9/01/2010

Strange Heads for Strange Folks

In between long stretches of good knitting time this weekend I think I got my Strange Folk Festival booth display ironed out. I am completely changing it from last year. I used those fold up shelves last year which were easy to transport but a total failure I'm afraid. People were unwilling to look through the piles of scarves on the shelves. Things just sat there until I moved them to the quilt racks. I will continue to use the 2 quilt racks on either side of the table which is where almost all of my sales came from last year.

So I've decided to retire the shelves and use only display items that are drapeable. I set up my table minus the knitwear on my back porch this weekend. I found the rack on the right at a Salvation Army for $7 and painted it tan but I think it probably needs another coat. It will hold a lot of scarves/scarflettes draped over it without being overwhelming like the shelves were. I already had the child coat rack on the far left which will be perfect for displaying hats. I gave it another coat of tan spray paint. I got the plant stand in the middle at an antique mall in Rolla for $10 and painted it a deeper beige.

I painted my Styrofoam heads which I bought at Sally's Beauty Supply for $4 a piece with a metallic copper acrylic paint. I had a failed attempt at spray painting them tan. Who knew that there was a chemical in spray paint that would turn a styrofoam head into a mutant creature? It started bubbling up but for some reason I kept spraying until the eye socket completely sunk in. Only then did I research what you should use to paint styrofoam. I obviously won't be using this one at Strange Folk. I will use the heads to display scarf/hat sets.

I will probably use 2 of the levels on the stand to hold mug racks that I got for a few dollars at Goodwill and painted the metallic color. I will hang some of my left over wrist cuffs from last year on them.

I got the table cloth at Goodwill for $4 and I really like the colors. I will probably put a cream sheet over the top and just show the print on the sides of my table but I haven't decided yet. I will use my banner from last year with my Lenox Knits logo on it.

So I spent around $40 including the paint this year on improvements to the booth which I think will pay for itself with more sales off of the table. What do you think? Do you like the tablecloth or do you think it will be too busy once I put all my colorful scarves on the table?

11 comments:

Maureen Cracknell Handmade said...

Wow, you got some great deals! Everything looks great.

Hope you visit my way!
: )Maureen

LazyTcrochet said...

Thanks for the tips on painting the styrofoam heads. I was thinking about decoupaging my old ones. I always worry about the colors of my table covers clashing with certain colors of items. Then I covered it with a store-bought crocheted tablecloth, and of course everyone asks if I made it LOL.

Ann said...

very good job on the deals for your display. I think it's going to look great. I like the tablecloth. I guess as far as clashing with your scarves you'll just have to wait and see what you think once you have it all set up.

LiPeony said...

I think you got some great deals too and the sunken mutated styrofoam head has its... charms... =D . For some reason i can imagine you arranging scarves etc on the salvation army shelf by colors like a rainbow rack... so far it looks great =D

Anonymous said...

Wow, you've really got it mostly together! Weird about the spray paint/ styrofoam thing. I'd never heard of that nor imagined that would have happened! I definitely think you should put a beige cloth over the table cloth, maybe just enough to cover the table top and then hang at a point on the sides or something- do let it show some on the bottom part of the table.

Stephanie said...

Weird, that spray paint really took it's toll on the head.

I think the booth is going to look great!

Split Rock Ranch said...

You really did well shopping for display items! I love when people repurpose things like you're doing! I didn't know you could get styro heads at Sally's for that cheap - I'll have to check into them (and will have to be sure to research what kind of paint you should use, too!)

Campbell Jane said...

"but for some reason I kept spraying until the eye socket completely sunk in"

LOL! I just laughed my butt off! hahahaha That is so what I would have done. hahaha The minute I saw it messing up I would have figured it was a ticket to play. hahaha

Thanks! All these things were good to know coz I'm in the market for a head for my new shop. My grandson bit the nose off of the one I have!

Best of luck with your show!

Lin said...

I knew about the Styrofoam from working in a craft store. Many parents come back for more supplies after learning that lesson the hard way!

I'd have to see the scarves on that tablecloth--my initial thought is that it would be too busy and compete with your scarves.

TheAL said...

It looks fantastic. I think it'll really make your knits pop and your display more unique. Good luck with the upcoming craft fairs!

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