After 2 years of no face to face selling I was so pleased to get Olganna back out there! And bonus it was a 2 day event.
As a crafter who works from home, this is the closest thing to 'going to work' that I experience.
The venue was Victoria Baths in Manchester, an Edwardian swimming pool which is being lovingly restored and is a real gem. The light coming in was fabulous and a tour kept stopping by my stall which brought a flurry of interest throughout the day and some interesting tit bits of the baths' history.
It was an early start on Saturday morning but only a half hour drive so another bonus! So pleased with how the stall looked as I hadn't really given it much thought.
Sunday morning was that feeling of just 'going to work'. Nothing to set up, no early start, Just fab to walk in, grab a coffee and wander round.
Chatting to other sellers and customers really did get my creative juices flowing and I used my down time to plan next season - I am never this organised so that's a little bit exciting for Olganna!
I think having the time to immerse yourself in your work, takes your thoughts to a new level. A lot of what if's and reality checks about what worked and what didn't crept into mind and actually a lot of decision making was done about the direction things are headed next year!
That kind of blue sky thinking is really hard - for me anyway - when working at home when I have the normality of family life all around me, serving as a continuous distraction.
In this fabulous but freezing cold venue with it's atmosphere, music and invited choirs, it was great to meet new people. And I was so pleased a couple of my Facebook followers even came along to see me. Chatting to other crafters allows you to find out other places to consider selling. The down time is great for networking - and shopping of course!
So what were my best sellers ? Crochet hook rolls! AND Zip Make Up wraps. People wanted to get some great gifts and I could certainly oblige them.