Just Frames!

A few weeks ago I had found a new flea market that I loved and scored some great items. One of those items were 6 plain wooden frames minus the glass. You can see them in the front of the photo.

I had the idea to create a french country look with them and Just Frames by themselves can make a nice decorating element and that was my vision as I redesigned them.

I'm not a big fan of spray paint but I opted to use it to make this process go much faster. Time is money, so they say. So I purchase yellow, red and black in gloss finish.  As I didn't want all 6 frames to be the same I switched them up a bit so that they were different but would still look great grouped together.  Each frame got a base coat and then after they were dry I painted on a bit of vaseline in areas and then sprayed the contrasting color. With the vaseline trick all you have to do is wait till the top coat dries and then wipe off and it will reveal the under coat. Some light sanding over the whole frame and then they ready for the umber glaze.

So frames were done but they needed a bit more to finish it off. So I tea dyed some muslin & gingham and then with that fabric added the bow in each corner.  I also designed a tag that suggests the use for these Just Frames

  I used one of the Graphics Fairy black and white borders and then just added my text. I like the idea of suggesting uses to my customers.  I also personalized it by signing my name at the bottom. (not shown)

These frames will be at my booth this week sitting in my red Coco Cola wooden case with a price of $6. each.

I'm joining these parties 

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense 
Inspiration Fridays At The Picket Fence
Sunday's Best Par Tay at My 1929 Charmer
Newbie Party at DebbieDoos  

Flea Market Fun!

So I love shopping for what I call my finds. It could be at a thrift store, garage sale, auction or flea market and today I did the flea market scene.

Being new to the Clermont Florida area I'm not to familiar with the stomping grounds of great finds. Last week as I was traveling along SR 50 heading towards Orlando to attend an auction I noticed out of the corner of my eye a flea market. Not a small run of the mill type of market but the kind that could be classified as a swap meet. You know,  the kind that gets your heart pumping, palms sweating and fills you with anxiety to hurry up and get there. But I was already committed to the auction so I had to wait until TODAY!  

So I went and was I disappointed?    NOPE

I spent maybe 30 minutes in the market when I got the following from only 2 vendors.

Please excuse my picture the sun was pretty strong.

So the money spent was $80. and I got:

1. A large oil painting (it's in the back) 
2. A large picture (next to the oil painting)
3. A shadow box table (it's got glass on top that lifts so you can showcase stuff) 
4. A wooden carrying box
5. 6  picture frames 
6. 3 lime stained terra cotta pots. 
7. Small picture (its sitting in the wooden box)
8. Old wooden cabinet with glass door 

Tomorrow I travel to Dunedin to my booth to drop off some merchandise to sell.  Most of this stuff won't make the trip. Each thing I got today needs just a touch of tweaking but it will go in about 2 weeks when I make my next trip.

I also will be heading back to this flea market next Saturday and meet up with these vendors again to see what they got.  

Where To Sell Part Three Brick and Mortar

Brick and Mortar is my favorite way to sell, can be your own store, a flea market booth  or space in an antique mall.

Source

 Having my own store involves a lot more than I'm willing to do right now. Because of the expenses and commitment to the amount of days to work  I opt to not open a store.

Back in the 80's in Syosset, NY I had a store with my sister called Once Upon A Gift. Then in 2005 I opened 2 stores which both were called Soapier in Tarpon Springs, Fl with my adult children as my partners.  Having experienced having my own store right now I'd rather spend my time doing what I love and that's FIND then RE*PURPOSE.

Source

A flea market booth is a great idea, you can grow a business with some very affordable rental rates. Usually the cost for rent includes everything except insurance and payroll.  There is a commitment of someone manning the booth each weekend, I'm not ready to do that yet. 

Back in November I rented a booth space at an antique mall in Dunedin, FL called Knot On Main Street.  You can read about it HERE.

So what's so great about this you ask?  I pay rent $3.00 a square foot and I believe I have about 110 square feet. Commission rate is 10% plus I'll also pay a percentage if the customer uses a credit card.  Stock my booth, do a nice display and the rest of the work is done for me. Love it! 

My focus for my Plan For Business will be to increase my sales at Knot which will be accomplished with more inventory in my booth and marketing using the free classified of Craiglist which I'll talk about in my next post.

Where To Sell Part Two I Do But I Don't

I do but I don't like Flea Markets, Farmers Markets and Craft Shows.

They are similar in the fact that you pay for a booth, set it up and wait for customers and are organized by promoters. Each type of show might attract a different customer base.

First let me explain what I LIKE about them.

Display, display and display. Did I mention I love displaying. Display is one of the most important things you can do for your business when doing shows. It's crucial to success. If you do shows start watching how people react to your booth. Notice how maybe 1. they gravitate to a certain part of your display. 2. they ignore your booth all together. Then step outside of your booth and try to see what they see. I then start switching things around and then again I see how those walking past my booth respond. It's fun, and interesting.


I like a good promoter who makes sure the right amount of marketing is done to get the customers to the event and hopefully to your booth.


I like meeting new people at these events and getting to know them. I love talking to people.

I like the weekly flea markets and farmer markets with their very affordable rates. You can rent a space with a table here in Florida for $10 for the day, can't beat that.

I like the idea of a flea market that is indoors and you don't have to set up a tent and you can also rent the space permanently. It's almost like having your own brick and mortar store. Plus you can grow the business with the proper marketing.  



What I DON'T LIKE.

Sitting around all day waiting for customers. So what happens to me if business is  slow,  I talk my neighbors ears off until they start to yawn,  I then move on to thinking about all the stuff I could be doing at home. No sales, low sales I then wonder what the heck am I doing here?   I tend to be a very antsy person, find it hard to enjoy just sitting doing nothing.

Not a big fan of packing up the car, unloading, setting up a tent and then repacking up at the end of the day and hauling the merchandise back in my garage. Of course this is all relative to how sales have been.

I don't like spending my money for a booth and the promoters is scrimping on marketing. This  happens a lot with not for profit organizations.

 I think that pretty much covers what I don't like. So here's the verdict, in my Plan For Business,  drum roll please!

About 30 minutes north of my home is a town called Mt. Dora and they host these antiques &  collectors xtravaganzas 3 times a year. People come from all over and the vendors sell products very much like my own which means there is a market for it. The flea market portion of this place charges $70 for the weekend. I can see myself doing this. I will need to hire help, rent a truck and buy a tent. I'll also need  lots of inventory. In my Plan For Business this is my goal for  fall of 2012.