Craft Show Tip: Display Design Part 2
Last week, we talked about display design in great detail, including a worksheet to get you thinking about your display.Click here for Craft Show Tip: Display Design Part 1In Part 2, we'll talk about where to get your displays.Before we even start, I wanted to mention something I didn't mention last week and that is that there are certain shows where you will be required to follow certain display parameters.In most cases, however, you'll be given a 10 X 10 spot and you can do whatever you like (within reason) in that space. All my suggestions are for these types of shows.Where to Get DisplaysIt's easy to find a tent and tables, so I'm not going to get into that here. What I'm really talking about is more the smaller display pieces that go on your tables or in your booth that really show your style.So refer back to your worksheet from last week. By the end of it you should have a pretty good idea of what you need to pull off your display. Now it's time to put it together.The best example I have is my own craft show display. My jewelry was whimsical and fun, definitely not serious at all. I used light and girly colors in my booth, mostly pink and white but sometimes I used tablecloths that were flowery as well.TableclothsI have never actually used actual "tablecloths" in my booth. I have always used sheets. When I first started doing craft shows I thought tablecloths were too expensive, the wrong size and I could never find what I wanted. So I used flat sheets. (Flat sheets were a lot less expensive back then, by the way.)I purchased mine new and I found queen size to be about perfect for my tables.When my husband and I got married we had an eco-friendly wedding. My mom and I sewed all of our cloth napkins and tablecloths for the wedding. My mom and I sourced flat sheets from thrift stores, washed them and then sewed them into tablecloths and napkins.After my wedding I had all these tablecloths, so I picked out my favorites and started using them in my booth. The photo above is one such tablecloth. They were a bit shorter than I like for my booth because I prefer my tablecloths to go to the ground so I can store my bins under my tables during craft shows, so I used white and then layered the floral tablecloths on top.You can find all kinds of unique sheets to use as tablecloths. You don't even necessarily need to sew them to a certain size, just drape them over your tables. If you have a vintage or more whimsical feel it's probably going to be a little easier. However, I've found black, white and other solid colors as well.You could also purchase them new and save yourself all the looking and scavenging around.And, of course, you could make your own tablecloths from fabric or find new tablecloths to purchase. Maybe you could find a tablecloth at a thrift store that's perfect.DisplaysOnce you figure out the look you're going for, you'll start to find things all over. It helps if you go to yard sales, auctions or visit thrift stores, but a couple of my favorite displays have been from Target as well. In fact, my necklace display that people constantly commented on how unique it was was simply a decorative piece from Target that I actually got on clearance.Just think about things in a different way. If you sell jewelry, don't necessarily look for "necklace holders." Look at different decorative pieces and think about how they would work with your pieces and then how you could use them in your booth.Of course, I've picked up a lot of my displays at thrift stores and antique stores. But I have also purchased them at Target (like I mentioned), basket stores and traditional jewelry display shops.Personally, I get bored when I see a display that's full of those pre-made necklace holders. It may look professional, but it has no personality. Everyone has them. But if you mix them up with some other pieces with more personality it makes it more interesting.You could try garage or yard sales (or tag sales depending where you live.) You can look around your own home or garage. You probably have all kinds of possible display pieces for your craft show booth just sitting around.Ask People to HelpPeople love to help, so if you have friends or family that can help you find pieces, ask them. If you need someone to build something and your brother is great at that kind of stuff, ask him for some help. If your mom goes to auctions, ask her to keep her eyes open for certain things. If you're not a thrifter, but your best friend is, ask her to help you. She would love to help you!Keep an open mind and you'll find all kinds of things to use for displays!Want craft show tips right in your inbox each week? Sign up for my Craft Show Tips Newsletter.