Catherine Yassin on fri 19 mar 04
In a message dated 3/19/2004 3:20:18 PM Central Standard Time,
annsemple@SHAW.CA writes:
> A Craft Show Checklist That Can Give You Peace of Mind (TCR 5/01)A Craft
> Show Checklist That Can Give You Peace of Mind
> by Bruce Baker
I'd like to add something that has been invaluable to me. After the show is
over, and you are packing up, it is definitely worth the time to have a small
pad of paper handy and some tape. When you re-pack the unsold items, write down
an inventory of what you are putting in that box; 10 green mugs, 12
birdhouses, 8 small bowls, etc. Then tape that inventory list onto the top of the box.
That way when you have your boxes back at your studio and you want to pull out
certain things then you aren't rumaging through them unpacking everything to
find one thing. This is especially handy when you're at your studio and
someone wants to buy something and your not up to your elbows in packing paper
unwrapping everything :)
-Cat Yassin
San Antonio
annsemple on fri 19 mar 04
Karin
I have this, and another. Iif this isn't the one you were looking for=
let me
know.
Ann
A Craft Show Checklist That Can Give You Peace of Mind (TCR 5/01)A Cr=
aft
Show Checklist That Can Give You Peace of Mind
by Bruce Baker
IMPORTANT CHECKLIST ITEMS
Inventory
Display materials (itemized breakdown)
Walls
Floor covering
Lights
Office/sales materials
Catalogs
Order forms
Business cards
Cash box
Change
Stapler
Scissors
Tape
Tools
Other individual items specific to your business
Items on your list that will make your show experience more ple=
asant:
Anti-fatigue mats
Fan
Ice chest
Extra light bulbs
Have you ever pulled out of the driveway on your way to a craft show =
with a
nagging feeling that you have forgotten something? Getting to a craft=
show
without an important part of your booth is a nightmare! Everyone has =
this
experience once in a while, but a craft show checklist helps prevent =
it from
happening again.
The type of checklist I am referring to is one you type or write out =
and
photocopy so you can easily add and delete items as your business gro=
ws and
changes. Review a fresh copy of this list before you leave home to ma=
ke sure
you
have not forgotten anything. Check it again before you leave the show=
to be
sure
you are not forgetting important tools and supplies.
In the past few months, I have reviewed many craft artists' checklist=
s and
found
them to be amazingly similar and very idiosyncratic. One of my favori=
te
checklist entries was by Michael Mode, a woodturner from New Haven, V=
t. The
last
item on his checklist was "close the vents (to keep out small creatur=
es!)."
Mode says that by using his checklist he can drive away with peace of=
mind.
Your
list will benefit you not only with items you need at the show, but d=
etails
you
need to remember to close down your life (at home) until you get back=
.
The value of a checklist is profound, especially in the time and ment=
al
anguish
it will save you. When you are constantly trying to remember all the
materials
you need to pack, and tasks you have to do, it robs you of valuable e=
nergy
and
time that could be put to better use in preparing for the show. Would=
you
rather
spend four hours packing and struggling to remember materials or four=
hours
finishing off more inventory to sell at the show, or even napping
peacefully!
Using dedicated craft show materials
Even more important, and a bigger timesaver than the craft show check=
list,
is
the acquisition of dedicated craft show materials. By dedicated craft=
show
materials, I mean specific tools and materials that you need to do a =
craft
show
that you use only for the purpose of doing shows. These tools and mat=
erials
will
cost you a little bit of money upfront and will mean that you have tw=
o
calculators and two staplers, etc. However, if you forget something, =
you
have to
run out (leaving the show) to buy a replacement anyway.
It can also save valuable time. Packing is one of those jobs that exp=
ands to
fill the time you allot to it. If you are the type who runs around yo=
ur
studio
robbing your office of the calculator or stapler, stealing the light =
bulbs
or
fixtures from your workbench, then I am talking to you! When you pack=
for a
craft show in this way, you are not only wasting time before this sho=
w, but
you
are wasting the same time before every show. Not to mention the time =
it
takes to
unpack and put everything back.
If you utilize dedicated craft show materials, this scenario describe=
s how
you
pack: You back up your vehicle to where your show materials are store=
d and
you
load the prepackaged boxes, your floor covering and lighting system, =
etc.
