Always Doing Research

The July Brimfield Antique Show is said to be the smallest of the three.  But if you have a bad back and no access to one of those battery powered things from the Scooter Store, it's still a big show.  As it was on my way home from Mom's house where I'm cleaning and organizing for a sale, I thought I'd stop and look around.  I found a great parking lot with trees located about the center of the show and just started randomly checking out booths.  I was struck by how it all just looked like a bigger version of Mom's house.  Now I can find out what all that swag is worth.

The first booth had vintage crocheted doilies, handmade aprons, hand towels, and table cloths.  I found boxes and bags of the same type of items at Mom's.  Doilies started at $2, most were $3, and the biggest ones were $12.  Aprons were $5 a piece, tablecloths $8-$10. And all prices were negotiable.  How sad that items women spent hours creating were going so cheaply.  Other booths with similar items had similar prices.


Several booths had a variety of old kitchen gadgets, dishes, and bowls.  Just like the ones I found at Mom's.  The prices were actually less than what I would pay for similar new items.  Those old fashioned meat grinders from my childhood were $12. Yup, I have one of those too.

I brought pictures with me of a few things and showed toy dealers a picture of my "Screwball" game.  No one had a clue what it was worth.  Online I found one for $105 and another selling for $20.  Cabbage Patch kids don't sell at all but my Ginny Doll might be worth a few dollars with the clothes and wardrobe I have.

The old Singer sewing machine might get $40-$60.  An enamel top table from the 50's that I thought was worth hundreds will bring less than $100.

Old novels published in the 1940s by Somerset Maugham & Thomas Costain are going for $3.  No one cares about print books anymore.

I have a set of china from about 1920.  Unfortunately the glaze is crazed but it has 22k gold trim.  In Brimfield I found dishes in perfect condition with a fancier gold trim selling for $5 each.



I wasn't even looking for the best piece of information I got. I found a booth with old service weapons and lots of survival knives.  I unearthed one in Mom's cellar. The expert there told me that it was issued to service men in WWII and not Japanese as I had thought.  He told me to look for a number on the blade.  Well, it's too rusty.   But in examining the knife again when I got home I noticed, scratched but faded in the dried out leather sheath, what looked like "LST 113?".  After some googling I found out that Dad was on LST1139 in the Pacific and was present when the Japanese surrendered.  Dad never talked about his stint in the Navy so I had no idea.




Like the artisans I talk to at craft shows, these antique and vintage dealers are having a bad year.  Nothing is selling for what it's worth but it still costs $1000 for a spot in Brimfield.  I noticed some people buying, mostly large pieces of furniture that they probably got at a price they could finally afford.   Estate jewelry, household items, hardware, etc. had little traffic and I couldn't count the number of 1/2 price and sale signs I saw.

Crafts on the Common -- Successful and Rain Free

Sunshine and occasional cool breezes made for a pleasant Saturday in Amherst at the Annual Crafts on the Common Craft Show.  We were shouting distance from the always wonderful Amherst Farmer's Market and  had a great spot between Amy, who does wood carved sculptures and Shannon, who drew a crowd of children for face painting.

Didn't even realize my friend, Rebecca, was in the background.


And here's Bethany getting into the steampunk spirit of things with Shannon's help--

We at Jansjems featured mostly steampunk designs.  They are really popular with all ages at this show.  We also had a small collection of traditional jewelry just in case.  But we only sold a couple of those pieces.  I did have to say "goodbye" to one of my favorite steampunk pieces.                                                  



Several other members of the Artisans of Western Mass. were there--

Lou's Upcycles had a corner booth and her banner stood out nicely from a distance.



Cutsomers got drawn in by Aviva's bright and colorful Sieberdesigns.

And you couldn't miss Wild Child's tie dyed clothing.

Steve was there with handcrafted soaps and skin care products from Little Birch Farm.

Another jeweler from the group, Mary Risley Jewelry, brought her beautiful silver and gemstone pieces to the show.

It was really nice seeing some of my former co-workers from the Umass Library who stopped by the tent to chat.  The Indian food was great and the snow cones were enormous.  And it was nice to spend the day with artistic friends and appreciative customers.

Even Hamlet had a good time.  I don't think he bought anything but it looks like he chatted with friends.


For an official review of this show, see my side pages.



                 

Street Drugs

No, Jansjems isn't offering another product.  This is just my latest healthcare/health insurance rant.

