Craft Fair Booths

I just finished a 3 day event - the Tucson Museum of Art Spring Artisan Fair. Beautiful weather, friendly people, wonderful artists. I love doing fairs, as it gets me out in the public, and I have fun!

However, it is with a very critical eye that I examined my booth this past weekend. I am NOT satisfied. Although acceptable, it doesn't POP, it doesn't really draw people in. I have both of my product lines displayed - Woolies on one side - and that side has color and life to it. I have a few ideas for better displays for Woolies, but on the whole, it's ok.

It's the OTHER side that is pathetic. I sell typewriter key jewelry. Mostly pendants. The keys (pendants) are displayed in a jewelry display. The customer must bend over to examine them. I do have a 1937 Royal Typewriter on display, that draws LOTS of attention. Lots of ohs and ahs. But then they have to bend over to look. WRONG. So I'm going to take away the small table, and replace it with a typewriter stand, if I can find one. All the pendants will be already hung on chains (see, I give the customer a choice of chain, which is why I haven't done this before). So an entire wall of my booth will be typewriter pendants. As well as the other pendants (harmonica, glass pendants, skeleton keys, etc). Each area will have a sign above it, with price clearly marked.

The other thing I'm going to do is have large signs made at Fast Signs. They will hang either from the front of my booth or from one of the sides - haven't decided. And, with that in mind, I think it's time for a name change.

Buster and boo = cute for Etsy. But in the bigger world, this name doesn't describe one iota of what is available for sale. When I launch my website, I want to be able to give the world some clues as to what I offer for sale in my shop.

Which ones do you like? Can you think of more??

Bygone Keys

Keys from the Heart

Antique Key Jewelry

Nostalgia Key Jewelry

Days Gone By Jewelry

Keys and Antiques

Please let me know if you like any of my name ideas, or if you can think of more! Thanks!

Now some pics of my booth for you to LAUGH At! Ugh.

Original

I have 2 shops on Etsy.com.

Woolies Knitted stuffed animals and toys

and

Buster and boo Typewriter key jewelry

I love to knit and sew and not that long ago taught myself how to make jewelry.

I want to talk about originality, for just a moment.

If you ever dare to meander into the forums on etsy, you may read about copycats. And more copycats. And she stole my design. And her stuff looks just like mine. And a lot of times, it does.

And if you wander into some shops, you may find declarations like - I am the first one to make this. The original, whatever. Who knows who came up with the idea first?

The truth is, in the world of arts and crafts, I think it's hard to design a true original. I also think that lots of times, you may think you have the 'first of it's kind'. And then one day you'll be surfing through etsy, and omigosh that looks just like mine! Because we influence each other. And we are inspired by each other. Of course, there is the random outright theft of an idea. Upsetting, yes. Copycat, yes. Wish we could all copyright our own designs. But that costs money. And when you put yourself out there, on the internet, you expose yourself to the rest of the world. Which can be great, and maybe, at times, not so great.

At Woolies, I use lots of patterns by other designers. I credit those designers. I have permission to use those designs in my shop. I thank those designers. And still I strive to make it my own. To change it up, some. Or to be inspired by their designs to make something similar, but still different. And occasionally, I make my own. I even offer 2 patterns of my own designs, for sale in my shop.

And occasionally, I come up with something that is really one-of-a-kind. I didn't write the pattern down for the bear, as I knitted him, just made him up as I went along. Can't imagine I'll ever be able to duplicate him. And I hope nobody else does either.

At Buster and boo, my shop has evolved into jewelry made from typewriter keys. There are other designers that make the same thing. They might even use similar settings, or bails, or necklaces. We compete with each other - this is OK with me. This is e-commerce. It's fine. It is not my original idea.

However,

I think....

at Buster and boo we offer one truly unique product.

Oftentimes, during my gathering of vintage typewriter keys, I find that some keys in a set are unusuable. The letter under the glass is faded, or cracked, or just too darn old to make look better. So, had an idea.

Replace the image with another.

Or,

Or,

Beautiful, vintage-y images, under the glass of a genuine vintage typewriter key.

Cool?

Now, I'd be willing to bet, that just because I've never seen this done before, doesn't mean it hasn't been. But I've never seen it done before. So maybe, just maybe, it's an original.

Earring Sale!!

All earrings are on sale at Buster and boo! I only use semi-precious stones and sterling silver, or vintaj brass. I'm going to be phasing out offering earrings for sale, so get these beauties while you can!

You can glance over to the right to see some of them, and click anywhere to go to my shop.

ALL earrings are offered for SALE at TEN DOLLARS! that's right - sterling silver and semi-precious stones or beads for only TEN DOLLARS!

Sale ends Saturday at Midnight.

Thanks !!

