# Craft sales THIS year



## soapmaker (Jun 16, 2020)

Without knowing whether there will be any shows this Nov./Dec. I'm having a hard time knowing what to do about lotion. There is one I'd like to do if it is open. With Covid still lurking, I'm wondering if anyone has thought about how to do lotion testers or* if* we should do lotion testers. It is a sale that the vendor is not there so would have to rely on their staff. Any thoughts?


----------



## jcandleattic (Jun 16, 2020)

soapmaker said:


> Without knowing whether there will be any shows this Nov./Dec. I'm having a hard time knowing what to do about lotion. There is one I'd like to do if it is open. With Covid still lurking, I'm wondering if anyone has thought about how to do lotion testers or* if* we should do lotion testers. It is a sale that the vendor is not there so would have to rely on their staff. Any thoughts?


Relying on someone else is a tough one. They are not as invested as you, and with this virus it could literally be devastating if it's contracted. Me personally, I would skip doing testers if you can't be there to control how it's done.


----------



## Misschief (Jun 16, 2020)

soapmaker said:


> Without knowing whether there will be any shows this Nov./Dec. I'm having a hard time knowing what to do about lotion. There is one I'd like to do if it is open. With Covid still lurking, I'm wondering if anyone has thought about how to do lotion testers or* if* we should do lotion testers. It is a sale that the vendor is not there so would have to rely on their staff. Any thoughts?


I'll be doing testers like this....





They hold approximately 3 ml. I heat seal them with a flat iron my daughter gave me. I'm thinking of stapling them to a business card so customers have my information handy, as well as adding a label to each sample.


----------



## TheGecko (Jun 17, 2020)

I’m putting my lotion bar testers in deodorant tubes.  After someone uses it, I can sanitize the container with alcohol and scrape the top off with my planer.  IF there are any craft fairs this year.


----------



## shunt2011 (Jun 17, 2020)

I'm not counting on doing any shows.  I do mostly outdoor shows and I'm concerned about having people breathing on me in a small space.   So, I think I'm going to pass on it.  Plus, COVID-19 is expected to kick back up more come October from speaking with the doctor's at my hospital.   So, I'm going to just write off this year for mine and others safety.   And I don't purchase lotions at craft shows ever.  I'm too concerned about how they are made.  I even quit selling lotion a couple years ago.


----------



## artemis (Jun 17, 2020)

Misschief said:


> I'll be doing testers like this....



As a potential customer, this is appealing to me. Ever since learning about how lotion is made, the pitfalls, the preservation (or lack of), I have been wary of handmade lotion samples.


----------



## soapmaker (Jun 17, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> And I don't purchase lotions at craft shows ever.  I'm too concerned about how they are made.  I even quit selling lotion a couple years ago.


I obviously don't purchase at shows either, I have plenty here! But I have thought about that. I sell from the house and my customers just keep coming (front porch pick-up). They must have a high level of trust to buy handmade lotion during pandemic times. I wouldn't.



Misschief said:


> I'll be doing testers like this....
> 
> View attachment 47017
> 
> ...


And where would you find something like that?


----------



## Misschief (Jun 17, 2020)

soapmaker said:


> I obviously don't purchase at shows either, I have plenty here! But I have thought about that. I sell from the house and my customers just keep coming (front porch pick-up). They must have a high level of trust to buy handmade lotion during pandemic times. I wouldn't.
> 
> 
> And where would you find something like that?


Amazon


----------



## soapmaker (Jun 17, 2020)

Misschief said:


> Amazon


But I don't even know what to call it to look it up.


----------



## Misschief (Jun 17, 2020)

Sorry 'bout that! Here's the Amazon link:



			https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07GNG1VD4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Megan (Jun 18, 2020)

I've pretty much given up shows this year. I've really cut down on production too (although I don't do lotions besides for myself). All the spring and summer and most fall shows within an hour drive of me have been cancelled. I'm not hopeful about the winter ones staying open either.


