# craft fair set up pix



## rubato456

ok guys....here's my photos that i took of my set up. it's a small table, i can sweeze more baskets of soap on......or not. i added some additional items like sponges, scrubbers etc to draw attention to the table. i added some signs which gives prices, i like the signs i used some old fashion type frames i got at ross for not too much. any suggestions would be welcome.

first i set up this way:








then i thought i should move the soap closer to the front of the table:








here's close up of the 'product':








and another








thx for looking!


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## rszuba

great job, everything looks nice.


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## Guest

Your set up looks very very NICE!  Good luck with your show :wink:


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## Tabitha

Everything looks great. May I suggest you elevate something? Levels will also draw attention. Even if you place a couple bricks on the table top & then cover them w/ cloth napkins, then you could elevate a couple baskets. Peoples eyes read  settings in prymids, if that makes sense, you want to draw the eyes up to the focal point.


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## heyjude

Very cute idea to have the cord with the button wrap around everything!

Good luck with the show!!   

Jude


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## rubato456

> May I suggest you elevate something? Levels will also draw attention. Even if you place a couple bricks on the table top & then cover them w/ cloth napkins, then you could elevate a couple baskets. Peoples eyes read settings in prymids, if that makes sense, you want to draw the eyes up to the focal point.



that's a great idea! i was looking for some racks to display things higher up on the table but the ones i saw were $$. i'll give that a shot. thanks all for your feedback


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## heartsong

*x*

the set up looks great and the wrappers are adorable!   

may i suggest putting some shredded paper or some kind of filler in the bottom of your baskets-then place your soaps on it?  that makes the baskets look fuller and brings the soaps up to where you can see them better.

hope you have a great time!


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## Tabitha

I see you are in Plano, where is your show & when? Maybe I will be in town...


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## rubato456

> I see you are in Plano, where is your show & when? Maybe I will be in town...



that would be awesome tabitha!!  it's the Heart of Texas Arts and Craft Show – Plano. 

The show is Oct 6-18 at the plano center  this is the website:  http://www.heartoftexasshow.com/


i've not yet been accepted. it's a juried show. i've heard that's it's predominately homemade quilts, but i inquired and they said that they accept homecrafted soap....so now that i've done my table/product shots (pix required w/ application) i am going to apply. i'll let y'all know as soon as i've heard whether i've been accepted.  they have a show in waxahachie as well. have you ever done that one?


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## zeoplum

Hi Deborah,

How exciting!  I like Tabitha's and Heartsong's suggestions.  Will you be incorpating those and taking new pics before you apply?  I vote that you do!  I think that could make a big difference in their decision!

Good luck,
zeo


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## rubato456

yes, i am going to act on their suggestions.....and retake pix before applying....i've spent all night wrapping up more soaps so i can have a fuller table. i think i'll only have a very few bath items such as sponges etc and beef up the soaps. i have lots of them...i just have to wrap and label them.....yikes this means i have to keep the kitchen table clean for the next pix....


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## ilovedoxies

I agree w/ Tabitha & heartsong, definately elevate.  I elevate some things by placing a block or  box under my table cover.  

I also tried using a filler in a basket to elevate my soap but it kept falling in the side and stayed a general mess especially after people picked it up and smelled it touched it all over the place, lol! I finally gave up on the basket and ended up using something that is flat or almost flat.


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## rubato456

i may put the blocks or whatever underneath a second table cloth....they require that the table cloth go all the way to the floor and i'm afraid if i raise up the tablecloth that goes to the floor it won't anymore....i wonder why they have that rule. they don't say it has to be a professional table cloth...jusst that it goes to the floor. anyone have any ideas about why they require this?  i guess incase yer legs are less than attractive?? thats the only thing i can think of


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## heartsong

rubato456 said:
			
		

> i may put the blocks or whatever underneath a second table cloth....they require that the table cloth go all the way to the floor and i'm afraid if i raise up the tablecloth that goes to the floor it won't anymore....i wonder why they have that rule. they don't say it has to be a professional table cloth...jusst that it goes to the floor. anyone have any ideas about why they require this?  i guess incase yer legs are less than attractive?? thats the only thing i can think of



they probably require the long coverings because you use the space under the table for stuffing all your unnecessary items.

may i suggest taking a couple "table weights" to be placed on the ends where you sit-just in case a small child grabs the cloth or someone "hooks it" with their foot?  or a couple clamps that you can hook to the edge of the table?

i've seen at some party supply/catering supplie stories have these things that anchor table cloths to tables for stuff like outdoor weddings in case the wind blows.

if you placed some sort of heavier blocks ontop of your tablecloth, then covered that with maybe a pretty cloth napkin you could still elevate you products.

you might look in the photo gallery-there are some very nice pic's  using elevated displays.  you might think about some rustic wooden crates, too.  they don't have to be large.  hobby lobby and michaels has all sorts of wooden boxes, crates and stuff for "tole painting" that might lead to some inspiration.


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## Tabitha

People pile all sorts of trash under their tables & they do not want that to be visible.


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## rubato456

that makes sense. i heard from the craft fair ppl, they said it was ok to have some nonhandmade items on my table, as long as i showed them in the pictures that i was sending in.....i'm going to try to swing by michael's tonite and see if i can find those crates heart song was talking about......


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## rubato456

ok here's my attempt to get more soaps on the table and get them eleveated....opinions....plse



 



straightened up a bit



 



picture at an angle???



 



so do you think it's ok.....to apply



 :?:  :?:


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## heartsong

*x*

:shock:  wow, what a difference!  :shock: 

looks great! really like the elevated matching boxes.

are you going to put more soaps in the boxes so they appear fuller like the top basket?

nice job!