Scenario: Mom injures her back, needs to move into assisted living, and has to take narcotic X for the pain.  She subsequently gets sent to the emergency room and is admitted into the hospital.  Those doctors think narcotic Y is a better fit for her and after treatment send her back with a prescription for Y.  I have to take the leftover X home because assisted living doesn't want to be responsible for it.  A week later she again gets sent to the emergency room.  This time for pneumonia.  They treat her and send her off to rehab where, after dealing with her pain issues, they try narcotic Z.  They send her home with a prescription for Z.  I have to remove what's left of Y.                                                                      

I now have 4 blister packs of narcotics with a pretty high street value.  These were all paid for by the insurance company as Mom's co-pay was only $3 for each prescription.  And no one seems to wonder where all the unused pills have gone.

Responsible citizen that I am, I trot over to the pharmacy and ask if they'll take back the unused pills.  They legally can't.  I ask how to dispose of them.  They suggest the local dump.

The dump doesn't want them because they will find their way into the ground water no matter how I package them.

You can't flush them as sewage treatment doesn't remove the drugs and animals who drink the treated water will still be harmed.

I happened to be at the fire station asking how to dispose of some really old traffic flares I found.  While there I asked if they knew anything about drug disposal.  They sent me to the Board of Health.
BTW, the FD couldn't tell me what to do with the flares.  Said they'd get back to me after they talk to the EPA.  I'm still waiting. 


The Board of Health didn't have a clue about drug disposal either but thought the police might have a "drug take back day".  So I stopped at the police station.  They said they might have one in the near future (no date as yet)  and I should watch the local access channel for a date.  Well, this is all taking place in Mom's town.  I'm there a couple days each week cleaning out her house. I don't watch the access channel.  And  I don't subscribe to the local paper.

So I told the cop at the desk that I was going to set up a stand on Main St.  I was sure I could be rid of these drugs in 10-15 minutes and would make some descent money for my trouble.  He smiled and told me that was illegal.                                                        

We all want clean water and a healthier environment. But  sometimes it takes a lot of research to do the right thing.

On a positive note: Last week I took an SUV filled with 60 years worth of oil based paints, weed killers, bug sprays, turpentine, and cans too rusted to read to the dump for their toxic waste disposal day.  I called Casella, they gave me the date, I arrived, and my car was emptied for me and the contents sorted on the spot.  Quick, easy, convenient.  Everything should be like that.  But they don't take flares and they don't take drugs.  And this is why people put into the trash so many things they're not supposed to.                    

Well, before one of you comes looking for me with a wad of cash, I brought the drugs back to my home town and stopped at my police station.  I was told that because we have a transfer station rather than a traditional dump, everything gets incinerated. So drugs in the trash bags are acceptable.  The drugs have been sent off to be incinerated.

The Daylily

Recently a new gift shop opened up in the center of South Deerfield.  This cute store has the work of some incredible local artists and artisans.  Even though the store has only been open a couple of months, Bridget tells me that she already has regular customers and traffic is great.

Her wonderful selection includes fine art, original greeting cards, small furniture, glass, hand soaps, and jewelry.  And as of today she will also be carrying a small line of Jansjems' steampunk jewelry.

Stop by and visit.  The Daylily's summer hours are Thursday & Friday, 10am - 5pm and Saturday 10am - 2pm.

Lou's Upcycles

 I recently saw my friend, Lou Leelyn, at a craft show and it occurred to me that I haven't done a featured artist in awhile.  Well here's a small tribute to a fellow artisan who not only creates from un-recyclable materials but also makes a real effort to educate others on how we can reduce our impact on the environment. She holds workshops to raise awareness of environmental issues.  And her blog is a wealth of information.  

Plastics.  A new and important commodity to invest in back in 1967 when "The Graduate" was made. It has since been propelled to essential status.   Products made of plastic could potentially last decades,  yet our main use of them is for inexpensive, single-use items the disposal of which contribute to a multitude of environmental problems.


Lou takes those dog food bags, or the plastic bags you get from Target & Walmart, layers them, and, with a warm iron, fuses them into a textile she can use to create tote bags, hats, cosmetic cases, and even a rain coat.  

Sometimes referred to as trashion, her pieces are unique, colorful, sturdy, and very popular, especially when customers find packaging from their favorite products being used.  If you don't catch her at a local craft show, you can purchase from Lou's Upcycles on Etsy.


In her "spare" time, Lou chairs the board for the Artisans of Western Mass. and is one of several dedicated members working on new ways to promote and market handmade in Western Mass.

