all our work had prices on it, for example Becki had created specific signage for her book marks and was concerned us sellers would not know how much things were, but we got through.  The feedback we received on the day from a lady looking at Olly's work.   She asked who'd done them and suggested he should be on the stall doing one as it would draw people in.   That was the original plan to have the boys sketching on the day, but it didn't happen and I'm not sure why.  

The day was slow as far as sales was concerned.  I sold two items.  I received feedback from Tracey on my work as well.  She suggested I could make the wooden blocks into book ends.  My button brooches were she said pretty common now.   Useful feedback.  I'm not going to change them for the next two market sales though however if they don't sell, then I will consider converting them to book ends.  

What could we as a group do differently for this Saturday?

Ensure we have more staging for our work - different levels - I noticed on the organiser's stand they used old wood, a suitcase, wooden shutters painted up to display their work and it was effective.

Luke's posters need to be upright and visible - again Tracey suggested for things like that an old door could be used - laid in front of our stand propped up against it

Items could hang up - last year I did this using small coloured pegs so I will try to find them for this Saturday

My brooches could be pinned on a cushion - which has a plain background. 

I will label all my items for sale with a price

I have a huge tree stump which would raise my work nicely and looks natural

Posters advertising our stall

The cards to be maybe placed in leaflet holders - check with Marketing Department to see if they have any they would loan to us

stuff a couple of Sidra's bags with some kind of filling to show how they look when they're full of items