Craft Fair Recap: What Sold and Didn’t?

[@debbiebreen6276]

The tea journal packs are adorable, The tin of journals were so cute, That xmas journal I would've snapped up for sure. Love the Alice in wonderland journal. OMG everything is so lovely.

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Oh my! You’ve made me blush. Thank you so much for watching and for your very kind comments 🥰

[@bellarosepapergarden]

Everything is so cute and beautiful! Journals never sold well at craft shows for me, but sell better in my Esty shop. The items that were paper crafts that sold were all under $15. When I made sewn items such as Santas, snowman, angels, etc. the next year, they sold very well. I think most people are looking for decorations or giftable items. I don't do craft fairs anymore. Its too much work and too tired just running my shop. TFS. Again, beautiful items!

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thank you so much, BellaRose. Although I sold some journals at my craft fair last year, I agree. Folks want smaller and less expensive items. If I was still doing a bunch of different crafts rather than journals, I would still do craft fairs. But I agree with you that it is so much work, the prices for spaces down in Miami is anywhere from 250 and up. Toooo much money!

[@kimberlyt4361]

Your work is extremely beautiful. Great work.

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thank you, Kimberly💕

[@lorrainedurgee1761]

Wow , thanks $175 for setup fee - I don’t no how crafters make any money --there’s a ton of work making journals & wondered how much their sold for - it’s hard for me to sell journals cause of the increase price of products & the time so I make them for enjoyment & gifts..it’s so much fun to make them . Your right about people not knowing about a journal …thanks again for sharing..

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Lorraine, thx for watching! Sometimes I rationalize that selling a journal that I’ve had for sale awhile for less money at least allows me to retrieve a little more than my materials cost. Sometimes I sell a lot of 8-10 journals to a woman in California that I believe sells them overseas. It is less than what I would price them at but I least it clears my stock a bit. I’m going to try to have a virtual craft fair on my KZbin channel in about a week. Will see what happens. Oh, that 175 price went up to 250 this year…Yikes!

[@naticristellavi8236]

​@@DreamCraftJournalswhere did you buy those pink paper kits from, the one you sold the mini journal? I think was very pretty.

[@DreamCraftJournals]

@@naticristellavi8236 thx for watching! MyPorchPrints created the paper for both the pink Gnome Journal and the All About Me pink mini journal.

[@naticristellavi8236]

@@DreamCraftJournals thank you.

[@RunninUpThatHillh]

250!?😱 How many days? Where I went it was 25$ for two days, one whole table. We had to contribute one raffle item.

[@mixedupmargie]

I would definitely have bought the tea journal pack, so cute! Well lots of cute stuff❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@ElegantCreationsbyEdwina]

Beautiful crafts you put a lot of work in them. Love the mini journals. Your booth is set up very nice.

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thank you so much! It was fun and always more work than expected.

[@laurag5168]

Taking a sample of a completed journal is a great idea. I think lots of people at my fair weren’t familiar either. TFS ❤

[@RunninUpThatHillh]

Yes! I had a hard time explaining what it is. Many just see a jj as a homemade..notebook😂

[@QuinlanKE]

Holy moly! $175 Table fee is crazy! But you still did great!

[@DreamCraftJournals]

And that is after I was given the corner which is usually $250. Craft fairs here in Miami are usually run by large companies and run anywhere from 250-450. Crazy! We have a few homeowners association that are about $75.

[@HandcraftedintheFoothills]

Craft fairs this year have been tough going....people just don't have extra $ for these types of items....

[@cindywatson3083]

That branch journal is exquisite!!

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thank you, Cindy. I love it too. So fun to make.

[@laurapereiramalone5257]

Great setup! Tables look awesome I

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thank you so much!

[@LaurasPlansAndCrafts]

You made some really amazing things :) I agree, lots of people don’t know what journals are or what to make of them. You never really know what people want too. I think you did a beautiful job. TFS ❤

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thank you so much!

[@laurapereiramalone5257]

Yes journals are hard, plus dark colors are hard too! Great art work!

[@kittymervine6115]

oh your work is so so beautiful. Very well done and my only thought was if people were looking for Christmas gifts, they might not want a Christmas planner? Not a clue as your work is very high quality indeed.

