I did a Vintage Holiday Market this past weekend. I have wanted to do a Christmas market for a few years, but hadn't found one that was affordable or close enough that I could do it. Then I found this one and it was only 10 minutes from my house. That was good. The bad part was that it is sort of a competitor to my beloved Junk Ranch. But, since I had already done the Junk Ranch and there wouldn't be another one until June, I decided that I would give it a try. Honestly, I almost made myself sick over deciding to do it or not. I am fiercely loyal to the Junk Ranch and all of these newer copycat pop up shows keep coming along and copying everything TJR does. I get so riled up you would think that I was an owner! I had pulled out the best of the best for The Junk Ranch. I truly only took my leftovers and some things that I had depleted like Christmas flash cards and a few other handmade things.
The show was inside. That was one perk. Level floors where I could build a display anyway I wanted and it wouldn't blow over or get dirty. The downside was going to be walking each crate, board and table in and that would take a good amount of time We got there early on Thursday to carry everything in and to set up. That's when I discovered the biggest perk.....I could DRIVE INSIDE the BUILDING! I drove in, right to my spot and we unloaded in less than ten minutes. So fast! People that arrived after a lot of us had set up couldn't do that, so I was glad we had gotten there early enough to drive in. I had all my diagrams drawn out because I am a total worrywart when it comes to shows and setting up my merchandise for peak eye appeal and to get LOTS of stuff in my section.
Because I knew exactly how I wanted it set up, I was unloaded and completely done in about two hours. Not having to deal with the canopy, walls, weights, etc. was a real time saver. I was super happy with how it turned out after I was done.
Lara brought in those three signs to add some big pieces to my area. Most of what I had was super small this time. I had to get every single thing there in one load and back home in one load. I did it! Well, that's not entirely true. I gave eight crates away to a lady across from me that had admired their usefulness. I have about 100 of them in my backyard (My Dad gets them for free and I sell them for him), so I was happy to share them and not have to haul them back home!
Let's have a look around.
Big wire baskets full of vintage Christmas ornaments and crafty bits. I love using that three tiered wire basket for display. I honestly don't sell a lot out of it, but it holds the extra things that I am unsure how to display like beaded and candy garland and honeycomb. I think I sold about ten things out of those wire baskets.
Each crate or cubby had a theme or a vignette. Santa mugs here. Not a one sold.
More Santa's here. The two Annalee's sold.
I like to fill up a space, then fill it up some more. :D I completely sold out of those Christmas flashcards at the Junk Ranch. I sold 25 packs. So, I made 25 more. I sold one pack and that went to a lady that had come to the Junk Ranch after I had sold out. Most people picked them up, thumbed through them and made a face - like what are these. What would you do with these? It was such a different crowd. The monk choir in the back sold. And that Santa head with the big beard.
I had nearly sold of of vintage ornaments, so I worked really hard to find a bunch of new ones for this show. Not a single box sold. (Are you starting to sense a theme here?)
I sold out of cookie cutter garlands at the Junk Ranch, so of course I made more. They did not sell. One customer said they were a genius idea. Then followed that up by saying she was going to have her Pre-K class make some. So, apparently, my crafting ability is on a four year old level. Nothing in this photo sold.
This was on the other side. I used both of my banners which was probably too much, but I usually can't, so I did. I sold a few red and green handled kitchen utensils. There is an odd nutcracker in there and I swear to you, every single person that walked by picked it up and looked at it. We made bets when someone would come by - will they pick up the nutcracker? YES! Take a shot. Ha.
I turned my domino pendants into ornaments complete with mercury glass beads. A couple people looked at them, commented on the fact that they are dominoes and went on to the next booth. I head, "We could make those" more than a few times. UGH, UGH, UGH. Don't say that EVER! Think it, make a note of it, write it down. But DO NOT EVER SAY IT OUT LOUD. Sure, they aren't rocket science. But they are MY idea. I scanned old packages that I found out in the wild, I figured out the program on my computer to make them shrink to fit. I found the old dominoes. I researched and found just the right adhesive, Spoiler alert - it isn't Elmer's glue. I learned how to glaze them so there is a raised surface, how to carve the edges and on and on. They can try to make them, but they won't be like mine.
Thanksgiving flashcards. Guess how many I sold! If you guessed, "Not a damn one" *DING*DING* you win!
Beautiful vintage ornaments gathered in old berry boxes. Sold 43 at the Junk Ranch. But, this weekend I sold......say it with me...."Not a damn one!"
My only new addition to this show were snow globe necklaces.
Tiny green bottle brush trees.
And a few of the sweetest little PINK trees.
How many did I sell?
NOT A DAMN ONE.
I did put them on Instagram and sold a few.
The show was Friday from 12-9 which was entirely TOO late. Saturday was 10-7 which made us load in the pitch freaking dark. There was a Razorback football game a few miles up the road and everyone had to drive by the show on the way. I thought that would be GREAT for business. But, they came to waste a little time before the game. Not to shop. They had to save their money for their $25 Popcorn and Coke at the game. Also, most of them just did not "get" the vintage thing even though the word VINTAGE was clearly part of the show's name. I got a few "yard sale stink faces" at my stuff. I did have a good amount of people that came in all smiles and LOVED it all. Memories, mentions of Mom and Grandma - the stuff that makes me love doing what I do. They got it, they loved it. They bought something. That was good.
Rent was $150 and I sold about $200. Not worth the time by far. Oh the things I could have done with those two days instead of sitting there. On Saturday, I got so bored that I listed things on ebay, Etsy and Instagram. Nearly everyone around me was doing the same thing. I brought a stack of magazines, read them and passed them on. I saw those magazines made the rounds to ALL the booths. "Would you like a magazine? "OH YES! THANK GOD." Sheer boredom.
So, lesson learned. Stick with what I love and what I know is the BEST SHOW EVER - my JUNK RANCH. (Love you Amy.) I am done with shows so I am a free woman now. Bring on the turkeys, bring on the Santa's! You would think I would be sick to death of Christmas, but I am DYING to see my pretties. I have sold so much this year - I forget that I own the best stuff. HOARDER and proud of it!
