Craft show set up suggestions?

[jusbag]

Hey all,

I am planning on doing a little fair in late June and was wondering if anybody had pics or suggestions of booth set ups. I am trying to figure out the best way to display a couple hundred pendants without them getting too in the way.

Thanks!
-justin

[somberbear]

loose in a case , and then give them a couple choices for hanging it like a silver , satian , or nice leather cord. or that bead wire in little baggies. dont forget any findings (conctors) that you might need and a couple plyers.. get a canape , display in the sun if you can , and make a glass tree or use a branch and hang some of the nicer onces up and put on some light cathers and other stuff..

[Kalera]

Last show I did, all I had on the table was a velvet table covering and some of those black display trays with black velvet compartment trays. Each bead had its own compartment and it was really easy to keep track of sales and replenish at a glance when beads sold. I didn't do chains or anything but one of my tablemates did - she didn't manage to sell any, but she did get some stolen. I guess thieves will go for a $3 sterling chain before a $40 bead!

I had four of the display boxes, with the two in the rear raised up a bit on 2x4's which were under the table covering. I also had two lamps shining directly on the trays, and a few items on the table between the boxes. The table itself was on risers so it was nearer counter-height; if the place you're doing the show uses typical folding conference tables, four pieces of 2" diameter PVC pipe cut into 12" lengths will slip over the table legs and raise it about 8". The drawback to this is that people in wheelchairs will have a really hard time seeing your stuff.

I really liked my simple setup; I saw a lot of vendors with elaborate displays and table decorations, but I received several compliments about letting my work speak for itself and not having table decor that competes with it, and it sold very well. Also, because my display was so simple, everything fit in one Rubbermaid container and only took a few minutes to set up and break down.

[wisco lala]

Hey, I use a shutter door system. Hang all your pendants on holded pieces of cardstock paper about the size of a business card and then you can slip them into the shutters (upside down shutters that is). That way the pendants are easily seen and out of the way and most can be at eye level. To make sure that they don't fall forward, attach a piece of cardboard to the back side of the shutters.
feel free to email me for pics or ?'s.
good luck!
lala

[Blowfish]

One of the things I have done to get some height on my display table is taken a big, old picture frame and strung rows of thin wire horizontally. I have my pendants on a folded card so I just hang the card on the wire and then just clamp the frame on to my table. My frame holds about 30 pieces, but depending on the size of the frame you could hold a lot more.

[~NattyMama~]

If this is an outdoor show, I would say definately get your stuff in the sunlight!!! I've kept stuff in cases, and the sun glares off of that glass, and the stuff in there can get wicked HOT after a long day. My pendant-type stuff sells better when at eye level... we'll have a gnarly looking branch hanging, with like a million little hooks screwed into my side of it, and they are right in people's faces that way... they can't NOT notice them then.

[Royal]

yeah, sunlight is the key for glass outdoors. looks 100 times better i think. i have noticed that if the pendant is already on a leather cord they sell way faster and more often, just cause its something they can wear right then after the purchase. i have also done it where i have the cord and clasps on hand so i can give them the option of putting it together so they can wear it, somepeople like that and some people would like to string there own.

[burnoutboy]

sunlight, good point. take in to account wind, it can be a friend or an enemy!

But most of all....
Look cool behind the torch!!!!!
let the glass take your mind, don't think about the people around you,
try to think like a nub, someone new to the awesome world of melting glass in fire,
if you were seeing glassblowing for the first time how did/would you feel!!!!!!

, what would you think about glassblowing if the first guy you met couldn't handle himself behind the torch?????????

it's all about 'guff, man.
time to step up to the plate and take a swing (aim for a homerun)!!!

good luck.