A Review: Ahuimanu Fun and Craft Fair

What can I say about Ahuimanu Elementary? The staff and all the families are so nice and welcoming! You can really sense their emphasis on family and community as soon as you enter school grounds. Even though the rain overwhelmingly "blessed" my booth, hopefully that was just a good luck kiss that means a very successful season is ahead for Leaflet.

Thank you to Emi Ink for my Leaflet banner!! | www.emiink.com

This Saturday we will be at the Craft, Gift, & Rubberstamp Expo at the Blaisdell - Hawaii Suites. We will be there from 9 to 3! :)

It's a win-win situation

I know it, you know it, probably everyone knows it: craft fair booth fees can be very expensive! However, it's the trade off in order to sell products at different venues and it is a good way to get your name out there. 

This year I figured out some ways to be financially savvy and to utilize different resources when it came to paying for the booth fees. I sold books at Book-Off in Ala Moana, I recycled cans, and I also sold some craft supplies.

My Three "Win-Wins"

One. I don't know if you've ever gone to Book-Off (Ala Moana and Pearlridge) before, but you should take the time to check it out. They not only sell used books, CD's, and DVD's for a bargain price, but they also buy your used stuff as well. The first time I went a couple years ago, I sold around 120 books and received $87 for them. This past time I went was the second time. I sold around 30 books and a DVD season set and got $26 for them. They have a price work sheet that they follow, and they take most books that you want to sell if it is in decent condition. It's not a bad trade if you have these things lying around the house without any intention on using them again. You get to support a business by giving them more inventory, AND you get some extra cash to spend.

Two. Going down to the recycling place to recycle cans can be a pain and time-consuming, but if you have a free day and a bunch of cans--why not? Ask your family, friends, and neighbors if you can take their cans too while you're at it! One time I recycled, I grabbed several month's worth of our cans, my grandparents' cans, and my friend's cans You can feel good that you've did your share to make the earth a cleaner place, and you, again, have more spending money.

Three. My last simultaneous attempt was to sell some of my crafting supplies. Like most crafters who just can't resist buying supplies, I had a LOT to sell. I posted an album to my Facebook page, and I got a lot of inquiries and several sales through there. I also did the Crafter's Clearance Sale at the Blaisdell. This was probably the most satisfying win-win for me. Not only did I make some money, but I also got to offer other crafters inexpensive supplies so they could have fun crafting too! 

Of course, this didn't cover all of the fees, but it paid for one or two craft fairs. Way better than nothing! Last year during the 2012 holiday craft fair season, I did 10 fairs. This year, I had a goal in mind to do at least 15 to 20 actual fair days. I really wanted it, so I made a way. Don't be afraid to conquer your goals and to apply creativity to your (usually boring) financials. It will be so worth it in the end.

Sneak Peak: Christmas Gift Packs

I am looking forward to this weekend -- not only is it the first craft fair of the holiday season, but it is also Leaflet's debut of all the new Christmas gift packs I've been putting together the last couple of months! The gift packs come in different varieties of Leaflet's products with also varying price ranges to fit every Christmas shopper's budget.

Here's a quick look at one of five gift packs. Yes, that is a bento container! 

These oh-so-cute bentos contain a delicious Leaflet collection of one sticky note pad, three magnets, and a necklace-earring set. And it is already wrapped with ribbon and a tag for your convenience! It is a $16 value, but we'll probably sell it for $14. Yes, way!

In Other News:

This weekend, Saturday, September 7, we have the Ahuimanu Elementary School Craft and Fun Fair! 47-470 Hui Aeko Place, Kaneohe, 9:00-3:00.

Don't forget to check back next week for a review of the Ahuimanu Craft Fair! You can see the [almost] complete list of Leaflet's craft fairs here. 

Promise rings are corny

The only piece of jewelry that I wear every day is my not-a-promise-ring-I-guess-it's-just-an-I-love-you-ring from my boyfriend, Kekoa. Kekoa personally believes that promise rings are corny, and I kind of agreed (Shhh, don't tell him..., but whenever someone asks if he bought me the ring, I just tell them it's a promise ring out of convenience). We just wanted to get a simple accessory to wear on our [right] hand so we would be reminded of how much we love each other and to show our commitment to our relationship. 

It took us several weeks to decide on a ring for me (in that time we also ordered a a sterling silver band for him). We wanted it to be simple and dainty, and we definitely found what we were looking for! We ended up ordering this hand-made, sterling silver flower ring from an Etsy shop based in Canada: June Designs. Joelle, the shop owner, is an amazing designer, and she was so friendly in our conversations--making sure our order was perfect. I was so excited when the package finally arrived in Hawaii. I was also so relieved to see that my not-a-promise-ring-I-guess-it's-just-an-I-love-you-ring was even prettier in person! Hopefully, maybe an engagement ring is in our future? *Hint*hint* *cough*cough* *wink*wink*

;)