Friday 31 July 2015

What to take to a craft fair/ craft show- Packing List

Hello everyone,

There are lots of amazing craft fairs, vintage shows and art exhibitions happening at the moment so I thought for today's 'shop tips' I would put together a packing list of useful things to take for a fair. I hope this is useful and will help you to prepare for the fair.

Stall basics and set up
  • Table (if required, you might want to check with the venue)
  • Chairs (if required)
  • Table cloth (long enough to cover under the table so you can place extra stock and your storage boxes there)
  • DIY equipment if you are putting up your stand (hammer, nails etc)
  • Sack truck to transport your boxes to your stall
  • Stock boxes (clearly labeled) 
  • Photograph of your practice set up before the fair so you can remember where everything goes and set up quickly 
  • Lighting (Plug in lighting if you are by a plug point or battery operated fairy lights)
About you
  • Business cards / flyers
  • Artist portfolio with photographs
  • CV
  • Stickers with branding
  • Photographs of your other work
  • Where the public can find you on social media
  • Your brand/ shop name clearly displayed

What to wear
  • Layers! - If it is hot you can take a layer off, if it is cold you can put another layer on
  • Comfy shoes as you will spend a lot of time standing on your feet and need something comfy to unload in
  • Depending on what you are selling you might want to take a spare pair of clothes (for example if you are lifting big pieces of furniture or something which might mark your clothes)
  • Gloves for outdoors or for moving stock these are helpful
  • Hat (warm hat or sunhat depending on the weather) - obviously for if you are outside but also useful for unloading. If you turn up at 5 or 6 in the morning there is a chill in the air so a warm hat comes in handy!
  • Your own items - a great way to show off what you make and show what it looks like on. Wear your own creations
  • Wellington boots if you are going somewhere muddy such as selling at a festival
  • Outfit - Wear something you are comfy in but also reflects you and the style of your brand and the event you are going to. For example when I sell at vintage fairs I normally get out one of my lovely vintage dresses to wear. It is also quite useful to wear something bright coloured or memorable so people can point you and your stall out to others
  • Extra socks -incase they get wet
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Inner soles for your shoes - makes your feet so much more comfy!
Payment
  • A float with both notes and plenty of small change
  • Somewhere to store the money (a lockable box? a bum bag or cash belt? an apron?)
  • Credit card machine if you are offering this payment
  • Receipt/ sales book
  • iPad or phone if you are taking online payments

Stationary
  • Pins
  • Pens - Take something that won't smudge, won't run easily if they get wet and take lots of pens as they always seem to disappear or get lost!
  • Marker pen (incase you need to write signage)
  • Paper
  • Card (for makeshift signs)
  • Blu-Tack
  • Scissors
  • Double sided tape
  • Spare price tags
  • Clipboard
  • Red 'SOLD' stickers - Great if your customer is going to collect later and also encourages customers to buy as they see other people buying 
  • Please touch/ try on sign really encourages people to touch your work, look through and try on which means they are more likely to make a purchase 
  • Notepad - for jotting down ideas, requests, contact details etc

Display
  • Rail for clothing
  • Something to add height to your stall
  • Bargain/ special offer box
  • Jewellery stands
  • Price labels/ signs that stand out
  • Mirror for customer

Packaging
  • Bubble wrap
  • Stickers with your branding to seal
  • Gift wrap
  • Packing nuggets
  • Bags - these look great if they have your own branding on them
  • Tissue paper
  • Poly Pockets for protecting prints, cards etc 
  • Small bags for little items (such as jewellery)
Refreshments

You usually won't have much time to be dashing off and leaving the stall especially if it is just you manning it so make sure you take something to eat and drink and that this is something that isn't messy but will keep your energy up. A flask of coffee or tea is a good way to perk yourself up too! Make sure you take lots of water. I often find my voice gets croaky at fairs from talking to so many people so keep hydrated!