----------



## amd (Jun 18, 2020)

I haven't done any shows this year, although I'm scheduled for one July 31/Aug 1. Booth space is free, so I'm not too concerned if I decide the risk isn't worth it and back out. I have another (free) show the following weekend, and then nothing scheduled until October - I'm expecting that due to this crowd being mostly elderly this show will be cancelled, and likely the show I was looking at in November (which reminds me, that lady has still not answered me about where to send my check... maybe I just won't send it).

That said... given current times, I wouldn't put out any samples unless you are prepared to vigilantly watch and clean them after every use (I'm thinking a bottle that customers would pick up and pump or squeeze into their hand)... or if you were willing to say "I have samples, let me dispense into your hand"). I would consider single use samples such as Misschief does, although people may be more inclined to take it home (or not accept it all) rather than try it and buy it immediately.

[side note: actually even in normal circumstances I'm reluctant to put out samples because people are astonishingly gross.]


----------



## Misschief (Jun 18, 2020)

Our market (the little one that I attend), starts up on June 28 and every other week from then on. I've already signed on for July/August. There will be quite a few changes but at least we'll have a market season. They're going from about 40 vendors to about 25, leaving more space between tables, and limiting the number of people inside the building. 



amd said:


> I would consider single use samples such as Misschief does, although people may be more inclined to take it home (or not accept it all) rather than try it and buy it immediately.



That's just what I'm hoping they'll do. I want them to take a sample home with them, try it, and then come back in two weeks to buy. Normally, I have smell testers but they're just not selling the product in most cases. Soap is different. People mainly buy by fragrance or by appearance; if the two go together, the soap sells well. However, I have numerous other products that are absolutely amazing and I can't sell them; I describe them, they can see, touch, and smell them but they don't buy them. I want them to try some of these products so, to that end, I'll be doing more samples this season. 

I did give out samples of one of my creams at my last market by using little plastic spatulas and disposing after each sample (I did the dispensing). It did help to sell the cream, which is now one of my more popular items.


----------



## cmzaha (Jun 18, 2020)

Not sure what I am doing, maybe my one holiday show. My two markets are shut down and apparently not going to reopen ever. So it looks like I am going out of business next year. It is looking like de-stash time which makes me sad.


----------



## shunt2011 (Jun 19, 2020)

I've made the decision to pull out of the last two I signed up for before COVID.   One in August is generally 250 vendors.   After speaking with some of my doctors I just don't feel comfortable being enclosed in a tent with customers who usually pile in.  I'm also not wanting to wear a mask for 8 hours for 2 days each in 80 plus weather.   I already have breathing issues and wear a mask all day at work.  I don't want people touching and smelling soap even though they are wrapped.     If they won't refund or carry over my money I'll just eat it this year.   I would hate to end up sick or someone else getting ill.   Hopefully, it won't stop them from accepting me next year.   I just don't think the time is right yet.   So, for the first summer in a long time my daughter and I are going to take our two grandkids on a vacation renting a camper and traveling to the upper peninsula of Michigan.  It's one of my favorite places and excited to take the grandkids to experience it too.


----------



## amd (Jun 19, 2020)

Misschief said:


> That's just what I'm hoping they'll do. I want them to take a sample home with them, try it, and then come back in two weeks to buy.


I wouldn't want to wait that long for a sale. And most people aren't inclined to go out of their way to buy a product just from a sample. Getting the sale is really about making use of people's "ooh that's nice and it's right here and I can get it now" reactions. That's why immediate samples work so much better than take home samples. I have sent around 500 samples home with people over the last 5 years, and I used to claim my success rate was 20%, but taking a good hard look at how I get sales in 2018 and 2019, I realized that my success rate from sending home samples was closer to 1%. Most people just won't go looking for you, unless you happen to be somewhere they always go. And maybe the customers at this market do come back every week, and this will work very well for you. I post this as some cautionary advice, especially for those starting out, to not invest a lot of money/time into samples that are meant to take home, unless you have means of following up with every sample you hand out. That's how I got my 1% sales - I called or messaged people "hey Susan, I sent a sample of XYZ soap with your last order, how did you like it? I only have 3 bars left..."



shunt2011 said:


> So, for the first summer in a long time my daughter and I are going to take our two grandkids on a vacation renting a camper and traveling to the upper peninsula of Michigan. It's one of my favorite places and excited to take the grandkids to experience it too.


