Hidden Secrets part two

I’ve had a lot of messages on forums and via Facebook asking me about the stand seen in the pervious post ‘Hidden Secrets’, several have asked where it was purchased and others have asked how it’s made.

The stand was made by me about 4 years ago, it was my first attempt and I’m still amazed at the way it has stood up to being transported, put together and then dismantled, I’ve been doing up to 60 events a year for the last two years, and at a rough guess I would say that this display has attended 250 events.

The stand was designed to knock down flat for transport, and needed to be easy to re-assemble each time it was needed, Initially it would have to be said that I over engineered the design, and maybe that’s why it’s lasted, but some of the initial features, such as using wing nuts to hold the cross braces in place, are now no longer used, I just slide the braces onto the bolts, and don’t bother putting the wing nuts on.

In this first photo, you can see the stall ready for transport, it’s simply 8 components; 3 shelves, 3 cross braces, and two side panels.

In photo 2, we have a view of one of the side panels:

You can see the bolt positions onto which the side braces fit, these bolts are epoxyied in to place allowing me to put the unit together on my own.

In the top part of the photo you can see the dowel pegs that slot into the shelves, helping to add stability to the unit.

Below is a more details shot of the dowel pegs

The first step in putting the unit together is to get the cross braces into place, each end of the cross brace is marked, with a corresponding mark on the frame

The next stage, once the cross braces are in place, is to fit the shelves, these just slot onto the dowel pegs (each shelf has the dowel pegs in slightly different places, giving an added benefit of increased stability), as can be seen from the photo below, the back of the shelf has a raised rigid back brace fitted, this allows for a thinner thickness of board to be used to make the self (the back brace also stops the shelf sagging in the middle, and forms a slight joint with the side frame). At the front of the self you can see a raised section again, this time much smaller; this addition prevents items slipping from the front of the shelf.


Once constructed, the naked frame can then covered with a cloth.

Some things you may have noticed, on the bottom rear cross brace, the are cup hooks at either end, this is where I hang bags that I use to put multiple purchases in, although sometimes they can end up inside the cubby the frame creates. The black PVC fabric on the side panels are their to stop people seeing in the side, and to keep wind and water out.

Please note, I have not included the plans for making this stand, for one simple reason, I do make them to order, and each one is custom designed to the requirements that it will be used for. If your interested in having one made, please leave a comment or message me at woodjewellery@gmail.com

Craft Fairs 1.

Craft Stall Evolution

So you are thinking about doing your first craft fair.

Where do you begin?

Let’s start with a simple question, how long has it taken you to make your stock?

Why should that be the first question? Simple, a great many people can spend hours and hours making there stock, and then only spend 10 minutes working out how they plan to display it.

I’ve developed my stall over time, but go through phases now where I’ll spend as much as a week or two planning a stall face lift.

The stall is laid-out every day in a large meeting room (I will generally use my own tables at crafts fairs). I work over every aspect of how the stall will look. How the stall works for me, and for the customer.

I get people to come and look at how it’s laid out, and give me there honest thoughts about how things look.

My big problem every time is too much stock, I love to offer the widest variety, and have this big fear that if I don’t put something out, it would be one of the things that would sell.

I now just make jewellery to sell, but when I first started, my main product was wooden toys, house signs, and I then added candle holders, then key rings, book marks, and finally Jewellery.

How did this evolution come about, I went with what was selling and what was easier to transport and display (of course, I became engrossed in making nicer and nicer jewellery as my skill at it progressed).

The photos below show one of the early stall’s, where every product just had to be seen.



Now, having worked out how to make my jewellery, and spending more time wandering around other craft fairs, I have started to look back and see where the time now needs to be spent.

Over the last week (half term holiday), I have once again been reviewing some of my display.
I take the long term view, what I can’t afford today, I’ll wait for.

Last year, I saw lots of stalls with bunting up, and many had taken the time to put a letter on each bunt, the only problem was, you could spend ages trying to work out what it said.

Toward the end of last year, I posted that I wanted a hand made banner for my stall, I wanted it handmade, I was in no hurry, because once I had it, I could use it.
Helen Jane of http://helenjanesdesigns.folksy.com was kind enough to undertake this commission, working to a simple brief, she was able to use my font (this was a key part of what I wanted, I use the same font on everything, I call it part of my brand recognition policy), and produced the banner seen below



Anyone who looks at my shop will notice the same font is used on my full banner there; I use several small printed versions of this on my stall (see below)


I use the same on various posters, which are A4 and are used in clear plastic display stands




Here's how they look on the stall (this is a earlier version in different colour)



I also use the same on my wood description and care inserts which are now given with every sale (these are 8cm x 10cm).



Even my price tags, which i make myself, use the same font, and once again the shop address online (this tag was a reject, due to bottom cut not being square), (size is 2cm x 5cm).


You will notice several things about the images. They all have that uniformity of banner, paper; style and colour (once again part of my push for brand recognition).
Here are some photos of last years stall, at various different locations, and sizes






I now have a stall that is becoming more focused, and giving a much more professional look. As I have said above, I will always keep reviewing how the stall looks. over the next week i will be building the stall once again, and getting people to look and critique.