Good foods to take...
  • Crackers
  • Pieces of fruit
  • Grapes
  • Cereal bars
For outdoor fairs
  • Flask for a hot drink
  • Hand warmers
  • Paper weights (or strong double sided tape) to stop signs blowing away
  • Weighted clips - These can be used to stop signs flapping or your table cloth lifting
  • Sunblock/ suncream
  • Hat and gloves
Other
  • Mobile phone and charger or spare battery if possible
  • Ipad or something you can use to tweet/ update your Facebook page etc
  • Camera - To take some decent photographs which you can upload to social media or your website afterwards
  • Spare bulbs for lighting
  • Mini first aid kit - Plasters are a must!
  • Chapstick
  • Tissues
  • Rubbish (garbage) bags
  • Small bin (trash can) - useful if you are gift wrapping or removing labels
  • Compact mirror
  • Hairbrush

Extras

  • Something to do. You hope the stall is going to be super busy all day but there will be some quieter times or times when there are customers on the stall but they are happy browsing themselves. It is a good idea to take something to do and particularly if you can take something craft related as this will double up as a way to demonstrate your craft which customers love to see. So sitting there knitting, drawing, making things will keep you busy and keep your stall looking interesting!
  • A friend to help out, provide an extra pair of hands and man the stall when you need to use the bathroom
  • Change for the car park that is easily accessible (i.e. not in float which happens to be under EVERYTHING in the car!)

Some handy hits
  • If you don't have a credit card machine find out where the nearest ATM is so you can direct your customers there if they need to get cash out
  • Find out where the toilet is so you don't have to spend ages looking for it once the fair begins and you can direct any customers who ask there too
  • Schedule social media posts to post where the fair is and regularly check your social media incase anyone is asking details about the fair. Upload some photographs of set up or photographs of your stall to encourage people to visit

Hope this helps!

Good luck with your fair/ exhibition/ show. I would love to hear what fairs you are doing and if this helped at all. Please let me know in the comments section below. I would also love to hear if you think I have missed anything.

Thursday 30 July 2015

3 Wedding dress looks that I am loving this week

Hello everyone,

So wedding season is in full swing and one of my family friends has just had the most beautiful wedding out in Thailand on the beach. It looks incredible! She wore a stunning dress. It was understated and totally beautiful with a beaded front and low back with criss cross strap. It was really different to any of the wedding dresses I had seen before so got me thinking about different wedding styles and dresses.

Here are my top 3 wedding dress styles I am loving this week.

1) Retro Tropical 



When you think of weddings, retro tropical is probably not a style that springs to mind but how perfect is this wedding look? I am totally in love with that dip dye dress. It has such a pretty lace sweetheart style back and looks like a modern twist on a vintage style dress in style and then you get to that bright orange dip dye which is just amazing. It was dip dyed by hand as well. It sounds like it really shouldn't work but it so does! I love the tropical look from the flowers to the pineapple wedding stationary and the groom's outfit is pretty cool too!

Amber Gress Photography/ Ambergress.com  via Buzzfeed 




2) The Two Piece


Less formal wedding dresses are big this season. Separates have been a huge trend generally and are now being seen in bridal wear too. I love this two piece wedding dress which I found on Etsy.com it was handmade by Candice Lee in Australia

Candice Lee Bridal - on Etsy.com

3) Non- white wedding dresses

When I think of weddings I usually think of something quite traditional; the bride wearing a white wedding dress and it set in a church. People are now thinking of lots of alternative venues for their weddings and breaking with tradition so why not break with tradition with your wedding dress too and instead of choose white go for something with colour and pattern. I am totally in love with these dresses by Marchesa. 


Photo Credit - Marchesa 

This dress is bridal in shape but anything but traditional with the colours and pattern. I love the 'floaty' look of this dress and it would make a beautiful wedding dress.
A black dress is probably the last thing you would think of when thinking of a wedding dress but this dress is AMAZING. I have fallen totally in love with it and it would look incredible. 


Wednesday 29 July 2015

Wordless Wednesday - Vintage cats AND tea cups..... the best combination ever?!