That sounds lovely! Enjoy your time with family.



cmzaha said:


> So it looks like I am going out of business next year. It is looking like de-stash time which makes me sad.


Oh, that is sad! Hopefully you will find an outlet to continue doing your crochet.


----------



## shunt2011 (Jun 19, 2020)

@cmzaha I’m so very sorry to hear this. This year is a tough one fro sure.   I’ve thought about the same thing.  Have some decisions to make. I’ve been out of the swing of things for over a year now so finding it hard to get back on track.


----------



## cmzaha (Jun 19, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> @cmzaha I’m so very sorry to hear this. This year is a tough one fro sure.   I’ve thought about the same thing.  Have some decisions to make. I’ve been out of the swing of things for over a year now so finding it hard to get back on track.


It is a hard decision, isn't it? I am not hurrying into it, but the markets are no longer here. Also, most markets here went up to 60.00 per day/evening and that is just too much money for a soap booth. Sadly I really od enjoy getting out to a market once to twice a week, so I will hang in and see what happens next year.


----------



## shunt2011 (Jun 20, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> It is a hard decision, isn't it? I am not hurrying into it, but the markets are no longer here. Also, most markets here went up to 60.00 per day/evening and that is just too much money for a soap booth. Sadly I really od enjoy getting out to a market once to twice a week, so I will hang in and see what happens next year.


I hope things come together for you. I’m going to give myself some time. I enjoy making soap and doing shows but it’s been a crazy 14 months so just have to find the mojo again.


----------



## cmzaha (Jun 20, 2020)

If I do attend the holiday show I have decided to go with crochet hats and soaps only. I do have a customer base for lotions so I will take orders the first week if anyone is interested in lotion making it up for the second week of the show. I am just not sure anyone will want lotions. My other thought is to make up a small batch that I can bottle and fragrance which they can pick up on another show day. Fortunately, my holiday day show is a long-running community craft fair which the community looks forward to. Many of the shoppers come out the first couple to look and will come back on Sunday or the next week to buy. So my plan can work and frankly lotion is not expensive to make or at least not may best-selling lotion. My face lotion is expensive to make so it will only get made if I get orders.


----------



## TheGecko (Jun 20, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> I've made the decision to pull out of the last two I signed up for before COVID.   One in August is generally 250 vendors.   After speaking with some of my doctors I just don't feel comfortable being enclosed in a tent with customers who usually pile in.  I'm also not wanting to wear a mask for 8 hours for 2 days each in 80 plus weather.   I already have breathing issues and wear a mask all day at work.  I don't want people touching and smelling soap even though they are wrapped.     If they won't refund or carry over my money I'll just eat it this year.   I would hate to end up sick or someone else getting ill.   Hopefully, it won't stop them from accepting me next year.   I just don't think the time is right yet.   So, for the first summer in a long time my daughter and I are going to take our two grandkids on a vacation renting a camper and traveling to the upper peninsula of Michigan.  It's one of my favorite places and excited to take the grandkids to experience it too.



I was planning on doing 'display' soaps...they will be fully sealed in shrink wrap with holes poked in the ends (I will have at least 3 or each so I can sanitize and rotate). The actual soap to be purchased will be wrapped in decorative waxed papers and be behind the table. For lotion bar testers, I have 2-oz deodorant tubes...like the display soap, I will have 3 of each that can be planned and sanitized.

I don't know if it will be worth the effort or if we are even having holiday craft fairs, but soap doesn't go bad and I won't make the lotion bars or testers until it's time.


----------



## lucycat (Jun 21, 2020)

I have been following this thread and see that others are in the same position as me.   I have been selling at craft fairs since 2005 and it has been a really wonderful part of my retirement.  I have been fortunate to have good fall shows and a strong repeat customer base.  I am not ready to quit but even if shows exist I don't want to attend.   It is the social interaction I enjoy while customers find scents they like.  That really won't work this year and I think caution for my own health seems more appropriate.   

When this is all over will the fairs even be around?  I don't mind one year being lost but I do tend to believe the setting will never be the same.  I have been fortunate to have sales from regular customers each month but it is really lower than the amount of soap I would like to be making.  So, as age is making it harder to set up a booth is it time to move onto a different phase in my life or is it time to change my business plan.  I hope by year end I have some idea.


