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mjowest

Ideas for displays

mjowest
11 years ago

I have been selling plate flowers and what we call "garden sticks" for a few years, but this year, I'm going to use small pieces of copper pipe for the bottoms of the vases-

does anyone have a creative idea of how to display them in a booth? I used kitty litter and/or sand before, and it's a mess.

Comments (15)

  • laurastheme
    11 years ago

    I found a baker's rack at a garage sale that I've used. I tied string crosswise on the rack shelves so there was square spaces to stick the pipe through.

  • mjowest
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Great idea! thanks- I will be trying this. Just had my BIL paint a free one from a garage sale!

  • concretenprimroses
    11 years ago

    I was going to say bring a big potted plant. I also use racks and lattice.
    Good luck, Post what you come up with.
    Kathy

  • Calamity_J
    11 years ago

    Great pic! I tried the selling thing here, but nobody was buying....so now I give them as gifts. It is hard to sell art around here, it's like everybody says they can make it themselves.

  • flowers12
    11 years ago

    I've got 3 more events this year then I will have to decide if I want to continue to sell. The cost of everything at the thrift stores has doubled just over the last 6 months. Also I can't find near as much selection as I did 2 or 3 years ago. I think there are so many people making totems and flowers now that the supply of glass is less and less. Every craft fair I go to people take pictures of my items and say oh I can make these. One lady made me laugh when she said she made one but it fell apart after two days outside. There is more to making these than just piling pieces on top of each other and gluing as we all know. I search for colored and different pieces of glass but the cost makes me wonder if what I sell things for is worth it but I don't know if people would buy if I raise my prices. I sell on the average of 12 pieces and make between $300 - $400. I enjoy creating them though and I like meeting all the people so I'll have to see at year end what to do.

  • amigirl
    11 years ago

    I was in a craft show this weekend and sold 15 items and made $225. which is usually what I make. But this year I see alot less vendors and foot traffic. Yes, the glass is getting more expensive and the buyers all take pictures and want to know what kind of glue to use.

    Sue

  • diydi
    11 years ago

    Hi! Long-time lurker and idea-thief finally joins in. I have gotten so many good ideas from all of you talented folks that I thought I should share mine.

    My old display system was to use old cream/milk cans with chicken wire over the top to put my plate flowers in. This was OK unless there was any signifant breeze or no one bumped into them. They were also prone to tipping over if not balanced well, even though I had a good amount of sand in the bottom. I had several mishaps where they tipped over and my creations broke. And boy does that get everyone's attention - not the kind of attention I wanted!

    I finally came up with this idea and it works much better. I got one of those plastic-topped folding tables, 4x6 feet (around $40 at Wal-mart). I measured and marked for holes, making sure they wouldn't hit any of the hardware underneath. My husband used a 1-inch hole saw and drilled holes through the top. The table can hold 24 plate flowers for display. I got a carpet runner to keep the bottoms of the pipes from slipping around on a hard floor. For outside shows, I take along some sandbags to drape over the cross pieces on the legs in case it gets windy, but you can also just let the plates determine which way to face to avoid wind resistance.

    I know it was a bit of money to spend, but well worth it, and with a tablecloth over it, you still have something to set up when you have a lot of company over to eat! It is also lighter to carry than the 4 sand-filled cream cans I used to have to take along. Was pretty proud that my feeble mind came up with this idea - only wish it hadn't taken so long!

    Diane

  • flowers12
    11 years ago

    I couldn't locate the picture before that I thought showed the best view of my wooden stands. They work very well for small indoor booths because you can use them on the table as well as on the floor.

  • jeannespines
    11 years ago

    Great idea dyi on that light-wt table for long-stemmed flower plates! TFS! Jeanne S.

  • mjowest
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    GREAT ideas! you've got my brain working... lol
    I'm headed to the craft mall this week- I have a super long old coffee table there, that I've used in my booth- and going to try the same idea that diydi suggested-
    because these gals are shorter- they are a vase with a globe on the top, with a short, about 6-8" stick or pipe to make them sit 'ground level'-
    hard to explain, but I"ll eventually get photos, I promise!
    Working on Christmas things now, but just as soon as January hits, I'm going back to spring things in the booth!! so gotta keep that brain working.

    It may be the last year for the garden totems and things- it is getting saturated over here, too, but I just LOVE the garden plate flowers, and hope that I can continue those for a few more years.

  • toomuchglass
    11 years ago

    I wish I would have had these genius displays when I was selling :( They're just perfect !

  • mjowest
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Too much too little too late...
    but there's always the future, you never know what it may hold for you! Store it in a back folder in your memory...lol :)

  • nonacook
    11 years ago

    I like both the table and the wooden stands!
    I had used white '5 gallon' buckets, with plastic
    bags of sand. The bag could be tied in transport to
    prevent spilling.
    My area is like calamity's--everyone looks, and wants
    to make it themselves......
    I will say "silicone" but not what brand and type.
    But use GE II, for windows and doors, of course!
    The very first one I made was '100% silicone' and it
    fell apart-LOL.
    Mine have been out 5-7 years....rain, heat, cold,
    3 hurricanes and several tropical storms, both Bowling balls and totems.

  • Desrtdove
    11 years ago

    Wow, lovely displays everyone!! I love that table idea! Brilliant!!

    The wooden stands, flowers12, are gorgeous!

    Thanks for sharing everyone!!

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