Gift to the Backyard Animals

I'm only home a few days each week now and my garden is suffering.  Since we joined CISA and get our veggies from a local farm, I haven't felt guilty about not planting vegetables this year.  I just wouldn't have the time.  But my perennial garden is lush and I've got a nice selection of herbs out near the fence.  And they cry for me to weed and thin and just pay attention to them.

Sensing my neglect, a rabbit has taken up residence in my backyard.  I would've thought he'd prefer a yard with a vegetable garden, but I guess this one is a gourmet.  He/she's eating the tops off of several of my flowers.  Because of him/her I probably won't have lupins again this year.  Anytime one of the plants sprouts a few leaves, they're gone the next day.

Where there's one rabbit, there are probably several.  And this one is no exception.  My neighbor says he has seen baby rabbits in his yard recently.  So I guess that means more mouths to feed.  The garden will be much less colorful this year.

And don't  get me started on the digging this little guy has been doing.  He's planting oak trees that are sprouting!!  My husband saw him chasing a crow out of the yard yesterday.  Territorial little terror.

The Sociology of Craft Shows

I'm people watcher.  To keep from getting bored when traffic is slow at a craft show I often observe and wonder about certain behaviors.  I recently set up a tent at a very large 2-day show and here are some of my observations:

Customers--
Even the most bold and self confident customer has a hard time walking away without buying. They don't want you to feel rejected, especially when they've spent 20 minutes trying on a dozen different pieces.  I know that even if they love my jewelry for its cleverness they may not want to actually wear it.  It's ok.  For me, appreciation is almost as good as a sale.  But they don't know that, so they:
   --ask you to hold a piece and never come back for it
   --tell you they'll be back when they decide which necklace they want
   --say they're just doing research today and will come back and buy tomorrow
   --pretend to take a phone call and leave the tent, never to return

You have to be aware of the shy customers who end up in your tent because they caught one of your necklaces in their peripheral vision so they stop and look.  Easing them into the tent is like getting a bird to eat out of your hand.  But once they're in, they often buy if the price is right.

I love women with big personalities.  They chat and joke with you and you can easily convince them to try something on that they would never think to wear.  They're fun and make the day pass more quickly, even if they don't actually buy.

At every show I run into someone who loves something of mine but doesn't want IT; they want something like IT.  I don't do custom because I have found people are too often disappointed in the finished product they themselves have designed.  Their vision and reality differ considerably.

Occasionally you run into a crafty octogenarian who used to make all kinds of things "back in the day."  He's lost his wife recently and is just looking to reconnect with artisans and tell someone about what he used to do.  He's cute and funny and I'm happy to make his craft show experience a pleasant one.

Then there's the patron who must be used to shopping in places where the price signs and sale signs are prominent.  So he walks into your tent and asks, "So what does everything in here cost?"

I'm particularly fond of the guys looking for just the right gift for their wife or girlfriend.  They really shop, look at everything, and usually buy jewelry.  Of course I really like them when they end up buying that gift from me.

You really have to watch the women who come in groups, try on a dozen different necklaces, pick things up and put them down in a different place, and just wreak havoc for 5-10 minutes.  They might actually walk off with one of your pieces in their pocket and you won't notice until after they're gone and you're putting your display back together.

Vendors--                                                                                                          
The artisans I know and associate with are a proud group who appreciate and value anything handmade.  They don't haggle over prices.  We price fairly taking in the cost and time to create and factoring in what the market will bear.   So I was very disappointed  to observe the following behaviors as I walked around the show and chatted with other vendors:

     --the jeweler who adds up a purchase that comes to $76, tells the customer that $66 will do, and then      takes $65.
    --the jeweler loudly hawking his wares (questionably handmade by him personally), telling people that though the price is $175, he'll gladly take $150.   I figure he bought it from someone else for about $40.
    --the woodcarver who's only asking $38 for a piece but takes $35 when the customer asks if he'll accept less.

Is the economy so bad that higher end craft shows are turning into flea markets?
Is that what jewelry designers have to do as the competition gets larger every year?
I'm not even selling at full retail.  Should I double all my prices then give customers a 25% break when they buy?  This is marketing but it seems so dishonest to me.
Don't people realize that at $150 the $175 bracelet is probably still marked up 200%?
Am I giving consumers too much credit for knowing the true value of a handmade item?

Selling handmade is still about finding your customers; people who appreciate your work and are willing to pay for it.  But it gets harder all the time, especially if you're designing jewelery. And I find more women are satisfied with inexpensive strands of beads. You can buy several of them for the price of an artistic precious metal clay design.

All this is food for thought in this changing economy and  I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has marketing suggestions or any other kinds of suggestions for selling handmade.