----------



## cmzaha (Jun 21, 2020)

lucycat said:


> I have been following this thread and see that others are in the same position as me.   I have been selling at craft fairs since 2005 and it has been a really wonderful part of my retirement.  I have been fortunate to have good fall shows and a strong repeat customer base.  I am not ready to quit but even if shows exist I don't want to attend.   It is the social interaction I enjoy while customers find scents they like.  That really won't work this year and I think caution for my own health seems more appropriate.
> 
> When this is all over will the fairs even be around?  I don't mind one year being lost but I do tend to believe the setting will never be the same.  I have been fortunate to have sales from regular customers each month but it is really lower than the amount of soap I would like to be making.  So, as age is making it harder to set up a booth is it time to move onto a different phase in my life or is it time to change my business plan.  I hope by year end I have some idea.


I am right with you Lucycat, I am having such a struggle with this. With 70's we are finding it harder to setup and tear down. But my hubby and I also love getting out meeting and seeing our customers and vendor friends. We started approximately 10 yrs ago in order to do something during retirement. We are finally starting to come to terms that it is probably time to move on. I am not necessarily afraid to attend the holiday fair I normally do if they still have it, but I am not sure it will be cost effective. The owner of the property is 93 so I do not foresee too many more craft fairs at this venue. So, I am thinking if they do hold the fall craft fair I will attend at least the first week and pass out cards, which I have not done in at least 4 years, so folks can contact me if they want products in the future. My daughter took down our website a few years ago when she quit her m&p and scrubs end of the business.


----------



## lucycat (Jun 21, 2020)

No easy answers.  It would be a lot simpler if I was tired of making soap.


----------



## amd (Jun 22, 2020)

lucycat said:


> It would be a lot simpler if I was tired of making soap.


I agree! As I'm sitting down and planning 2021 soap and product lineup, hubby and I are also discussing our financial situation. I'm realizing that for the amount of time I spend weekly on my business I need to be making a lot more money than I am. Maybe it's time to move on to something that I can invest the same amount of time into and make more money - which sadly means I won't be making soap or other products. This area just can't support it. No one around here makes soap/B&B for a living. Most of the other soapmakers rely on FT jobs, or have other goods (breads, baked goods) and the soap etc is just a very small portion of it. Inside though... I'm screaming because I still have sooooo many soap ideas!


----------



## MarnieSoapien (Jun 23, 2020)

Just a question for those of you considering leaving the soapmaking business... have you looked into other options beyond markets? Like pairing up with a Bed & Breakfast or boutique hotel to make guest size bars? Do you think you would have any luck getting your products at a brick and mortar store, like a florist? I hate to think of such talented soapers leaving the soaping world behind.


----------



## shunt2011 (Jun 23, 2020)

@MarnieSoapien  I have given thought to it but unfortunately, I work full time and the time it would take to go visit to promote my soap and other items is near impossible to put into it.  I probably won't leave totally but will cut down and possibly just put my energy into a website.  Haven't decided as yet.   I do know this year is a wash though for shows.  Just can't put myself into the situation I'm in my very early 60's. Can't retire for at least 5 more years.  Then we'll see what happens.  It saddens me as I love making soap.  The other issue is that there are sooo many soapmaker's these days.


----------



## lucycat (Jun 23, 2020)

I do not want to make a decision soon.  I usually send email/postcard mailings before fairs to mailing list customers.  This fall I will send them with shipping being the option.  Hopefully, it will be enough to keep the joy in soapmaking and put off the decision to another year.


----------



## cmzaha (Jun 23, 2020)

Where I live, it is almost impossible to get into B&B's and Brick & Mortor's. My daughter and I tried that years ago with no success plus the price they would pay frankly made it not worth the effort to make the soap.  At my age, it is just not worth the effort. I will not completely sell off everything for several months waiting to see what happens next year.