Hello everyone,

Hope you are having a great week so far.  Every Wednesday I post a photograph with no words as part of Wordless Wednesday. On Wednesdays Bloggers around the world take part in Wordless Wednesday and the idea is the photograph says enough as it is that it doesn't need a description.
A photo posted by The Dorothy Days (@thedorothydays) on

To see more photographs please check out my Instagram 

The Dorothy Days  Xx

Tuesday 28 July 2015

5 minute Etsy shop improvement - Improving your shop sections

Hello everyone,

I hope you are enjoying my 5 minute Etsy shop improvements series. So far I have covered everything from getting the craft fairs you are attending listed on Etsy to shortening your URL.

If you have missed my posts you can find them here:

Adding a location to your shop
Telling your Etsy customers about a market you are attending
Rearranging your shop
Making your shop URL neater (and shorter!)

Today I wanted to talk about Etsy shop sections. This is an easy way in which you can improve how likely you are to get found in search as well as helping your customers once they are in your shop.

What are shop sections?

They are sections in your shop. Your shop will still look exactly the same but you will now have a tool bar on the left which buyers will be able to click to see items that you have put into a section. For example I have a section for all my handmade tags and labels which is useful if a customer just wants to view these rather than all the other items I have in my shop. It is also useful to direct customers on social media to your shop section.

You can currently (at time of writing) have 10 shop sections on Etsy.


Why?

They help you get found in search as they contain keywords

They organise your shop

Buyers who are looking for something specific in your shop. For example if you sell a whole range of cards but your buyer is looking for birthday cards it would be useful to have a birthday card section.

How do I add shop sections?


  1.  Login to your Etsy shop
  2. On the top right hand side click 'Your shop' then 'Quick Links' and then 'Listing Manager'
  3. On the left hand side there is a tool bar which says 'Shop Sections' click 'Manage'
  4. You will now be able to add new shop sections, rename old shop sections and rearrange the sections
  5. Once you have your shop section set up you can then begin adding items to that section. This can be done at the time of you listing a new item or you can search and select items from the listing manager page and then click 'More Actions' and then 'Change Section'
Please note shop sections have limited characters so use wisely!



What should I call my sections?

Use descriptive keywords for your shop sections as it helps you to get found in search.

Think what a customer might type into a search bar to find your product.

Don't use decorative characters unless you have extra space as it is better to put an extra keyword in. For example putting >>> Children 5-6 <<< with the decorative characters does not help you get found in search. It would be better to have Children Aged 5-6.

Although it looks rather pretty, do not space your wording as search engines will not be able to read it like a human does. For example writing b i r t h d a y  c a r d s will mean you won't show up when someone searches 'birthday cards' so stick to 'normal' text

Keep your shop section titles simple and what people would search. Avoid using 'pretty' titles, spelling incorrectly on purpose or colloquial terms unless they are widely used. For example, having sections called 'lovely rings' is less likely to get you found than 'gemstone rings' which is more descriptive. It would be much better to have 'Birthday Cards' rather than 'Birthday Cardz' and better to have 'Hair Accessories' rather than 'Hair bits 'n' bobs'

Extra Tips

If you are holding a sale consider creating a sale section. This means you can easily direct your customers to that section on your shop


Hope this helps, please let me know if there is anyone you would like covering in my 5 minute series by leaving a comment in the comments section below

The Dorothy Days Xx

Sunday 26 July 2015

What a lovely weekend by the sea - Hove for strolls along the beach followed by Sunday hibernating!

Good evening everyone,

Hope you all had an amazing weekend. I have been taking some time away at the moment and it was been lovely to relax and enjoy some time off. I had the most wonderful weekend and had family to visit. We took a trip to Hove and the weather on Saturday was a bit chilly but not too cold for ice creams and a lovely stroll! There are lots of beach huts along the sea front which have been painted in lots of different colours.