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## xraygrl

looks better! JMHO, I would get at many varieties of soap on there as you can. The more full your table looks, the more people you will attract, bigger variety will help with sales. Can you get a bigger table? Like a six foot table? It might be worth the investment to be able to display more product.


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## rubato456

i have more soap to add.....i just haven't wrapped it yet.......do you think i can apply w/ the photos as is....or should i wait until i have all boxes full up....i am renting a table from them, which i think will be 6 ft. i just don't have one of these....


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## heartsong

rubato456 said:
			
		

> i have more soap to add.....i just haven't wrapped it yet.......do you think i can apply w/ the photos as is....or should i wait until i have all boxes full up....i am renting a table from them, which i think will be 6 ft. i just don't have one of these....



i would suggest waiting until the boxes are full. (i know lots of work!)

i really like the job you're doing.


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## Tabitha

I am lovin' the boxes tilted up!

I would also grab a sheet & a couple thumb tacks & make a backdrop behind everything. Covering the window and wall w/ a sheet will give it a studio feel. 

We certainly are opinionated aren't we?


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## Tabitha

I like the random buttons too. Will that be your trademark so to speak?


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## rubato456

> I like the random buttons too. Will that be your trademark so to speak?



yes, i am fond of using random buttons and bits of ribbon.



> I would also grab a sheet & a couple thumb tacks & make a backdrop behind everything. Covering the window and wall w/ a sheet will give it a studio feel.
> 
> We certainly are opinionated aren't we?



i appreciate your feedback!!! i will do this and give it another shot.....i still have time to apply....


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## xraygrl

> i would suggest waiting until the boxes are full. (i know lots of work!)



What she said. You are def making improvements


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## zeoplum

Deborah, don't forget the earlier suggestion to add some filler in the bottom of your boxes to make them look really full.  If you did that now, you might not even need to add more soap.

Good luck,
zeo


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## Guest

I am late getting here , but you are doing a great job, I love your button wrapping idea .All the best wishes for being accepted and doing fantastic at the show.

Kitn


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## rubato456

ok here's my latest set up....i spent the entire weekend fiendishly wrapping soaps and shopping for last minute things. i hope this looks somewhat pulled together enough..... to be accepted. should i go with the side shot or the front shot?



 



or this



 






thx for looking


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## zeoplum

*picks up jaw off the floor*

Dang Deborah!  You look like a pro!  I would definitely stop and check out your booth with that set up!

If you can only send one shot, I vote for the side shot.  It has a less "anxious" feel about it.  Like..."Hey, I'm a busy person but I'll be in your craft show if you want me to."  hehe!  Ok...maybe not quite THAT arrogant....but you get my drift?

But either shot is great.  You can't go wrong with the front shot either!

zeo


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## heartsong

*x*

:shock:  THAT LOOKS TERRIFFIC!!!   

my, my, what a difference!  you look like a "pro!"  best of luck at your crafts fairs.  i know all our best wishes go with you!


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## xraygrl

looks Good!


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## kitkat_pro

Fantasic


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## rubato456

thx so much everybody! if the table looks good, it's cuz i got so many great suggestions from y'all! i just scanned my application, and emailed it w/ photos ......i'll let you know the results.....fingers crossed,

i am very glad to report that i was accepted into the Heart of Texas Craft Show.......my happiness is quite diminished.....as my beloved cat, Cammie, of 12 years, suffered a massage stroke this morning and i had to have her put to sleep....she was the best cat ever. i have 2 others but she was my favorite. a sweet tortoiseshell w/ a tan spot on her face.....no one was a stranger to her very long....


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## krissy

i am sorry for your loss. they really are a part of the family.


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## xraygrl

So sorry for your loss.


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## Guest

I am so happy for you , that you were accepted , all your hard work paid off . I am sorry for your loss ..


Kitn


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## LJA

Deborah, the updated pix are AWESOME!!  You got it now, girl!  Looks great!   I am so sorry about your little pal.   :cry:


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## honor435

more products! more soap. I like the idea of elevating some things also.


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## navigator9

Sorry to resurrect this older post, but wow, what a great series of pics showing the evolution of a craft fair display!!! Boy, I remember my first craft fair. I managed to sell some soap, but when I think back to what my table looked like....OMG! I remember looking around at other vendor's tables and thinking, holy crap, these people really know what they're doing! lol It reminds me of years ago, when I started making jewelry....a co-worker's wife had a retail store and offered to sell some of my pieces on consignment. She asked to see a few pieces first. I showed up at her store and started pulling baggies out of my purse, and untangling the necklaces from the bracelets and earrings. How embarrassing. She liked them, but wanted to see more before she committed to selling them. So I made sure that when I went back the second time, it was with a portfolio case, with my items neatly displayed. That initial embarrassment taught me that it's important to look professional. I had the same jewelry, but the difference from baggies to portfolio made all the difference in the world. It doesn't always take much, but the result can be huge. 

The display in the first pic of this post is kind of lackluster.....it looks like someone who has made some nice products, but isn't sure about how to make the most out of what they have. The second pic shows definite improvement, and the difference between the first and last pic is amazing....from baggies to portfolio! First pic, amateur, last pic....professional! The soap is the same, but the perception is that here is someone who's got it together and knows what they're doing.....so their soap must be good. The OP got great advice, and followed it with great results. Any newbie to craft fairs could learn a valuable lesson here. How you project yourself and the items you're selling can make all the difference in the world. I was at a small craft fair once, with one other soaper. I had a customer come to my table and tell me that she had looked at the other vendor's soaps, but was buying from me because she liked my presentation better. Appearances shouldn't make a difference.....but we all know that they do.


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