Successful First Time Texas Artfire Craft Fair!

Left to Right to bottom♦ Jinx1764's finished table with my hovering husband/ Tricia - Jewels on a Whim.artfire - (Craft show virgin! and enthusiastic learner)/Amber Owens - Amber Dawn Accessories.etsy (great Mac slideshow display, great support, and one of my newest friends- we first met at the First Saturday Market Fair)



<--Heather Jinx1764.artfire busy, busy! Feathered Friends Mementos Texas Artfire Guild Master

Michelle Cutesy Cloths.etsy

Setting up her table with Ruth and her daughter behind

her.

Left to Right♦ Sharon and Greg - Tres Chic.artfire (jewelry and soap! and a supportive husband wow! This is Sharon's full time job so it's a serious commitment for her.)
Cindy(R) - cctexan3.artfire( Texan loud and Texan proud! Endless energy and enthusiasm! ;o) with Amber Owens who almost ducked out of the photo.

Left to right to bottom ♦ Yolanda - Just 4 you Bouquets (Just started her business a month ago, no fear!)/ Ruth - Ruthbl.artfire (mom and daughter jeweler team, go family!)/ Michelle - Cutesy cloths.etsy (cutest, well made baby and toddler items ever!)

We had our first such fair today at a Houston area 55+ apartment complex which has many residents that have difficulty shopping normally and are still intimidated by internet buying. We brought our products to these residents who were not only personally grateful for the opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping in a comfortable, relaxed setting but we all immensely enjoyed the intimate interaction. It's not often that a situation occurs that is a win/win for all involved.

We had total sales of $770 in approx 6 hours - remember this venue was not open to the public and since it was an experiment for the complex; the residents and their off location family members had only been informed about it the day before. Had we been able to coordinate the on site advertising better with the management (a primary issue I plan to address) I believe we would have had an even greater attendance. In the future in may also be partially open to the public according to the management.

The management was very happy with the opportunity to bring this shopping experience to their residents and we have been invited back. All the sellers that attended were very happy with the experience and have stated that they would like to attend another in the future. I plan on continuing to plan this event at this location and expanding this venue to other similar sites in the Houston area all for NO BOOTH FEES. This is a long term plan for me and I hope that it may become a steady, predictable, very successful venture for any local Houston artisan that is interested.