Then
you run through your checklist and off you go. It takes minutes rathe=
r than
hours -- pre-show preparation is a breeze.
If, at the show, someone borrows something from you, note it on your
checklist.
Before the close of the show get in the habit of looking at your chec=
klist.
Anything that was borrowed from you should be noted. Use the list to =
remind
you
to get it back.
The value of a checklist is profound, especially in the time an=
d
mental
anguish it will save you.
Efficient packing techniques
An efficient way to pack your dedicated craft show materials is to pa=
ck your
boxes and seal them before you leave the show. Then, bring your boxes=
home
sealed. You'll have everything in place for the next show. If you mus=
t
remove
anything from a box during your time between shows, use your checklis=
t to
indicate what you have removed and then simply replace it before you =
hit the
road. An unsealed box indicates that it's not ready and something was
removed.
One of your boxes should contain all the materials that need replenis=
hing
after
a show -- business cards, catalogs, postcards, paper towels, glass cl=
eaner,
tape, staples, etc. This box needs to be re-stocked before every show=
and
then
sealed, or re-stocked when you return from a show -- when your needs =
are
fresh
in your mind. If you use this dedicated craft material method, you wi=
ll find
you
have many more hours of productive time that you used to spend packin=
g. The
increased productivity will very quickly pay for the cost of owning t=
wo
calculators, two staplers, and two rolls of duct tape, etc.
Bruce Baker is a jeweler, a gallery owner and a nationally recognized=
expert
on
booth design. He and his wife, Nancy Dunn, own two craft shops, Middl=
ebury
Jewelry and Design and Sweet Cecily, both in Middlebury, Vt. Contact =
him to
arrange a seminar or to order his cassette, titled "How to be a Dynam=
ic
Craft
Seller," at (802) 388-3434. Write to him at 40 Main St., Middlebury, =
VT
05753-1426, or visit his Web site at www.dbakerinc.com.
Copyright=A9 2001
annsemple@shaw.ca
oooO
( )Clayfoot Crockery
\ ( Victoria, B.C. Canada
\ _ )
claybair on sat 20 mar 04
Cat,
After a grueling multiple day show adding one more
step like cataloging what inventory is left is out of the
question for me.
When I am exhausted & racing to pack the only thing
I can focus on is how fast I can get on the road & home.
I label my tubs when I pack them initially (masking tape and magic marker).
If I have multiple glazes or styles the labels can get specific
e.g. spiral bowls, celadon bowls.
This system works well for me. I always know what is in
the tubs. Once home I can do an in depth inventory review.
Regarding packing... after years of doing shows I have
gotten cavalier and do not wrap each piece individually.
I use bubble wrap which being clear makes it easier to
identify pieces. I'll stack smaller items in larger ones and only
use the bubble wrap if they seem like they are going to rattle
and or break.
So far this cavalier attitude is working... no busted pots.
Now I do maintain care and good wrapping with teapots
or any other pieces with delicate appendages.
Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
http://claybair.com
-----Original Message-----
From:Catherine Yassin
I'd like to add something that has been invaluable to me. After the show is
over, and you are packing up, it is definitely worth the time to have a
small
pad of paper handy and some tape. When you re-pack the unsold items, write
down
an inventory of what you are putting in that box; 10 green mugs, 12
birdhouses, 8 small bowls, etc. Then tape that inventory list onto the top
of the box.
That way when you have your boxes back at your studio and you want to pull
out
certain things then you aren't rumaging through them unpacking everything to
find one thing. This is especially handy when you're at your studio and
someone wants to buy something and your not up to your elbows in packing
paper
unwrapping everything :)
-Cat Yassin
San Antonio
Charnley McCrorey on sun 21 mar 04
I liked Cats Suggestion of the inventory at the end. I will remember that.
the other thing we do is we use Rubbermaid tubs to pack inventory into. This
started because we live in the Northwest where Rain and moisture damage to the
boxes is a very real probability.
We color code things here at the house, inventory for the craft shows is in
OMG Hot pink tubs. No one at the fairs would have the nerve to walk off with
them. We inventory what is in them by type and artist. (I run a small co-op
at the Ren Faires and so my stuff is in several, another artists is in one or
two) and even if it means packing them light at the end of the Fairs everything
goes back into the tubs they came out of.
