BAD SANTA!

BAD SANTA!!! He delivered me applications
for 2010, but with many a surprise!

Like everyone, I guess show promoters are feeling
the pinch. They have to be, why else would they…

1. Make deadlines for applications so much earlier
than last year?

2. Make space sizes smaller to fit in more crafters?

3. Raise the rent?

4. Start allowing buy/sell?

5. Raise their entrance fee to shoppers?

But I don’t get it!!! In times of recession, you would
think people would band together and help one another
out. Not do more and more things to turn honest to
goodness crafters away!!

In looking over my applications to send out for next
year, this disturbing trend seems to have taken hold.

Take Colorfest in MD for example. It’s a HUGE show
that is held in October and the whole town participates.

Imagine my surprise, when the application deadline
is now December 15th!

Coming up with an extra $225 BEFORE Christmas
is a little ridiculous. Not only that, they made the
space size smaller.

C’mon people. Don’t let greed destroy your shows!!


Theresa K. Hardy
http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
http://www.PinsAndPoetry.com ß NEW Website

It Just Ain't Right!!

You didn't expect me to post about something
to give you the warm fuzzies, did you?

Of course I have a rant for you again this time!
( I mean what else is Crafter BS about anyway?)

Ok, so I participated in a holiday boutique a few
weeks ago. A 4 day drop off show that required
a 25% commission and a small entry fee.
Beautifully displayed items in a upscale town,
great advertising, and a proven track record.

I did very well, except for one problem....

The lousy bookkeeping by the organizer!!

Getting into the show, I was required to turn
in an inventory sheet with assigned numbers
to each "different" item. (not just my sales ID
number)

Come time to pick up the products that were
left, and no physical inventory was gone over
by the organizer. Ok though, paperwork sent
to me along with my check would surely show
what sold, right?? WRONG!

The envelope contained a check, that's it!
I called because obviously this was a mistake
on their part, but no dice.

So after taking my own inventory, things just
weren't kosher. Obviously some theft occurred
(which is expected to a degree). What I dropped
off, what was missing, and what I came home
with were different totals. Obviously this boutique
doesn't want to be bothered by this little fact, and
it made me think that is why there is no paperwork
given to the crafters.

I'm SURE that many crafters, during the hustle
and bustle of the holiday selling season, didn't
even bother comparing inventory so they see no
reason to bitch. (especially if they did well)

But it just ain't right I tell ya! It just ain't right!

Last week I dropped off inventory to the next
Christmas boutique I was scheduled to do.
As I dropped off my wares, they took physical
inventory when products were initially delivered,
and assured me that each and every item would
be shown on the sales report.

Ahhhhh...someone who knows how to do it right!

Will I be participating in the first boutique again
next year? Yep! Matter of fact, sales were good
enough that I am sure I'll participate in the one for
the spring. But it won't keep me from whining and
hoping they will change their bookkeeping ways!

What The &$^#^!!

As posted on the Crafter's Guide Online Group:

In the October 10th “At The Shore” section
of the Atlantic City Press (the newspaper
that everyone reads that lives at the shore),
there was a write up about the Block Party in
Ocean City.

The Block Party that takes place the Saturday
before Columbus Day, and is an event that
has been going on a long time, was featured
on that page. The entire town participates.

Quoted from paper:

“Shoppingwise, expect stores to have sidewalk
sales and other specials on their merchandise.
For those not so interested in spending
money, check out the crafters, food vendors
and live music happening along the block party
route.”

Interesting!!! If I were participating in this event,
I think I would be curious about who would put
such a thing in the paper.


Theresa
http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
NEW website: http://www.PinsAndPoetry.com

Sugarloaf Show Announcement

Received this in an email the other day and wanted to pass it on
to my readers. Please let me know if you attend. I will not be at
this show, but would be interested to hear about it from someone
who has, since Sugarloaf has such a great reputation.

The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Oaks, PA, will take place on
Nov 6-8 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center where there
will be more than 300 acclaimed artists from around the country
exhibiting and selling their original handmade art, including paper,
pottery, and fiber art.

The show will also feature live demonstrations, gourmet foods,
and family entertainment.

The official site for the show is
http://www.sugarloafcrafts.com/festivals/oaks/fall/

or you can check out the Facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/SugarloafCrafts

Get OUT!

Nothing makes a true crafter see red more
than a fraud at a juried craft show. To the
crafter it is an insult to have anyone there
with imported items and passing them off
as their own. It is also unfair to the shoppers
who have come to the show expecting to see
only handcrafted items.

Organizers are few and far between to kick
these jerks out even though they know they
have been bullshitted to. But that is exactly
what Martha did at the show last weekend in
Ocean Grove, NJ.

Martha is trying her best to preserve the
integrity of the show and isn’t afraid to stand
by the contract rules of throwing people out
on their fanny when she sees she’s been duped.

Last Saturday, an oriental couple pulled up in
their fancy car with NY plates. Out came trays
and trays of silver jewelry, the kind being
hawked on the street corners of Manhattan.
(and in every jewelry catalog under the sun)

Nowhere on the contract they filled out beforehand
did it allude to such obvious buy/sell. Pictures of
pottery is what I believe were submitted.

Good ole’ Martha gave them 20 minutes to pack
their crap and get out. True to her word, Martha was
back 20 minutes later to ensure they were leaving.
What she found was business going on as usual and
her orders were being ignored. After announcing to
the potential customers that sales couldn’t be made,
Martha then proceeded to pick up their trays of junk
and cart them to the back of their tent. Not only that,
Martha stayed right there until they were totally
packed.

Yes, these arrogant fraudsters wanted their rent
returned, but Martha stuck by the letter of the
contract and told them NO REFUNDS.

It restored faith to so many of us crafters who see
this abuse being tolerated by organizers weekend
after weekend.

Martha is a shining example of what an organizer
SHOULD be doing when shysters are filling the
shows (and taking away spaces from true crafters)

So, Kudo’s to Martha! You’re doing it right!!


Theresa
Website: http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
Pin Website: http://www.PinsAndPoetry.com