[Jewelry making - Article 00025] - Re: [Orchid] ACC Show Baltimore 2007

[Grace Stokes]

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    I did not do the ACC show but I heard from friends who did and they
    had the same comments and experience. I make my living by doing shows
    and this seems to be the case for all shows, from tiny town craft
    fairs to the big ones. I just had my taxes done last night and it was
    not a pretty picture. The economy in Ohio and Michigan is terrible
    but when I hear complaints about shows in Baltimore and Philly,
    travel seems like a waste of time too. For me it's not that the shows
    are poorly attended - but the only jewelry booths that are packed are
    "bought strung beaded jewelry" where the price tag is something like
    2 pairs of earrings for $15.00. I have a really nice, unique low end,
    mostly metal without soldering or beads that I make, that starts at
    about $45, for not very complex, but none-the-less unusual pieces,
    that I can't sell any lower and I still can't compete. On the other
    hand, in Ohio, we had a new show, holiday time, where the organizer
    tried his hardest to have only good quality, medium to high end work
    and it was very poorly attended - customers complained that there
    were no bargains - that the work was great but way too expensive.
    It's so frustrating to spend so much time trying to be creative and
    hone your skills for so much disappointment. I'm finding more and
    more people, coming into my booth, looking at everything and then
    going home and trying to figure out how to make a similar piece. Even
    worse, at my last show I actually had a person say "I could make that
    earring, but could you tell me where you get the wire?" I was
    speechless! Is anyone out there, making predominantly metal jewelry,
    selling gangbusters?...... If this trend keeps up I might have to go
    back to one of those "Former Lives" very soon. 

Trying to stay hopeful,
Grace
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