Today we ventured into Brighton to have a look at some of the vintage shops but the weather was awful. Being on the coast it was so windy and cold and was raining hard too so we abandoned the shopping trip early and came back for tea and treated ourselves to some rather naughty (but very very nice!) cakes and treats. It is the best way to cheer yourself up on a wet and cold Sunday!


A photo posted by The Dorothy Days (@thedorothydays) on

Hope that you all had a wonderful weekend. Did anyone get up to anything nice?

Please let me know in the comments section below. Did anyone else hibernate and drink lots of hot drinks while snuggled in a duvet?! ....or was that just us?!

Thursday 23 July 2015

Prada Raw Eyewear Collection - A collaboration between the arts and fashion

To advertise the launch of their latest eyewear collection,  Prada have commissioned six influential young fashion and design illustrators from around the world to make their own animated illustrations starring products from the 'Prada Raw Eyewear' range. 

The 'virtual catwalks' features illustrations from Blair Breitenstein, Carly Kuhn, Judith van den Hoek, Megan Hess, Vida Vega and Wong Ping. Each illustrator has their own very unique style and the animations range from the more traditional fashion sketches of Vida Vega to the psychedelic colours of Wong Ping's animation.

I really love what Prada has done here and always enjoy seeing collaborations between fashion and the arts as they are so inexplicably linked. Who can forget the iconic Yves Saint Laurent dress inspired by the paintings of Piet Mondrian or Juergen Teller's ad campaign with Marc Jacobs? It is certainly a way to stand out from the competition and create something really attention grabbing and interactive. I certainly think this collaboration will be up there amongst some of the great and most memorable art and fashion collaborations. 





 
Prada Raw Avenue - Wong Ping from WongPing on Vimeo.



Thanks for reading



More about the Prada Raw Collection and to see all six animations: http://raw.prada.com

Wednesday 22 July 2015

Not a very Wordless Wednesday - Pink hydrangea photograph by The Dorothy Days

Hello everyone,

Thank you for stopping by to take a look at my blog. 

On Wednesdays I post a photograph on my blog without any many words hence the title 'Wordless Wednesday' this is something which many bloggers from around the world do every Wednesday.

Today I wanted to share one from my Instagram account which I took yesterday. On my Instagram account I post lots of different photos of what I am up to, what I am making, what inspires me and behind the scenes photographs. You can find my Instagram account here

....I realise this is not a very Wordless Wednesday after all...but hope you like the photograph!




The Dorothy Days Xx 

Tuesday 21 July 2015

5 Minute Etsy Shop Improvements - Add your location to your shop

Hello everyone,

I hope that you have all been enjoying my 5 minute Etsy shop improvement series so far. Today I wanted to share with you how to add the location of your shop to your profile.

Why should I add my location?

Lots of buyers like shopping locally for various different reasons including that they like to support local businesses or often because they need something fast for example I often get lots of local customers buying my wedding tags because they need them quickly.

Etsy have a feature which means you can shop by shop location. This could be as broad as 'United Kingdom' or buyers can narrow the search down to their local town/ city.

If you don't have your shop location listed, buyers won't be able to find you using this search feature which could mean you are missing out on lots of customers!

How do I add my shop location?

It is really easy!

1) Log into your Etsy account
2) On the top right of the screen there is the tool bar. Click 'You' (This should have your profile logo) and then 'Account Settings'
3) Once on Account Settings on the left hand side click 'Public Profile' (You may have to retype your login details to access this)
4) There is a box which will say 'City'. If you start typing you will be able to choose from a suggested city to help others find you.
5) Scroll down and hit 'Save Changes'!

You will now appear on Etsy local search. If you have chosen a city for example if I had chosen London. It will say 'London, England, United Kingdom' this will mean you will also come up for sellers choosing to search United Kingdom sellers

Tips:

Do not delete the bit it automatically adds after your city as this will mean buyers who search more broadly (U.K rather than a city) will not be able to find you.

Thanks for reading!

The Dorothy Days 

Saturday 18 July 2015

Beach, Please! - Hilarious Youtube video about Brighton Beach



Hello!

Hope you are all having a wonderful Sunday.