----------



## maxine289 (Jun 24, 2020)

I doubt I'll do any shows before a vaccine is available (I'm over 60).  I got into soap making as a hobby, because I needed something to occupy my time.  I started selling because I made so much soap I needed to figure out how to get rid of it.  Going to fairs and festivals then became an important social activity for me (I'm single without children). Fairs allowed me to pursue my hobby and not become overrun with soap.  With no fairs I've just scaled back making soap.  I make it whenever I feel moved to do so. Without the fairs there's no pressure to make a lot. I've got a lot of inventory on the shelf if people want to buy from my website.   People spend money on gym memberships and go skiing and other activities.  I spent my money on soap.  I'm fortunate that I don't have to rely on soap sales for income. Those that do are facing a tough time and choice about going forward.


----------



## Megan (Jul 9, 2020)

I'm excited because 4 shows just opened up for me. I realize it's risky, but I will be wearing a mask and hopefully customers will as well. I also plan to bring hand sanitizer and sanitizing spray. I will probably keep a good amount of my stock under table too. I need to do some shows before this baby is born!

Question: if it were you, would you offer a hand washing station? I feel like it's the perfect time for one, and the camp sink I have is foot powered....but I'm still deciding.


----------



## Angie Gail (Jul 15, 2020)

We (my mom and I) were going to do our first outdoor shows this year and the first one we were going to was in March and it was cancelled the day before. The only other one we had already registered for was scheduled for April but it's been moved to October. I hope it won't get cancelled too. We did our first craft shows (indoor shows) in October and November of last year and it was so much fun. We're really looking forward to more holiday shows as we have some really fun tent decor and I love holiday decorating and shopping (for us selling ). I have a goat milk and honey lotion that I sell (it's from a premade base and I add fragrance) and for testers I am going to use .5oz squeeze bottles. The full size jars I sell the lotion in have safety seals around them so no one will be able to actually touch the lotion or contaminate it.


----------



## Misschief (Jul 15, 2020)

Megan said:


> I'm excited because 4 shows just opened up for me. I realize it's risky, but I will be wearing a mask and hopefully customers will as well. I also plan to bring hand sanitizer and sanitizing spray. I will probably keep a good amount of my stock under table too. I need to do some shows before this baby is born!
> 
> Question: if it were you, would you offer a hand washing station? I feel like it's the perfect time for one, and the camp sink I have is foot powered....but I'm still deciding.


I have a few markets under my belt this year and things have been a little different than usual. I don't know if I'd go for a handwashing station, as perfect as it sounds at this time. For me, it comes down to the less I have to set up, the easier the tear down. At the market I'm in, a local distiller has provided sanitizer for every table. Bottles are returned at the end of the day. I have a sign at my table letting people know it's okay to pick up and sniff as long as they have sanitized their hands.

I've found that most people are hesitant about picking things up; they're fine with me picking up the samples and allowing them to sniff.


----------



## Megan (Jul 15, 2020)

Misschief said:


> For me, it comes down to the less I have to set up, the easier the tear down.


This is my main concern. I do plan on having hand sanitizer as well, and I may just stick with that. I will be setting up alone, so the less I have to worry about, the better.


----------



## cmzaha (Jul 15, 2020)

Megan said:


> I'm excited because 4 shows just opened up for me. I realize it's risky, but I will be wearing a mask and hopefully customers will as well. I also plan to bring hand sanitizer and sanitizing spray. I will probably keep a good amount of my stock under table too. I need to do some shows before this baby is born!
> 
> Question: if it were you, would you offer a hand washing station? I feel like it's the perfect time for one, and the camp sink I have is foot powered....but I'm still deciding.


I absolutely Would Not have a hand washing station. If you're are pregnant I would not risk doing a market open air or not. Believe me, people will pull down their mask to sniff touch their nose to the soap or whatever and put it back. It is Not worth the risk for a few dollars. I know the few markets here that have opened up, one's I quit attending, vendors are telling me they are losing money.
I absolutely Would Not have a hand washing station. If you're are pregnant I would not risk doing a market open air or not. Believe me, people will pull down their mask to sniff touch their nose to the soap or whatever and put it back. It is Not worth the risk for a few dollars. I know the few markets here that have opened up, one's I quit attending, vendors are telling me they are losing money.

