First Pre-Christmas Craft Sale

[William Young (SE BC)]

This was my first Pre Christmas sale from 9.00AM Saturday until 3.00 PM. It was in a little community hall in Wynndel which is a one horse village with a general store and post office and some houses. It is ten miles from the nearest town of Creston BC and it poured rain all day in heavy fog. We really didn't expect many to turn out and the walk in traffic was way down from last year.
I had rented a double table and was hoping I would meet expeneses.
Much to my surprise I came home with a clear $425.00. after the price of the tables and lunch for my wife and I.
About 85% of my sales were from wood turnings and the other 15% was from scrollsawing and fretwork.
Sometimes it's scrolling that sells and sometimes it turning. I just take it as it comes.
I couldn't get the whole table length in one picture so I am posting a left and right shot of it.
Every time I do a craft sale I find that it is lots of smaller inexpenesive items that sell the best at the sales in my area than just a few big ones to make up the end total.
I only had 12 spurtles and wished that I had made more. I took some back orders for them and I will make at least 20 more to take to the next sale in two weeks from now.
W.Y.

[Minnesota scroller]

Way to go Bill. Sounds like you had a successful day. But, what in the world is a spurtle?

[pete00]

sounds like you had a good day congrats......

?? spurtle ..?????

pete

[PuzzledMoose]

Hey how can you guys not know what a spurtle is? You're obviously not porridge lovers...

[PuzzledMoose]

.. or of Scottish descent ...

[Minnesota scroller]

So, is a spurtle something you eat porridge out of.

[SharonW0111]

I am of Scotish decent- Maiden name Mc Intyre and my Grandfather was from Scotland. and that is where I got my auburn hair and hazel eyes. Any who ==here in Texas it is called Oatmeal..
Sharon

[PuzzledMoose]

Lol - no Mike. It's a porridge stirring stick.

Have a look here. These are ones that a guy near us in Nova scotia makes.

http://www.sunrisewoodcrafts.ns.ca/spurtles.html

[SharonW0111]

OOPS hit the button to soon-- isn't a spurtle a bowl ?
Sharon

[PuzzledMoose]

There's probably some Scottish blood in me too, Sharon. My surname is Scott and I was only born 3 miles inside England in a place called Berwickon Tweed.

A few hundred years earlier and I could have been Scottish for sure - Berwick swapped sides quite a few times in wars between the English and Scots - it's the only soccer team in England to play in the Scottish leagues. Today's piece of useless trivia ..lol

[William Young (SE BC)]

Yep . . . Scottish porridge stirring sticks. Here are just a few of the many I have made.
Takes about ten minutes each to make and no finish necessary except mineral oil applied right on the lathe so the profit at $12.00 each is very good when using wood mostly from my firewood pile. I discount to $10.00 each for ones that buy three or more at a time and that happens often from people buying them to give as gifts.
I will be prepared with at least 20 more for my next sale.
It never ceases to amaze me how many items can be made so quickly and easily on a wood lathe that sell so well at craft sales. I tried ring holders and and ring boxes on this last sale and they went well and I also cleaned out of decorative Tea light candles again. Gotta get busy and get more stuff made. Fortunately I have two weeks before my next sale.
W.Y.

[will8989]

Thanks for the explanation of spurtle. Glad to see I wasn't the only one who didn't know what it meant. I browsed through your picture folder and if I had those views from my shop window I would never ever get anything done!!! What a lovely view!! Looks like your property is on quite a slope though. I agree with you about the more inexpensive items going fast/first. I took a mental survey yesterday at my show and all my baskets $30+ were bought by older people with disposable income and they were keeping them for themself. The less priced items (I won't say cheaper, because I don't consider them cheap, just priced less) went to younger buyers looking for a nice, inexpensive gift. Glad you have 2 weeks to your next show, I have 5 days!! And I almost sold out yesterday!! guess I'll be surrounded by sawdust for the next 5 days!!

Betty