Most of our events have 2 hour or less breakdown times so we have a crew who
comes in and helps. It makes a heck of a difference to have the tubs marked
with who's items and which ones go to what box.
The other thing we do is that we have a couple boxes of tools of a much
smaller size with the contents clearly marked on the tops and the sides. This
allows anyone helping to put things back where they belong. This is essential when
we have people helping.
We use metal stanchion pottery shelves and because wind picks up here
regularly around 2 in the afternoon we use C clamps to clamp the shelves to the
Stancions. The very first year we had a pottery shelf with 80 pound of Raku flip
up and hit the ground. It was definately a tragedy. Total net loss for that
particular event was staggering.
Blessings
Charnley McCrorey
Laughing Lion Productions
"Making silly little dragons to make people smile"
claybair on tue 23 mar 04
Hi Cat,
Funny you should ask about the tubs.
After several years of straining to lift and load
the large 18 gal. tubs my hubby casually said,
"Why don't you use the smaller ones?"
My response was, "DUH!" and
"That's why they pay you the big bucks!"
So for the past 4 years I've been using the Roughneck 10 gal.
tubs. They are easy to carry, stack well and because the lid is not
attached I can stack the empties inside each other then stack the lids
vertically under my booth tables. For larger pieces I use the 18 gal. ones.
I stack the 10 gal. ones 4 high in the van.
I use masking tape for the labels. If I need to change them it's easy and
fast.
I imagine a more detailed system could easily be added.... how many of this
and that.
At home in my little corner of the garage I stack those puppies
6-8 high. One word to the wise.... make sure the lower tubs are
heavier and full! If not they will collapse and the stack
is in risk of tilting and worse...collapsing.
I screwed bicycle hooks into the walls and bungee the stacks in place.
Gayle Bair - sitting on "schpilkas" waiting for the kiln to cool....and
don't ask for a translation.... I have no idea.... the best I can come up
with is "pins and needles"
Bainbridge Island, WA
http://claybair.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Catherine Yassin
Cat wrote>
Gail, thank you for the advice! I agree that after a sale I am usually dead
tired to do any logging of inventory. I myself have only been able to do it
about 2 out of 3 times but its after i get back to the studio or storage
that I
wished I had done it. I like your idea of pre-labeling the storage boxes and
using them only for those items specified on the outside. Any suggestions on
what make the best containers for transporting and storage? I use the large
ones
where the lids are attached by hinges so they can fold over on the top, that
way I'm not having lids separate from the boxes.
Cat Yassin
San Antonio
Catherine Yassin on tue 23 mar 04
In a message dated 3/21/2004 9:10:54 AM Central Standard Time,
gayle@CLAYBAIR.COM writes:
> This system works well for me. I always know what is in
> the tubs. Once home I can do an in depth inventory review.
> Regarding packing... after years of doing shows I have
> gotten cavalier and do not wrap each piece individually.
> I use bubble wrap which being clear makes it easier to
> identify pieces. I'll stack smaller items in larger ones and only
> use the bubble wrap if they seem like they are going to rattle
> and or break.
> So far this cavalier attitude is working... no busted pots.
> Now I do maintain care and good wrapping with teapots
> or any other pieces with delicate appendages.
Gail, thank you for the advice! I agree that after a sale I am usually dead
tired to do any logging of inventory. I myself have only been able to do it
about 2 out of 3 times but its after i get back to the studio or storage that I
wished I had done it. I like your idea of pre-labeling the storage boxes and
using them only for those items specified on the outside. Any suggestions on
what make the best containers for transporting and storage? I use the large ones
where the lids are attached by hinges so they can fold over on the top, that
way I'm not having lids separate from the boxes.
Cat Yassin
San Antonio
Marvin Giles on wed 24 mar 04
Another word about using plastic tubs....if you live in warmer climes,
do not leave stacked plastic tubs in unairconditioned spaces. given
the combination of heat and weight, they will deform.
Kristen Giles
k-mgiles@earthlink.net
In north Texas, where we've actually had spring for a couple of weeks,
but it looks like summer will be here soon!
> At home in my little corner of the garage I stack those puppies
> 6-8 high. One word to the wise.... make sure the lower tubs are
> heavier and full! If not they will collapse and the stack
> is in risk of tilting and worse...collapsing.
.
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