Been spending quite a lot of time at the coast recently and this Youtube video about Brighton Beach made by two Brighton newcomers has been making me laugh.

Exploring everything from budgie crackers to getting comfy on the sand go check it out!

By the way boys.....that was Hove....actually!

You can also find them on Twitter Rob and Jamie.

*Please note there is mild adult humour and a couple of swear words in the video*

Style Saturday - Wood and Copper

Wood and copper




Get the look....



Photo Credit: Panselino 

Handmade diamond cage pendant made from 'copper look' aluminium by Panselino.

Find this item for sale on Etsy.com 











Photo Credit: Canvas Home


Set of 6 coffee spoons in matte copper inspired by Japanese designs 








Photo Credit: Horne




Innit Rocking Chair in black with a painted copper colour base designed in the USA

Sunday 12 July 2015

Saturday 11 July 2015

Style Saturday - Travelling for him - Stylish but practical


Hello!

Lots of you are off on your holidays (vacations) at the moment. I have received lots of tweets from you all telling me about some of the amazing places you are off to (I am very jealous!).  So for today's Style Saturday I wanted to do a travel/ holiday related post but thought for a change I would do a men's style saturday post. I recently went away with my partner who travels frequently. Whilst I was at the check in gate frantically searching my handbag for my passport and trying to remember where I had put my iPad for security he had everything organised and sorted!

He would love this collection. There is a place for everything down to a clip for your cables and a place to store your pen but it is also very stylish. I remember when we used to travel as children my mum would take a big plastic expanding folder with all the passports and boarding cards and essentials in. It made everything so much easier at the airport so this is like the 'grown up' stylish version whist still be super practical.

When traveling guide for him

This would be perfect for your holidays but also if you frequently fly. I like how the slots for different things would also jog your memory and make you remember to pick up all your cables, cards, phone etc as there is nothing worse than getting to the airport and realising you have forgotten something really crucial! The passport covers are also great if there are more than one of your travelling (perhaps as a family) so you can immediately identify whose is whose rather than frantically flicking through trying to find the photos! The headphone are a must for killing time without annoying other passengers as there is only so much walking around duty free that you can do! The suitcase is....well a suitcase....practical but not particularly beautiful! We found that if you check your luggage in that if you choose a black or brown suitcase you might want to tie something bright coloured onto the case as EVERYONE seems to have a black or brown bag! That way you can see straight away when it comes round the conveyor belt.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend

Would love to hear if you are off on your holidays and where you are going. Please let me know in the comments section below!

The Dorothy Days X





Tuesday 7 July 2015

5 minute Etsy shop tips - Telling your customers about a market you are attending

5 Minute Etsy Shop Improvement #3

How to easily tell your Etsy customers you will be selling at a market/ fair

There are lots of craft fairs and vintage markets happening at the moment and if you are selling at one you will of course you will be wanting to tell all your followers and customers so that those local can come and see you.

There are many ways you can do this for example putting it out to your customer mailing list, telling people on social media, sending invites to people you know etc but did you know you can also put it on Etsy?

Adding an event is super easy and it will appear on your shop so anyone browsing can click through and find out about where you are next exhibiting/ selling.

How to list your event on Etsy Local

1) Log in to your Etsy account

2) Click this link (It will open in a new window so that you can still follow the steps on my blog) https://www.etsy.com/uk/local

3) Check that someone else has not already listed the event by searching for the event. If they have you can then click 'I am participating' If the event is not listed already then click 'Create an Event' and fill in the details on the form

4) Once you have either set up the event listing or clicked 'I am participating' you can then insert the days and hours you will be there and any other info you want to include. 

Things you might want to include....what you are selling, your stand or stall number so people can find you, if you are bringing anything exciting or exclusive

Hope you found this useful,

Please also see:



Monday 6 July 2015

Inspirational quote of the week - Albert Einstein


Hello everyone,

Hope that you all have had an amazing weekend. Did anyone do anything nice!?

