August 25th, 2010 | 
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This show is held in early December, and is heavily attended. There is a place for kids to set up booths and sell their wares. I’m trying to help my daughter think of things that would be good sellers with a decent profit margin. Help me brainstorm!
So far we’ve come up with:
- bookmarks made with marbled cardstock (she’ll do the marbling)
- Christmas greeting cards
- dishsoap dispensers like Martha Stewart showed the other day, made of small wine bottles and a liquor spout (if you think this is a good idea, do you know where to buy those small fancy bottles that wouldn’t cost that much?)
- homemade paper (doubting she has the time or energy to do much of this)
Even if you can’t think of anything, I’d love if you would take the time to comment on the ideas we already have, including what you think would and wouldn’t sell to a "country style" crowd just before Christmas, and what you would think the items could be priced.
Thanks a lot for your help!
Posted in Country Crafts | 
Tags: booths, cardstock, christmas, christmas greeting cards, country style, crowd, decent profit, fancy bottles, liquor spout, love, martha stewart, profit margin, wares, wine bottles
You have some great ideas there already. One idea I did with my daughter for a Christmas craft fair was. We had a spin art machine and my daughter did the spin art on Cards and put envelopes with them and they sold like crazy, more than my stuff and she had a lot of fun making them and getting money for them. You can sell them single or grouped together with a tied ribbon.
a good idea might be plastic canvas which is cheap and you can make picture frames, tissue box cover, magnet, the list goes on and on.
another thing you can do and this is very cheap and easy for anyone. You can by a small photo albums (the ones you can buy at michaels for $1.99) buy some spray adheisve and some fabric. take the plastic outer cover off of the photo album and spray it with adheisive than place the fabric over the album and press down and let dry fold over the edges and glue them in. You can also by lacing and glue the lacing for added effect. Also you can take a small patch of the same fabric and spray the back to make it look more finished. (depeding on the fabric and you can glue buttons with little bow ties.
the third link you will have to help if you are to do this. this is making a lamp from old wine bottles. You can go to any resturant and asks if they will be willing to give you empty bottles. After the lamp is made you can accent with beads or any type of theme. Another thought is to buy a lampshade plain (either at walmart or at craft store they sell sell adhieving ones) An just like the photo cover spray with adhesive and place fabric over the lamp shade and accent with hanging beads for that classy look without all the fuss. I haven’t made these yet but they seem easy to do. Hope this helps you.
the link I added below has free patterns for many crafts and yo can get many ideas. signup is reguired but free. You do need adobe reader for most pattern.
When I was about that age and in girl scouts our troop made a lot of money from selling homemade ghosts made out of cheesecloth dipped in elmers glue and molded over empty, upside down 2 liter pop bottles. It is a rather seasonal item, but they were very popular.
We used to have these back in the day when i was little….
tissue paper flowers attached to hair clips were popular with young girls, and also several arranged in a decorated bottle too…. heres some instructions:
http://crafts.kaboose.com/flower2.html
http://www.azcentral.com/home/crafty/articles/0913craftyideas13.html
You can also go to the dollar store and buy picture frames (the easiest to make are flat and you just wrap them in interesting.fancy wallpaper),and plain picture albums for a dollar each to decorate(albums wrapped book-cover style with fabric look great, especially w a theme like xmas), and you could probably sell them for at least $3 each
Oher ideas would be making dreamcatchers, theyre pretty simple to make, beaded jewelry, making artificial wreaths and centerpieces(especially with candles), and school-themed things like magnets/pencil holders, etc….
lol…im out of ideas, but good luck
What about gifts in a jar? You can search on google or yahoo for gifts in a jar or jar mixes and find tons of ideas.
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geu_EhYtZGzQ0AFRJXNyoA?p=free+gift+in+a+jar+recipes%2C+jar+mixes&fr=ks-ans
My only concern would be any health regulations that might govern arts and crafts shows.
Recycling crafts is another option, with the advantage of having inexpensive, readily available supplies. There are some on this page
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/recycling-crafts/index.shtml
that might work for a 9 year old to make for a crafts show…maybe magazine organizers made from cereal boxes, denim pocket purses or fridgies, vinyl record bowl, book safe or tiered jewellery holder made from old saucers and small glasses (if you don’t have these, you’d probably find lots at the thrift store).
Your daughter might also enjoy making homemade bath or beauty recipes – aromatherapy bath salts, homemade soap, herbal bath mixes or simple facial toners.
collect fir cones spray with gold and silver and make table decorations
Some ideas:
Get cheap frames (with mats) at a dollar store or similar. Take apart, use spray adhesive to glue on fabric, homemade papers, scrapbook papers, leaves, lace – you name it – to the mat and reassemble.
Craft stores sell chipboard or paper mache boxes. Easily covered with fabric, wrapping paper, etc. with a pretty bow on the top cover. When selling, go for the "recyclable present" angle – box can be used again and again, doesn’t waste wrapping paper, etc. Have a few made up as Christmas presents – put in some shred and a teddy bear, a collection of candles, etc.
Another option would be to make neck coolers. Directions can be found at the link below.
Have fun!
A super easy craft, that can be put together quickly, are flower pot pens. They are very popular sellers at craft fairs too. I’ve included a link below which gives step by step instructions on how to make them.
You have some great ideas there, What about loom knitting. With the spool knitter or a small blue Knifty Knitter you cam make those fashion scarves. You can get fun fur at several of the local dollar store which would make them cheap. They go fast and should be a good seller. Even make them in the school colors or the local teams. the scarves make good gifts for Christmas time. Even matching hats go pretty quickly, if you get yarn on sale you will have a good profit margin
try Melt and Pour Soaps. You should be able to find a glycerin soap base at your local craft store along with fragrance and dyes and molds. You melt the soap base..(you can use a microwave), add your scents color…you can add other stuff like oatmeal or milk and herbs, mold let sit for a day, un mold. It’s easy. Just try googling soap making you’ll find lots of info
try http://www.millersoaps.com
I attend many craft fairs!! A big seller are journals! Get the composition books, which are now 50 cents each, and decorate them with some card stock or marble paper, with ribbons, post it notes, flowers, etc. anything that you have hanging around the craft room!!! These will sell for $5.00 each and fly out the door!!! Good luck!!
Gay Ferland
Thoroughly clean and dry a quart-sized mayonaisse jar. (Remove the labels and the inside disk from the lid.) With a pinking sheer, cut a circle from festive fabric remants large enough to cover the top of the lid and extend past the neck of the jar. Center the fabric onto the lid and secure with a drop of hot glue. (Mom should help with the hot glue gun, of course.) Fill the jar with jelly beans, Hershey’s kisses, peanuts, etc. Attach the lid. Carefully secure the fabric edges around the neck of the jar with elasticized ribbon. Five bucks! Jelly jars, baby food jars…anything with a twist-top lid. (Modify your price accordingly!)
I like the idea of dish soap dispensers. I think if you find a Dollar Tree store or similar type near you,you’ll be able to find inexpensive bottles there. Good luck on projects!! (Also,when packing them for the show,go to the local liquor store and get the cases they throw away. They are made especially for bottles so they won’t get broke transporting them!!)