[@DreamCraftJournals]

I think you are correct about planners. Thank you so much for your kind words 💖

[@chriswitt2596]

You do beautiful work. I think that the price even though it's fair for the amount of work that you put into your journals people are just hesitant to pay that price. I've noticed that with craft fairs that I've gone to in the Massachusetts area this Christmas.

[@phyllismarony8948]

Really surprised. Great items and amazing prices.🤗

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thx for your kind words. Have a wonderful holiday season🎄

[@normaedlemon92]

Your work is fabulous. I feel like I’m in an art gallery, I love your work.

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Norma, thank you so much. You made my day. To receive such a beautiful compliment when doing something that I love is awesome 🥰

[@DreamCraftJournals]

And thank you so much for subscribing 💖

[@normaedlemon92]

You are so welcome

[@mrmwallace730]

I was interested in what appeals to buyers so thank you for sharing. As to the comments about pricing too high, I have to disagree. (I wonder if those commenters are journal makers or simply buyers.) I think when buyers cruise craft fairs, they want many inexpensive treasures to take home, they don’t want to spend all their cash on one expensive item. It’s psychologically easier to order the expensive item online ~ I bet you sold them easier in your Etsy shop. That said, it’s obvious you put time & materials into your creations and they are fabulous! 💜

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thank you for watching. I agree with you on all of your points. I do sell more on Etsy. The best sellers at other Craft Fairs that I’ve done were a variety of items priced at 15 and below. Most were teacher gifts and stocking stuffers. I don’t sell those items anymore but they did quite well. Have a wonderful week.

[@stacylinn3102]

Wow these are some beautiful items you were selling! Great prices too!

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thx Stacy! It was a lot of work but fun!

[@lindasteenhuis2639]

That seems a huge percentage in stall costs. Is this normal in America?

[@DreamCraftJournals]

This is typical where I live in Miami. Actually this annual fair went up to 250 this year. It depends on the type of fair. We have some smaller fairs that are 50-100. Our larger fairs are run by marketing corporations and run from 250 for a 2 day fair to 650 for a 3 day fair. The larger fairs have many more attendees.

[@onedayatthyme]

Wow love the set up everything is beautiful all the journals

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thank you! It was fun!

[@lisebedard7247]

Love envelope pouch with journal….would love one

[@lindanizamoff7981]

Time's are tough this year people can't afford to spend allot of money on one item

[@mixedupmargie]

I don't see your Etsy link

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Hi MixedupMargie! Thank you for watching! Here’s my Etsy link: www.Etsy.com/shop/DreamcraftJournals

[@mixedupmargie]

@@DreamCraftJournals thank you for the link 💜

[@janasher4940]

Shows really are a crap shoot. It depends on the location, how urban the area is, the general income of the area, conservative vs liberal to some extent on the journals, and the season. Closer to X-mas, than half my booth is x-mas. But spring and fall themed things do not sell well for me unless I sell little stuff. I love your journals and am surprised to see what did not sell. But it amazes me that younger people now know about junk journals or altered books and snatch them up. Older women want prayer or church service journals, etc. Just depends on which way the coin falls on the toss. For this reason I really try to bring a mix of stuff and I walk around the booths to see what else is out then go back and make sure I unpack stuff that others have not brought, or my prices are lower for the same items.

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Everything that you said is so true. After craft sales, I sell in bulk to a woman out in California. I believe she sells them in China!

[@Michelef4]

I don’t think it’s your projects at all as the reason they didn’t sell. At holiday time craft fairs, people are not looking for themselves, but for gifts, and they just can’t spend $25 to $50 for gifts. I think Etsy is a great option. Love your designs! 💕💕🌻🌻

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thank you, Michele, for your insight and kind words.💖

[@lisebedard7247]

Have a you tube sale……cute stuff.

[@DreamCraftJournals]

I am having a sale on KZbin…here’s the link if you’re interested. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJqZe2djm9Ggi8k

[@pegeen7996]

Your work is lovely but priced too high.

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Thanks for your feedback. As I said to a previous commenter, the journals that were priced the highest were the ones that sold the best (I did not show them in the video). if the folks shopping know about journals and journaling, they were willing to pay a higher price. My 'real'journals were prices between 40-60...I only brought five of them, thinking that they wouldn't sell, and sold them all. You just never know. Thanks for watching.