Christmas in July: A Trick to Preparing for Holiday Craft Fairs

When do you start thinking about Christmas? I myself start in July, then I have 6 months to get a head start and prepare for the busiest shopping season of the year. Truth be told you should keep the holiday season in mind most of the year when it comes to running a handmade crafting / jewelry business. If done right this can be a huge chunk of your yearly profits.

In July is when I start really buckling down and putting my effort into creating my holiday craft fair stock. I am by trade a jewelry artisan, however I like to take the time to try to create more than just jewelry to sell for the holidays. My side hobby is knitting and crochet... so come July it has become my routine to dig out the yarn and get to making scarves and hats. In years past I have pulled out polymer clay for ornaments and tried my hands at candle making. Chances are if you are a jewelry maker you are probably like me and creative in multiple areas. Having an alternate hobby for fairs and festivals serves two purposes, both I think are equally useful.

First I find that if I push myself too hard just making jewelry I can burn out... something is lost in translation and I run into the dreaded creative block. Maybe I am a bit attention deficit... or maybe I'm just a regular artist who is bursting with creative energy. Also for those driven people like me, we must keep moving... Having a secondary hobby gives you something else to focus on. A distraction that keeps tedium from setting in. I personally find my knitting and crochet to be very relaxing, especially as it is just my secondary stock... so anything I complete I see as extra. This gives it a rewarding factor. It is a fun break, as well as being productive.

The second valuable reason to take on a secondary hobby for the holiday season is that it gives you variety. A booth with multiple offerings both looks more interesting with the difference between your products as well as attracts a wider range of customers. In my craft fair experience it has varied from year to year which of my items is more popular. There have been times when I have sold more of my knitting and crochet than my jewelry. You can never be sure what people are shopping for so it makes good sense to double up on your offerings.

Hopefully this little method of mine sounds sound to all of you out there. So go ahead and have fun with it.... this is your chance to try a hobby or craft without worrying too much if it's a hit or a miss. An experiment without the stress or pressure... with a high possibility of a good return.