Today I wanted to share with you one of my favourite quotes by Albert Einstein. I hope that it will inspire you this week!

The Dorothy Days Xx

Sunday 5 July 2015

Lazy Sundays and Le Tour de France!

Hello everyone,

Hope you all have been having a fantastic weekend. My weekend has been full of crafting, avoiding the rain but basking in the sunshine, trips to the park with Rufus and watching my very first Tour de France! It has been a rather lazy weekend but a lovely weekend too!

I decided to make this new Pinterest board for all things cycling and Tour de France including beautiful bicycles, cycling products and photographs. Enjoy!

Is anyone else watching? 


Saturday 4 July 2015

Style Saturday -Lemon and mint outfit inspiration

sometimes the hardest things and the right things are the same...


Hello everyone,

Welcome to my Style Saturday post. The collection this week would be perfect for a weekend spent in working, blogging or creating. I always find that when I want to make something new for the shop or going to write new posts on my blog I have to clear my workspace before working and relax myself. If I know I am having a creative day I start the day with a nice big bath with lovely smellies. I then get into something comfy but not PJs. I get my camera ready so I can document what I am doing (and usually share it on Instagram), my notepad is never far from my side as often thoughts and ideas come at the least expected time so I jot them down before I forget them. I have a wireless mac keyboard and mouse and this helps a lot when I am blogging or working on the shop. I usually sit up at my desk but if I am there for a while it can get uncomfy so I sometimes then sit snuggled up on the sofa with my wireless keyboard typing away! 

Do you have routine for when you are working from home/ blogging/ creating? Something you wear or something you do before you start? Do you keep a notepad nearby?

Please let me know in the comment section below!

Thursday 2 July 2015

5 Gin Recipes that you need this summer!

Summer is here and there is nothing better than sipping a gin and tonic in the sunshine! Gin and tonic has to be my favourite alcoholic drink. It is refreshing and delicious!!!

I have put together some fantastic gin recipes for you to enjoy from the perfect gin and tonic to oyster and grapefruit gin granita!

#1 Earl Grey Martini


Photo Credit: BBC Food, Andy Pearson
Why not combine the two best drinks....tea and gin?! This cocktail would be great for a summer party and once you have all the ingredients measured out is super easy to make and fuss free. Just pop all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake, strain and add a lemon peel garnish to make them look pretty for your party. Perfect and super tasty too!

To find the recipe please click here: Earl Grey Martini

#2 Oysters with Grapefruit and Gin Granita


Photo Credit: Helen Cathcart

I LOVE granita and especially gin granita! I make it a lot at home and it makes for a perfect after supper treat! A bit like sorbet, it is very cleansing, cold and refreshing. I have also had it as a dessert or a 'slushie' style cocktail so I really love this recipe as it shows a totally different way to use gin granita. This recipe would be perfect for a special occasion or celebration. Most of preparation can be done the night before and then it is just about serving the oysters. It looks impressive and is inventive with the flavours but won't keep you slaving away in the kitchen away from the party! 



#3 Gin and Tonic (Of course!)




Couldn't have a gin list without having a classic Gin and Tonic featuring. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a gin and tonic connoisseur then this video will show you have to make the perfect gin and tonic even down to a fancy way to pour your tonic to make sure the fizz stays and how to make the drink perfectly citrusy.

#4 White currant and cucumber gin popsicles/ ice lollies

Photo Credit: MetaMint Blog

These ice lollies/ popsicles are the perfect way to cool down after a day out in the sunshine.  Experiment with different shape moulds for a different look. These were made using plastic champagne glasses but there are lots of different ice lolly moulds in the shops at the moment. Perfect for 'grown up' ice lollies! 

 #5 Gin Cake


Photo Credit: Netmums

All of the recipes above have been cold and refreshing so here is for something totally different, gin and tonic loaf cake. Delicious and easy to cook this would be perfect for afternoon tea sat out in the garden in the sunshine!  


Hope that you liked reading this post. This is not something I have done before on the blog so please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below and if you would like me to do this style of blog post again