A Cat of Many Colors

So.....for a while I've been selling this pendant, at Buster and boo ---

I decided it would be fun to offer them in more colors, so - now you have a choice!

At only $7 each, they make a fun present! They come with a 24" satin cord, in a cute organza pouch - all ready for gift giving.

Hope you like them!

Buster and boo Giveaway!

No, not here! ~~ You're going to have to head on over to the beautiful Raven's blog at

http://ravenxxxx.blogspot.com/. I'm giving away YOUR CHOICE of any pair of earrings valued at $12 or under (which is most of them in my shop, as I only make affordable jewelry)!!!

Here's a peek at what you might choose, all available at Buster and boo!

So don't delay, please visit Raven's blog today! Thanks!

Earrings!

Yep, I did it. I started making earrings and actually plucking up the courage to list them on Etsy.

Just wanted to share here - and welcome any constructive criticism. !

Feel free to come visit my shop; Buster and boo !!! I'll be listing many more in the weeks to come.

Next weekend, I have a big 3 day craft fair in Tucson - the Flair-A-Fair. It benefits Big Brothers/Big Sisters. I'm making tons of earrings and scrabble tile pendants. Keeping my fingers crossed.......

XXXX

Stay tuned to my blog, because next week I'm going to be doing a giveaway of a pair of earrings!

Decisions..............

So, if you are an Etsy aficionado, then you know that there are about 80 bazillion scrabble tile pendant shops. My shop, Buster and boo, has been offering them since about February. I've sold over 170 of them. I also have some around the US on consignment, and wholesale.

Etsy is getting more and more crowded. It is more and more difficult to get your work seen. So, I am debating.

My other shop, Woolies, is my true love. I also have some Woolies wholesale accounts. Woolies take much longer to make than pendants. It's a MUCH bigger investment of time.

So, I'm in a dilemma. I am considering slowly closing my pendant shop, and just concentrating on Woolies.

I'll probably leave Buster and boo open through the holidays, and see what happens. The good news is that my pendants were accepted at LollipopShops, which will be opening in December.

And Woolies was accepted at HandmadeFusion.

Because Etsy is a bit of a train-wreck.

What would you do? I love both, but Woolies is my true love. Is it worth it to continue making pendants? Do a search for 'scrabble tile pendants', on Etsy's search. There's over 10,000 of them!

So ----

Apple? (that's the newest dolly)

or

Pendant?

Poll over on the right - please go let me know what you think!!!!

Thanks!!

Smitteniche!

found a very fun new site - it's just getting up and running. Please come visit Smitteniche!

In fact, I'm offering a giveaway of YOUR choice of whichever Buster and boo pendant is your favorite, along with a ribbon necklace. So come on and visit this new site!!

Learning new skills

Making scrabble tile pendants is fun, but now I've found that I am always searching for unique supplies on Etsy, to make different kinds of jewelry.

This is a beautiful hand-made lampwork bead (purchased from JanesBeads) that I "made" into a necklace.

I've always loved charms, so now I'm starting a line of necklaces with charms. I'm such a total beginner......

I have lots of really unique charms...they'll be making their appearance soon. Perhaps not quite the right thing for Etsy....let me know what you think. I'm only using the best quality that I can find - mostly sterling silver.

Can I tell you how many jump rings I crushed while making this? I'm thinking that jump rings may not be the way to go, so will be going to the bead store this week to buy wire.

I also have some really unique beads for earrings.

Considering the insane amount of jewelry on Etsy, I'll be amazed if anything sells. However, I'm doing a few craft fairs this fall, so will keep fingers and toes crossed! Keep an eye on my Buster and boo shop!

I also have another fabric Woolies for sale in my Woolies shop. Her name is Polly (I have a cousin named Polly), what do you think??

In honor of 100 Posts

Today was a day of one hundreds.

In my Buster and boo shop, I have 100 feedbacks, 100% positive!

In my Buster and boo shop, I hit 100 sales!

And on my blog, I have now posted 100 posts!

Oh, and I'd also like to mention, at this very moment, it is 100 degrees here in sunny Tucson.

:0)

SO, in honor of ONE HUNDRED (may we all be so lucky as to LIVE to 100!), I am doing my own giveaway!

You can win a necklace!

The pendant is a Buster and boo unique and handmade

Scrabble Tile Pendant, made from Chiyogami paper, featuring a bunny.

It hangs from a black satin cord, and secures with a

sterling silver hook and eye clasp.

I've shown 3 of the bunny images, your prize will be one of these three.

To enter,

please visit Buster and boo

leave a comment with your favorite pendant design

MAKE SURE to leave me your EMAIL ADDRESS!

If you do not want to leave your email address here, you can contact me at my Buster and boo shop and leave it there.

Thank you so much for reading my blog, and visiting my shop!