….well, it seems we have a family obligation coming up this Thanksgiving and hubby and I will be traveling up to Oregon instead of being home in lovely Trinidad. Since I’m not sure exactly which days I will be traveling, it seems I will probably cancel my booth at the Trinidad Artisan’s Thanksgiving show this year.
It’s a fun little show, and you should definitely go if you get the chance, but with the state of the world economy - and more importantly, the perception people have about it - it’s probably just as good that I do cancel.
The past 3 shows have been less than stellar. But that’s what happens when people believe that money is scarce, they want to hoard what little they have, and discretionary income goes out the window. It’s a sad fact that at this last show - the October Halloween Harvest Festival - most of the vendors weren’t even in their booths - they were standing in the aisles talking to other vendors!
So I’m rethinking how much time I want to spend in the booth next year, how many shows I want to commit to doing. And in the meantime, I’ll keep expanding my line by trying out my new creative ideas, and looking to place more items into retail outlets, or find other ways of exposing people to my designs.
There are two stores in nearby towns that have expressed interest in carrying my jewelry, and I do have to replenish the pendants that have sold at the River Lodge. I visited with a third store owner this week who had previously expressed interest. But now she is moving into a new direction herself due to the way the economy is affecting sales. I don’t know if her new idea will be any better than her current one, but at least it’s something she is more familiar with.
I’m still scheduled for the Arcata Christmas Show, and I have some new things I’ll be bringing out there. It’s a very lively show with a great turnout, as well as lovely items.
I sincerely hope you are not feeling the squeeze too much!