@Angie Gail I have a goat milk and honey lotion that I sell (it's from a premade base and I add fragrance) and for testers I am going to use .5oz squeeze bottles.

If it was me I would dispense the sample myself onto a stick and hand them the stick, with clean gloves on. I am really wondering if customers are going to purchase lotions they feel are made in someone's kitchen. These are such difficult times.


----------



## Becky1024 (Jul 15, 2020)

I am doing an outside farmers market this summer but I doubt if I will do any indoor fall or winter shows. I think it's too risky.  I'm starting to think of ways to drive customers to my website for holiday sales.


----------



## Megan (Jul 15, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> I absolutely Would Not have a hand washing station. If you're are pregnant I would not risk doing a market open air or not. Believe me, people will pull down their mask to sniff touch their nose to the soap or whatever and put it back. It is Not worth the risk for a few dollars. I know the few markets here that have opened up, one's I quit attending, vendors are telling me they are losing money.



I have been grappling with how to handle people touching the product. I plan on having most items behind the counter and handing out samples myself rather than having people sample themselves. I have sticks for the scrub and balm type items, and I will use a vegetable peeler for soap samples . Some product I plan to "sacrifice" to the table and it will be sanitized as needed and after the event will be left untouched for at least a week. 

Luckily, I have a KN95 that I will be wearing to protect myself, as well as gloves that I will sanitize between customers...

To be fair, both events were very very cheap (one event I will need to make one sale to earn back my entry fee and the other event I will have to make 2 sales) and I don't actually expect a huge turnout, but am hoping for enough to make it worth it. Thoroughly cleaning between customers should not be an issue in these venues.

I think, if I were actively quarantine-ing I would not have even given thought to doing something like this...but I'm working, my husband is working (in the service industry) and my two kids are in daycare...so the amount of risk that this adds upon my daily life, is unfortunately negligible. All I can do is follow proper protocols and hope for the best.


----------



## amd (Jul 15, 2020)

I'm in the same boat. I have my first show that hasn't been cancelled the end of July. It's outdoors. Our numbers are very low here, so the best I can do is protect myself and do what I can for those coming to my booth. I stocked up on hand sanitizer to put out and will be wearing a mask, even though the majority of the public here does not wear them. Until reading this thread I hadn't thought about people bringing soaps to their nose to smell... and their gross tendency to press the soap into their nose (WHY? Just... WHY?)... so I may need to give this more consideration.


----------



## shunt2011 (Jul 15, 2020)

There is just no way to sanitize products properly at shows. It would ruin my labels. Plus even with a mask people are touching things and every time you touch your mask you risk infection.  K95 masks unless properly fitted are no more protective than any other mask.  My residents and physicians are fit tested every year as well as if they grow facial hair or lose/gain weight.  It’s absolutely each persons choice on how much risk they want to take.  
I’m fighting pneumonia for the second time in 3 months. My CT scan looks like that of patients that have had COVID.  I tested negative for Covid but tested positive for antibodies recently.  It’s not worth the risk to me.  I’m sad not to be seeing my customers.


----------



## AliOop (Jul 15, 2020)

@shunt2011 I am so sorry to hear this. You have my prayers for a full recovery soon.


----------



## cmzaha (Jul 15, 2020)

A monthly market I have attended for years finally opened up and I made the decision to turn down going as much as I wanted too, after finding out I have a heart problem I did not know about (LBBB).  Next Thursday I have to go in for an Angiogram which really kinda blindsided me, to find out if there is another problem so I have decided not to push my luck. When I now know I have one problem and hoping I do not have an additional problem. My doc also informed me I have had a heart attack at some time but he cannot tell me when it was. That I did suspect. Sorry I kind of went off topic a tad. 

The bottom line is we all need to seriously think about attending these markets where people are touching our products. It is impossible to keep everything clean then you bring it home. It is just not worth it to me. There will be other years and markets.


----------



## cmzaha (Jul 24, 2020)

Stay home. Look at California. I bought a new tent too, how much is my life worth? A long time friend of mine, just a few yrs older than me, went into the hospital with an infection, 15 hrs later she was gone. she was a very healthy active person. I have been a great one for ignoring news media hype, hate masks with a passion and being told what to do, but even if the reported numbers are fluffed this virus is real no matter how it came here. I do go out when I need to but I carry my sanitizer and wear disposable masks, changing them each time.


