The Christmas fair countdown has begun!

The Christmas Fair countdown has begun!

This time in four weeks we will no doubt all be busy packing stock, checking through countless lists, adding finishing touches to items and after a few sherries, finally taking a bit of a breather before the big day of the Christmas Fair.

To help you on your way, we will be presenting a useful tip each day leading up to the fair. You can look forward to loads of information about not only setting up a stall and displaying your products to their best advantage, but also other nuggets of advice for promoting yourself and the Dorset team. 

But don't see this as a one-way street - if you happen to be a craft fair veteran and have some words of wisdom, please let us know and we will gladly incorporate your tips into the countdown. Likewise, if you have a slightly different way of doing things, share a comment. These tips are meant as a learning experience, so any and all help is very welcome. 

So with the introduction out of the way, it's time for today's tip. Fa la la!

Make a list of what to make (and when you'll make it) 

Since this is a Christmas fair, items that are Christmas-based (presents or decorations) will probably sell better than something suited to the height of summer.

This might mean you need to make different items for your stock pile, so if you haven't already done so, draft a list of everything you want to make. Doing it this early means you can see if extra materials are needed and if so, have the time to order them in.

Listing what you want to make is just the start, though. It's really easy to get carried away listing all the potential treasures you can craft, which is why you also need to come up with a plan of when you will actually make all these amazing things. Set yourself rough deadlines - it will not only help you avoid last-minute crafting cramming sessions, but you will quickly identify if your plans have any basis in reality. If it is impossible to make everything you want, you can then whittle down the list to what is most important. 

We'll admit that reducing your craft endeavours to lists can crush the creative spirit, but it really will help the next four weeks go more smoothly. And at the very least, you'll get the satisfaction of crossing lots of things off a list!