----------



## cmzaha (Jul 24, 2020)

gardengeek said:


> Sorry to hear about your friend.


Thank you


----------



## shunt2011 (Jul 26, 2020)

Been there and done that.  What a nightmare.  Stuff disappeared, didn’t open on time and sometimes not at all.  Lesson learned.  This was only 15 people.


----------



## penelopejane (Jul 26, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> There is just no way to sanitize products properly at shows. It would ruin my labels.
> 
> I’m fighting pneumonia for the second time in 3 months. My CT scan looks like that of patients that have had COVID.  I tested negative for Covid but tested positive for antibodies recently.  It’s not worth the risk to me.  I’m sad not to be seeing my customers.


If you have covid antibodies it means you’ve had the disease at sometime doesn’t it? So sorry to hear you have pneumonia - it can take ages to clear up. Lucky it is summer for you.


----------



## Lin19687 (Aug 2, 2020)

When this all happened I decided not to do any shows.  I didn't want the thought of someone touching something of mine and then it spread to anyone else.... or myself/family.
I won't be doing any shows at all till this is all under control.  I have not made any stock since last Oct (?) maybe it was Sept I can't remember but I have a lot 
This is far from over, and all the stupid people doing stupid things will keep that happening over and over.
I have thousands of $$ in oils & supplies here, most will be no good by this time next year.
Maybe this Fall I will do a MASS Soaping just to use up all the soaps and hope they will be good for the next few years   I already have a few small batches that I made 3 years ago that are just as strong


----------



## Misschief (Aug 2, 2020)

Our market has just announced their schedule for the remainder of the year. We're scheduled for every other Sunday into December. I may also be attending another small start up market on alternating Sundays. That one will be outdoors and will always be a fairly small market due to the location, perhaps 10-12 vendors. They had their first market today and I spoke with the woman who organizes it and another couple of markets. And it is almost literally right around the corner from where I live.

In addition to that, a friend of mine who is an artist and has an apple orchard will be opening her studio/shop sometime in August and she wants to sell some of my soaps there. All in all, it's looking like this might be my best market year so far.


----------



## shunt2011 (Aug 3, 2020)

Lin19687 said:


> When this all happened I decided not to do any shows.  I didn't want the thought of someone touching something of mine and then it spread to anyone else.... or myself/family.
> I won't be doing any shows at all till this is all under control.  I have not made any stock since last Oct (?) maybe it was Sept I can't remember but I have a lot
> This is far from over, and all the stupid people doing stupid things will keep that happening over and over.
> I have thousands of $$ in oils & supplies here, most will be no good by this time next year.
> Maybe this Fall I will do a MASS Soaping just to use up all the soaps and hope they will be good for the next few years   I already have a few small batches that I made 3 years ago that are just as strong



I'm doing the same as you. They actually just cancelled my last big one in September.   I'm glad I didn't make a bunch of soap.  I have the lowest stock I've ever had in 9 years or so.   I just don't feel safe being in a tent with customers, touching and gosh knows what else to my products.


----------



## cmzaha (Aug 3, 2020)

I am doing the same as Shunt and Lin. Although I was thinking of doing one last Holiday Craft Fair with soaps only and my crochet hats, I am not too sure I will even do that one.  My hubby and I are discussing my just going out of business. My husband needs disk fusion and I really think he should not be carrying heaving soap crates so I think this corona mess just made my decision for me. I have not renewed my insurance yet. 

Problem is I have several 5 gallon buckets of oils that I will never use up for just us.


----------



## cmzaha (Aug 3, 2020)

I shrink wrap all soaps I sell and always have thin end cut slices as smell samples. My slices have a label and shrink wrap around the middle so they do not have to touch the soap. This is how I have always displayed my soaps. If my end cut loses fragrance with a soap that has been around a long time I will unwrap one bar to use has a smell sample. 

Where I live shelters are not even accepting donations and frankly, at this point it is to much work to even make the soap, wrap and label to give it away.


----------

